Welcome to Scholaris

Priority 

2 weeks to go! Early Years Symposium – Limited tickets available (Ref: 200/25) 

We’re thrilled to welcome Commissioner Anne Hollonds, Australia’s National Children’s Commissioner, who will speak on urgent reforms in early childhood care and education—an incredible opportunity to engage with a national leader on child safety and policy.

Featured Speakers:

• Br David Hall fms

Dean of La Salle Academy, Australian Catholic University Offering a Catholic perspective aligned with the Jubilee Year of Hope.

• NSW AEDC State Coordinator

Sharing insights from the 2024 AEDC NSW results and practical steps for schools.

Theme & Purpose:

This year’s theme is inspired by Article 5 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child: "Governments should let families and communities guide their children so that, as they grow up, they learn to use their rights in the best way."

The Symposium aims to:

• Explore the intersection of Catholic identity, pedagogy, and child development
• Deepen understanding of children’s rights in early education
• Provide a platform for renowned speakers and advocates
• Foster statewide collaboration among Catholic educators

Date: Thursday 4 September 2025

Time: 9am-3:30pm

Venue: The Peter Cosgrove Centre, Level 18, Tenison Woods House, North Sydney

NESA News (Ref: 199/25)

Subscribe to the NESA News here

By subscribing to the NESA News, you will receive the latest updates and information as soon as they become available. 

New Dance and Dance Life Skills Syllabuses

The new Dance 11–12 and Dance Life Skills 11–12 syllabuses are now available.

Schools can familiarise themselves with the new syllabuses and start planning and preparing before implementation in NSW schools in 2027.  

Dance 11–12 will be examined in the HSC for the first time in 2028.

The new syllabuses and support materials are available on the NSW Curriculum website.

View the syllabuses here

Open now: NSW K–12 Curriculum Implementation survey

K–12 teachers are invited to provide feedback to NESA on curriculum implementation, including the new syllabuses and the use of AI in classrooms by students and teachers.  

Your feedback will inform the support we provide for implementation of the new K–12 syllabuses, including support materials and teaching resources.

NESA is also inviting teachers and curriculum leaders to participate in a focus group about new syllabus preparation or how AI is being used for teaching and learning.

Complete the survey here

Professional Learning 

Australian Early Development Census report and upcoming webinars (Ref: 193/25)

Reports at a school, community, state and national level show the number and percentage of children considered to be developmentally vulnerable, at risk or on track across the 5 developmental domains.

The AEDC 2024 NSW data report provides a summary of NSW AEDC data and explains data outcomes for children from various equity backgrounds. This report can be used by families, stakeholders and communities to plan, develop initiatives and measure the impact of these initiatives on developmental outcomes.

You are invited to engage with the 2024 AEDC data at upcoming webinars:

1. 26 August - ‘New findings from the AEDC: Implications for policy and practice in NSW’ presented by Mary Taiwo, Toni Kember and Lauren Anderson). You can register now.
2. 3 September - ‘Responding to the 2024 Australian Early Development Census - Planning your next steps’ presented by Nathan Wallis (neuroscience educator). Nathan will discuss research-based, effective, low-cost techniques that can be implemented immediately in response to the AEDC 2024 data outcomes. You can register now.

Session overview: 2025 CSSA Symposium – “Excellence in P-12 Religious Education in Catholic Schools” (Ref: 192/25)

Catholic Schools NSW invites School and System Leaders, Religious Education Coordinators, Classroom Teachers, Key Learning Area Coordinators, and Stage P-6 Year Coordinators in Catholic education to join us at the 2025 CSSA Symposium – “Excellence in P-12 Religious Education in Catholic Schools” on Friday, 5 September 2025, in Sydney.

The programme for the symposium has been finalised and can be downloaded by clicking here. Be sure to secure your tickets today!

Sessions at this year’s Symposium include: 

• Key Insights from Former Vatican Theologian
• Teacher’s Ecclesial Ministry
• Antiqua et Nova – The Relationship Between AI and Human Intelligence
• Staff Formation
• Best Practice in Curriculum, Assessment and Pedagogy (P–12)
• Evangelisation and Youth Ministry
• Lifelong Benefits of Catholic Schooling

Date: Friday, 5 September 2025

Time: 8:30am - 4:00pm (registration desk opens at 8:00am)

Location: The Amora Hotel, Jamison Sydney

Cost: $350.00

Tickets: https://csnsw.link/2025-CSSA-Symposium-Register-Now

The location is close to Martin Place Metro, Circular Quay and Wynyard Train Stations, Light Rail, Buses or Secure Parking Stations.

As you would be aware, due to changes by the Commonwealth Government for the Non-Government Reform Support Fund that was available to cover the costs of prior CSSA Symposiums, the CSSA has reintroduced a fee for registration to each CSSA Symposium. The fee charged covers costs incurred to host the event.

Explicit teaching - resources from the NSW Department of Education (Ref: 191/25)

The New South Wales Department of Education has released several resources on explicit teaching. Explicit teaching is one of the eight themes that What Works Best 2025 regards as the most valuable and powerful practices that make an impact. 

Designed to help teachers sequence the learning process for children, explicit teaching puts learning into a clear sequence: getting students to understand why they are learning something, what their goals are, how it connects to what they already know, the expectations, how to do it, and what success looks like. 

Explicit teaching matters because it is heavily backed by research in cognitive science as well as practical classroom experiences of students who have been taught using explicit teaching, compared to those who haven't experienced it. It sets high expectations yet manages to engage students across a number of year levels and ability levels, improving their understanding and overall success.

Download the What Works Best explicit teaching resources:

What Works Best 2025 – Evidence guide for excellent schools (pages 20-28) (PDF 7853 KB).

What Works Best 2025 practical guide – Explicit teaching (PDF 1370 KB).

What Works Best 2025 illustration of practice – Explicit teaching at Doonside Technology High School (PDF 1650 KB).

To find out more, visit the NSW Department of Education's website.

Centre for Independent Studies Event: Beyond Phonics: Building Knowledge-Rich Literacy (Ref: 190/25) 

The Centre for Independent Studies (CIS) invites you to a breakfast coupled with an engaging talk and discussion with Natalie Wexler and Associate Professor Lorraine Hammond on the science of Learning. 

In a time where Literacy rates are decreasing, and students continue to struggle to understand what they read, we are forced to reassess our steps taken to deal with this problem. American education journalist and senior contributor at Forbes, Natalie Wexler, challenges the current approaches to literacy, and how these may be insufficient. Wexler argues that it is necessary for us to move beyond teaching reading and writing as "just another skill", to teaching it as a powerful tool that deepens understanding and strengthens memory across all learning areas.

Joining the conversation, Professor Lorraine Hammond, an expert in evidence-based instruction and literacy coaching, brings her extensive experience in how teachers and school principals can apply evidence-based research to classroom teaching methods.

Date: Thursday, 30 October

Time: 7:30am - 9am AEDT

Location: Centre for Independent Studies, 131 Macquarie Street, Sydney

To find out more about the science of learning and to register, click here.

Supporting Families: Working Together in a Modern World - A Conference for Parents and Carers of Children in Catholic Schools in the Jubilee Year of Hope (Ref: 185/25) 

On 25 October 2025, the Council for Catholic School Parents (CCSP) is hosting a special anniversary celebration conference for all NSW/ACT parents and carers with children in Catholic schools! It’s going to be a value-packed day of connection and collaboration where their expert presenters will support you to parent bravely in a modern world:

• Dr Justin Coulson: co-host and parenting expert on Channel 9's Parental Guidance and the founder of happyfamilies.com.au
• Michelle Mitchell: sought-after author and speaker on parenting tweens and teens
• Daniel Principe: a passionate youth advocate and educator, and nominee for Australian of the Year

This conference will give you the information you need to parent in this complex age of technology, with presentations on consent and respectful relationships, cybersafety, building your child’s resilience, sleep, managing anxiety, screens and brain development, supporting your child’s learning at home and at school and more!

Don't miss out on this special occasion to connect with other parents, gain valuable knowledge, eat and relax! Secure your spot now and be a part of this memorable event.

Car parking is available at the venue, Novotel Parramatta, for a day rate. Please contact the hotel for more information: (02) 9630 4999. Other options include Eat St Parking.

Novotel Parramatta is offering special rates for conference guests. Please call the reservations team on 02 9890 0850 or email novotel@nmsp.com.au to book and advise them that you are attending the conference. Valid until 09/10/2025, subject to availability at the time of confirmation.

Find out more information on our website here: https://www.ccsp.catholic.edu.au/2025-conference

Don’t miss this conference, especially for parents and carers! 

Buy a ticket: Supporting Families: Working Together in a Modern World Registration, Sat 25/10/2025 at 8:30 am | Eventbrite

Date: Saturday, 25 October 2025

Time: 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM AEDT. Doors open at 8am

Location: Novotel Sydney, 350 Church Street, Parramatta, NSW 2150

Contribution: $30

Contact CCSP on office@ccsp.catholic.edu.au or 02 9287 1514.

Student Resources

Campion College Study Camp (Ref: 198/25)

Looking for a fun and studious way to spend your October school holidays? 

On 8-10 October 2025, Campion College Australia is hosting their very first Study Camp, open to students in Years 11 and 12 who are preparing for their final exams. 

Students have the opportunity to experience a mix of supervised study sessions, mini-seminars, and social time, giving them a glimpse of college student life on Campion College's beautiful Campus.

Each day of this three-day Camp includes 6 - 8 study hours in a focused academic environment, allowing students to work hard towards their academic goals. Between study times, students can enjoy fun activities and sports, also giving them the chance to connect and meet like-minded peers. 

On the final night of the Study Camp, students will join together with the faculty and staff for a two-course Formal Hall dinner with a guest speaker, a special tradition for students and staff at Campion College. 

To ensure a focused and supported environment, only 30 spots are available for students. Two nights' accommodation in same-sex twin-share rooms at the Campion College residential areas are included in the price, and all meals and snacks are provided to keep students energised throughout the day.

Date: 8-10 October 2025

Open to: Year 11 & 12 students

Venue: Campion College, 8-14 Austin Woodbury Place, Toongabbie NSW 2146

Cost: $400 per student

To find out more and register, go to Study Camp - Campion College 

For enquiries, contact the Future Students Advisor: (02) 9896 9303 or via study@campion.edu.au

Boost Engagement with Powerful Paddock to Plate Education (Ref: 197/25) 

Australian Good Meat Education provides engaging, curriculum-aligned Foundation to Year 12 Resources that promote relevant and relatable learning by connecting students with holistic supply chain food production with an emphasis on sustainability, food security, technology and nutrition.

Designed to support teachers, these resources are classroom-ready, saving teachers time with straightforward lesson plans coupled with fun student activities and high-quality supplementary learning resources.

What’s Inside:

• Cross-curricular content that sparks curiosity and supports learning outcomes for Design and Technologies, Science, Mathematics, English, and HASS.
• Comprehensive lesson guides and student worksheets.
• Extensive range of visually engaging supplementary materials.
• Senior secondary resources featuring real-world research case studies, building evidence-based research and analysis skills.
• Teacher tutorials guiding effective use and confident delivery for impactful learning.

Why Teachers Love It:

• Easy access – Free to download for print or digital use
• Fit-for-purpose – Curated by educators, adaptable for diverse learning needs
• Versatile – Use as standalone activities, full lessons, or build a custom unit
• Deeper learning– Relatable content connecting students to real-world Australian practices

Enrich your classroom with meaningful, hands-on learning experiences that build life-long skills today, and into the future. 

To transform your lessons, click here

Legal and Policy

Scholarships and Awards

Council of Catholic School Parents (CCSP) Family Partnerships Excellence Awards (Ref: 184/25) 

Recognising NSW/ACT Catholic schools that show exemplary practice in family, school and community partnerships for learning. 

Apply now and tell CCSP about how your school has bridged the gap between home and school, and enhanced student outcomes in faith development, learning and the wellbeing of students.

Your school could be awarded first place and receive $5000 to continue your partnership-focused initiative!

Find out more here: https://www.ccsp.catholic.edu.au/awards

How to apply: 

1. Go to the CCSP website to check your eligibility and download the 2025 Submission Form.
2. Complete the Submission Form by responding to six criteria about your school’s initiative.
3. Complete the online web form and declarations, and upload your Submission Form and supporting files.

Entries close 5pm 17 October 2025.