Improving student outcomes sits at the heart of the NSW Nationals in the state government’s education policy, with post-school outcomes to be tracked from 2022.
The data will provide schools with valuable information on their students’ educational and employment journey after school, and NSW Nationals Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said this reform would broaden the scope of how we measure a successful education.
“Education should be lifelong – and our system needs to be engaged with students after they graduate,” Ms Mitchell said.
“We currently only measure the extent of a school’s success by the results of students while at school, but the value of a quality education extends well beyond a student’s final exams.
“From 2022, schools will be provided with information on their students’ post-school employment and tertiary education journey for the first five years after school.”
Currently, NSW schools survey students on their post-school intentions at the end of Year 12, but this initiative will undertake a more comprehensive digital tracking of students’ post-school outcomes.
“By analysing where students go after school, we will have a better understanding of how a school can prepare students for success,” Ms Mitchell said.
“The transition from Year 12 into adult life is one of the most important transitions for young people. Schools must be equipped with the data needed to assist every student in starting the post-school journey.”
Ms Mitchell said that from 2023 targets will be set for individual schools, based on this new data, to help them align their resources to better support students entering and navigating the dynamic world after school.
“Focus on the future will help schools strategically use their resources to innovate and strengthen existing and emerging relationships with industry and tertiary education to provide the best launchpad for our students,” Ms Mitchell said.
