Background

Between 2019 and 2020, over 2,000 consultations took place with a range of stakeholders across NSW to understand the achievements, complexities and challenges facing education in rural communities.

Four key themes emerged from these sessions and formed the basis of the strategy - People, Practice, Participation and Partnerships.

The 4 key areas

• Key area 1 – People: Supply students in rural and remote communities with more high-quality educators who are aware of localised needs.
• Key area 2 – Practice: Better equip and develop rural and remote teachers to deliver a broader curriculum, contextualised to the needs of the community, to offer engaging learning opportunities for students.
• Key area 3 – Participation: Ensure staff and students in rural and remote schools are more empowered to address wellbeing needs through stronger connections to their communities.
• Key area 4 – Partnerships: Leverage more productive partnerships with higher education providers, vocational education providers and local industry to increase rural and remote student achievement, ambition and access to post-school opportunities.

The strategy takes a whole-of-system approach to improving outcomes for regional, rural and remote learning communities. This involves collaboration across the department and between government agencies and communities to ensure identified needs and responsibilities are shared by all stakeholders.

Defining rurality

How do we define regional, rural and remote in data and reporting?

For the purpose of reporting on the Rural and Remote Education Strategy (2021-2024) we use the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS) to define regional, rural and remote. Schools that fall under the Remoteness Areas of Inner Regional, Outer Regional, Remote or Very Remote are considered regional, rural and remote.

The ASGS Index is a classification that recognises the social geography of people and communities across Australia. It is reviewed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) every five years in line with the completion of the Census. Remoteness Areas account for the challenges associated with access to essential services, economic circumstances and infrastructure relative to each category. Further information on the calculations used to define a location according to these profiles can be found on the Australian Bureau of Statistics website.

Building the evidence base

The department is guided by the latest research into regional, rural and remote education, including the following reports published in 2023.

Local links and learning: resilience in regional, rural and remote schools

In 2022 the James Martin Institute for Public Policy (JMI) undertook a research project aimed at identifying opportunities to boost resilience in regional, rural and remote schools. The project was a collaboration between the department and JMI, and aimed to increase the evidence base around resilience in regional learning communities.

To download the full report visit Local links and learning: resilience in regional, rural and remote schools

Rural and Regional Education Project

Led by the Gonski Institute for Education at the University of New South Wales in collaboration with its research partners, the Rural and Regional Education Project explores how the department can assist in lifting educational outcomes in regional, rural and remote schools.

To download the full report visit Rural and Regional Education Project