Premier Chris Minns, Bulli High School teacher Jenny Kennedy and Deputy Minister for Education and Early Learning Courtney Houssos. Photo: Premier’s Teacher Scholarships.
If you tell one of Jenny Kennedy’s students to “pull up their socks”, it’s likely they will quite literally stoop down and do just that.
“You have to be conscious of your communication, and how students interpret instructions; some of my students can be quite literal,” the Bulli High School teacher says.
This awareness is one of the key lessons Ms Kennedy has learned in 17 years working in special education, with a focus on autism.
The Bulli High teacher, who leads the school’s support class, is among 11 of the state’s top educators to receive Premier’s Teacher Scholarships this week.
Originally a PE teacher, her journey into special education began by chance when she took on her first support class in 2008.
“I loved it so much, I went back the next year, and the year after that,” she says. “I was surprised to find many teachers were anxious and reluctant to teach children with autism because my experience is they’re wonderful children who are trying so hard to fit in, and the odds are against them. I felt compelled to pursue it.”
Ms Kennedy has taught special education in schools all over the state before coming to Bulli, where she has helped transition several students into mainstream classes. Many have gone on to pursue tertiary education, including one student who recently received an early admission into the University of Wollongong.
The Premier’s Teacher Scholarships fund overseas study tours so teachers and principals can research their specialties and ultimately, enrich students’ classroom learning.
From early childhood education to mental health, rural and remote education to STEM, the educators in this year’s program cover a diverse range of focus areas.
Ms Kennedy was awarded the 2026 Premier’s Western Sydney University Inclusive Education Scholarship.
She will spend five weeks researching how to translate and implement global practices of inclusive education for students with autism spectrum disorder.
The scholarship was sponsored by Western Sydney University, which now offers inclusive education as a minor and a pathway to postgraduate study to qualify as a specialist teacher.
Holding a Master’s in Special Education specialising in autism, Ms Kennedy says education for educators is critical.
“Starting at that level, and encouraging teachers to be more understanding and accepting of the needs of all students — whether in support classes or sitting in front of them with or without diagnosis — that’s a key piece of the puzzle in our ability to provide inclusive education,” she says. “And that’s good for the whole country.”
Ms Kennedy’s study tour begins with a session with Professor Pasi Sahlberg, the Finnish educator and scholar now based in Australia who has written extensively on Finland’s high-performing education model compared with Australia’s.
She will then visit Queensland University of Technology to explore its autism research, observe inclusive practices in New Zealand schools, and travel to Kent in the UK to study local inclusion initiatives. At the University of Edinburgh she will meet a professor examining teacher perceptions of disability and embedding inclusive practice in undergraduate training, before heading to Finland to look at best practice in classrooms.
“I’m very excited to speak with researchers in my field, conduct observation and bring back as many learnings and perspectives as possible to help improve the learning for students with disability and increase their opportunities — not just at Bulli High School, but in the Illawarra, in Sydney, in NSW and beyond — that’s the ultimate goal,” Ms Kennedy says.
Premier Chris Minns congratulated the scholarship winners, calling teachers one of this state’s most valuable resources.
“In a time of rapid social, economic and technological change, this professional focus is exactly what is required of teachers as they prepare students for their future as innovators and achievers,” he said.
Acting Education and Early Learning Minister Courtney Houssos said the scholarship program was designed to make the best teachers in the state even better.
“When our teachers return from their study tours, I am sure their students will benefit from the knowledge they’ve gained, and this will enhance their learning experiences in the classroom.”
