St Andrews Gawura School

DIOCESE OF SYDNEY

Whale Dreaming. Gawura students perform Whale Dreaming for their  parents and carers at the Gawura NAIDOC Awards ceremony in 2016.  © St Andrew’s Cathedral School, 2016, used with permission.

 

This is part of the Reconciliation Program:
Learn more about ABM’s Programs

 

According to the 2016 ‘Closing the Gap’ report, only three out of five Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people complete Year 12.

St Andrew’s Cathedral School has committed itself to addressing educational disadvantage among Sydney’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities with the establishment of Gawura.

Gawura provides quality K to Year 6 education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in a caring, Christian environment emphasising standards of literacy, numeracy and social skills that are foundations for life. Places at Gawura are offered as a scholarship which covers the majority of tuition fees and expenses for students who meet the enrolment criteria. 

Gawura has a simple formula: the continuity of practice, work habits, expectations and attendance being paramount. The classroom programs are systematic and intensive, with an emphasis on literacy and numeracy, delivered in 
a culturally supportive and enriching environment. The Gawura program continues to promote identity and cultural understanding. Students are proud of their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage. Wiradjuri classes are always a highlight of the week and the students take great pride in every cultural performance. Eminent educationalist, Dr Chris Sarra, once commented that “Education strengthens Aboriginality”.

St Andrew’s Cathedral School is appealing for funds to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who complete their primary schooling at Gawura to continue with their secondary schooling at St Andrew’s. Head of Gawura, David North said,

“Our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students experience real growth. Every morning they race out of the school bus and straight into the classroom with an extremely positive attitude about the day ahead of them. It is a great sight to see. The progress that continues to be made across the age groups is extremely pleasing and, at times, jaw dropping.”

AU018SS needs $35,200 in 2017 (tax-deductible)

 

HOW TO DONATE

You can make an online donation to this project.  

 

Alternatively, for donations by cheque/money order (made out to the Anglican Board of Mission – Australia), telephone or email, view contact details here. Please don’t forget to include the project name and/or code with your payment details.

Gifts to ABM will be applied to the support of project(s) selected. In the unlikely event of the project being oversubscribed or not proceeding to completion, donations will be applied to a similar project to the one(s) selected.

 

PROJECT UPDATE

June 2017 – On 22nd June, ABM Church to Church Coordinator, Wilnor Flores, and ABM Project Marketing Officer, Jess Melas, attended the 10 year anniversary celebrations for Gawura School. Read more.

March 2017 – Gawura recently shared some highlights from 2016 with ABM. Read more.

Watch a short feature on Gawura which screened on ABC National News in February 2015: Gawura on ABC National TV. The online story may be found on the ABC website here.

 

ABM Video: This short documentary gives a glimpse inside the Gawura campus of St Andrew’s School.

 

 

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