The setting
Our students and their families come to us predominantly from the Office of Housing flats in Flemington. 15% of our students are relatively new arrivals, having lived in Australia for less than two years. Many of the families have come to the country as refugees and the school community does not experience the same advantages as many others. The Student Family Occupation (SFO) is 0.9560, which makes the school the 'most disadvantaged school in the state'. Most of our families receive Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) with many of them headed by a single parent.
Most parents speak very little English and have had little or no formal education in their first language, although they are keen to learn and are very interested in developing their own skills. There is a positive perception about education in general and parents hold high expectations of their children, wanting them to achieve. The opportunities that they can afford, however, are very limited. This is illustrated by inequity of their access to technology and the Internet, with very few families having access to a computer or the Internet at home.
Enrolment numbers in our school are dwindling. Even though our families highly regard the school, there are still underlying and historic perceptions that linger and create doubts about the school within the broader community.
More recently, however, we are seeing a hunger for a new narrative. Our students have been engaged in a strong new focus on learning to read and write with the help of literacy coaches and consultants, as well as learning more about the telling of stories through the performing arts and music. They are beginning to make excellent gains in their reading and writing.
Most parents speak very little English and have had little or no formal education in their first language, although they are keen to learn and are very interested in developing their own skills. There is a positive perception about education in general and parents hold high expectations of their children, wanting them to achieve. The opportunities that they can afford, however, are very limited. This is illustrated by inequity of their access to technology and the Internet, with very few families having access to a computer or the Internet at home.
Enrolment numbers in our school are dwindling. Even though our families highly regard the school, there are still underlying and historic perceptions that linger and create doubts about the school within the broader community.
More recently, however, we are seeing a hunger for a new narrative. Our students have been engaged in a strong new focus on learning to read and write with the help of literacy coaches and consultants, as well as learning more about the telling of stories through the performing arts and music. They are beginning to make excellent gains in their reading and writing.