Leading alternative education provider for disengaged youth, The BUSY School, held their official opening of its Coolangatta campus yesterday with Senator, the Honourable Anthony Chisholm (Senator for Queensland, Assistant Minister for Education, Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Deputy Manager of Government Business in the Senate) in attendance to officially open the school during the ceremony.

“It was a pleasure to open The BUSY School campus in Coolangatta this morning. For some students, a formal or traditional education just isn’t the right learning environment for them, that’s where The BUSY School can help. It’s a place where students are given the individual support they need to build a pathway to a career or further study.”

The Coolangatta campus opened in 2022 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.

CEO of The BUSY School Lee Aitken said the Coolangatta campus has provided Gold Coast and Northern NSW 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 with campuses throughout Queensland, provide individualised learning support, career planning development, and additional vocational training to year 11 and 12 students, with 728 students already enrolled throughout the state, and with that number expected to rise.

The BUSY School is 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 Schools.

Paul Miles, Managing Director of the BUSY Group said the official opening of the Coolangatta school was another significant step in supporting the Gold Coast community.

“The BUSY Schools recognises the need to support all young people to make the best start to their career. The BUSY School offers students who may not otherwise thrive in mainstream schooling a better chance at fulfilling their education, skills and career goals.”

The BUSY School launched their first campus in Cairns in 2020, which proved to be a resounding success. Since then, further campuses have opened in Salisbury, Shailer Park, Coolangatta, and more recently in Brisbane City and Southport Girls+. A new campus in Cleveland is also planned to open in early May.

L-R: Dr Kamal Dhaliwal, Chair of The BUSY School with student, Marley, from the Coolangatta campus, and Senator, the Honourable Anthony Chisholm, Senator for Queensland, Assistant Minister for Education, Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Deputy Manager of Government Business in the Senate.