Rural, Regional & Remote 
OUR GOAL
To provide children living in rural, regional and remote communities equitable access to resources that enable them to thrive alongside their urban peers.
By 2027, we aim to impact 150,000 children per year.
Children show improved outcomes in maths and science.
Children show improvement in school attendance.
Children have better access to digital technology.
More children go on to tertiary education.
THE NEED
Children living in rural, regional and remote communities face unique challenges accessing quality education.
Children and young people living in rural, regional and remote Australia are:
more likely to experience lower outcomes in maths and science.
absent from school more often.
less likely to access adequate technology.
less likely to study in higher education.
Our work to support children in rural, regional and remote Australia
30,111
children
2,809
teachers
227
school communities
Our unique
model drives
our impact
Schools Plus’ model combines three interdependent components that work together to drive change.
Place-based approach
We take a place-based and community led approach to target the unique needs of children within a specific community. We engage a broad range of stakeholders including teachers, health practitioners and families to be active participants in the development and implementation of interventions, because we know it is the community that knows its children best.
Investment to effect change
We support school communities with critical resources that help them to effect change. This includes funding to help access physical and professional resources as well as coaching to enable the project’s successful implementation and evaluation.
Influencing systems change
Some of our larger-scale projects are now playing a key role in influencing systems change at a sector level with some projects incubated by Schools Plus expanding and scaling into mainstream educational programs.
How we give children more opportunities
We partner with schools to provide opportunities for children in rural, regional and remote communities by strengthening teachers’ capacity and providing access to technology, wellbeing support and extracurricular activities that build confidence, skills and socialisation.
Some examples of our work include:
- Schools partnering with local industries to develop students employability skills
- Providing opportunities for students through technology and engage in learning beyond their communities
SUPPORT US to help rural students
Where we work
Schools Plus works with school communities across all states and territories in Australia. Our work supports children from schools with an ICSEA score (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) of less than 1000. We also partner with special needs schools.
STORIES OF IMPACT
Restimulating the learning journey
Ava, a Year 4 student at Bruthen Primary School (VIC), responded honestly when teachers asked her and her classmates what they thought about maths; Ava said: “we told them we hated maths.”
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Shining a light on a different future
Roxy, Year 10 student at Wynyard High School (TAS), never felt she had a role model. Her mum and older sister never had a job and much like other children in the area, the household she grew up in caused a bit of trauma. Feeling like her prospects were bleak, Roxy did not regularly attend school.
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Lighting the spark
As a school already providing opportunities for students to develop entrepreneurial skills, Kepnock State High School (QLD) sought to do more and with a focus on First Nations students.
Learn more >
