Three new schools come on board Beacon’s big education project for Tasmania – ‘doing education differently’
Port Dalrymple School at George Town, Deloraine High School and Sorell High School will start their journey ‘doing education differently’ with Beacon Foundation’s ‘Collective ed.’ project from 2018.
Beacon Foundation CEO and Director of Collective ed. Scott Harris joined Tasmania’s Minister for Education Jeremy Rockliff and school principals at Port Dalrymple School in George Town to mark the announcement on Thursday 24th November, 2017.
Collective ed. is an action research project that runs until 2021, designed to improve low Year 12 attainment in Tasmania.
The project will work with six Tasmanian public sector secondary schools. Along with those announced today, three other schools, Ulverstone High, Jordan River Learning Federation and Bayview Secondary College, are also part of the initiative. The work will involve helping these schools test innovative and effective ways to help young people attain Year 12 or equivalent (such as Certificate III).
Mr Harris says he’s excited to see the second group of schools come on board, to be part of addressing an important issue in Tasmania – raising the hopes and aspirations of young people in these communities, and having them complete Year 12.
“The project’s focusing on Year 12 because there’s an evidence base that young people without a Year 12 qualification will be increasingly disadvantaged in the labour market and less likely to go onto higher education.
“They’re also more likely to work in lower paid jobs and have lower lifetime earnings.
“Not only is this qualification an important indicator of an individual’s life chances and personal well being, but it’s also key in increasing prosperity in the economy.” Mr Harris said.
Minister Rockliff welcomed the new schools to the project, which has the student at its centre,
“Bringing new ways of engaging schools and aligning industry, giving students choice and opportunity.”
Students of Port Dalyrmple School played a big part in the event, welcoming guests, providing music and food and acting as MCs.
Each school will have three Collective ed. staff members whose roles will focus on Community consultation (parents, students, families and wider community); Business engagement (working with industry and businesses in schools); and Teaching and learning (working with teaching staff in schools.)
Schools will also be supported by an evaluation team, which will help them build evidence of what works, and what does not, in improving Year 12 attainment.
All the schools that are part of the project responded to an Expression of Interest process.
Principal of Port Dalrymple School Jeanna Bolton-Dean says joining Collective ed. is a wonderful opportunity for the school and the George Town community.
“Developing business and industry links with the school is essential to providing authentic learning opportunities which are engaging and relevant to student pathways.
“There are lots of opportunities for local industry and business to connect with our school into the future, which is exciting for a K-12 school.”
Beacon Foundation believes it’s not just getting the piece of paper at the end of Year 12 that’s important, but the process that’s undertaken to get there. Collective ed. is working to motivate and connect students to their education, through things like work exposure, work networks and career management.
CEO of the Paul Ramsay Foundation, Simon Freeman also spoke at the event,
“This project has the potential to be truly transformational.”
Scott Harris congratulates the progressive and ambitious schools taking part in Collective ed. which are prepared to take risks and try new and innovative ways of working – ‘doing education differently’.
He also says the project is playing a direct role in the employment of Tasmanians with about 30 positions created.
Collective ed. is a $15 million, five-year project, funded by the Paul Ramsay Foundation, Australia’s biggest philanthropic organisation, and the Tasmanian State Government.
