Education Thursday, 10 April 2025

Carlingford school’s impact: Boost to student wellbeing and purpose

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Updated 10 Apr 2025

Carlingford school’s impact: Boost to student wellbeing and purpose

AN independent, alternative high school in Carlingford has boosted the wellbeing and purpose of students who have found that mainstream education was not the right fit for them, according to a new report.

The latest Gateway Community High Social Impact Report found that the school’s students experienced a 7% increase in wellbeing and 9% increase in purpose over one year. This was reflected in anonymised feedback provided by students:

“I feel much more accepted for who I am and I am able to connect with teachers and staff in a much better way than before at old schools,” said one student.

“I have learnt to build stronger social connections with those around me, improve my participation in class activities and develop additional coping mechanisms for when I need them, altering my wellbeing drastically,” said another student.

The report, delivered by independent researchers, Huber Social, details the findings of a four-year longitudinal study comprising over 100 student surveys. It tracked 50 wellbeing indicators at two points – enrolment and when students exit the school.

The findings come as the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority reports that almost half a million children regularly skip school and 20% of teens drop out before year 12. This makes student wellbeing more important than ever, says Theresa Collignon, Group CEO of Gateway Community High and Macquarie Community College:

“Wellbeing is an essential part of keeping students in school and engaged in education,” she says. “The data shows that our focus on small class sizes, inclusivity and highly tailored support, is improving student outcomes and positively influencing the trajectory of their lives.”

Students reported a range of improvements to their holistic wellness and connection including 15% increases in hope, defined as believing good things will happen in their future, and also enjoyment of life and having fun.

Related Improvements in emotional intelligence (+12%) and help-seeking behaviour (+10%) indicate that students are building their resilience and how they connect with others. These factors are evidenced by increases in:

Supportive relationships – having someone to talk to when feeling upset, angry or worried: +10%.
Community connection – feeling part of a community: +10%.
Affirming relationships – having people in their life who encourage and praise them +10%.
Supportive friendships – having a strong friendship group +9%.

These findings come in contrast to research by the Australian Council for Educational Research, which showed that Australian students reported feeling less safe at school than the OECD average.

According to Ms Collignon: “Many students come to us after years of struggling with their sense of safety and belonging in large school enivronments. This can impact their ability to learn and achieve their academic potential. Our role is to empower these young adults to regain their confidence, self-belief and find belonging.”

Additional life experience that students honed at the school include self-discipline (+11%) and feeling one’s opinions are heard and respected (+10%).

Gateway Community High provides unique, inclusive and supportive learning environment for 80 students to achieve their Record of School Achievement (RoSA) and Stage 6 Higher School Certificate (HSC).

Visit: www.gatewaycommunityhigh.nsw.edu.au