In 2014, 26 students were enrolled at Gawura – a Kindergarten to Year 6 school based in Sydney’s CBD for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who live locally. 13 students were enrolled in the Secondary Scholarship program at St Andrew’s Cathedral School.

Gawura continues to be a quiet revolution in Indigenous education. The unique program which commenced in 2007, offers places for up to 28 students from Kindergarten to Year 6. It delivers an intensive program of literacy and numeracy skills in a vibrant environment that celebrates and strengthens Indigenous culture. Indigenous culture is incorporated deeply into the teaching program, including instruction in Wiradjuri. Students undertake targeted literacy and numeracy programs within the Gawura classroom, and join other St Andrew’s students for art, sport, music, other co-curricular and social activities.

Gawura students are provided with a dedicated bus service to and from school, a major factor in consistently achieving attendance rates of greater than 90%. All students commence in Kindergarten which supports ABM’s preference to ‘Stop the Gap’ rather than ‘Close’ it.

After Year 6, Gawura School graduates are offered a smooth transition to St Andrew’s Secondary School and are provided full scholarships taking them through to Year 12. The very first Kindergarten cohort transitioned into Year 7 at St Andrew’s Cathedral School this year and by all accounts are doing very well in their first year of Secondary school.

Help continue the success of students at Gawura and empower young Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders to gain an education by supporting this tax-deductible project.

AU009SS – St Andrew’s Secondary School Scholarship needs $35,200 in 2015 

HOW TO DONATE

You can make an online donation to this project by selecting Australia: St Andrew’s Gawura School Scholarship from the full project list.

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.

Project update

July 2015 – Read about the NAIDOC Week Celebrations at Gawura.

Watch a short feature on Gawura which screened on ABC National News in February this year: 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.