In partnership with the Larrakia people, we aim to support and provide opportunities for the school community to experience and respect the awe and resilience of the oldest living culture on Earth, that of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. In striving for a more unified society, the true history of a colonised Australia will continue to be embedded in our curriculum whilst we recognise and highlight the significant contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in shaping our country’s current identity.
We aim to meaningfully embed practices and strategies which fully value the cultures and perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Our reconciliation journey is informed and guided by the Student Reconciliation Committee, Remote Aboriginal Advisory Group and the Principal’s First Nations Advisory Committee. These groups provide a collective “voice of equity” for the School.
We yearn for a more unified Australia. Haileybury Rendall School has the structures and policies in place to improve equality and equity within our school community. We are actively engaging with the Larrakia and the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to provide an inclusive and culturally proud learning environment for all.
Acknowledgement of Country
The community of Haileybury Rendall School acknowledges and pays respect to the Traditional Custodians of the land on which it is based, the Larrakia people, and pays respect to the Elders, past and present.
We pay due courtesy to the Traditional Custodians of the lands of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and commit unwaveringly to our shared journey of improved understanding and trust whilst providing equity and excellence in Indigenous education.
We acknowledge the deep sense of responsibility we have as a school community to promote and build a more reconciled nation through education.
Haileybury
Haileybury opened its doors in 1892 with five staff and 17 students. In over 125 years of history, the School has changed dramatically to become one of the leading private schools in Australia. What started as a small school has developed into a large global school with campuses in Keysborough, Brighton, Berwick, Melbourne (City), Darwin and Beijing (China).
Haileybury Rendall School
We pride ourselves in drawing on Haileybury’s past successes as we establish our own vision for the future. Our strong ties provide many opportunities for the community to join a broad range of activities.
Developing and maintaining a strong academic culture at Haileybury Rendall School is a top priority.
Haileybury Rendall School
Haileybury Rendall School sits on Larrakia Country. We respect and pay due courtesy to the Traditional Owners of this land, and respect the wisdom held by Larrakia Elders. We thank the Larrakia people for their genuine and ongoing relationship with our School and their support of our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
We look forward to deepening this relationship with the passing of time. Our Indigenous students and staff are the carriers of an ancient knowledge which has been passed down over millennia. The Haileybury Rendall School community understands the gravity of the decision made by Indigenous families from remote communities to send their children to our School. Our School Board is committed to providing quality education for Indigenous students and has embarked on a strategic and aspirational plan to become a Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Education.
With approximately 15% of Indigenous students from ELC to Year 12 across day students and boarding, our Reconciliation Action Plan is an important element in our journey. As the School grows towards 1,100 students, our Reconciliation Action Plans will navigate us toward becoming an ever more culturally competent organisation. Our plans thus far have ensured our staff have a better understanding of the implications our beliefs and everyday
practices have upon Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The recent review of our curriculum has us further embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, cultures and true histories within our learning areas for students of all ages.
We are also strengthening our commitment to cultural responsiveness by providing our educators with targeted professional learning, embedding First Nations knowledge into planning meetings, and prioritising crosscurriculum connections. Additionally, we are celebrating and supporting the diverse Indigenous languages and multilingualism present within our community, affirming their value and significance across our campus.
We will strive to more deeply listen to, and involve, all student voices and understandings in our future actions around reconciliation. We are creating a vibrant educational experience at Haileybury Rendall School, where cultural diversity is valued, supported and celebrated.
We look forward to the learning experiences that this journey brings and welcome the guidance and involvement from our wider community along the way.
Mr Andrew McGregor Principal
Message from the RAP Working Group
As Chair of the Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group at Haileybury Rendall School, I am proud to reflect on the work we have undertaken in 2025 as part of our continued commitment to reconciliation. Sitting on Larrakia Country, our school acknowledges the enduring strength and cultural authority of the Larrakia people. This year, guided by the national theme for Reconciliation Week, Bridging Now to Next, our actions have focused not only on deepening our cultural responsiveness but also on paving clear pathways for future action.
Our RAP committee has worked collaboratively across the School to embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, histories and cultures more meaningfully within the curriculum. Learning Leaders and Heads of Department now dedicate time each term to reviewing reconciliation-focused practices, and our curriculum documentation increasingly reflects local knowledges, histories and voices.
A key focus has also been providing platforms for student voice. This year saw the expansion of our Student RAP Committees and the successful launch of our first student-led fundraiser for Reconciliation Week. Middle and Senior School students joined Junior School peers in shaping events that were meaningful and educational. Our school-wide Reconciliation Concert, held during Reconciliation Week, featured a powerful balance of music, speeches and cultural performance, reinforcing the importance of shared ownership and celebration.
Professional learning has been a cornerstone of our RAP in 2025. Staff across the school have engaged in ongoing training and reflection sessions to build their confidence and capability in embedding First Nations perspectives. One particularly moving experience was the Reconciliation Week professional learning session led by Shane and Tammy from Mamanta, which offered staff a powerful space for truthtelling, reflection, and practical next steps in the classroom. It was a moment of deep collective learning and a highlight of our year.
We were also honoured to welcome Larrakia artist Naomy Briston as our artist-in-residence during Reconciliation Week. Her presence, generosity and artistry left a lasting impression on staff and students alike. Relationships like these, ongoing, respectful and local, are foundational to our work. They ground our RAP not in policy, but in real people, community and shared purpose.
We have taken deliberate steps this year to build partnerships beyond the classroom. In 2025, Haileybury Rendall School sent student leaders to the Garma Festival for the first time, a deeply significant opportunity for cultural immersion and learning on Yol ŋ u Country. These experiences not only enrich the lives of students but also help shape the values and leadership of our community.
This year we also marked the departure of Ian Smith, who served the School with deep integrity over many years as Director of Community Relations. Ian played a fundamental role in shaping the culture of Reconciliation at Haileybury Rendall School. His work has had a lasting impact. We thank him sincerely for his service and the strong foundation he helped to build.
Our RAP is not a document that sits still. With over 60 actionable goals set across our current plan, we are consistently tracking progress. We are also growing our use of digital platforms to ensure that staff, students and families can more easily engage with our RAP commitments and resources.
As always, we acknowledge that the journey towards a more reconciled nation begins with relationships, listening and shared action. I want to thank every member of our community, students, staff, families and our Larrakia partners, for your contribution to this work. Reconciliation is everyone’s responsibility, and at Haileybury Rendall School, we are proud to walk this path together.
Anthony Barker Chair, Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group Haileybury Rendall School
Chair, Teaching Representative
Felicity Pearson
Deputy Principal, Executive Member
Ben Johns Teaching Representative
Vern Loi Head of House (Boarding) – Madjirra, Teaching Representative
Natasha O’Keefe
Gudanji Woman, Head of Wellbeing - Girls Boarding, Non-teaching Representative
Emma McDonald Deputy Head of Junior School, Teaching Representative
Billy Kalaf Teaching Representative
Daniel Nicholson ELC Lead Educator, Teaching Representative
Beyond the RAP Working Group, many staff make valuable contributions towards achieving the goals of our RAP. We would particularly like to acknowledge the following staff who are leading or supporting key deliverables.
Principal, Executive Member
Dahna McMahon Teaching Representative
Tammy McMahon Non-teaching Representative
Alisa Ogilvie Teaching Representative
Dennis Nowak
Deputy Principal (Teaching & Learning) / Director of Boarding
Gabrielle Barry Head of Outdoor Education
Caitlyn Morrissey Executive Officer
Reconciliation in Education
Reconciliation Australia’s Narragunnawali program supports all schools and early learning services in Australia to foster a higher level of knowledge and pride in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island histories, cultures and contributions.
Narragunnawali (pronounced narragunna-wally) is a word from the language of the Ngunnawal people that means alive, wellbeing, coming together and peace.
Narragunnawali’s online platform is free to access and provides practical ways to introduce meaningful reconciliation initiatives in the classroom, around the School and with the community.
Reconciliation Action Plans
A Reconciliation Action Plan is a formal statement of commitment to promoting reconciliation between the wider Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
A RAP demonstrates to the community that a school or early learning centre service is forward thinking about reconciliation and committed to making positive change.
Narragunnawali provides an online tool to guide teachers, educators and community members through the development and implementation of a RAP. The process is flexible and can be tailored to meet the needs of the school or early learning service, and the local community.
Source: Reconciliation.org.au/narragunnawali
Monica
Monica joined Haileybury in Year 8 as a Boarder, travelling from the small but vibrant community of Ti Tree in the Central Desert region. Ti Tree and its surrounds belong to the Anmatjere language group, which includes the communities of Pmara Jutunta (Six Mile), Nturiya (Station) and Wilora (Stirling). The Anmatjere name for the area near Ti Tree is Aleyaw, a place renowned for its striking desert landscapes and its distinctive contribution to Australian art through the celebrated Utopia artists.
From the very beginning, Monica’s teachers saw her kind and gentle spirit. Her Year 8 tutor described her as “a kind student” who was “becoming more confident to meet new students and participate in Tutor Group activities.” Her Intensive English teacher at the time, now our Head of Indigenous Education, Jye Strugnell, remembered her as “quiet yet engaged,” and praised her as a “confident speller.”
Reflecting on her early years at Haileybury, Monica shared:
“My time in Haileybury was so much fun. There are good and bad times, but I get through it like my mother said: never give up, even though it’s hard to keep up. So I always say to myself I will never give up. I’m working so hard to be smart, and when I met my friends I felt so much joy.”
In a heartfelt letter written in Year 9 and shared with HRS staff, Monica recalled those early friendships and the strong connections she forged, concluding with a promise to her future self: “I’m going to finish Year 12 and I’m really going to miss everyone.”
Now in her graduating year, Monica has carried that promise with strength and pride. As a HRS Prefect, she has balanced her academic journey with remarkable
leadership. This year, she represented the school on the prestigious Leaders’ Trip to Melbourne and travelled to Arnhem Land for the renowned Garma Festival, where she was part of Haileybury Rendall’s firstever student and staff delegation to this nationally significant event.
Monica’s story is one of resilience, growth and determination. From Ti Tree to Darwin, she has embraced every challenge and opportunity, embodying the advice passed down from her mother: never give up. As she prepares to complete Year 12, Monica leaves behind a legacy of kindness, leadership and cultural pride that will continue to inspire our community long after she graduates.
Read Monica’s letter written this year, responding to her reflections from year 9 in 2022.
How I feel about year 12
It is 21 May, 2025. I am going to finish year 12 this year. I have created new memories with my lovely friends, time moves so fast. I am very happy and excited to finish year 12. I can’t believe I did from Year 8 to Year 12 it is so… I can’t even explain it. Words can’t explain how I feel about year 12. I was just a shy and quiet girl in Year 8 to become a Boarding Prefect in 2025. I still do art and other hobbies. I came from Ti Tree to Haileybury Rendall School at the end of Year 8.
I started doing an Aquaculture course and I went to Melbourne to Haileybury Keysborough, it was a Prefect and leaders trip which I was excited about. I met new people and other leaders in the School. I was scared and nervous at first but then seeing how others connect I felt like I should too. While connecting with others I made some friends.
My letters can be confusing sometimes it’s just that all this excitement and happy feelings making me shakey. I really enjoy being in school with friends and my classmates, they make me laugh. Our formal is coming up which is exciting. I can’t wait.
My amazing journey with my classmates has been a rocky ride but we kept on pushing through it from being in Junior School to Senior School. “We did it!”
Haileybury Rendall School is very amazing for me to experience it was like a roller-coaster or a ship in the sea on a stormy night.
I am going to miss the school life. Waking up and doing my hair in the morning and having an interesting day.
I can’t wait for the future planned for me.
Monica
About the Artist Naomy Briston
My name is Naomy Briston. I am a Larrakia woman; my mother is from Daly and Darwin regions and my father grew up on Tiwi Islands. My mother’s father was Larrakia and my mother’s mum was from an outstation at Woodycupildia.
I was born in Darwin and have ten siblings and two children of my own, and family connections right across the Territory, mainly across the Top End. When we were young many other families and children would come and stay with us, and they all called my mum their mother and still do today. We would all go hunting and gathering together through the mangroves and creeks, catching fish and crabs and eating long bums and periwinkles, then cook them on the fire at the beach.
My mother was from the stolen generation and taken to Croker Island as a young girl. They made a film about her called Croker Exodus in 2017.
My artwork mainly represents Larrakia Country as I grew up in Darwin with my siblings. We were very poor, living off the land by hunting in the mangroves at our Larrakia Country as a young girl on the Howard river and other waterways and creeks around Darwin. We grew up on the rivers and beaches surrounded by vast untouched bushlands and I knew my totem was the sea eagle and I paint this with much respect. I enjoy printing and designing many of my artworks with turtles, fish and sea creatures I grew up with as part of our life connected to our country.
My artwork also represents many areas of the Top End; Tiwi and Daly Rivers to Wadeye regions as I have many family relations from these areas to Darwin and Tiwi islands. My family have an outstation at Woodycupildia and we go there regularly to hunt and fish. My son is a school teacher with Francis Xavier school in Daly River and put his hand up to reopen the school in Woodycupildia which has not had a teacher there in ten years. I am very proud of my son Jordon Briston.
I use a number of techniques including sketching, drawing, carvings, sewing, screen printing, designing dresses and dilly bags, painting or screening canvases, painting on natural resources like Cannon ball nuts, paperbark, different types of papers, utilising lots of vibrant colours from my rich culture and I apply my storytelling on the painting, drawing or designs on material, clothing, or on a natural resource.
My designs are my own. A lot of my designs come to me in dreams and then are hand drawn by me, these include our Australian native animals, in their natural environment. I have painted and screen printed these designs on dilly bags, which have been well sought out by politicians to give to all Australians as a gesture of good will and belonging.
My artwork is my culture and family identity to land sea and the air, the land is my mother, and the sea and air are all part of my life growing up on country. The significance of my artwork is the stories it tells and how we all survived through the stolen generation, the growing up living in the mangroves on creeks, the hunting, the fishing, the gathering just to survive in the harsh Territory weather, through cyclones, floods, hunger and crocodile infested waters and watching Darwin become a big city and all our family stories changing through time — some happy, some sad.
NAOMY BRISTON
ABOUT THE ARTWORKS:
Danggalaba (Saltwater Crocodile) Dreaming and Madla (Mud Crab) Dreaming.
Larrakia people have passed down their hunting and foraging knowledge for generations, teaching skills through Song Lines. The wet season brings abundance, ideal for hunting and foraging, with Elders passing knowledge to the young. During the Dalay season (wet season), it is a time to reflect on the past year and give thanks to our ancestors for the knowledge of the land. Thunderstorms fill creeks, making some hunting grounds inaccessible, but replenish the earth, enabling foraging for native bush foods. Weekends are spent with family, swimming and fishing for damibila (barramundi) in creeks, but also keeping an eye out for danggalaba (saltwater crocodile). The mud crab is known as madla. Hunting and sharing and making stories.
a cross-section of initiatives from across the school, spanning curriculum, community engagement, professional learning, student voice and cultural inclusion. These examples highlight the diverse ways our school community is contributing to meaningful and sustained action.
Relationships in the Classroom
Action Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the classroom
Commitment
We are committed to engaging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our learning activities. Having Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices in learning environments is vital when teaching about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures.
Deliverable We will develop a collection of diverse resources that reflect and engage with First Nations cultures, with a particular focus on Larrakia history and local community contacts. This resource will support staff — both current and new — by sharing knowledge, cultural context and teaching materials that promote deeper understanding and respectful engagement.
Assigned to Conor Bowden
Action
Early Years Learning Framework
Commitment We seek out ways to connect our reconciliation vision and plans with Early Years Learning Framework principles, practices and outcomes. Our efforts mean reconciliation is embedded in everyday early learning environments.
Deliverable We commit to seeking out meaningful connections between our vision and plans for reconciliation, and the principles, practices and outcomes of the Early Years Learning Framework.
Assigned to Michelle Shaw
Action Opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and children
Commitment We commit to providing opportunities for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to celebrate their cultural identities. These opportunities positively impact the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and children, and create shared pride for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, contributions, identities and histories in the wider school community.
Deliverable We will provide cross curricular learning for junior school students to engage with Indigenous perspectives through peer led activities facilitated by Senior First Nations students.
Assigned to Alisa Ogilvie and Timothy Angus
Action Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Representation on Committees
Commitment We commit to inviting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, parents/carers and community members to be active representatives on our School’s committees. We commit to ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives inform decision-making processes by respecting the experiences and knowledge that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can bring to our committees.
Deliverable Opportunities for students in boarding to connect with Elders, guest speakers, and significant members of the First Nations community through yarning circles and cultural sharing will be embedded into routines.
Assigned to Rebecca Thomas
Action Elders and Traditional Owners share histories and cultures
Commitment We are committed to forging a meaningful and ongoing relationship with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders, and people recognised in their community as Traditional Owners. We hope this relationship can be of mutual benefit, and that local Elders and Traditional Owners will feel safe, and confident, to share their historical and cultural knowledge with our staff, students and children.
Deliverable Local Elders and/or Traditional Owners will be invited to share their knowledge with students.
Assigned to Anthony Barker
Action Cultural Responsiveness for Staff
Commitment
We are supported to reflect on and build our cultural responsiveness to improve our practice and best support the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. We are provided with a range of opportunities to build our knowledge and understanding of our own positionality and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, contributions and cultures.
Deliverable Staff will participate in learning designed to build upon their professional knowledge of Indigenous pedagogies, deepening connection to the cross-curriculum priority related to Indigenous histories and cultures.
Assigned to Felicity Pearson
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Custodians of the land.
Deliverable A Welcome to Country conducted by a Larrakia Custodian or, where appropriate, an Acknowledgement of Country, will start all significant all-school events.
Assigned to Andrew McGregor
Action Celebrate National Reconciliation Week
Commitment
Our school community celebrates National Reconciliation Week (NRW), which is held from 27 May to 3 June each year, by talking about reconciliation in the classroom and around the school, and celebrating with the community. NRW is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements and to explore how each of us can join the national reconciliation effort.
Deliverable The Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group will form a staff committee including Heads of School to organise the events to recognise and celebrate National Reconciliation Week.
Assigned to Anthony Barker
Action Create Stakeholder List
Commitment
We will develop and maintain a stakeholder list that reflects our current and future working relationships with members of the community who are committed to working collaboratively to drive reconciliation initiatives.
Deliverable We will ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students have access to culturally safe external medical and mental health clinicians.
Assigned to Emily Fryer
Action Build Relationships with Community
Commitment
We commit to forming ongoing relationships with the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. Our relationships will be built on mutual respect, trust and inclusiveness. We respect these relationships and the way they make opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous staff, students, children and the community.
Deliverable Opportunities to engage with cultural events in the broader community will be explored, beginning with a group of staff and students attending Garma Festival in 2025.
Assigned to Emily Fryer
Action Cultural Responsiveness for Students and Children
Commitment
Our everyday program will have ways for children and students to learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, contributions and cultures, in and outside the classroom. We will include cultural responsiveness principles our students and children have learnt in the ethos of our classrooms and across our School.
Deliverable A structured learning progression of immersion and cultural opportunities, including both internal and external experiences, will be developed and implemented from the Junior School to the Senior School.
Assigned to Anthony Barker
Respect in the Classroom
Action Teach About Reconciliation
Commitment Our school community is committed to learning about reconciliation in Australia. Having an understanding of the concept, history and progress of reconciliation is an important part of continuing the reconciliation journey. This understanding also helps to strengthen engagement with our school’s RAP by positioning it within the broader story of reconciliation in Australia.
Goal Reconciliation themes and concepts will be embedded across curriculum areas to ensure a holistic understanding.
Assigned to Dennis Nowak and Learning Leaders
Action Teach About Days of National Significance
Commitment We commit to incorporating nationally significant days for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and reconciliation into our curriculum to increase knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures, contributions and contemporary issues. We also commit to including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives when teaching about other national days, such as 26 January (Australia Day) and Anzac Day.
Goal The calendar informing staff and students about significant dates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will be regularly updated and refined to ensure ongoing accuracy and relevance. Staff awareness of these important dates will be maintained through regular announcements, briefings and digital communication channels.
Assigned to Anna Staib
Action Explore Current Affairs and Issues
Commitment We commit to knowing the news and being responsive to current issues significant to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the process of reconciliation. We will do this through delivering our curriculum, policies and procedures, and integrating it into the way our school operates.
Goal The school will explore opportunities to deepen staff and student understanding of Indigenous health and wellbeing factors in our remote communities.
Assigned to Emily Fryer
on which we live, work, learn and grow. All staff and students have the opportunity to show respect to Traditional Owners and Custodians by regularly conducting an Acknowledgement of Country at meetings and events throughout the year.
Goal An Acknowledgement of Country will be delivered in context to the Country and People in which an Outdoor Education Program is being conducted
Assigned to Gabrielle Barry
Action Visibly demonstrate respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures
Commitment
We commit to demonstrating our respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures in the physical environment of our School. We understand that making our respect visible in the learning environment through the incorporation of meaningful, relevant and culturally appropriate art, artefacts and symbolism reinforces our work towards reconciliation. It also makes our intentions and actions clear to our students, parents and the broader community.
Goal Physical tokens of respect for First Nations cultures will be made available for new staff to wear and/or use daily.
Assigned to Tammy McMahon
Action Care for Country
Commitment
We commit to actively connecting with, and caring for, the country/place on which our School stands. This involves respectfully learning about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, philosophies and practices about caring for country/place, as well as physically demonstrating respect for the skies, waterways and land on which we live and learn. We will consider First Nations perspectives as part of broader sustainability plans, policies and practices. This will reinforce the meaningful and continuous connections Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have continued to have with country/place since time immemorial, as well as provide positive opportunities for all members of our educational community to become socially and environmentally responsible citizens who display a growing awareness of the importance of First Nations land management and sustainability.
Goal The Junior School curriculum will be audited to identify gaps in the integration of caring for country, and necessary adjustments will be made to ensure it is meaningfully embedded across all relevant learning areas.
Assigned to Kellie Salmon
significance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the reconciliation movement to show our pride in, and respect for, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and contributions. We also commit to including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives when we commemorate other national days, such as January 26 (Australia Day) and Anzac Day.
Goal The School will celebrate National Reconciliation Week, NAIDOC week and Harmony Day.
Assigned to Andrew McGregor
Action Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flags
Commitment
Our School flies/displays the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flag at your School to demonstrate respect and recognition for the histories, cultures and contributions of the First Peoples of Australia. Flying or displaying the flags promotes a sense of community partnership and a commitment toward reconciliation.
Goal Large Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags will fly throughout the School and at the centre of the boarding precinct.
Assigned to Vern Loi
Action Physical Acknowledgment of Country
Commitment
Our School proudly commits to displaying a physical Acknowledgement of Country as a way of showing awareness of, and respect for, the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Traditional Owners and Custodians of the land on which our School is located.
Goal A reconciliation garden will be established in the school as a show of respect to First Nations people.
Assigned to Andrew McGregor
Action Take Action Against Racism
Commitment We will raise awareness of racism, its impacts and how to respond effectively when it happens. We will do this through an anti-racism strategy tailored to the needs of our School.
Goal Cultural safety and responsiveness will be integrated into the teaching and learning resources associated with the school’s Health and Wellbeing Framework
Assigned to Tino Merino
Opportunities in the Classroom
Action Embed Cross-Curriculum Priority – School Specific
Commitment All staff from across the school are supported to understand and embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures in the curriculum. Teachers will consider the cross-curriculum priority when developing units, lesson plans and resources in all learning areas and across all year levels.
Goal Northern Territory-specific Aboriginal knowledges and histories will be embedded in curriculum planning to deepen students’ understanding of local Aboriginal resistance, leadership and self-determination.
Assigned to Anthony Barker
Action Curriculum Planning
Commitment Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures are a key, ongoing part of curriculum planning, development and evaluation across all year levels and learning areas. We will review curriculum documents to find out where we include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures, and to what extent and where we could include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and contributions in the curriculum.
Goal The school will provide targeted professional learning opportunities for Learning Leaders and interested staff focused on embedding First Nations perspectives and knowledges within STEM education.
Assigned to Dennis Nowak and Learning Leaders
Action Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
Commitment We support all teachers to know about and engage with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers’ focus on reconciliation, in particular Focus Area 2.4. As a result, teachers understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote reconciliation.
Goal All academic staff will be given time during Professional Learning to complete the AITSL Cultural Responsiveness Self-Assessment.
Assigned to Anthony Barker
Opportunities Around the School
Action Inclusive Policies
Commitment All staff at school are aware of policies referring to improving educational outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and building knowledge of, and respect for, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures in Australia. When internal policies are reviewed and developed, we will ensure that they are inclusive of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and perspectives, and that there is a plan in place to ensure that all staff comply with these policies in their daily practice.
Goal A review of the policies of Haileybury Rendall School will continue, to ensure they are inclusive of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, history and cultures.
Assigned to Felicity Pearson
Action Staff Engagement with RAP
Commitment Commitment to the Reconciliation Action Plan from all staff is essential for developing a RAP that is implemented in a meaningful and sustainable way. All staff will be involved in the ongoing development and implementation of our RAP through staff development opportunities facilitated by the RAP Working Group.
Goal Learning opportunities which create an awareness of our Reconciliation Action Plan and its progress and successes will be offered to staff and community members.
Assigned to Anthony Barker
Action RAP Budget Allocation
Commitment We have set aside dedicated funds from within our budget to procure relevant goods and services that strengthen the sustainability of our RAP actions. Staff are aware that it is important to consider remuneration for people who have been involved in RAP initiatives out of respect for the time and resources that they have contributed.
Goal Dedicated funds from within our budget have been allocated to strengthen the sustainability of our RAP actions.
Assigned to Anthony Barker
Opportunities with the Community
Action Local sites, events and excursions
Commitment We commit to learning more about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and contributions of the country on which we live, work, learn and play, by working with the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to learn about events of historical and cultural significance and visit appropriate sites.
Goal Tourism students, as part of the VET Tourism course, will work with school staff to contact appropriate community members and support the coordination and delivery of excursions to culturally significant sites on Larrakia land.
Assigned to Benjamin Johns
Action Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages
Commitment We commit to providing students and children with a deeper knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and identities by learning about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages. We acknowledge the importance of language maintenance and revitalisation efforts and will provide students and children with opportunities to learn — or learn about — the first language of their local area.
Goal A Haileybury Rendall School Indigenous Languages Policy will be appropriately reviewed and then socialised to relevant stakeholders.
Assigned to Felicity Pearson
Stars Foundation exists to improve health, education and employment outcomes for First Nations girls and young women across Australia. Stars supports and mentors around 4,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls and young women in 70+ primary and secondary schools nationally.
Stars Foundation was established in 2015
All Stars activities are planned within a framework to enhance education and wellbeing outcomes, including:
> Education, training and employment - encourages active engagement in education and the development of positive plans for a successful transition into full-time employment or further study.
> Healthy lifestyles - addresses healthy habits for life including nutrition, self-care and personal hygiene, sport, and fitness.
> Wellbeing - focuses on personal wellbeing and mental health.
> Community, culture and leadership - celebrates First Nations culture and encourages activity within communities which develops confidence and pride.
closely with the HRS teaching and student
The support for students does not end when they graduate from school. Stars Transitions Mentors continue to provide support to graduates to help them onto their next steps, whether that be further education or employment.
Andrea Goddard Founder and CEO of Stars Foundation
The Clontarf Foundation
The Clontarf Foundation exists to improve the education, discipline, life skills, selfesteem and employment prospects of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and by doing so equips them to participate more meaningfully in society. Full-time, locally based Clontarf staff mentor and counsel students on a range of behavioural and lifestyle issues while the School caters for their education needs. Every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander male enrolled at the School is eligible to participate in the Clontarf program. Using supportive relationships and environment, the boys develop improved self-esteem and confidence which enables them to participate in education, employment and society in a more positive way and become the best versions of themselves. Academy activities are planned within the focus areas of education, leadership, employment, wellbeing, life skills and sport. The goal is to ensure that every student in the program successfully completes Year 12 and transitions into either full-time employment or further studies, whether that means enrolling into a TAFE course or gaining admission to a university.
Patrick Bowden Academy Director, Haileybury Rendall School
