We are so proud, grateful and happy to announce that Gawura was named Australian School of the Year for 2020!

This award is a wonderful recognition for all of the staff, students and supporters who have been a part of Gawura over the last 15 years. They have put in great effort, time and passion to get Gawura off the ground and make it the thriving school it is today.

Everyone associated with Gawura played a part in this wonderful achievement. 

Gawura won because of our pioneering a model which the judges described as giving access to a high-quality private school education, attaining results well beyond national averages, providing exceptional cultural experiences and helping to restore the dignity of local Aboriginal children and their families.

The Australian Education Awards recognise outstanding achievements of people, programs and schools across Australia. Each year, there are hundreds of nominations which judges intensively research before they make their decision.

Gawura was named overall winner because of:

• Consistently high standards of teaching and learning
• Academic and other achievements during the 2019 school year
• Rigorous professional learning to improve teaching and curriculum delivery
• Strong communication links with students, parents, teachers and the wider community
• Effective management of facilities, finances and human resources
• Demonstrated commitment to innovation and continuous improvement.

And it was wonderful to hear the judge’s comments – here are some of our favourites:

A lighthouse program in Indigenous education with wonderful almost unheard of outcomes.

An innovative approach to a First Nations led education within a mainstream system.

It’s great to see a greater emphasis on ensuring that the broader community has a high level of respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and perspectives.

Terrific school ethos with strong expectations in learning evidenced by supporting data.

Messages flowed in from all over the country from our families, supporters, volunteers and people who helped make Gawura the place it is today, like this one from John Granger , Gawura volunteer and Managing Director of Hawkesbury Partners;

‘Reading with the Gawura kids is the highlight of my week. I have missed this opportunity during Covid. The truth is they teach me more than any help may I provide whilst reading to them on a Wednesday morning. Mr Ralph and the team are an inspiration. The kids are superheroes.’