The NSW Department of Education and Training delivers high quality, internationally competitive public education and training from early childhood (pre-school), through to the compulsory years of schooling (Kindergarten to Year 10), and senior secondary education leading to the award of the NSW Higher School Certificate (in Years 11 and 12).

It also provides TAFE NSW courses, migrant English programs, post-secondary art courses and advice to the NSW Government on higher education. The Department is particularly focused on addressing the training needs of industry and meeting the challenge of skills shortages in certain trades. Grants are distributed to Adult and Community Education (ACE) providers for the delivery of vocational training.

It strongly promotes lifelong learning, and aims to provide students with a smooth transition from school to work or further study, and from post-compulsory education and training to work or further study.

The Department is the largest single organisation, public or private, in Australia. With a recurrent budget of $11.8 billion, the Department is responsible for around one quarter of the State's total budget.

Around 741,000 students are taught by over 50,000 full time teachers in more than 2,200 NSW Government schools - including pre-schools, primary schools, central schools, high schools, colleges and specialist schools.

NSW leads the way in Australia in requiring new teachers to be accredited in terms of professional teaching standards through its Institute of Teachers. It also requires teachers to undertake continuous professional development.

With over 500,000 enrolments, and 10,000 permanent teachers, TAFE NSW is not only Australia's largest training provider, it is also among the largest in the world. TAFE NSW has 10 Institutes delivering a wide range of nationally recognised courses at more than 130 metropolitan and regional campuses.