Matraville Education Partnership

Once known primarily for the strength of its sports program, MSHS is now gaining recognition for its success in improving student educational outcomes., opens in a new window New academic opportunities are becoming part of the school culture thanks to the alliance between UNSW and MSHS. 

The diversity of the Matraville student population is one of its greatest assets and presents a unique opportunity for UNSW teacher education. Matraville is a place UNSW students can learn from young people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, non-English speaking and low-socioeconomic backgrounds, and from their teachers, families and communities.

Research supports the view that the best places for children to be educated are those rich in diversity and initiatives that support community aspirations are the best way to raise educational outcomes. For UNSW and MSHS, the partnership is more than just an opportunity for the mutual development of their respective students; it is about education, connection and community.  

The UNSW Matraville Education Partnership involves enriched curriculum activities for students, professional learning and ongoing research with teachers, events for parents and community members, and partnerships with the La Perouse Aboriginal community and the wider community to which the school belongs. We seek to build teacher, family and community capacity to meet the needs of all students.

The Matraville Education partnership seeks to be mutually beneficial to the school, community, and university. This aligns with the UNSW strategic commitment toward “Progress for All”.

Strategic priority 1: Raise the educational motivations, aspirations and achievement of low-SES and Indigenous students in the Matraville area

UNSW is an integrated part of students’ experience at MSHS from Years 7-12. The UNSW Matraville Education Partnership manager works onsite at MSHS, connecting staff and students to people, events and opportunities across UNSW and supporting MSHS students’ educational needs. Examples include afterschool and holiday programs, working with UNSW tutors, extra assistance in classes from UNSW education students, the UNSW Gateway Program, opens in a new window, incursions and excursions involving UNSW staff from a variety of disciplines, and dedicated scholarships for Matraville graduates who attend UNSW.

Strategic priority 2:  Engage UNSW with the Matraville community and build capacity to raise low-SES and Indigenous student outcomes

Student success doesn’t occur in a vacuum, and working closely with families is key to ensuring our work has lasting impact and aligns with a particular community’s hopes for their children. UNSW works closely with the local Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG), MSHS Parent and Citizens’ Committee, and individual families to ensure our activities are helpful, supportive and culturally appropriate. A free parent lecture series has attracted parents from local schools and further afield, and flagship research projects such as the Culture, Community, and Curriculum Project (CCCP) and the Cultural Residents Project, opens in a new window seek to elevate the Aboriginal community’s voice in local schools.

Student success doesn’t occur in a vacuum, and working closely with families is key to ensuring our work has lasting impact and aligns with a particular community’s hopes for their children. UNSW works closely with the local Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG), and with MSHS families to ensure our activities are helpful, supportive and culturally appropriate. A free parent lecture series has attracted parents from local schools and further afield, and flagship research projects such as the Cultural Residents Project, and Culturally Nourishing Schooling, opens in a new window project  seek to elevate the Aboriginal community’s voice in local schools.

Strategic priority 3:  Engage UNSW with the Matraville teaching staff and build capacity to raise low-SES and Indigenous student outcomes

Research shows that teacher effectiveness has a profound impact on student success. The partnership offers professional learning opportunities to teachers from MSHS and its surrounding primary schools to build their capacity across a range of areas, including gifted education, special needs education and meeting the needs of culturally diverse learners. These teachers also open their doors to research undertaken by UNSW academics, helping advance and trial cutting edge educational practice. Matraville staff engage in mentorship of the next generation of teachers through hosting UNSW pre-service teachers as classroom assistants and practicum students, and report that these experiences help them gain new skills and creative ideas, and feelings of self-efficacy.

2017 Annual Report, opens in a new window

2018 Annual Report, opens in a new window

2019 Annual Report, opens in a new window

2020 Annual Report, opens in a new window

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2022 Annual Report, opens in a new window

2023 Annual Report, opens in a new window

Matraville Future Students Hub

In recent years, the impact of COVID 19 has affected the development of new research projects, academic initiatives that enhance student experience, and social engagement programs that are reciprocal and beneficial for both UNSW and the Matraville community. The extended time students, teachers and their families have spent away from the regular routines has contributed to high levels of disengagement and isolation, impacting students’ wellbeing, academic achievement and aspirations. 

To address these challenges, the MEP Future Students Hub was envisioned in 2022 to reconnect the Matraville and UNSW communities through in-person engagement initiatives.

The MEP Future Students Hub seeks to continue to “share the wealth” of resources that UNSW has to offer with members of our local community. It has provided opportunities for high school students to learn more about university and to be supported in their education and their aspirations. In turn, these activities have helped UNSW staff and students to build their knowledge and skills in working with and learning from diverse communities.

Examples include:

• An ADA “uni taster program” aimed at First Nations students, in which students experienced hands-on activities with each of the six schools within ADA across a term (facilitated by Rebekah Torrens, ADA Indigenous Student Engagement and Support Specialist)
• The “In the Making” program, involving Year 9 Matraville students in creating using UNSW Makerspaces and exhibiting their work on campus (facilitated by Bronwen Williams from the School of Art & Design)
• Sound recording and composition workshops with UNSW staff and excursions to music recording facilities (facilitated by Adam Hulbert, Rick Bull and Simon Trevaks)

Work-Integrated Learning Opportunities

Pre-service and in-service teacher development

Matraville is a key partner school in supporting the future of the teaching profession, providing numerous placements for UNSW pre-service teachers every year. Pre-service teachers who are placed at Matraville consistently report that they gain valuable knowledge about working with students of diverse backgrounds and abilities and become more certain whether teaching is the right career for them.

“The experience at Matraville was fulfilling educationally and personally. It gave me insight into teaching and the day to day interactions of the classroom from a teachers perspective and was very helpful in solidifying my choice to become a teacher.” -  B.Ed. student, 2022

“Matraville High School was a great environment to begin my placement. It was eye-opening regarding the amount of work teachers are required to do, but also inspiring about the teachers care for the students.” – B. Ed. Student, 2022

In addition, the MEP provides opportunities for Matraville teachers to pursue ongoing professional learning. In recent years, dozens of teachers have received professional support from UNSW academics through the Culturally Nourishing Schooling project (facilitated by Associate Professor Kevin Lowe, opens in a new window and Dr Rose Amazan) and Early Career Teachers’ Mentoring project (facilitated by Dr Karen Maras, Professor Terry Cumming, and Dr Ellen Lee, ).  

Academic Enrichment for Matraville students

Throughout the year, MSHS students receive academic support from UNSW students as in-class assistants as well as through afterschool programs such as Homework Centre and a Music club. UNSW Student Ambassadors make several visits each September to assist Year 12 students with completing their UAC applications. Additional HSC preparation support is offered to Year 12 students during the September school holidays each year.

Year 10 Matraville students have undertaken work experience at UNSW in a variety of settings, from the gym and aquatic centre to events management, Nura Gili, various academic departments, and more. You can read more about the 2022 program here, opens in a new window.

Support of community-engaged research practices

The MEP helps facilitate research opportunities that contribute to new knowledge in education and that uphold ethical and relational practices for research involving First Nations and low-SES communities. Matraville has been one of eight New South Wales high schools involved in the Culturally Nourishing Schooling Project, opens in a new window, which aims to improve schooling experiences for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students through strengthening partnerships between schools and local Aboriginal communities, facilitating teacher learning and changes to professional practice.

Relationships with the local AECG have also facilitated a program of local Aboriginal community members and Elders working in primary schools as part of the Cultural Residents Project (2020-2022), opens in a new window.These initiatives have inspired momentum among eight local schools to allocate funding for local Aboriginal Cultural Educators from their own budgets.

Director: Dr Rose Amazan

Rose Amazan is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Education at UNSW, Sydney. She has extensive experience working with low SES communities in Australia and internationally. Rose's expertise resides in two strands of research: Social justice in education/pathways to educational equity and international education and development policy with an emphasis on gender.  Rose’s research, teaching, and service activities are motivated by her commitment to community development and creating equitable and safe environments for marginalised and disadvantaged communities.

Program Manager: Katherine Thompson

Katherine is a former high school teacher, originally from the United States. As Program Manager, she spends two days per week on site at Matraville Sports High School, working with Matraville staff, students and the wider community to build connections with UNSW that enhance students’ learning and expand the opportunities available to them. She also works in other roles in the Faculty, related to her areas of passion for social justice, anti-racism and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education.

Advisory Committee

The UNSW Matraville Education Partnership Advisory Committee comprises UNSW and Department of Education staff members and influential community members who support the aims of the partnership. The committee, which meets once a year and is chaired by Professor Claire Annesley, Dean of Arts, Design & Architecture, has been instrumental in building the partnership’s profile, raising awareness and seeking opportunities for funding and expansion.

Members:  

• Professor Claire Annesley, Dean, UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture
• Mr Nic Accaria, Director, Education Leadership, Public Schools NSW, Botany Bay Network 
• Dr Rose Amazan, Director, UNSW Matraville Education Partnership 
• Ms Hayley Brown, President, Eastern Suburbs Local Aboriginal Education Consultative Group
• Professor Attila Brungs, UNSW Vice-Chancellor, or his representative
• Mr John Bush, General Manager, Education, Paul Ramsay Foundation
• The Honourable Dr Bob Carr, Director, Australia-China Relations Institute 
• Dr Avinesh Chelliah, UNSW Medicine & Prince of Wales Hospital
• Mr Stanley Cowper, Alumnus, UNSW 
• The Honourable Mr Michael Daley, MP, Member for Maroubra
• Ms Noni Hoskins, Principal, Matraville Public School (representing the Little Bay Community of Schools)
• Professor Tony Loughland, Head of School, UNSW School of Education
• Dr Kevin Lowe, Scientia Indigenous Fellow, UNSW School of Education
• The Honourable Matt Thistlethwaite, MP, Federal Member for Kingsford Smith 
• Ms Nerida Walker, Principal, Matraville Sports High School