A whole school journey: expanding opportunities at The Avenue School

From the beginning, our purpose has been to create a learning environment where young people feel safe, understood, valued and genuinely capable of success. Many of the students who come to us have experienced significant challenges in mainstream education. For some, anxiety, school refusal (school can’t) or previous negative experiences have made simply attending school incredibly difficult.

What we have learned through our first years as a school is that these challenges do not suddenly begin when a student reaches senior secondary school. In many cases, the journey begins much earlier.

This has become particularly clear through the success of the Cottage Program (year 7-10 reengagement program). We have seen students who had become disconnected from education gradually re-engage, rebuild confidence and rediscover that they actually enjoy learning. They have formed relationships, experienced success and begun to see a future in education again.

But there was a difficult question we kept coming back to.

For some students, returning to mainstream education would mean leaving behind the relationships, support and sense of safety they had worked so hard to build. It became clear that, in some circumstances, the system was asking students to return to an environment they had already shown they could not successfully access.

We didn’t believe that a student’s learning journey should stop because the system had run out of a suitable pathway.

That realisation helped shape our plans for 2027.

From 2027, The Avenue School will expand to include Years 7–10, alongside our existing Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC) and the introduction of VCE Vocational Major (VCE VM). This expansion means we can provide greater continuity for students and support them across more stages of their secondary education.

Students will have the opportunity to build long-term relationships with teachers and support staff, develop confidence over time and access consistent approaches to learning and wellbeing. Rather than having to repeatedly start again in new environments, they can remain within a community that understands them, knows their strengths and understands the barriers they may face.

That continuity matters.

The transition from primary school into secondary school can be challenging for any young person. For students experiencing anxiety or disengagement, changes in environment, routines, expectations and social pressures can create significant barriers to attendance and learning. By supporting students earlier, we have a greater opportunity to address those challenges before they become entrenched.

Our small classes, strong relationships and high levels of individual support are designed to help students experience success in manageable steps. Success builds confidence, and confidence creates the foundation for further learning.

The expansion also provides greater continuity for our staff. Having a consistent team working with students across more year levels allows staff to develop deeper knowledge of each young person’s needs, strengths and goals. It means we can work together more effectively, share responsibility and provide a more cohesive approach to education and wellbeing.

Ultimately, better support and greater continuity for both students and staff can help drive confidence, engagement and educational outcomes.

We have already seen what is possible when young people are given the right environment. Students who once struggled to attend school can begin to reconnect with learning. Students who once struggled to engage in classroom discussions, confidently leading school tours with perspective parents and students. Students who may have felt that education was no longer for them can begin to see themselves as successful learners again. Families who have experienced years of uncertainty can begin to see a pathway forward.

Expanding into Years 7–10 is our commitment to ensuring that pathway continues.

It means a student who had found their way back to education through the Cottage Program does not have to lose that progress simply because they reach a particular year level. It means we can support young people earlier, strengthen their foundations in literacy, numeracy and learning, and help them develop the confidence and skills they need for their future.

Most importantly, it means we are responding to what our students have shown us they need.

As we look towards 2027, we are excited about what this next chapter will mean for our students, staff and families. The Avenue School is growing, but our purpose remains the same: to create a place where young people can belong, learn, grow and build a meaningful future.

Because every student deserves more than a place at school.

They deserve a place where they are known, where they are supported and where their learning journey can continue.