Bridie Smith
Bridie Smith is an education reporter at The Age. A former desk editor, she has also reported on science and consumer affairs.
- Exclusive
- Education
Rooftop tennis courts and Olympic pools: private schools’ multimillion-dollar arms race
A $100 million sports and aquatics complex, a $55 million humanities building: what Melbourne’s private schools are spending on their new facilities.
- Bridie Smith
Latest
‘A nightmare’: NAPLAN chaos as website crashes on first day of testing
Testing resumed on Wednesday after schools across Australia were forced to pause NAPLAN exams due to technical issues.
- Noel Towell, Bridie Smith, Nicole Precel and Jackson Graham
‘It’s like having a luxury handbag’: Private school enrolments rising despite costs
Parents are choosing private education in increasing numbers, but the latest school snapshot also had much-needed good news for government schools.
- Noel Towell and Bridie Smith
- Exclusive
- Education
Push for Melbourne’s top science school to introduce gender quotas
Two of Melbourne’s most sought-after state high schools must reach gender parity by next year. But not this one.
- Bridie Smith
- Exclusive
- Education
Kew girls’ school puts prime real estate on the market to pay debt
“The current environment is particularly challenging for independent schools such as ours,” a spokesperson says.
- Bridie Smith and Jackson Graham
Once dismissed as ‘westies’, these VCE students are soaring against the odds
St Albans Secondary College is among schools whose social disadvantage is no barrier to VCE success. Use our interactive to find out all you need to know about your school’s VCE performance.
- Bridie Smith and Craig Butt
English? Maths? PE? Find out your school’s top VCE subject
English usually drives the bulk of top VCE scores, but specialist electives like outdoor education and food studies are the surprise subjects producing the best results at some schools. Use our interactive to find out your school’s top subjects.
- Bridie Smith and Craig Butt
- Exclusive
- Education
Teachers will fight to double the number of student-free days
The teachers’ union says more curriculum days are vital for educators to get on top of their workloads, but others say it will place an extra burden on families.
- Noel Towell, Jackson Graham and Bridie Smith
Melbourne swim coach accused of sexually assaulting 13-year-old girl freed on bail
A former Methodist Ladies’ College swim coach accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl he lured to meet him with promises of cigarettes and alcohol has been granted bail.
- Bridie Smith and Caroline Schelle
Schools data hack exposes students for years to come, experts warn
Victorian families have been warned to expect data stolen from Education Department files would likely remain for sale on the dark web.
- Bridie Smith and Caroline Schelle