Minister for Education and Training, Verity Firth, will present awards to students from St Michael's Primary School in Stanmore and Ashfield Boys High School at Parliament House today to recognise their achievements in learning history.

Ms Firth said the inaugural Minister's History Week Schools Awards encouraged students from all primary and secondary schools to engage in history and the History Council of NSW's annual History Week event in September.

"History is an important part of the school curriculum and these awards aim to give students a new way to learn about significant events and figures from our past," Ms Firth said.

"They also give teachers an opportunity to bring the history curriculum to life.

"Students were required to participate in an activity to culminate in History Week, which highlighted how they engaged with the study of history.

"I would like to congratulate today's winners and commend all of the schools who participated in the awards for their outstanding efforts."

Students at St Michael's Primary School celebrated History Week with a presentation in traditional dress about their studies of the gold fields during the year.

Ashfield Boys High School held a 1970s day where students enjoyed fashion, food and music from the decade. They were entertained by a re-enactment of the Whitlam dismissal and watched newsreels featuring issues of the day. 

The following three entries were highly commended: 

  • Mt St Benedict College in Pennant Hills for their entry titled "The History of Slavery in America";
  • Blakebrook Public School for their Gold Rush re-enactment; and
  • Middleton Public School in Parkes for "Goldfields Day".

The awards are sponsored by the NSW Minister for Education and Training.

Each winning primary and secondary school receives $1000 in prize money.