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Priority 

CSSA Online Trial HSC Examinations and School Readiness Guide (Ref: 155/25)

The CSSA School Readiness Guide is the single source of truth to ensure each relevant school is prepared for the CSSA Online Trial HSC Examinations. Schools have received information about how to access the CSSA School Readiness Guide. Information has been emailed to the Main CSSA Contact person in each relevant school, other than the principal, as registered in each school account with the CSSA.

• The CSSA School Readiness Guide includes:
• key dates and important instructions
• Safe Exam Browser Launcher Files
• step-by-step guides for students, teachers, and IT staff
• trouble shooting tips for exam day
• recordings of the Information Session, webinars for Teachers, Test Supervisors and Principals & IT Coordinators

To support school preparation, review all checklists and reference materials to ensure that every required step is covered in advance.

CSSA Familiarisation Activities

Schools can support and prepare their HSC students for the 2025 CSSA Online Trial HSC Examinations by engaging in the CSSA Familiarisation Activities unique to Enterprise Computing, Science Extension and Software Engineering. 

CSSA Familiarisation Activities are available to schools in Week 1, Term 3 (only). 

Again, information has been emailed to the Main CSSA Contact person in each relevant school, other than the principal, as registered in each school account with the CSSA. It is the responsibility of each school to keep information in their school account with the CSSA up-to-date and accurate.

Professional Learning 

VET Teachers partner with industry to achieve a national qualification (Ref: 158/25) 

Teachers from Catholic Schools NSW and the NSW Department of Education have undertaken specialised training with the Australian Cabinet and Furniture Association (ACFA), hosted at Chifley College Senior Campus, to complete the MSF20322 Certificate II in Cabinet Making & Timber Technology.

MSF20322 Certificate II in Cabinet Making & Timber Technology is a nationally recognised qualification that enables teachers to deliver the MSF20522 Certificate II in Furniture Making Pathways as part of the HSC VET curriculum offerings in schools. 

The initiative reflects strong cross-sector collaboration to enhance access to industry-relevant training. By equipping teachers with current, accredited skills, schools can offer practical, hands-on learning aligned with modern furniture manufacturing. 

The Furniture Making Pathways course introduces students to safe tool use, joinery, and construction techniques while building core employability skills such as teamwork and problem-solving. As a pre-apprenticeship qualification, it provides a gateway to careers in cabinet making, furniture design, timber technology, and related fields. 

This professional development ensures teachers can deliver industry-aligned programs that prepare students for future training or employment. The partnership with ACFA strengthens vocational education in NSW, supports skills development, and addresses local industry needs. 

 Teachers from Sydney and Lismore were involved in the Professional Learning program.

Tickets on sale now! CCSP 2025 Parents and Carers Conference (Ref: 159/25) 

Tickets are on sale now for the Council of Catholic School Parent's 25 October 2025 Parents and Carers Conference! 

Supporting Families: Working Together in a Modern World

This special one-day event will bring Catholic school parents together from across NSW to explore ways to support and strengthen families in a rapidly changing world. With thought-provoking keynotes, breakout sessions and opportunities for connection, it’s set to be an amazing day.

Find out more about the program, speakers and session details on the CCSP website:
ccsp.schoolzineplus.com/2025-conference

To register, click here. 

CCSP welcomes you to this milestone event, to celebrate, reflect and look to the future of Catholic education and school + family partnerships!

Date: Saturday, 25 October 2025

Time: 8:30am – 3:30pm

Location: Novotel Parramatta, Sydney

eSafety Commissioner launches school guide on responding to AI deepfakes (Ref: 152/25) 

The rapid proliferation of generative AI and so-called ‘nudify’ apps is resulting in an alarming surge in ‘deepfake’ nude images in Australian schools. The eSafety Commissioner has released a new guide for responding to deepfake incidents in schools.

To help schools respond to this growing challenge, the eSafety Commissioner has released a new step-by-step guide for responding to deepfake incidents. It is designed to work alongside your school’s existing policies and procedures. The guide strongly encourages educators to prioritise the wellbeing of children and staff who might be targeted.

In Term 3, eSafety is running a professional learning session for educators and youth-serving professionals on AI-assisted image-based abuse: Navigating the deepfake threat on Tuesday 5 August, 3.45pm (AEST).

Finally, eSafety has issued a new Online Safety Advisory to alert schools, parents/carers and young people to the emerging risks of deepfake technology.

Registrations Open! CSNSW Early Years Symposium - Thursday 4 September 2025 (Ref: 149/25) 

The 2025 Early Years Symposium is for early childhood educators, teachers and leaders. Click here to register.

Hear from keynote speakers - Anne Hollonds (National Children's Commissioner), Br David Hall fms, Dr Amie Fabry (Director Professional Learning and Director Early Childhood, The Learning Future) as they speak to the UN Conventions on the Rights of the Child, Article 5 - 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 more children grow, the less guidance they will need.

Additionally, the Australian Institute of Family Studies will unpack their rapid evidence review, Understanding Preschool Delivery, and other early years work.

Who should attend? Early childhood teachers, educators, teachers, and leaders.

Date: Thursday, 4 September 2025 

Time: 9am-3:30pm 

Venue: Tenison Woods House, 8-20 Napier Street, North Sydney 

Don't miss out on this opportunity to be part of a transformative conversation about the future of our children. Click here to register.

Tickets on sale now: 2025 CSSA Symposium – “Excellence in P-12 Religious Education in Catholic Schools” (Ref: 143/25) 

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.

This year’s CSSA Symposium focuses on academic excellence in P-12 Religious Education and delves into the purpose of a properly constituted Religious Education curriculum. It will explore the role of Catholic schools as ecclesial communities and the importance of educators in bringing to life the Mission of the Catholic Church for students, their families, and the wider school community.

The event will emphasise excellence in curriculum, assessment, and faith and mission programs for evangelisation and catechesis. Discussions will highlight opportunities for educators to design and deliver quality curriculum, assessment, and faith experiences across the full continuum of learning from preschool to Year 12.

Date: Friday, 5 September 2025

Time: 8:45am - 4:00pm (the registration desk opens at 8:15am)

Location: The Amora Hotel, Jamison Sydney

Cost: $450.00

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/cssa-symposium-excellence-in-p-12-religious-education-in-catholic-schools-tickets-1423148578709

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. This fee charged is reflective of covering the costs incurred to host the event.

Australian Early Development Census 2024 data release (Ref: 138/25) 

The Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) 2024 data collection outcomes are now available. 

This census is an Australian Government initiative, for which data is collected every 3 years. Data is reported at the national, state, community and school levels. Reports detail the number and percentage of children considered to be developmentally vulnerable, at risk or on track in each of the five AEDC domains, for example, language and cognitive skills. You can also compare data across different years. 

Principals of primary schools with six or more Kindergarten students who took part in the data collection are receiving a copy of the full AEDC School Profile Addendum. This addendum includes trend data for all collections in which the school participated, as well as state, territory and national results to enable comparison. 

The AEDC supports data-driven planning. Reflecting on your local context ensures planning is responsive and inclusive of children’s experiences. Knowing the early childhood development trends can help identify community strengths, challenges and opportunities.

How to access the data:

• AEDC national report  
• AEDC community data
• A detailed report that highlights the key findings from the AEDC NSW data will be available on the AEDC reports page soon.

How to use the data:

• Watch ‘About the AEDC’ explainer video
• Professional learning and resources
• Register for the AEDC NSW research symposium livestream on Wednesday, 18 June 2025, where you can learn about ways to engage with the data.
• Attend one of the AEDC NSW 2024 data release drop-in sessions, designed to support various stakeholders to engage and ask questions about the AEDC 2024 data.

Contact us  

The AEDC NSW team within the Department of Education welcomes the opportunity to meet with you. Contact aedc@det.nsw.edu.au or mary.taiwo@det.nsw.edu.au (02 7814 3083) to set up a meeting. 

School Updates & Newsletters

80th birthday celebrations of the Children’s Book Council of Australia (Ref: 150/25)

The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) invites you to join them for the 80th birthday celebrations of the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA). This significant milestone marks eight decades of dedication by their volunteers, who nurture a love for literature among young Australians in NSW.

Event Details: Birthday Book Adventure

• Date: August 23, 2025
• Time: 2.30 – 5pm
• Venue: The auditorium, State Library of NSW,
• RSVP: Kindly confirm your attendance by June 30 to Paul Macdonald at cbcansw@outlook.com

The afternoon will feature a reflection on CBCA's journey, including presentations, panel discussions with celebrated authors and illustrators, a parade of “Living Legends,” and networking opportunities with current authors, illustrators, educators, and fellow advocates of children's literature, all followed by refreshments.

The State Library NSW has coordinated further child-centred activities planned to celebrate the impact of storytelling on young minds with a Family Day on Sunday, August 24.

We encourage you to join CBCA in celebrating this remarkable milestone and the ongoing mission to inspire and educate future generations through the magic of books. 

To find out more about this, go to: https://www.cbcansw.org.au/

Employment Opportunities 

Catholic Schools NSW - Compliance and Risk Officer - School Registration (Ref: 144/25) 

A role is available in our School Registration unit for an experienced Compliance and Risk Officer. This position is responsible for supporting the Senior Manager, School Registration and Accreditation (‘the Senior Manager’) and, more broadly, the Head of Education Policy and Regulation, to ensure that CSNSW functions effectively as the single registration system authority for the Catholic education sector.

This is a full-time, permanent position, working from the CSNSW office located in the Sydney CBD.

Applications close Friday, 11 July 2025.

If you are interested in this position or know someone who may be, please share details or click on the link below to view the full position description and information on how to apply

Compliance and Risk Officer - School Registration Job in Sydney NSW - SEEK