The Curriculum and Re-engagement in Education (CARE) school in Bunbury and Busselton.

CARE schools are an alternative to mainstream schools. They acknowledge that not all students thrive in large, complex high schools and that there is a group of students who stop going to school altogether. A CARE school looks for ways to help students to re-engage in learning at school and to prepare for life beyond school.

As a CARE school, BRCC knows that it has to be different to the “normal” schools that students have walked away from.

BRCC is deliberately small:
There are 120 students in years 10-12 in Bunbury and places for up to 54 in these year groups in Busselton.

At BRCC students do not move from one room to another or from one teacher to another:
Each student joins an Advisory Class with approximately 16 other students, a teacher and an education assistant. This group stays together throughout the year and ideally from one year to the next.

Students at BRCC are very well known:
The students and staff in each advisory class get to know each other really well and learn to trust and support each other.

At BRCC we know that it is important to acknowledge all aspects of a student’s life:
At no time does a teacher at BRCC say, “I am here to teach this student this subject and what is going on in her life does not matter”.

At BRCC we know that it is important to acknowledge all aspects of a student’s life.
School social workers, youth workers and other support staff are available to help students both in and beyond the classroom.

BRCC seeks to work with students, not do things to students:
Students are encouraged and supported to take responsibility for their actions and for their learning. Mistakes are welcomed as learning opportunities.

At BRCC, families are enrolled too:
Families and guardians know their young people best. BRCC seeks to use knowledge from them about how best to support the students and to help them to develop and learn.

Students are given opportunities to learn about the things that interest them:
Students continue to discover and explore their interests throughout their time at BRCC. Projects based on their interests form a large part of their school work.

Students are given opportunities to learn about the things that interest them:
Students continue to discover and explore their interests throughout their time at BRCC. Projects based on their interests form a large part of their school work.

Every student has an individual education plan:
All students are different. Staff at BRCC never say “you’re in year 10 (or 11 or 12) and this is what you have to be able to do”. Learning starts at the point where students are.

Assessment of student work is through portfolios and exhibitions:
At BRCC we want assessment to really reflect what a student knows and how they have grown. Students plan their learning, organise products into portfolios and meet with their teachers, family and others to talk about their learning.

Students are encouraged to link with people outside the school who can work with them to help them to explore their interest:
From their first days at the College, students are encouraged and supported to move outside the classroom to develop their learning; from excursions to interviews and internships learning outside the classroom is seen as an important part of the BRCC program.

Students are given opportunities to complete courses such as training certificates:
BRCC supports students to enroll in courses at TAFE and other training providers as part of their school program.
A VET Coordinator at the school helps students to successfully complete a wide range of certificates.