Minister for Education Adrian Piccoli today visited Quakers Hill Public School to see how they have used flexible needs-based funding to provide specialised support for students.

Mr Piccoli said that government schools across NSW have received an additional $197 million in 2014 and 2015, funding made possible by the NSW Government signing up to the Gonski Agreement.

“Quakers Hill Public School has received more than $660,000 in Gonski funding in 2015,” Mr Piccoli said.

“The school has used some of the funds for a speech pathologist to support students with language delays and to hold workshops with parents so they can help their children at home.

“In addition, an Aboriginal mentor is now employed to ensure every child and teacher has an increased understanding of Aboriginal traditions and cultural perspectives.”

The school has also used the extra resources to implement literacy, numeracy and student wellbeing programs.

“What we are seeing is a fairer distribution of funding for schools and students brought about by the reforms implemented by the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government,” Mr Piccoli said.

The Gonski Agreement and Local Schools, Local Decisions reforms give schools greater local authority to identify and meet their students’ needs and the school’s priorities.