Our National bodies have been focused on supporting our State Associations and providing input to the Federal Government around COVID-19 activities. We have been unable to have our usual meetings, and like all of us have resorted to zoom type meetings.

Our recent meeting was the AGM where the current Executive was returned un-apposed. Ian Anderson (WAPPA) as President, Anne-Maree Kliman (VPA) Vice President; Pat Murphy (QASSP) Treasurer and Britany Roestenburg (NT) as Secretary.

We also had a long discussion with Julie Birmingham from the Federal Dept of Education, Skills & Employment (the Deputy Secretary Alex Gordon was a late withdrawal due to illness). Topics focused on:

• Alice Springs Declaration and work of ACARA in this space. Future forum on it’s implementation will include AGPPA representatives. We pressed our concerns on the middle years (years 3-6) and the lack of support for schools in this area.
• Architecture Review – both AGPPA and PPA lodged submissions. This is the Federal Government considering the future of AITSL, ACARA and ESA and recommendations around merging/amalgamating their roles. We strongly supported AITSL remaining as a stand-alone entity focusing on teacher and particularly leadership development. We questioned why the Evidence Institute wasn’t included in this review. Not much has happened in this space & we will watch this space carefully.
• NERA Policy Initiatives – We heard an update on these however there didn’t seem to be much headway on any of them. They include:
  - Learning Progressions & Formative Assessment – we need to be very involved in this space & will invite Jenny Donovan ( our CESE leader who is leading this Federally) to our next AGPPA and our NSWPPA State Council
  - Senior Secondary Pathways
  - AITSL – Teacher Workforce strategy (slow progress)
  - AITSL – strengthening ITE accreditation (Initial Teacher Education)
  - Unique Identifier – ramping up
  - National Evidence Institute – moving slowly
  - Sharing data across jurisdictions