Category: Media releases

Secret Approval of New ACT Private Schools Is Farcical and Cowardly

sosaustralia / / ACT issues, Media releases

Save Our Schools has attacked secret decisions by the ACT Minister for Education, Joy Burch, to approve three new private schools in Canberra as farcical and cowardly. SOS Convenor, Trevor Cobbold, said that secret decisions made last December will draw enrolments from existing schools in Belconnen, add to excess capacity and threaten the future of some schools. Continue reading “Secret Approval of New ACT Private Schools Is Farcical and Cowardly”

Outrageous that Rich Schools Decide Funding for the Disadvantaged

sosaustralia / / Equity in education, Media releases

The public education advocacy group Save Our Schools today called for government schools to be included in negotiations over the funding loadings for disadvantaged students in the new school funding model. SOS National Convenor, Trevor Cobbold, said that the future funding for disadvantaged schools is being held hostage to negotiations with the richest schools in Australia. Continue reading “Outrageous that Rich Schools Decide Funding for the Disadvantaged”

More Collaboration is Needed to Counter the Damage by School Autonomy

sosaustralia / / Choice and competition, Media releases

School autonomy is a threat to the spread of best practice teaching and learning between schools according to a submission to the Senate inquiry on teaching and learning by Save Our Schools (SOS). National convenor, Trevor Cobbold, said school autonomy creates incentives not to share good practice which need to be countered by promoting more collaboration between schools. Continue reading “More Collaboration is Needed to Counter the Damage by School Autonomy”

Urgent Action is Needed on Shameful ACT School Results

sosaustralia / / ACT issues, Media releases

A research paper released today by Save Our Schools shows that ACT school results have fallen since 2001 and that achievement gaps between the top and bottom students are amongst the largest of all developed countries.

SOS convenor, Trevor Cobbold, said the results are an indictment of ACT education policy over the past decade and he called for an independent public inquiry to set a new direction. Continue reading “Urgent Action is Needed on Shameful ACT School Results”

Restrict Funding Increases for Wealthy Private Schools

sosaustralia / / Funding, Media releases

The public education group Save Our Schools today called on the Federal Government to restrict future funding increases for wealthier private schools. SOS National Convenor, Trevor Cobbold, said that modelling based on the funding announcement last week by the Prime Minister shows that private schools would get a huge windfall gain of nearly $2 billion a year. Continue reading “Restrict Funding Increases for Wealthy Private Schools”

Parents Call for No Further Expansion of School Autonomy in the ACT

sosaustralia / / Choice and competition, Media releases

The following is a media release from the ACT Council of P&C Associations on school autonomy in the ACT

The ACT Council of P&C Associations says that there should be no further expansion of school autonomy until it is established that it will have unequivocal benefits for students. Continue reading “Parents Call for No Further Expansion of School Autonomy in the ACT”

School Autonomy is Not the Success Claimed

sosaustralia / / Choice and competition, Media releases

A review of research studies on school autonomy in several countries published by Save Our Schools says that there is little evidence to support the Federal Government’s Empowering Local Schools program. SOS national convenor, Trevor Cobbold, said that there is little prospect that greater school autonomy will lead to better student results. Continue reading “School Autonomy is Not the Success Claimed”

New Private Schools Use Loophole to Get More Funding

sosaustralia / / ACT issues, Media releases

Save Our Schools has accused two Canberra private schools of using a loophole to get extra Federal funding. SOS National Convenor, Trevor Cobbold, said that the two schools will gain $2.4 million in additional funding by establishing new campuses of existing schools rather than for new stand alone schools. Continue reading “New Private Schools Use Loophole to Get More Funding”

New Private School Applications Should be Rejected

sosaustralia / / ACT issues, Media releases

Save Our Schools has called on the ACT Government to reject applications for new private schools in Charnwood and Molonglo. SOS convenor, Trevor Cobbold, said that the ACT Government has previously rejected a proposal for a new private school in north-west Belconnen because it would impact on existing schools and the Charnwood application should be similarly rejected. Continue reading “New Private School Applications Should be Rejected”

ACARA Disqualifies Itself from Assessing the Impact of NAPLAN

sosaustralia / / League Tables and Testing, Media releases

Save Our Schools today called on the national ministers’ education council to re-commission an investigation of the impact of NAPLAN. Trevor Cobbold, national convenor of SOS, said that the integrity of the investigation had been prejudiced by statements by officials of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) which was charged to do the report. Continue reading “ACARA Disqualifies Itself from Assessing the Impact of NAPLAN”