Advertisement
Bridie Smith

Bridie Smith

Bridie Smith is an education reporter at The Age. A former desk editor, she has also reported on science and consumer affairs.

The 2025 Schools That Excel.

Schools that Excel 2025

Celebrating Victorian schools that have improved their end-of-year VCE performance over the past decade.

Latest

Brighton Grammar headmaster Ross Featherston with students who have opted to do dance as an extracurricular activity.

This sporty school changed its tune and danced its way to VCE stardom

This boys’ school, known for being a feeder to the AFL draft, has added dance to its repertoire. And the results are starting to show.

  • Bridie Smith
The Midsumma Pride March in 2024.

Anti-hate taskforce to hear from LGBTQ community in wake of violent attacks

Victoria’s anti-hate taskforce will hear from members of the LGBTQ community following a spate of violent, targeted attacks across Melbourne.

  • Bridie Smith
Scotch College in Hawthorn has been the target of a cyberattack.

Scotch College apologises for data breach

Families and graduates of the prestigious boys’ school have been warned about suspicious emails, links and attachments, after its IT system was accessed by an “unknown third party”.

  • Bridie Smith and Noel Towell
Mum Sally Wighton uses the canteen at Rowville Primary School once a week and is impressed with the healthy options for her children Finley, 9, and Edith, 7.

Chocolate and lollies are meant to be banned from school canteens. But their sales are as strong as ever

The state government is failing to enforce its own health guidelines for school canteens, with sugar-laden items prohibited from sale among the top snack foods sold to primary students.

  • Bridie Smith
Nathan Yin in his parents’ garage where he has set up his barber business Yinny Fadezz.

Making the cut: Why students’ side hustles are big business

This garage business has earned one student about $3000 a year and proved so successful that his parents now park their car on the street.

  • Bridie Smith
Advertisement
The students were taking part in a shared activity at Melbourne Museum when the alleged incident occurred.

High schoolers allegedly hurl antisemitic abuse at Jewish children at Melbourne Museum

Grade 5 students from a Jewish school were allegedly called “dirty Jews” by a group of high schoolers.

  • Noel Towell and Bridie Smith
Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism Jillian Segal

Australia news as it happened: Australian named as US ambassador to Malaysia; Trump to make ‘major statement’ on Russia

Former Sydney councillor and self-described “alpha male” Nick Adams has been named as America’s next ambassador to Malaysia. Childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown was working in the kitchen at a Melbourne childcare centre days before he was charged with more than 70 offences.

  • Michael McGowan and Bridie Smith
Aymen, 8, with the bookish kittens.

Want to lift your children’s reading skills? Get them to read to kittens

Reading aloud to a non-judgmental audience – such as kittens – can help increase children’s motivation and confidence in reading.

  • Bridie Smith
Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, Jillian Segal’s report said antisemitism in academic had become ingrained.

Unis are getting an antisemitism report card. They’re thinking about it

Universities have vowed to review a landmark plan to tackle antisemitism on campuses but have stopped short of endorsing it.

  • Christopher Harris and Bridie Smith