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Parents and Compass

Do you know parents have a major influence on their child’s education and career decisions?

Compass is a project that works with primary and secondary school children to encourage them to participate in higher education. A partnership between the University of Sydney and the NSW Department of Education and Training (DET), it is building an enduring relationship between the University, selected schools, students and their parents.

Your child and Compass

Students involved in Compass will enjoy a range of exciting and educational activities and projects in their schools and at the University of Sydney, where they will meet and interact with the University’s staff and students. The program focuses on years 3, 4 and 5 in primary school and years 8, 9 and 10 in secondary school.

Your child will see and experience some amazing things as part of this program:

  • ancient Egyptian mummies
  • rocket-making
  • extracting DNA from fruit
  • plays at the Seymour Centre
  • university experience days
  • science workshops
  • library discovery programs
  • video, photography and digital printing.

Our students and staff will also take part in lots of hands-on activities and projects at your child’s school, for example:

  • band and choir programs
  • community garden design
  • story writing competitions
  • public speaking and debating.

Your child’s interaction with the University won’t just be educational, it will also provide a fun, hands-on and inspirational experience.

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You and Compass

You have an enormous influence on the decisions your child will make about their education and career. Your perceptions and experiences of education and work have a real impact on your child from an early age.

As a parent, you may feel that higher education is too expensive or impractical. You may also believe that it can be too hard to get into university – or just find the whole area too intimidating and confusing.

The Compass program wants to ‘shed light’ on these commonly held misconceptions. That is why the University of Sydney invites you to get to know us firsthand. You can meet our staff and students by participating in a wide range of activities. These include:

  • tours of the University’s campus
  • ‘experience days’ at the University
  • information sessions on topics such as career planning
  • lectures and workshops on science, arts or engineering
  • visits to the University’s museums and art gallery
  • projects at your child’s school.
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