Boys' program for Pretty Beach

A program aimed at better educating boys is to be run at Pretty Beach Public School.

The school will receive a Federal Government grant of about $6700, to be shared with Wamberal Public School, under the first stage of the Commonwealth Government's "Boys' Education Lighthouse Schools Programme".

Federal Member for Robertson, Mr Jim Lloyd, said: "This program responds to evidence indicating that boys are significantly under-performing in key educational areas.

"The schools have been selected to document and showcase how they develop and implement educational practices addressing the needs of boys.

"The $6700 grant will ensure that the 'Life's a Beach' project will go ahead.

"'Life's a Beach' involves the development of an integrated learning package for boys based on surf lifesaving," Mr Lloyd said.

The findings of the first stage of the program will be provided to schools and teachers by the end of the year and will help to shape the development of stage two next year.

Stage two will see approximately 30 clusters of schools across Australia established to support good practices in boys' education, said Mr Lloyd.

Each cluster would contain a "lighthouse" school to act as a champion and demonstrator of successful practices and to support the professional development of teachers in schools around them.

Additional information about the program can be found at www.boyslighthouse.edu.au.

Press release, April 30