Flinders View Primary School is located in Port Augusta, with 172 students and an ICSEA value of 792. Over 70% of students are from an Indigenous background. The school found that as a result of COVID-19 it was particularly difficult to reengage students in their learning with many students experiencing increasing anxiety, impacting their wellbeing and behaviour. This manifested itself in very low attendance. The school requested funding as part of the Schools Plus Crisis Appeal to implement ‘passion projects’.

The Passion Projects to date have included painting the classroom doors with Aboriginal perspectives, the creation of an Aboriginal Mural and class excursions to help enrich student learning, for example a visit to monitor the building of a new local bridge. The next planned project is for a bush tucker garden, which is being designed and built in conjunction with the local community.

So far Flinders View have reported an increase in school attendance, to average 83%, a reduction in student behaviour categorised as ‘wilful inattention or avoidance’, an improvement in student mental wellbeing and a reduction in recorded behavioural incidents of 30% (term on term).