The Rivers Secondary College – Lismore High Campus

Location: Lismore, country northern NSW

The Rivers Secondary College – Lismore High Campus has an enrolment of 365, of whom 80% are from low-income backgrounds, 20% are Aboriginal, and 7% come from non-English-speaking backgrounds with many of these students’ parents studying at nearby Southern Cross University. Lismore Campus also has a support unit with 3 classes and 30 students.


How TRSC - Lismore High Campus has used Gonski funding

Over the period 2014-2016, Lismore Campus has received about $1.4m in Gonski funding. This has been targeted towards improving the quality of teaching and learning for all students, through improved use of data analysis to target improvements in teaching and learning practices, substantial investment in new technology to ensure better student access, implementing a new project-based curriculum and teaching program which started with Yr 7 and is now commencing implementation at Yr 9 level and significant investment in teacher professional learning and support to underpin the new curriculum. In addition, funding has been used to establish a new senior study program for Yr 11 &12 students, create a tailored package of individual support for Aboriginal students, better target support to English-as-an-Additional-Language-or-Dialect (EALD) students, and improved student well-being support. The school has also sought to provide opportunities for students to access learning experiences not usually available to country students, to introduce a greater focus on gifted and talented students, to establish more effective communications practices with parents, stunts and the community, and create a range of learning spaces that better engage students.


How Gonski funding has made a difference for students

The project-based learning program is successfully engaging students in higher-order thinking skills required for the 21st century, and misbehaviour in class has decreased dramatically. School attendance has improved, and enrolments are rising. NAPLAN results are significantly improved, with growth levels at or above state-level, and a particular improvement in the achievement of Aboriginal students. In addition, Lismore High Campus achieved exceptional results in 2015, 37 out of 38 students in Year 12 being awarded their HSC.


What the continuation of Gonski funding means to TRSC - Lismore High Campus

Principal Nigel Brito says these significant improvements could not have been achieved without Gonski funding. Continuation of funding will allow Lismore High Campus to embed and extend the successful initiatives the school has already put in place.

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