During 2021, exams throughout NSW and the ACT were again disrupted at various times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Government-enforced lockdowns were experienced in many regions during the year which meant that teachers and their students had to change their usual approach to lessons and their exams. Teachers had varying levels of access to conduct online lessons via Skype and Zoom and in many cases, exams were unavoidably cancelled, or exam preparation had to be adapted to enable students to present for a Video Repertoire exam.

We acknowledge the difficulties faced by teachers and students last year. We salute all AMEB (NSW) Music and Speech and Drama teachers for their unwavering commitment to arts education and the resilience and innovation they demonstrated.

To ensure equity, and for a second successive year, the AMEB (NSW) Board decided that trophies would not be presented to category winners for the 2021 teaching year. However, the top enroller results were calculated and merit certificates were issued last month to a broader group of teachers, music schools and schools who gained a top placement in each of the teaching categories. Each teacher who appears on this list of recipients should be applauded for their dedication and for the excellence they achieved during this challenging examination year.

Please note that the AMEB (NSW) Board have also amended some of the award categories from 2021 onward to reflect a return to a ‘Junior’ (Preliminary to Grade 6) and ‘Senior’ (Grade 7 to Licentiate) award classification for many teaching categories.

Congratulations to our private teachers, music schools, regional conservatoriums and NESA-accredited schools from Sydney, Regional NSW and the ACT whose names appear on our ‘Honour Roll’ for achieving outstanding exam results for the 2021 exam year.