The Hon Dr Brendan Nelson MP

Today I am pleased to announce that 25 clusters of schools around Australia will share $2.5 million as part of the Howard Government’s Values Education Good Practice Schools project.

With grants of up to $100,000, each cluster’s project will help our schools promote the teaching of specific values endorsed by all State and Territory Education Ministers.

These nine Values for Australian Schooling from the National Framework for Values Education in Australian Schools are: care and compassion; doing your best; fair go; freedom; honesty and trustworthiness; integrity; respect; responsibility; and understanding, tolerance and inclusion.

The Australian Government is providing funding of $29.7 million over the next four years to help make values education a core part of schooling. This includes funding for the Values Education Good Practice Schools Project, values education forums in every school, curriculum resources and a range of national activities.

The Government has also asked that the nine agreed Values for Australian Schooling poster be displayed prominently in every school as a requirement under the Schools Assistance Act 2004.

The posters are highlighted with an image of John Simpson Kirkpatrick – ‘the man with the donkey’ - famous for his bravery under fire rescuing soldiers at Gallipoli and whose actions personify the meaning of selfless service for others.

Education is as much about building character as it is transferring skills, knowledge and the thirst for learning. We should not be surprised to find that a values-free education risks producing a values-free adult.

The list of school clusters and projects is attached. The National Framework for Values Education in Australian Schools and Values for Australian Schooling poster are at: http://www.curriculum.edu.au/values/

Media Contacts:
Dr Nelson’s Office: Yaron Finkelstein 0414 927 663
Dept of Education, Science & Training: Chris John 0412 650 549

State/Territory and Sector	School	Project
ACT Government	Calwell High School (with Isabella Plains, Richardson, Theodore and Calwell Primary Schools)	Building Community Values Through Restorative Practices and Emotional Literacy
ACT Government	Birrigai Outdoor School	Indigenous Education Project
NSW Government	Lightning Ridge Central School (with Enngonia and Nyngan Public Schools, Goodooga Central School and Bourke High School)	Implementing values through a community focus group approach.
NSW Government	Merrylands High School (with Sherwood Grange, Merrylands East, Merrylands, Guildford West, Hilltop Road and Guildford Public Schools)	Values in Action: Our Community Counts!
NSW Catholic	Domremy College (with Bethlehem, Casimir Catholic, Holy Spirit and De La Salle Colleges)	Sense of the Sacred
NSW Catholic	St Peter's Catholic College, Tuggerah Lakes (with Mercy College, St Phillip Neri, Our Lady of Good Counsel, St Cecilia’s and St Martin de Porres Schools, and Our Lady of the Rosary, St Brendan’s, and St Bernard’s Primary Schools)	Teaching Australian Values in a Catholic Community
NSW Government	Airds High School (with Woodland Road, Bradbury, and John Warby Public Schools and Briar Road School)	"Five for Nine" - Five Schools, Nine Values
NT Government	Henbury School (with Stuart Park, Anula, Humpty Doo and Wanguri Primary Schools, Batchelor Area School, and Wallace Rockhole School)	Creating Safe and Supportive Learning Communities
QLD Government: 2 Independent: 2	Canterbury College (with St Hilda’s School and Marsden and Loganlea State High Schools)	Middle Schooling, Values and Values Education - Service-Learning: Making the Connections
QLD Government	Oxenford State School (with Upper Coomera State College, Bellevue Park State School and Southport State High School)	Philosophy in the Classroom
QLD Government	Townsville Central State School (with Magnetic Island, Garbutt, Oonoonba, Townsville West, Belgian Gardens and Railway Estate State Schools)	Peer Leaders - Catch the Spirit
QLD Independent	Heights College (with Bundaberg, Emerald, Mackay and Calvary Christian Colleges)	Character Framework
QLD Government	Chapel Hill State School (with Kenmore South, Fig Tree Pocket, Brookfield, Upper Brookfield, Mount Crosby State Schools, Kenmore State High School and The Glenleighden School)	Strategically Planning for Success
QLD Government	Nerang State High School (with Worongary, William Duncan, Beechmont, Gilston, Numinbah Valley and Nerang State Schools)	Nerang Alliance of State Schools Values Education
SA Government: 4 Catholic:2	Modbury School P-7 (with Salisbury High, School, St Augustine’s Parish School, Para Vista and Penola Primary Schools and St Columba College)	Resilient Thinkers, Resilient Learners- a Values Connection for a Changing World.
SA Government	Hackham West Primary School (with Hackham South, Port Noarlunga, Christie Downs and Christies Beach Primary Schools)	Restorative Practices Built on Values Education
TAS Government	Longford Primary School (with Bracknell, Evandale, Hagley Farm and Perth Primary Schools and Campbell Town and Cressy District High Schools)	Values for Life Program
TAS Government	The Don College (with Newstead, Hellyer, Claremont and Hobart Colleges)	Youth Leadership and Stewardship - The Way of the Future
VIC Catholic	St Charles Borromeo Primary School (with St Kevin’s, St Peter’s & Paul’s, St Gregory the Great, Our Lady of the Pines and St Clement of Rome Schools)	Students Lead in Investigating and Implementing Values on a Whole-School Basis
VIC Government	Werribee Secondary College (with Iramoo, Thomas Chirnside and Werribee Primary Schools)	Learning How to Be (Values for Learning and Life)
VIC Government	Norwood Secondary College (with Croydon Hills, Mullum, Kalinda, Park Orchards, Warranwood, Wonga Park and Yarra Road Primary Schools and Parkwood Secondary College)	Promoting Relational Learning through Values Education
VIC Government	Brighton Secondary College (with Brighton, Gardenvale, Brighton Beach, Elsternwick and Bentleigh West Primary Schools and Berendale School)	B.E.A.C.H.V.A.L.E. (Brighton Environment Action Community Helpers Values Education)
VIC Government	Mooroolbark Heights Secondary College (with Manchester, Bimbadeen Heights, Mooroolbark East, and Kilsyth Primary Schools)	Valuing Community – Taking Values into Our Community
WA Independent	Lance Holt School (with Strelley and Kerry Street Community Schools, Nyindamurra Family School of Creativity and Moerlina School)	Children and Place Mapping Group
WA Government	Spearwood Primary School (with South Coogee, Jandakot, Coogee, Phoenix, Coolbellup and Newton Primary Schools and Hamilton Senior High School)	Building Values Based and Inclusive School Communities

Media Release

PROMOTING VALUES IN OUR SCHOOLS-$2.5 MILLION IN GRANTS ANNOUNCED