Some students don’t “drop out” of learning – they drop out of places that fail to provide that all-important sense of belonging.
Between 2014 and 2024, the number of registered home-schooled children almost quadrupled, rising from 3,298 to 12,762, with the sharpest increase seen during the COVID-19 lockdowns. And this trend has continued in 2025, with the NSW youth sector group Youth Action reporting increasing disengagement from schools and services amid rising mental health issues, housing instability, cost-of-living pressures, and the impacts of natural disasters.
In Western Sydney, Warakirri College is offering a calm, adult setting that removes the usual friction so common in mainstream school settings. With no uniform, no fees, very small classes and no bell, the College allows young people to be themselves while enjoying a broad range of wraparound supports that are hard to find even in some of the wealthiest schools.
Distance education is offered for those who need it, including a free on-campus creche so young parents can study without choosing between school and their child.
In 2021, the College became the first independent school in New South Wales to be accredited to deliver the Year 10 RoSA and Higher School Certificate (HSC). A third of the College’s graduates are receiving university offers, 50% go on to successfully enrol in TAFE and 10% go directly into employment.
Today Warakirri College is a recognised leader in the alternative schools sector, winning Special Education School of the Year at the Australian Education Awards 2025, held in Sydney on 8 August.
It’s outcomes like this that shows why enrolments at Warakirri College are in high demand from families across the burgeoning Greater Western Sydney area. In 2026, the College will be opening a sixth campus in Tahmoor, a small town in the Macarthur Region of NSW, providing regional student with award-winning academic and social supports.
Support teams that see the whole person
Glenn Langford, deputy principal at Warakirri College, said the fact that many of the school’s students have experienced trauma or other significant life challenges and find traditional school difficult means that wellbeing is front and centre in every classroom.
“Our Principal, Carolyn Blanden, would immediately say ‘Maslow before Bloom’s!’,” Langford told The Educator. “Our small classes and low student to staff ratio means we can educate our students through a wellbeing lens, while allowing each student to be themselves.”
Langford said the college defines success student-by-student and backs it with wraparound wellbeing support.
“Success looks different for every individual – our talented and dedicated staff identify those differences and nurture them,” he said. “We have Wellbeing teams at every campus, including youth workers and counsellors.”
Warakirri College also places a strong focus on providing nutritional meals and snacks and other necessities as needed.
“Every student receives tailored supports to complete assessments,” he said. “Our outdoor education program provides opportunities to go camping and other exciting learning experiences which form healthy relationships with peers and staff.”
Recognising both the importance of inclusion and the cost-of-living pressures that many families are experiencing, the College covers the cost of excursions so all students can participate.
“Our aim is to give them an education and support them to be confident, independent members of society, often breaking intergenerational dependency on social welfare.”
Connecting young families to wider community lifelines
Warakirri also provides young parent support offerings that are designed to remove barriers to learning, ensuring students with children can study in a safe, supportive environment that values both their education and their role as parents.
The College’s Campbelltown South campus has a creche facility led by a Diploma-qualified Early Childhood Educator with 25 years’ experience and includes an Endorsed Enrolled Nurse who also has early childhood qualifications and experience in disability support.
“Young parents can attend classes knowing their little one is safe and looked after,” Langford said. “Young parents can spend time with their children during the day for sleeping and feeding needs as well as play time between classes.”
Creche staff at the College work closely with each family to understand their unique needs and develop tailored strategies to support them.
“This may include providing baby essentials, food, clothing, parenting advice and assistance, transport to and from school, or connecting families with local community agencies for additional support,” Langford explained.
“The creche has made a huge difference to a number of young mothers who have continued their schooling, but also to the other students and staff who not only have a therapy dog to interact with, but happy small children visiting campus from time to time.”
Langford said the College makes wellbeing and academic support a central focus across every campus.
“At all our campuses we provide counsellors, youth workers and learning support officers who assist with academic requirements such as classwork and assessments.”
Creative pathways for a rapidly changing world
When asked if the College will be refining or adapting its programs in the year ahead, Langford said the College will scale what works—deepening wraparound support, extending its reach across NSW, and opening new creative pathways for students.
“Warakirri means ‘stand and grow’, so we will be strengthening our model as we seek to have more campuses located in more areas of NSW to meet the needs of more students who struggle in mainstream education,” he said.
“We will continue to hire excellent staff with expertise and experience in providing students with individualised, cohesive, wrap-around support.”
Langford noted that this support has seen College’s students attend school more often and improve their learning outcomes.
“More students are graduating, and the lives of individuals, families and the community are improving for the long term,” he said. “We are always looking for ways we can support our students to achieve their goals and improve the supports we provide.”
Langford said the College shares its journey, celebrates its successes and learns from other schools.
“We are committed to continuous improvement and developing innovating ways to meet the educational needs of our students in this rapidly changing world,” he said.
“Specifically, we are looking at innovative ways to support students outside the Sydney basin, as well as providing further opportunities for students in the creative disciplines.”