The students came into the program after chequered histories at their previous schools.

The students are helped in the classroom by local Aboriginal elders, a group of positive, healthy role models from whom they seek inspiration and guidance.

In this classroom everyone is treated as an equal, staff uniforms are very similar to student uniforms and there is a clear policy against either students or teachers raising their voices at each other.

The program was designed for years five to 10, although is currently catering for students in years five to eight.

The benefits are clear when attendance rates are examined, some students who would otherwise struggle to attend more than 50 per cent of school classes have a regular attendance of close to 100 per cent.

The benefits to staff are also noteworthy, usually teaching students with behavioural issues would take its toll, but the staff members at the school are happy and have near impeccable attendance ratings themselves.

The different classroom structure has meant that there have been no serious issues with student misbehaviour or violence.

Classes run on a TAFE styled timetable rather than a regular school timetable and involves the usual numeracy and literacy in the morning before afternoon classes including sport, cooking, jewellery making and art.

The art course has a high involvement from local Aboriginal artists who support the students through making some spectacular indigenous art including painting, drawing and decorating boomerangs, drink coasters, t-shirts, tea towels and mirrors to name a few.

A planned future project is to transfer oral history from local Aboriginal elders into a pictorial/digital history.

This venture would involve interrelating photographs and videos of local sights with the oral history to transform it into a modern interactive format.

Four awards were presented at an informal ceremony on Thursday including a certificate of appreciation from principal Rod Lang to the artist group at TAFE, a consistent attendance award to Jordan Gallette and an award to Donald Pegus for being most consistent.

The perpetual shield for student of the term was awarded to Josephine Binion in recognition of manners, punctuality, attendance and behaviour throughout the term.