As the end of another school year arrives, students will be celebrating the successful completion of senior high school at The BUSY School graduation ceremonies, held at each of the nine Queensland campuses. During these ceremonies, many students speak about overcoming past struggles with their education journey before coming to The BUSY School and parents beam immense pride to see their once disengaged children graduating.
We caught up with one of the students, Cody, a graduating Year 12 student from The BUSY School Cairns campus who has been accepted into James Cook University next year to study Information Technology. Cody is off to a good start for his academic pathway receiving three awards at the Cairns graduation ceremony, including the English award, Mathematics award and Top Scholar award.
When asked what Cody liked best about The BUSY School and how it supported him to re-engage with his education he answered, “I felt like I could always talk to a teacher if I had a problem, and they were often catching up with me too to see if I was doing alright. So, I felt safe because I could easily approach them.”
Cody has always had an interest in computers and, supported by the teaching staff at The BUSY School, was encouraged to follow a career that suited his interests.
“I’ve always had an interest in computers and that sort of stuff, it’s always been fun to me. Going to university, I feel like I have a future, I don’t feel like I’m lost and scurrying to find a job to support myself. I have something to look forward to, a schedule and a career path.”
At The BUSY School, all students are given personalised learning programs that support them to complete their Queensland Certificate of Education while pursuing a career path that suits their interests and strengths. Students are given opportunities to undertake work experience and school-based apprenticeships to explore different career paths, and this also forms part of their school curriculum. On graduation, some students will move into apprenticeship or traineeship pathways, others have already found opportunities through work experience and will go straight into employment and still others, like Cody, will move onto higher learning through university.
With approximately 20 percent of Australian students disengaged from mainstream education, The BUSY School is addressing the issue through an alternative learning model that is proving to be successful, re-engaging students with their education through a safe and supportive environment.
When Cody was asked what he would say to other young people who may be struggling in mainstream schooling, he responded, “Just keep at it! The BUSY School helps you to focus on what you really want to do, rather than bombarding you with things you don’t want to do.”
Graduating student, Cody is looking forward to studying I.T. at James Cook University next year.
Learn more about The BUSY School.
