A fee-free school in Adelaide’s north is set to create new pathways for returning students.
For more than 150 years, Catholic Education has been opening doors to learning for South Australian children, equipping them with the tools to becoming thriving, compassionate adults. And now new doors and new opportunities for older students are opening in Adelaide’s north, with a school in Davoren Park set to open in January 2022.
Compass Catholic Community will be a fee-free, co-educational space for young people aged 17 to 24 who have previously disengaged from traditional learning, whether through mental health challenges, family or money issues, not connecting with formal educational models or any other reason. By creating an environment that gives older learners agency in their lives and education, the hope is they can change direction, complete their SACE and start their journey to a successful future. “Compass will be a place for young people to engage in a way that’s meaningful for them,” principal Kelly Bunyon says. “It will be deliberately personalised and individualised, learning in small groups with a teacher mentor who can work to co-construct the curriculum.”
While still embracing areas such as literacy and numeracy, teaching will focus on projects rather than subjects. “If you’re really interested in writing, art, music, sport or whatever, that’s the way we can hone in and help you complete your schooling,” she says. “You won’t do biology per se, but if biology is something you’re really interested in – say for example frogs – then let’s do an in-depth project about frogs and connect it with other things. You might interview someone, or camp out in the bush with teachers and other students interested in different areas of the environment.
“We’re looking at the holistic picture – yes, it’s about getting your SACE but what is the thing you’re really interested in, where do you want to go and how do we help you get there?”
But it’s not just about education – Compass Catholic Community will provide a village opportunity, with community services and education in one place. An on-site creche will be available for those caring for babies and young children, while showers, lockers, washing machines and dryers will support young people without a stable home base to pursue their education.
“We’ve tried to structure in some broader ideas – things like having a shared breakfast together every morning,” Ms Bunyon says. “We all know that having fuel for the day is very important. It’s also lovely community time to start the day together.
“We want to be as flexible and real with young people about how their lives are, not just in those practical ways but also in helping them develop positive psychology and wellbeing tools. It’s about having connected teachers who know each young person not only in terms of where they’re going but what they’re doing now.
“All these things are offered at no cost to ensure that money is not the barrier to education.”
Flexibility is also embedded into the enrolment structure. “Compass will offer rolling enrolment so it’s not the case that students have to be in on day one otherwise wait a whole year,” she says. “We will work out how to slot any new student in, no matter at what time of the academic year.”
As a previous resident of the north herself, Ms Bunyon is personally invested in supporting the local community. “I know this is a beautiful, resilient community that cares for and helps each other,” she says. “We want to embody these values as well: this is not about not being good enough or broken – we believe that each young person has infinite worth and infinite capacity. Even if you don’t see that in yourself yet, we know it’s there so how do we help you navigate that?
“Because once you understand who you are, that’s when life really starts to open up and offer amazing experiences.”
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