Blogs

By Heart of a Nation Over 25,000 Australians suffer from sudden cardiac arrest every year. It is a life-threatening problem where the heart suddenly stops. Adults and children can experience cardiac arrest – anyone in the school or around the school may experience a cardiac arrest. When cardiac arrest occurs, every second counts, and having access to an automated external defibrillator (AED) can mean the difference between life and death. 95% of victims don't survive. But having an AED nearby can boost survival chances from a meagre 5% to 70%. As vital as these devices are, many schools and community centres lack sufficient access to them. That's why ...

Dear parents and carers, P&C Federation is committed to ensuring that all students, including those with disabilities, receive the support and resources they need to thrive in the educational system. To this end, we are presenting evidence to a Parliamentary inquiry and; preparing a submission to The Audit Office of New South Wales Your voice is invaluable in shaping our advocacy efforts and ensuring that the needs of all students are addressed. We are reaching out to both parents with children who have disabilities and those without to get understanding of the challenges, concerns, and perspectives surrounding this issue. This survey ...

More than 26,000 volunteer parents and carers support public school P&Cs across NSW. Behind every NSW public school is a dedicated community of parents, teachers, and students all united by a common goal - to provide everyone at their school with the best educational experience possible. And today, schools across the state celebrated the valuable contributions of their local Parents and Citizens (P&C) Associations, which lie at the forefront of this collective and play a vital role in shaping the success of their schools. Ahead of P&C Day, Secretary of the NSW Department of Education Murat Dizdar, and P&C Federation ...

The webinar is open to all parents and carers and will take an in-depth look at the year ahead. Parents and carers of NSW public school students are invited to attend a back to school webinar and question and answer with Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car and NSW Department of Education Secretary Murat Dizdar . The webinar will be hosted by P&C Federation NSW President Yvonne Hilsz from 7.00pm-7.45pm on Thursday 8 February. Among the key focus areas of the webinar are the new Plan for NSW Public Education, as well as some of the challenges schools and parents are facing. “This is a great opportunity ...

It is almost a year since ChatGPT burst onto the scene, fuelling great excitement as well as concern about what it might mean for education . The changes keep coming. Earlier in the year MyAI was embedded into social media platform Snapchat. This is a chatbot powered by ChatGPT, which encourages teens to ask anything - from gift suggestions for friends to questions about homework. Meanwhile, Microsoft is rolling out " Copilot " on its systems, billed as an "everyday AI companion". This follows the introduction of " Bing Chat ", an AI-enhanced assistant to accompany the Bing search tool. All of a sudden, generative artificial intelligence - which ...

As we head into the holidays, we are all excited to relax and unwind. There are great places to see and activities to do, some of which you can explore at Visit NSW's website . It's important to remember that while having fun is key, it is helpful to to be aware that taking a break contributes to the development of interpersonal and social skills and values that are vital for children in succeeding at school and life in general. Holidays are periods where children can learn about other cultures, relationships and participate in other non-social activities that nurture their mental health and well-being. Dealing with conflict resolutions, learning how to ...

With ATAR results released last Thursday 14 th December at 9am, your child may be dealing with post-HSC results anxiety. A range of feelings may accompany students over the holiday period and as they spend the next few months considering post-high school options. Feeling such as disappointment, depression, anxiety and helplessness may be among the many feelings that they experience. If your child in unhappy with the ATAR results, they have received and are feeling confused about their future, it is important to know how to respond to their feelings in a way that acknowledges their emotions while simultaneously ...

With NSW, and the rest of Australia, bracing for what's predicted to be the worst bushfire season in years, it's important to remember that preparation is not just about hazard burning, having a fire survival plan, and stocking up on essentials; it's also about emotional readiness, particularly for our children Children are susceptible to the emotional upheavals that come with bushfire season. The increased attention from media and the flurry of discussions within communities can heighten their sense of insecurity and anxiety. Addressing these concerns is crucial and can be done effectively through open dialogue, age-appropriate education, and emotional support. ...

Small communities can face special challenges supporting children and young people at school. With fewer resources, and in some communities, high levels of need, raffles and chocolates wheels just don’t cut it, and its easy to tap out a parent community when in some cases it is only a few families. This year, Nundle Public School celebrated its 25th student. This tiny community, 65km from Tamworth, has turned traditional fundraising upside down with ‘The Great Nundle Dog Race’ an event that has run every year since 1979 and has gone from a couple of locals racing their working dogs to a full day of races, with categories including the High Jump, The Dog Derby ...

If you have a child in Year 10, 11 or 12, make sure that you know your way around the HSC. Here is a handy guide to the rules and processes: 2023 Rules and Procedures Guide The Department of Education has a comprehensive guide for Parents and Carers The HSC- A guide for parents and carers. Each student has five years to complete their HSC, although most prefer to get it over and done with as quickly as they can. If you have a child in Year 10, now is the time to think about subject selection. UAC (the Universities Admissions Centre) has a handy compass if you want to move on to university after school ...

The use of ChatGPT and other Artificial Intelligence (AI) programs in schools has become a hot topic of late, with parents and educators concerned about the potential impacts on students. By Phyllis Stylianou , P&C Federation Communications Manager. While much of the debate has centered on cheating and its effect on students’ ability to learn the skill of crafting and writing their own thoughts, UNSW Professor Leslie Loble is also concerned about equality of access to the technology. Professor Loble, who served for 20 years as Deputy Secretary of the NSW Department of Education until 2020, said there was potential for learning applications ...

In celebration of National Volunteer Week, we would like to extend our deepest appreciation to the volunteers who have dedicated themselves to the various P&C Associations across the state. To celebrate National Volunteer Week, we have a range of social media tiles and certificate of appreciation templates available on our website . These resources are designed to help you show your appreciation for the hard work and dedication of the volunteers in your community. We also encourage everyone to share their stories right here on the Online Community, as well as, on social media using the hashtag #nswpandcvolunteersatwork . Sharing your stories ...

Welcome to the Parent and Carer Online Community. These house rules have been designed to ensure we maintain a safe, supportive and productive online community for all members. Below are some guiding principles, but you can find the full terms and conditions of the Community here . This is a forum for parents and carers of children and young people attending NSW public schools. We want to hear from you about all things related to education, including health and well-being, technology, diversity and inclusion and curriculum. Posts that are unaffiliated and off-topic will be removed. Robust conversation and difference ...