Students enrolled at Gawura School are supported by the Gawura Scholarship Fund. Gawura First Nations Scholarships are made possible with the generous support of individual donors, corporate partners, and philanthropic foundations.
About Gawura First Nations Scholarships
Up to six Scholarships are offered each year to new Kindergarten students. Scholarships are provided for the duration of a child’s enrolment from Kindergarten to Year 6. While these Scholarships cover tuition fees, uniforms, classroom resources, including technology, as well as some camps, excursions, and co-curricular activities, there is a small termly fee for families.
Applications for Kindergarten 2027 are welcome now. Places are sometimes available for other years. For more information email the Admissions team or call 02 9286 9500.
Gawura First Nations Scholarships can be offered for Secondary School at St Andrew’s Cathedral School. Interviews are held part way through Year 6 with students and their families who are seeking to transition from Year 6 to Year 7, to work with families to assess the student’s ability to sustain enrolment through to the conclusion of their schooling, or to look at other pathways for each child.
Have a yarn with us
To find out more about Gawura School or how to apply for a Scholarship, have a yarn with our friendly Admissions team.
Call 02 9286 9500 or email enrolments@sacs.nsw.edu.au
We can answer your questions and help arrange a visit. Aunty Sharon Minniecon, Community Liaison Officer, is also at school on a Tuesday during term time and can take your call or call you back.
How to apply
Step 1: Have a yarn with us
Call our Admissions team.
Our friendly team can guide you through every step.
02 9286 9500 or email enrolments@sacs.nsw.edu.au
Step 2: Arrange a visit
Once we’ve had a yarn we can help arrange a visit. We welcome parents, carers and potential students to experience Gawura School in action. We also run playgroup sessions each May for prospective students who are four or five years old.
Step 3: Complete the online application
If you have any questions, or need help filling out the application, our Admissions team are happy to help.
Step 4: We talk to you about next steps
We review your application and may ask for further information. Shortlisted students and their family will be invited to attend an enrolment interview.
How to enrol
Once you have spoken with Admissions staff, toured the School, and met our committed teaching staff, you will have a good sense of the opportunities for your child and what it would mean for your family.
Apply here for a Gawura First Nations Scholarship
What you’ll need to provide:
- Student’s birth certificate
- Certificate of Aboriginality or Torres Strait Islander
- Preschool reports – if you have them and are applying for Kindergarten
- Last two years of school reports – if you are applying for a place from Year 1 up
- Parent/guardian’s ID – Australian driver’s licence or passport
- Student’s immunisation history
- Information about financial support currently received through Family Tax Benefit
- Payments (financial need is a criteria for a Gawura First Nations Scholarship)
- Any other supporting documents.
Scholarships and enrolment criteria
An enrolment at Gawura School is a whole family commitment. It is an ongoing partnership between the School and parents, where school attendance, high expectations of behaviour and uniform, and completion of homework, are all conditions of enrolment.
While Scholarships cover the majority of costs for a student to attend Gawura School or St Andrew’s Cathedral School, families contribute a small fee of $250 per term, with an additional $50 per term for each sibling enrolled. This termly fee is an ongoing expectation that families contribute to on a regular basis. Families who require additional financial assistance can reach out to our Community Liaison Officer who will seek ways to support them.
There are limited Scholarships offered in Kindergarten each year, while siblings are encouraged to apply; their potential enrolment is still based upon the criteria being considered.
Find out more in Gawura School’s Enrolment Policy
Applicants should be aware of the following selection criteria when applying:
- Commitment to education and motivation for learning
- Family commitment to being part of the School
- The student’s ongoing academic progress and commitment to studies
- The student’s demonstrated commitment to the School and their local community
- Evidence of meeting requirements for financial support
- Business Plan targets (remembering that Gawura First Nations Scholarships are reliant on donations)
- School Readiness (as ascertained at interview)
- Church involvement or acceptance of the Christian ethos of the School
- Class size
- Gender balance
- Best fit for the child and cohort
- Affiliation with the School.
Is Gawura School right for us?
Gawura School is a wonderful opportunity for your child. Close to home and community, students enjoy a high-quality Kindergarten to Year 6 education in an environment where culture, identity and community are respected and affirmed.
With the support of teachers, mentors, Elders and community, students are affirmed in who they are, and grow to experience a deeper sense of belonging and identity as they discover their unique gifts and individual voice. With cultural knowledge alongside academic excellence, the whole child is nurtured, creating a foundation for lifelong resilience and strength.
To find out more call our Admissions team on 02 9286 9500 or email enrolments@sacs.nsw.edu.au
Why families choose Gawura School
- Strong culture and identity – respected and celebrated every day
- Small classes – more personalised support and attention for every child
- Strong learning foundations – focus on Reading, Writing and Mathematics
- Caring teachers and mentors – strong relationships with students and families
- Shared lessons and play with Junior School peers – builds confidence toward secondary school
- Pathways beyond Year 6 – opportunities for Scholarships at St Andrew’s Cathedral School’s Secondary School.