Education and Skills Reform

The Education and Skills Reform (ESR) group drives innovation, reform and policy development based on strategic analysis and evaluation, aligned with external relations for the Education system.

Key areas of responsibility are:

• policy, evidence and reform work to support the right of every student and learner to a quality education
• collaborating with government, industry, and vocational and higher education sectors to develop a skills base that meets current and future needs
  
• ensuring delivery of skills and vocational education and training including apprenticeships and traineeships and workforce planning for NSW priority areas
  
• providing meaningful, high-quality careers and pathways support for senior secondary students
  
• national and state policy for the Schooling and Tertiary Education sectors
  
• driving focus on equity and inclusion, especially for regional, rural, and remote learners in NSW.
  

Public Schools

The Public Schools division leads and directs the operations of more than 2,200 NSW public schools. The division aims to maximise academic achievements of all students and provide equitable opportunities, experiences and outcomes to transform lives through learning. The division supports principals, teachers, school staff and students in all public school settings across 8 directorates:

• Metropolitan North

• Regional North

• Regional North and West

• Rural North

• Metropolitan South

• Metropolitan South and West

• Regional South

• Rural South and West.

Additionally, Public Schools is responsible for the School Excellence directorate, which brings together policy, implementation, and priority work to support schools in their ongoing pursuit of equity and excellence.

Teaching, Learning and Student Wellbeing

The Teaching, Learning and Student Wellbeing division aspires to build effective teaching practice and improve educational and wellbeing outcomes for every student. The division develops and delivers programs to:

• support effective teaching practices and strengthen educational leadership

• provide high-quality, evidence-based curriculum resources

• increase student literacy and numeracy

• implement evidence-informed, whole-school wellbeing approaches and high-quality student support, services and specialist programs

• provide equitable access to services by building partnerships across agencies

• expand counselling services in schools and ensure schools are inclusive and safe.

Early Childhood Outcomes

The Early Childhood Outcomes division is responsible for ensuring all children make a strong start in life and learning and make a successful transition to school. The division will transform early childhood education and care, child development and contribute to women’s economic participation in NSW through improved access, affordability and quality of care and services. It includes strategic investments to:

• attract, retain and develop early childhood education and care teachers and educators

• work across government to expand proven child development programs

• provide fee relief for families of preschool-aged children and increase quality and availability of preschool in NSW

• support quality practice to enhance outcomes, particularly for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, children with disability, and children living in regional and remote areas

• fund the early learning sector to innovate, grow and address gaps in services.

• design, develop and deliver universal preschool across NSW by 2030, beginning with 100 new public preschools on public school sites by 2027.

People Group

People Group puts learners at the core, and our department’s people at the heart. The Group strives to attract, nurture, and grow inclusive and empowered teams of staff with diverse skills and expertise, right across the department. It enables a progressive departmental culture where people work together to deliver an exceptional education experience. People Group makes informed decisions enabled through planning, data, insights, and technology, to:

• attract, nurture, and recognise an inclusive world-class team.

• strengthen culture to support people’s wellbeing, safety and belonging.

• transform the employee experience to support a high-performing education system.

• grow people capability and leadership capacity.

Operations Group

The Operations Group is responsible for providing high-quality services and support to the education system and supporting and regulating the early childhood education and care sector. This includes:

• ensuring the best use of our resources to improve education outcomes for children and young people

• making sure that schools and the department have the right technology to support the delivery of education

• simplifying administrative processes

• providing information, support and advice to schools and staff through EDConnect, the shared service centre, and overseeing effective operational practices

• monitoring, supporting and regulating the early childhood education and care sector in NSW and ensuring continuous improvement in quality

• supporting, promoting and enabling good governance, risk management frameworks, controls assurance, and fraud and corruption services.

School Infrastructure NSW

School Infrastructure NSW delivers educational infrastructure that:

• meets the needs of a growing population
• supports improved student outcomes
• helps to ensure our schools are safe and inclusive environments for learning and development.

Office of the Secretary

The office supports the work of the Secretary and manages key stakeholder relationships to help deliver the department’s strategic objectives. Specifically, the directorates in the Office of the Secretary:

• provide secretariat support for Executive

• support ministerial offices and coordinate responses to Cabinet and cross-government business

• lead communications, media and correspondence, helping to share outcomes from across the Education portfolio
  

• ensure equitable access to culturally responsive education for Aboriginal students

• empower NSW public school leaders with world-class leadership development programs and resources

• deliver on Connected Communities, a strategy co-constructed with the NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group, to improve outcomes for Aboriginal students and those in complex communities.