Leading alternative education provider for disengaged youth, The BUSY School, recently held their official opening of its Brisbane City campus. The Honourable Grace Grace, Minister for Education, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Racing attended to officially open the school during the ceremony.
The Brisbane campus opened in 2023 to meet the growing demand for alternative schooling throughout Queensland for the many students who, for a variety of reasons, do not succeed in the mainstream schooling system.
Liam Barrett began Term 1 this year at the Brisbane City campus and said of his experience, “The teachers and staff here have helped me discover paths and opportunities I couldn’t find in regular mainstream schooling.”
Liam’s mother was searching for a school after recognising her son was disengaging with his education, stating, “I chose The BUSY School for my son because I could see it would provide the support he needed to finish Year 12. BUSY Schools is great for students who have disengaged from mainstream schooling.”
Reflecting on how far the Brisbane City campus students had come since the beginning of the year, at their recent graduation celebrations, Campus Principal Anne English stated, “At the start of the year, on day one, 25 Year 11 students began their journey with us. Then by the end of Term 1 there were 64 of you, which quickly became 101 by the end of Term 2. Each and every one of you has worked incredibly hard to achieve your successes today. You have demonstrated the values of The BUSY School – to be inclusive, to strive for excellence, to be resilient, to show integrity, and to embrace innovation, and helped us to create a school with a culture that we all can be proud of.
Lee Aitken, CEO of The BUSY Schools said the campus has provided Brisbane based students with the opportunity to engage with their learning in ways that are suited to their individual needs.
“We seek to understand the needs of the students to help re-engage them through a personalised approach for academic and employment outcomes,” he said.
The BUSY School, an independent senior secondary Special Assistance School network, provides individualised learning support, career planning development, and additional vocational training to year 11 and 12 students. There are currently seven campuses throughout Queensland with plans to open more in 2024.
The schools are an initiative of The BUSY Group, a not-for-profit organisation that delivers a range of employment, apprenticeship support and skills training for job seekers throughout Queensland, and reinvests into the community through initiatives like The BUSY School.
The BUSY School Brisbane staff at the official opening of the campus.
