Updates
Soul of Ireland and Italy Jubilee Year Pilgrimage - Expressions of Interest
Attention: All CEDoW staff
Due: Thursday 13 March 2025
Contact: Claire Cooney at cooneyc02@dow.catholic.edu.au
For: Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong (CEDoW) staff
26 September - 19 October 2025
In the 2025 Jubilee Year, the Church celebrates the theme Pilgrims of Hope, encouraging us all to live with hope in God and to share that hope with others.
To celebrate and mark this significant event for our international Catholic community, CEDoW invites staff to participate in a special Jubilee Year Pilgrimage to Ireland and Italy, led by Bishop Brian Mascord.
For more information regarding the pilgrimage, including how to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI), please refer to the link here.
EOIs close on Thursday 13 March 2025.
Primary Student WEN Day 2025
For: WEN Contacts
Due: Thursday 13 March 2025
Contact: Beth Riolo at riolob01@dow.catholic.edu.au
Four Stage 3 students, accompanied by the WEN Teacher Contact from each primary school, are invited to attend a day of eco formation, inspiration and action, Caring for Our Common Home - A Call to Action! Primary Student WEN Day.
Thursday 20 March 2025 at St Brigid’s Catholic Primary School, Gwynneville
Please click on the link for further information and to register for the Primary Student WEN Day 2025.
Attendance Policy and Procedure
Audience: Principals, school leaders, and SSSOs
The updated Attendance Policy and Procedure took effect on 31 January 2025. As part of the system support provided to schools, several fact sheets and an attendance flowchart have been produced as resources for use in your school communities. These resources will also be linked via Quicklinks in Gateway for schools to access when required.
Please see the links below for resources you may want to access now:
NAPLAN 2025 Key dates and deadlines
Friday 21 February: Disability adjustment applications
Submit NESA approved disability adjustment applications (colour contrast modification, assistive technology, scribe, and double extra time) through Schools Online by Friday 21 February 2025. Alternative format applications closed in December 2024. Contact the NAPLAN team immediately if an application has not been submitted. Further information is available on the NESA website.
From now: Register for NAPLAN training
It is strongly recommended that all staff involved with NAPLAN engage with training. Staff can register now for live online training taking place from Tuesday 4 February to Friday 7 March 2025. Read about the training options and access registration links on the NESA website.
NAPLAN 2025
The NAPLAN 2025 test window is Wednesday 12 March to Monday 24 March 2025.
Preparation activities and training for the delivery of NAPLAN 2025 are now available for schools.
Schools must ensure no school camps, excursions, sports carnivals, or similar activities are booked during the NAPLAN test window. Information on protocols for test scheduling can be found on the ACARA website.
NAPLAN should be undertaken by all eligible students who are present at school on the day each test is scheduled. Schools can organise for students who are absent on the day of a scheduled test to complete a catch-up test during the testing window.
Registration is now open for NAPLAN 2025 live online training sessions. Sessions run from Tuesday 4 February to Friday 7 March 2025 and are delivered via Microsoft Teams. View all options for training and preparation activities here.
As part of NAPLAN preparation, NESA recommends that schools train additional staff to provide backup alternatives for test administration and support in case of staff illness or absence
If a school has concerns about their ability to complete NAPLAN in the scheduled test window, they should email the NAPLAN team for advice.
Student NAPLAN NAP App Video Tutorial
Looking to help your iPad students learn how to use the NAP App in time for NAPLAN? Use this video tutorial with your class to familiarise your students on the features of the NAP App, and how to navigate seamlessly in the App when using an iPad, so they can succeed in NAPLAN.
NAPLAN Narrative and Persuasive Writing Marking Guide Podcasts
Looking to get the best out of your students in the Narrative and Persuasive writing sections of the Naplan test? In this folder, listen to succinct and detailed podcasts, which discuss the marking guides for both, to ensure your students know what it is the Naplan markers are looking for in their writing. Listen to it in the car, at the gym or while you’re on a walk!
Also in this folder are the marking guide full documents that include annotated student examples.
NESA also have self paced online learning courses for the narrative and persuasive writing marking guides. Log in to the NESA Learning Hub with your NESA details to access these courses.
2025 CSSA Trial HSC Examinations
The CSSA, a division of Catholic Schools NSW (CSNSW), creates premium CSSA Trial HSC Examinations by education experts. Our writers and assessors have syllabus expertise and extensive teaching experience to create the CSSA Trial HSC Examinations. In support of the 2025 school year, the CSSA has posted a Letter to the Principal containing essential information regarding the 2025 CSSA Trial HSC Examinations.
Key dates to assist schools:
- The 2025 CSSA Trial HSC Examinations Timetable is from Monday 4 August to Monday 18 August with a security period up to and including 8 am, Thursday 21 August 2025.
- The 2025 CSSA Trial HSC Examinations Principal Information Package will be emailed to principals on Monday 10 February 2025.
- 2025 CSSA Trial HSC Examinations online ordering is available as of 9 am, Monday 10 February, and until 5 pm, Thursday 10 April 2025.
- Schools must contact the CSSA regarding CSSA Trial HSC Examinations Disability Provisions by 9 am, Friday 4 April 2025.
- The 2025 Draft CSSA Trial HSC Examination Timetable will be provided in the Principal Information Package and then made available on the CSSA website.
- The 2025 Final CSSA Trial HSC Examination Timetable will be emailed to principals in Week 1, Term 2, and then made available on the CSSA website.
Technological Assistance:
If a principal requires technological assistance with sign-in to their registered school account in the CSSA website, please email service@csnsw.catholic.edu.au. There is a CSNSW verification process in place to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of each principal and their registered school account with the CSSA.
CSSA Website and Individual School Accounts:
School data in individual School Accounts with the CSSA must be kept up to date by individual schools via the CSSA website Account Settings.
Relevant personnel in CSSA registered schools should ensure that school data available and fields of information on the CSSA website is checked, updated and completed as necessary. This will ensure that your school’s address, phone number, email address and contact details are correct – this information is critical for communication with schools and the secure delivery of CSSA Trial HSC Examinations. Finally, remember to click on the “SAVE” button at the end of the process.
For your convenience, the link to the CSSA website is here.
NESA – Sample HSC exams for Stage 6 Mathematics, History, and 2 Unit English
Sample examination materials have been published for the following Stage 6 English, Mathematics, and History Syllabuses (2024):
- English Studies
- English Standard
- English Advanced
- English EAL/D
- Mathematics Standard
- Mathematics Advanced
- Mathematics Extension 1
- Mathematics Extension 2
- Ancient History
- Modern History
- History Extension
Who needs to read this?
- Principals
- Deputy principals
- Assistant principals
- Secondary teachers
- Curriculum coordinators
- HSC coordinators
- Head teachers (English and Mathematics)
- Head teachers (HSIE)
- Staff in charge of Schools Online entries
- Diocesan Officers
NSW Curriculum Reform – NESA Have Your Say period for Stage 4-5 syllabuses
This update includes the dates and syllabuses going for consultation. The Inform period is available from Monday 10 February to Monday 24 February 2025, followed by the 6-week ‘Have Your Say’ period, which runs from Monday 24 February to Monday 7 April 2025.
The syllabuses included are:
- Geography Elective 7–10
- History Elective 7–10
- Physical Activity and Sports Science 7–10
- Photographic and Digital Media 7–10
- Visual and Motion Design 7–10
- Digital Graphics Technology 7–10 (previously Graphics Technology 7–10 and Industrial Technology Multimedia)
- Food Technology 7–10
- Textiles Technology 7–10
Inform Period Recordings
The Inform period recordings are available on YouTube via the links listed below:
- Geography Elective 7–10
- History Elective 7–10
- Physical Activity and Sports Science 7–10
- Photographic and Digital Media 7–10 and Visual and Motion Design 7–10
- Digital Graphics Technology 7–10
- Food Technology 7–10
- Textiles Technology 7–10
NESA has advised that these recordings will be removed after the ‘Have Your Say’ period has closed.
Inform Webinars
Teachers can now register for online webinars for draft 7–10 elective syllabuses, released for consultation on 24 February as part of the NSW Curriculum Reform program.
These webinars outline key features of the draft syllabuses to support teachers and the broader school community to become familiar with the proposed changes ahead of the consultation period.
Register now via the links listed below:
- Digital Graphics, Food Technology, and Textiles Technology 7–10 combined webinar (1.5 hours PD), Monday 17 February 4:00-5:30 pm
- Geography Elective and History Elective 7–10 combined webinar (1 hour PD) Tuesday 18 February 4:00 – 5:00 pm
- Photographic and digital media, and Visual and motion design 7–10 combined webinar (1 hour PD) Monday 24 February 4:00 – 5:00 pm
- Physical Activity and Sports Science (PASS) 7–10 (1 hour PD) Wednesday 26 February 4:00 – 4:45 pm
NESA Curriculum Reform Timeline
The NSW Curriculum Reform timeline is an overview for schools about the timing of syllabus consultation, release, planning and preparation, and implementation. Please note timings are indicative and subject to change. The timeline is available here.
ACEN eBook of the Week
This week’s theme is Library Non-Fiction books.
See the link here to explore the eBook titles for primary, secondary, and staff through the Australian Catholic Education Network (ACEN). Click on each image or use the QR code to access further information.
To sign in to Sora, select "ACEN" as your school. If you have any questions, contact Jim Gallagher at gallagherj01@dow.catholic.edu.au.