In her first public statement as premier, Ms Berejiklian, whose parents were immigrants, said when she began school, she could not speak English.

She paid tribute to the public school teachers who encouraged her.

“That is why you will have in me, the strongest supporter of Gonski.

“I know what a public education can do for somebody,” she said. 

Local executive member of the NSW secondary principals council Lindsay Paul said it was fantastic to see Ms Berejiklian’s commitment to the needs-based model.

Mr Paul said the Gonski model began with a base amount for all schools to ensure students reached an agreed standard, followed by additional funding for those with greater levels of educational disadvantage. 

The New England electorate receives the second highest amount of funding in the state.

Mr Paul said this was due to the relatively high percentage of students with backgrounds considered educationally disadvantaged.

Factors include the parents’ educational background and employment status and the child’s English literacy and Aboriginality.

”I think that’s one of the real benefits of Gonski,” Mr Paul said.

“It doesn’t set out to target city versus country.

“It doesn’t set out to target independent versus Catholic, versus government schools.

“It’s sector blind, it’s locality blind; it’s actually looking at data of the enrolments in the school,” he said.

In the third year of Gonski, and having only reached 20 per cent of funding, Mr Paul said it was too early to sum up the overall outcomes.

However, he said that Macintyre High School’s Gonski funded adoption of University of New England mathematics program Quick Smart, was already having positive results.

“In 12 months, they’re picking up four years worth of numeracy growth,” he said.

Mr Paul said that the NSW government, and former education minister Adrian Piccoli, should be applauded for a world recognised funding distribution model. 

Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall agreed, and said “Gonski funding provides more resources, a fairer distribution, higher standards and a better education for every child”.

He said it was fundamental that every child had “the best possible start in life”, regardless of their location or socio-economic status.