2016–17 Activity Statement—Education

Access to quality education and training is fundamental to Queensland’s future success. Queenslanders’ vision for education includes all Queenslanders engaging in, and valuing, education. Education and training will allow us to gain practical skills, enrich our lives, find secure jobs and improve the competitiveness of the economy. If we are to keep pace with the world, our schools, training places and universities need to adapt and evolve further. We need a practical, future-focused curriculum, support for teachers and a focus on lifelong learning. We also need to use partnerships and local expertise to build our skills for emerging industries.

TThe Queensland Government believes that early childhood and school-based education and training are critical to the future success of all Queenslanders. In 2016–17, the Queensland Government:

Creating jobs and a diverse economy

• awarded 100 grants through the Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow program, supporting Queensland students in 116 state schools to learn the digital and entrepreneurial skills needed in innovative businesses and emerging industries
• awarded 49 Engaging Science Grants through the Advance Queensland initiative to schools, community groups, scientists and small businesses to deliver activities and events to help Queenslanders engage in, recognise, support and advocate for science
• delivered the Flying Scientists program through a partnership between Advance Queensland and the Wonder of Science’s Young Science Ambassador initiative, with scientists travelling to seven regional and remote Queensland locations to participate in school visits, community events and public seminars
• initiated the Robotics for the Future program in collaboration with SoftBank, bringing cutting edge robotics to Queensland state schools to build students’ interest in coding and applying it in the real world
• released Advancing futures: New senior assessment and tertiary entrance systems in Queensland, and commenced implementation of the reforms
• released the Youth Engagement Plan as part of Advancing education: an action plan for education in Queensland, to maximise educational engagement from early childhood through to post-Year 12
• approved 367 community-driven projects, worth $67.2 million, to provide nationally-recognised training, skills and jobs to more than 13,000 disadvantaged Queenslanders under the Skilling Queenslanders for Work initiative
• allocated $3.75 million to 58 local governments, including 12 Indigenous local governments, to employ 300 additional trainees under the First Start Program
• allocated $2.4 million to 49 community-based organisations to employ 120 additional trainees under the First Start Program
• provided $1.36 million to private sector employers for employing former Skilling Queenslanders for Work participants as trainees and apprentices
• appointed Jobs Queensland Board members and provided direction on key priorities to the Board through the Minister’s Statement of Expectations
• launched Jobs Queensland’s Positive Futures: Apprentices and Traineeships in Queensland project, building on what is working well within the apprenticeships and traineeships system, with outcomes helping to chart the course for developing the workforce of tomorrow
• assisted 328 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to successfully transition into employment, training or higher education following Year 12 through the Youth Employment Program
• provided supplementary funding of $6 million to assist the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Foundation to continue Queensland Certificate of Education Scholarships for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people undertaking Year 11 and 12 studies
• launched the Queensland Vocational Education and Training (VET) Quality Framework, a comprehensive and systematic approach to ensuring quality in Queensland’s publicly funded VET
• provided subsidies to assist existing and aspiring early childhood education and care educators to complete certificate and diploma qualifications and industry-endorsed skill sets through the Certificate 3 Guarantee and the Higher Level Skills program
• released the 2016–17 Annual VET Investment Plan, including strengthened quality measures for approved training providers
• awarded 65 scholarships to local government employees to undertake nationally-accredited diplomas and Certificate IV-level programs conducted by the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ)
• delivered the Queensland Tourism Workforce Plan 2017-20, developed by Jobs Queensland, as a key component of the Advancing Tourism 2016-20: Growing Queensland Jobs (Advancing Tourism Strategy), to ensure Queensland has a skilled workforce to support the growing and thriving tourism industry
• released the consultation drafts of:
• Advancing skills for the future: a strategy for vocational education and training in Queensland, and conducted state-wide consultation
• Advancing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education and training action plan to drive improvements in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander early childhood, school education and training outcomes.

Delivering quality frontline services

• offered 319 scholarships/grants/bursaries to encourage preservice teachers to teach in Queensland state schools, particularly in areas of high demand
• continued six Teacher Education Centres of Excellence, developing classroom-ready teachers for state schools through mentoring and high-quality professional development
• provided targeted professional development to support teachers to implement the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies in all Queensland state schools by the end of 2020
• released #codingcounts: A plan for coding and robotics in Queensland state schools to support our students to be digital creators and innovators
• released Global schools through languages: A plan for supporting successful global citizens in Queensland state schools to enable students to communicate across languages, cultures and access increased opportunities
• continued implementing Schools of the Future – a strategy for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in Queensland state schools, including supporting regionally-based STEM champions, hosting the Peter Doherty Awards for Excellence in STEM Education, and expanding the annual STEM Girl Power Camp
• expanded the Queensland Virtual STEM Academy and launched a new video conferencing platform to deliver innovative programs for Queensland’s best and brightest Year 5–9 students
• provided MoneySmart Teaching professional learning to 1740 primary, secondary and pre-service teachers to build the financial capability of teachers to deliver consumer and financial literacy education, and met and exceeded the milestones of the MoneySmart Teaching National Partnership Agreement as at June 2017
• provided the P-10 Literacy continuum in OneSchool to support ongoing literacy improvement in schools
• developed Supporting successful transitions resources for schools, parents and early childhood services to strengthen collaboration and enhance children's continuity of learning
• provided access to kindergarten in 38 state schools through the Remote Kindy Pilot, delivering a face-to-face kindergarten program to more than 100 kindergarten aged children
• provided access to kindergarten in 29 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities through pre-Prep services operating within Queensland state schools
• developed a further four series of the Australian-first television series, Sally & Possum, broadcast on ABC Kids, enhancing early literacy and numeracy for deaf and hard of hearing children learning AUSLAN
• supported the early childhood education and care workforce under the Early Childhood Education and Care Workforce Action Plan 2016–2019:
• launched Inspire the future choose a career in early childhood, promoting the value and professional standing of early childhood careers
• delivered four intensive residential programs, supporting over 30 educators in priority identified Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander remote communities
• offered the Early Childhood Teacher Bridging Program, supporting over 120 registered primary teachers to gain qualifications to work as early childhood teachers
• delivered Early Years Connect professional development resources for educators in early years settings to support the inclusion and participation of children with disability and complex additional needs
• launched the Foundation for Success website to support educators deliver strengths-based programs that place Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children at the core of teaching and learning
• delivered pedagogical, mentoring and leadership support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander educators, in partnership with the Federal Government, through the Remote Indigenous Professional Development Project
• continued delivery of Better Together forums in regions for school leaders, teachers, early childhood educators and local community organisations, to focus on early childhood development and transition to school
• increased the percentage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Year 12 students achieving a Queensland Certificate of Education or Queensland Certificate of Individual Attainment to 97% in 2016
• established a team to provide strategic support for schools and regions to prepare for the new senior assessment and tertiary entrance (SATE) system commencing with Year 11 students in 2019
• supported school leaders and teachers to transition to the new SATE system by visiting 138 secondary schools and developing targeted SATE communications through a webpage and e-newsletter
• commissioned an independent review of education policies and practices for students with disability in Queensland state schools and created a dedicated Assistant Director-General State Schools Disability and Inclusion role to oversee implementation of the review’s 17 recommendations
• developed a response plan to the Queensland Disability Review Report, which outlines accountability measures to track progress in lifting the education opportunities for students with disability
• provided 12 new scholarships valued at up to $14,600 over three years for current Queensland State School Principals to undertake a Master in Education (Inclusive Education) at Queensland University of Technology
• expanded the services and support available through the Autism Hub to help build the confidence and capability of school communities to improve educational outcomes for students with autism
• introduced a new assessment and intervention service through the Reading Centre to provide specialist advice to parents and schools on supporting students with dyslexia
• met participation targets for all children and vulnerable and disadvantaged children enrolled in kindergarten and increased participation by Indigenous children
• provided opportunities for Queensland students to participate in one or more of the 49 school sport State Champions held across 21 sports
• supported Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students by:
• enhancing learning and achievement of over 700 high-performing students participating in the Solid Pathways project, implemented in partnership with the University of Queensland
• expanding Be well Learn well, an early intervention program that integrates education and health to support student developmental needs in remote state schools
• implementing Indigenous girls programs to provide additional education support to over 620 female students across Queensland, in partnership with Stars Foundation, Role Models and Leaders Australia, Brisbane Broncos and Netball Queensland
• expanding the delivery of the Clontarf Foundation program to reach over a 1000 young male students identified at risk of disengaging
• commissioning an independent review of the Department of Education and Training’s Transition Support Services to determine the effectiveness of the program and ensure students and families across communities in Cape York and Palm Island receive high quality support to enable successful transition to secondary boarding schools
• supported Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students learning English as an additional language or dialect (IEAL/D) through the work of the Indigenous Language Perspectives team, with a Principal Coach and a Principal Education Advisor in each region
• launched the School Improvement Model, providing the common language and process for schools and regions to engage in an evidence-informed inquiry approach to school improvement
• supported 142 aspiring Principals and Deputy Principals to develop the capability to lead schools, particularly in rural and remote locations through the Take the Lead program
• the Queensland Training Ombudsman:
• reviewed 506 complaints and enquiries and reported to Government on the quality of training for electrical apprentices, and on the quality of training and assessment in the security industry
• commenced a review of quality outcomes delivered by Group Training Organisations.

Building safe, caring and connected communities

• partnered with Headspace School Support to deliver suicide prevention and ‘postvention’ training to all Senior Guidance Officers and Guidance Officers across the state
• established the Mental Health Hub as an online portal of expertise to support school staff, principals and school leadership teams to integrate mental health and wellbeing support for students into whole school practices to improve educational outcomes
• provided education programs to support young Queenslanders’ health and wellbeing through
• the Respectful relationships education program, giving Prep to Year 12 students opportunities for social and emotional learning
• the Alcohol and other drugs education program, building Years 7–12 students’ understanding of the impacts of alcohol and other drug use, and their capacity to make responsible, safe and informed decisions
• Indigenous Perspectives—Curriculum and Pedagogy (IPCP) workshops, delivered across Queensland to enhance current teacher practices in creating a culturally appropriate curriculum
• co-funded Success Coaches with 18 schools to work with students in Years 7–9, developing strategies to re-engage students and drive improvements in attendance, behaviour, participation and attainment
• engaged students from over 130 state schools in the Global Education Program as part of the Embracing 2018 Legacy Program for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (GC2018)
• installed flashing school zone signs at 100 risk assessed school zones as part of Queensland’s Road Safety Action Plan (2015–17)
• continued Transition 2 Success, a therapeutic and vocational training program for young people aged 14–18 years involved or at risk of entering the youth justice system, with 10 sites are now in operation at Aurukun, Cairns, Townsville, Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Caboolture, Sunshine Coast, Western Districts (Inala), Logan, and the Gold Coast
• delivered year three of the First 5 Forever family literacy initiative—a four year, $20 million program through public libraries, supporting families to help children develop language and literacy skills
• attracted 182,000 participants to the second World Science Festival in March 2017, promoting STEM literacy to a broad range of audiences through events at the Queensland Museum in Brisbane and regional programs in Gladstone, Toowoomba and Chinchilla
• implemented the $200,000 Artists in Residence Fund, providing funding for kindergartens and schools to increase engagement with arts and culture, particularly students experiencing disadvantage
• continued to support the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts, providing accredited training in dance, music and theatre and showcasing the next generation of young Indigenous performers
• supported education programs across Queensland through programs facilitated by the Queensland Ballet, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Opera Queensland and Queensland Theatre
• delivered, through the Queensland Music Festival, a performing arts youth touring program, the Score It! statewide film scoring competition for primary and secondary school students, a regional tour, and the Cape York Instrumental Music Program in partnership with the Cape York Academy.

Read more about the Plan’s goals, targets and measures for education.