Wagga CBD will receive its first Indie School and will offer ‘alternative’ senior secondary education for disengaged young adults.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The school will be run as a small operation for students aged 14 to 19 years, with a maximum number of 25 students at one time.
Deputy Principal of the Indie School David Pickett, said the school will deliver the year 9-12 NSW Curriculum through smaller classes and time frames.
“We will be opening up a very small campus for disengaged students who don’t fit in with the mainstream curriculum,” Mr Pickett said.
The Indie School is targeted at those who have been unable to complete their studies in their former secondary schools and those who are unemployed.
“Our students suffer from anxiety, depression, glandular fever and also those who have been diagnosed on the autism spectrum,” he said.
“Initially we will start off small, to develop the school and culture and only teach year 9 and 10 students.
“Our biggest goal is to reengage them into learning and either push them back into HSC education or into vocational education, like TAFE or straight into the workforce.”
The school will convert a commercial building, which used to sell blinds and awnings, on Fitzmaurice Street.
While catering to teenage students, the school will adopt similar practices to the Bidgee School.
Mr Pickett said through speaking with people who have contacted the Indie School, they have found a need in the Wagga community.
“We’ve had relationships with organisations in higher education, as well as having conversations with parents whose children aren’t coping with mainstream education,” he said.
The Indie Schools are owned and run by the Albury Wodonga Community College.
The application has just been approved by the council, however Mr Pickett said the school is still a fair way off from opening.
“Because we’re changing the building’s use from commercial to an educational space, we’ve had to go through pollution testing, changing the concrete as well as gain an occupancy certificate, before it can be handed over to the department,” he said.
“We’re hoping to commence in term four.”
While you’re with us, did you know that you can now receive updates straight to your inbox each day at 6am from the Daily Advertiser? To make sure you’re up to date with all the Wagga news, sign up here.