Opened in 1912, Toomelah Public School is positioned in the heart of the Aboriginal community of Toomelah and sits alongside the Macintyre River on the NSW-QLD border. It is a Burrulbina Bamba (Strong & Smart) school with an enrolment of approximately 45 students, all of whom are Aboriginal.
Toomelah Public School places an emphasis on providing students with a diverse range of learning experiences, with curriculum activities including Culture Week, Careers Week (comprising hands-on activities and visits to local businesses), an increased presence of technology in the classroom through a school-wide iPad program, a school choir, the development of a cultural curriculum specific to the Gamileroi nation (including language), and participation in the Stephanie Alexander Gardening Program. The school also offers the DRUMBEAT and breakfast club programs.
Toomelah Public School is committed to improving learning outcomes for its students and has provided several of its classroom staff with opportunities to become trained in the latest, research-based interventions and programs. These have included L3 (literacy) and TEN (numeracy). Moreover, all staff regularly participate in professional development. As of 2014 a full-time Learning and Support Teacher (LaST) has been employed to ensure that all students are properly supported to reach their potential in the classroom.
In 2013 the school initiated its Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) program. In collaboration with the broader Toomelah community, it sought to reaffirm the school’s core values. Together it was agreed that, above all else, the school would strive to instil students with a sense of Pride, Safety, and Respect.
The staff of Toomelah Public School is committed to preparing its students for life in the twenty-first century by providing them with a holistic education, and a nurturing and encouraging environment in which to learn.
