For First Nations students the transition from primary to secondary education is a crucial period. That’s why the transition for Gawura School students commences from the first day of Kindergarten, as connections built with teachers and mentors from Kindergarten to Year 6, across Gawura School and St Andrew’s Cathedral School, help to build a strong sense of belonging and confidence.
From Kindergarten to Year 6, Gawura School offers First Nations students the best of both worlds, with half their learning time spent on literacy and numeracy with First Nations peers, and half spent in a ‘buddy class’ in the Junior School, where First Nations knowledges are integrated into the Junior School curriculum.
Here, friendships develop through shared learning and play on the rooftop playground, which features a First Nations mural painted by Gawura alumni depicting the journey from the junior to senior years.
During Year 6, teachers meet with each student and their family to talk about secondary school pathways. This meeting is to ensure each child is ready and well supported to continue their education at St Andrew’s Cathedral School’s Secondary School, or other alternative. Scholarships are available for students progressing to St Andrew’s Cathedral School’s Secondary School.
After Term 2 in Year 6, students join their buddy class full time, allowing them to adapt to larger class sizes. In the vertical school environment, Gawura School students share spaces with Secondary School, such as science laboratories and co-curricular spaces. When students move forward into Secondary School, they are already familiar with the environment and the people around them. This helps make the transition smoother and more positive for both Gawura School students and their families.
Mentors and Elders support relationships with students and families across both Schools. In Gawura School, Aunty Sharon Minniecon, Community Liaison Officer, provides an Elder role, providing cultural support, advocacy for individual students, and liaising with families to ensure additional needs are met.
In Secondary School, Emma Walker, Aboriginal Education Mentor, is a dedicated First Nations coordinator who oversees the transition between Junior School and Secondary School. With a background in social work, Emma spends time in classrooms, especially Aboriginal Studies and works with other departments, including sport, introducing First Nations perspectives. Providing outstanding pastoral care, she facilitates and implements mentoring opportunities, external tutoring and Homework club, as well as liaising with families to understand what extra support is required.
