| Primary School: | Nowra East Public School |
| Town and State: | East Nowra, NSW |
| Summary: | Regional government school |
| Website: | www.nowraeast-p.schools.nsw.gov.au |
| Year Range: | Kindergarten to Year 6 |
| No of Students: | 424 |
| ICSEA: | 782 |
| Indigenous Students %: | 53% |
| LBOTE* Students %: | 4% |
| School Description: | Nowra East Public School has an Aboriginal preschool, five support classes, two ED units, one IM, one IO and one MC class. Student engagement is supported through differentiation of the curriculum, and culture is highly integrated through all student learning. We have a Wellbeing Medical Hub located on the premises to assist students and their families through health and social support. The school services one of the lowest socio-economic zones in the Shoalhaven area. Approximately 85% of parents are unemployed and an ever- increasing number of students are in out of home care or in the care of grandparents. A high proportion of students do not have access in the home to books and have not been supported in younger years in their early literacy journey. We place a high priority on data to drive student progress and to close the gap for Indigenous students. We offer a breakfast club for students who come to school without breakfast. We are located near the centre of the town of Nowra. Culture is at the core of how we teach and we are now engaging an Aboriginal local group to teach our students the Dharawal language. |
| Principal’s Statement: | Nowra East Public School is part of the NSW Department of Education’s Connected Communities Strategy. The strategy is an approach that schools and communities can use to strengthen the educational outcomes for Aboriginal students and all students. It brings the community closer with the school, brings in Aboriginal culture, and allows the school to work with government and non-government groups to help support the education of the school’s students. We are seeking sponsorship as we would like to develop in all students a love of reading, increase students’ confidence when reading, and to motivate students to decrease engagement with screens. We want to motivate students and our families to see reading as an everyday activity. The previous school at which I was Principal was fortunate to be involved in the program and I was witness to the increase in students who became engaged in reading, borrowing from the school library increased and a book exchange was created at the school for families to access. Family connections with the school were enhanced as the gift of books was a very big deal for many families with limited resources. After returning to school following the disruption of Covid we are facing students who have increased their use of screens and disengaged from books. I believe involvement in Books into Homes will be a great motivator to step away from screens! |
| Annual Sponsorship Cost: | $34,725.60 plus GST across three terms a year for the three book program. |
| Additional Comments: | Two sponsors could support the school by paying $17,362.80 plus GST each, and three Sponsors could support the students by paying $11,575.20 plus GST each. The school also qualifies for the two book program. |
| More Information: | If you’re interested in sponsoring this school or require additional information, please phone Peter Large on 0420 984 970 or email: peterlarge@booksinhomes.com.au |
