Joy Burch is claiming the credit for Canberra children’s literacy and numeracy results.
ACT Minister for Education and Training Joy Burch welcomed the release of the My School website, which includes 2012 National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) results and capital and recurrent expenditure for individual schools.
“The information on the My School website reinforces [...]

Joy Burch has announced that the ACT now has a “Swimming Pool and Water Park Based Aquatic Activities policy”.
Ms Burch said the revised policy struck a balance to allow these events to take place in a fun, relaxed environment, while also making sure that all reasonable steps have been taken to ensure student safety.
“The policy [...]

Joy Burch is celebrating another win for the ACT’s kids and chalking it up to her education department:
ACT students continue to be among the highest performing in the country, the 2012 National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy National Report released today shows.
ACT Minister for Education and Training Joy Burch welcomed the results, which show [...]

Joy Burch is celebrating the numeracy and literacy achievements of the ACT’s children:
The ACT remains the highest performing jurisdiction in Australia for reading and numeracy among students in Year 3 to 9, a COAG Reform Council report issued today shows.
ACT Minister for Education Joy Burch welcomed the results of the National Education Agreement (NEA) Education [...]

Chief Minister Gallagher has unleashed three education policies all in a row.
We have refurb money for older schools:
if re-elected ACT Labor will commit $70 million to create the best learning environments for students and teachers in our older schools.
We will provide $45 million to build a new Primary School at Coombs in the Molonglo Valley [...]

Education Minister Chris Bourke has put out a media release on yesterday’s FOI release of critical incidents at schools:
A review of critical incidents at ACT public schools shows reports have remained relatively stable over a two year cycle. The documents are available from the Open Government FOI page covering critical incidents from May 1 2011 [...]

The Greens have announced their policy on feeding children:
– Legislate to protect children from junk food advertising to children, to help parents and children to make healthy choices, and to fight childhood obesity;
– Improve school canteens, by funding a high level task force, creating new jobs, and improving canteen infrastructure;
– Create new schools [...]

Someone has FOI’d “Critical Incidents at ACT Schools“.
So for fun I thought I’d tally them up:
Lake Ginninderra 5
Kaleen High 4
Lanyon High 3
Gungahlin College 2
Hawker College 2
Melrose High 2
Telopea Park 2
Ainslie Primary 1
Alfred Deakin High 1
Arawang Primary 1
Campbell High 1
Canberra High 1
Caroline Chisholm 1
Dickson College 1
Forrest Primary 1
Florey Primary 1
Gilmore Primary 1
Gordon Primary 1
Kingsford Smith 1
Lyneham [...]

I always thought my children – or child as it has turned out – would go to government schools. I believed (and still believe in many ways) that there should be one system of schooling, publicly funded.
And then… My daughter, at a very well regarded government primary school, made a cross from two [...]

Katy Gallagher is promising to offer schools a teeny weeny little bribe in exchange for giving up the ongoing revenues of selling soft drinks to their students:
If re-elected in 2012 ACT Labor will establish a $500,000 fund
to install water bottle refill stations and supply reusable drink bottles to any school that agrees to end the [...]

This is the question I’m asking my self over the next few weeks, to give you some backstory I recently started teaching and I’m in the technology department I also recently graduated so the currency of my ICT skills are mint and I must say I love the Heck out of my job, I teach years 7-10.
I have [...]

Environment and Sustainable Development are letting us know they’re taking another look at the exemptions for schools from needing development approval.
“Canberrans are being asked to comment on amendments to the Planning and Development Act that exempted schools from needing development approval for additions and alterations,” Mr Ponton said.
“The exemptions were introduced 2009 to support the [...]

The tension between schools offering a healthy diet and cost-effective food has reached crisis point in the Australian Capital Territory resulting in many school canteens shutting down entirely, according to the ACT Parents & Citizens Associations.
ACT P&C President Vivienne Pearce said the issue had been building for years, but her organisation was now at its [...]

What are your thoughts on paying full school fees for your children and then being shamed into taking time off work to help out with normal school activities (reading, maths, etc)?

The Liberals’ Steve Dozspot is asking what the go is with asbestos in Canberra’s schools after the closing of Taylor Primary:
ACT Shadow Education Minister Steve Doszpot today called on Chris Bourke to explain the safeguards he has in place to protect students from asbestos, following the closure of Taylor Primary School after structural damage [...]

I have been a long-time follower of RiotACT and I always enjoy reading the commentary of Canberrans (especially ‘the regulars’ who I feel bring a balanced outlook to some heady topics).
I noticed tonight that there is one topic that always get a very strong response and that is one that appears under “Education” and relates [...]

Education Minister Chris Bourke has announced two new schools will kick off construction this year:
The $64.4 million Bonner Primary School andthe $44.1 million Franklin Early Childhood School are set to open at the commencement of the 2013 school year, catering for enrolment growth in the east and north Gungahlin areas.
Bonner Primary School is scheduled to [...]

Here’s Apple’s presentation from the Guggenheim this morning.
The key points:

New eBook authoring software
Publishing to iTunes Bookstore is as easy as clicking a button
Apple has signed on a bunch of high-school textbook publishers already

There’s plenty of commentary about this event around the web. Will this have any impact on you? Do you have any experience to [...]

Our daughter is in yr 7 this year.  She has Asperger’s Syndrome.  She has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.  She is extremely anxious.  She is very depressed.  She is very intellegent.  She is very mature in her thinking about bullying.  She helps protect others when they are getting bullied.  She is a really amazing young girl.  She [...]

Looking for advice,
I have a child going into year six next year, and so we are starting to think about the big move to high school. I was hoping for any information, advice and opinions on Melba Copeland High School.
Thank you for your help.

To get it out of the way, I do not support any scripture in schools. I feel that religion is a personal choice and something that is managed by a family, not taught by random strangers at a public school.
I am curious to know how other schools in the ACT run the program.
The one my [...]

Unfortunately the number of children and young people getting to school via an active travel mode has been in decline in the ACT; however the ACT government is looking at ways to encourage families with children and young people to once again choose to walk or ride to school, rather than using the car.
Your feedback [...]

On Tuesday morning, ACT teachers will stop work from 8.30 to 11.30am and rally outside the legislative assembly to demand better pay and conditions. While this reflects fierce disagreement between teachers and the Government, the one thing everybody can agree on is that the disruption of normal classes is highly regrettable. Canberrans, especially parents of [...]

The Liberals’ Zed Seselja has announced plans to legislate a right for shopkeepers to turn away customers they think are students who should be in school.
“Last year, the Lanyon High School Principal tried to stop wagging by asking local shop keepers not to serve students during school hours.
“ACT Labor, together with the Human Rights Commissioner, [...]

ACT Education has tweeted cryptically:
After a suspicious package was found at one of our schools today the staff and Police responded quickly and classes are back to normal.
We’ve asked ACT Policing for details and will update as more comes to hand.
UPDATE: This in:
ACT Policing responded to a suspicious package at a north Canberra primary school [...]

Having a conversation with my younger brother today about whether he and his wife should come and live in the ACT or surrounds, (from Sydney), to enable them to more easily afford a house/apartment.
Having discussed this with him many times before, I am familiar with some of the reasons as to why they can’t. The [...]

The following letter was sent to Canberra MPs, Andrew Leigh and Gai Brodtmann (and forwarded to Kate Lundy and Gary Humphries) on Sunday 14th of August. ______________________________________________________________
Dear Dr Leigh and Ms Brodtman,
I write to draw your attention to two issues recently raised by the ACT Minister for Education, Andrew Barr, in the [...]

ACT Policing is seeking the community’s support in watching out for suspicious behaviour or unlawful activity in and around Canberra’s schools during the upcoming holiday break.
Operation School Safe kicks off this Saturday (9 July), and will bring an increase in police patrols around schools and school grounds until the end of the holiday period (Sunday, [...]

Hi, just wondering whether anyone had any info on Queanbeyan public schools and what kind of reputation they have.
Maybe also Jerrabomberra?

I’m moving to Canberra end of year and trying to find out about primary and high schools both private and government run.
Also if anyone has any ideas regarding well priced, pleasant suburbs within a 10 km radius of the Canberra University it would be much appreciated!

Andrew Barr has announced that he’s handed over the names of two schools to the University of Canberra:
Today I launched the University of Canberra (UC) partnership with the ACT Department of Education and Training, which sees Lake Ginninderra College and Kaleen High School officially become the University of Canberra Senior Secondary College, Lake Ginninderra and [...]

Back on 8 February there was some mirth at the concept of Andrew Barr’s ACT schools cyber safety summit.
Readers will be thrilled to see these photos tweeted this afternoon by Mr Barr from the summit.
Behold the “student declaration banner”, marvel at the “students delivering their commitments”.

Minister Barr has also put out a media release celebrating [...]