The National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) is hosting its second annual Virtual Symposium on Wednesday 27 October at 3pm AEDT with a keynote presentation by international educational expert Dr Lyn Sharratt focusing on school improvement.

The ‘Faith in the Future’ symposium will be held each year to mark World Teachers Day celebrated in Australia on Friday 29 October, and is the final national event for the celebration of the Bicentenary of Catholic education in Australia.

Dr Sharratt’s keynote address titled,‘This is the WORK!’, will explore the need for alignment, focus and resolve by teachers and leaders to ensure every student can meet and exceed their potential.

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Catholic schools across Australia will have access to the OECD PISA-based Test for Schools as a result of a partnership between the National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) and Janison an Australian online assessment company.

National Catholic education executive director Jacinta Collins said the partnership will enable Catholic schools to engage in PISA for Schools with up to 50 Catholic schools participating in the pilot program this year.

“PISA for Schools aims to build teacher capacity and drive school improvement which contributes to our strategic priority of improving student learning opportunities,” Ms Collins said.

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Catholic education acknowledges the hard work and persistence of school leaders, teachers and families on the release of NAPLAN 2021 results showing no significant impact on student literacy and numeracy achievement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

National Catholic Education executive director Jacinta Collins said the summary results also demonstrate an upward trend across most literacy and numeracy domains.

“Given the significant disruption for students during this period it’s encouraging to see improvement in literacy and numeracy achievement, particularly the steady upward trend in reading and signs of improvement in writing,” Ms Collins said.

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New video resources are now available for school leaders and teachers to support the delivery of Religious Education in Catholic schools across Australia.

The series of professional learning videos are designed to encourage discussion among Catholic educators through the unpacking of the Framing Paper on Religious education in Australian Catholic Schools (2018).

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Catholic schools across Australia will celebrate Family Week from 8 – 14 August, to recognise the significant contribution parents, carers and families have made to the foundation, growth and continuity of Catholic schools in Australia over 200 years.Catholic schools across Australia will celebrate Family Week from 8 – 14 August, to recognise the significant contribution parents, carers and families have made to the foundation, growth and continuity of Catholic schools in Australia over 200 years.

Family Week coincides with the Feast Day of Australia’s First Saint, Mary MacKillop, who was a passionate educator and advocate for children and families, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

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Catholic students from across the country have joined together in a video performance of the national song ‘Faith in the Future’, to celebrate 200 years of Catholic education in Australia, which marks the anniversary of the first official Catholic school opened in Parramatta in October 1820.

The ‘Faith in the Future Australian Catholic Schools Version’ features 370 students from 29 Catholic schools across Australia including remote, regional and rural communities such as: Our Lady Sacred Heart School Waiben (Thursday Island), St John's Catholic School Richmond in Tasmania, Sacred Heart College Sorrento in Western Australia, and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Catholic College Alice Springs in the Northern Territory.

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A National Mass will be celebrated simultaneously across Australia on the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians on Monday 24 May 2021 to mark the occasion.

National Catholic Education executive director Jacinta Collins said the National Mass would be a highlight of the bicentenary year.

"As a faith community, our National Mass to celebrate 200 years of Catholic education holds significant meaning, particularly on the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians - the Patroness of Australia," Ms Collins said. 

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The National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) has welcomed $1.6 billion funding for Early Childhood learning and $63.5 million to support gender equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls announced in the 2021-22 Budget, saying it responds to areas of significant educational need.

National Catholic Education Executive Director Jacinta Collins said the continuation of universal access to 15 hours of preschool will enable children to build critical foundations in the year before commencing school.

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The National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) said the recommendations from the Review of Disability Standards for Education 2005 are a positive step forward and place the needs of students and their families at the centre of education.

“The report’s focus on empowering families, strengthening standards and service quality, and increasing accountability will help support an ever-increasing number of students with disability in school communities,” said National Catholic education executive director Jacinta Collins.

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The National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) said the Minister for Education and Youth Alan Tudge’s MP speech to the Menzies Research Centre today, which outlines his focus on improving Australia’s educational performance, is on target.

NCEC executive director Jacinta Collins said the Catholic sector has developed its own set of national priorities to support the continual improvement of educational outcomes for all students in its 1,751 schools. In Australia, Catholic schools educate one in five (768,000) students.

“We are heavily focused on working with government and other educational bodies, like ACARA, to identify evidence-based practice to support quality learning and teaching across our schools,” Jacinta said.

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Download a copy of 200 Years Young - a Pastoral Letter from the Bishops of Australia to the leaders, staff, students and families of Catholic education in Australia

In 2021, Australian Catholic education celebrates 200 years of Catholic schooling in this country. A virtual launch of the bicentennial celebrations will be streamed for Catholic school communities across Australia on Thursday 18 February 2021 at 10am and 2pm AEDT.

National Catholic education Executive Director Jacinta Collins said the bicentennial celebrations recognise the enormous contribution of Catholic schools in Australia.

“Over 200 years Catholic schools have educated millions of Australian students,” Ms Collins said. “We have grown alongside the government sector in ensuring the education of generations of young people, and have contributed to the development of individuals, local communities, and the economic and social fabric of this nation.”

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PASTORAL LETTER ON CATHOLIC EDUCATION - 200 YEARS YOUNG 

The Catholic Bishops have written a pastoral letter to school leaders, staff, students and families to mark the 200th anniversary of Catholic education in Australia which will be launched on Thursday 18th February 2021 at 10am (AEDT).

The letter, 200 Years Young, recognises the contribution of religious, clergy and lay people to the foundation of Catholic education, and the distinctive role Catholic schools play in educating and forming young people of faith and service in their communities.  Read media release

DOWNLOAD PASTORAL LETTER 

The National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) has appointed Sally Egan to the role of Deputy Director commencing Thursday 28 January 2021.

Executive Director Jacinta Collins, who announced the appointment today, said Sally comes to the NCEC with 30 years’ broad-ranging experience across all sectors of schooling, most recently in executive leadership roles within the NSW Department of Education.

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