Aboriginal Education

Kangaroos at our school 1/2M – Dunghutti Country Our artwork fuses traditional Aboriginal symbols with a modern context, reflecting our class’s shared journey of ‘Learning Together.’ We are privileged at Frederickton Public School to be surrounded by wildlife, especially kangaroos, which appear in mobs to munch on the grassy areas (yellow circles, black dots) in and around our school grounds, and rest under the leafy trees (red circles, white dots). Using positional math and traditional symbols, we created this piece to remind us of our responsibility to care for Country, as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have for thousands of years. The mixed media reflects the vibrant connection between tradition and modernity. This art work was used as the front cover of the 2025 NSW Learning Together, Calendar for Cultural Diversity.

At Frederickton Public School, we embed the Aboriginal 8 Ways of Learning into our teaching to create culturally responsive and engaging learning experiences. By incorporating these approaches, we honour Aboriginal  and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, knowledge, and ways of knowing. Students engage in collaborative, hands-on, and reflective learning that connects to community and Country. This framework helps all students develop critical thinking, creativity, and cultural understanding while fostering respect, inclusion, and a strong sense of belonging across our school community.

1.  Story Sharing: We connect through the stories we share.

2.  Learning Maps: We picture our pathways of knowledge.

3.  Non-Verbal: We see, think, act, make, and share without words.

4.  Symbols and Images: We keep and share knowledge with art and objects.

5.  Land Links: We work with lessons from land and nature.

6.  Non-Linear: We put different ideas together and create new knowledge.

7.  Deconstruct Reconstruct: We work from wholes to parts, watching, and then doing.

8.  Community Links: We bring new knowledge home to help our mob.

We recognise the importance for all students to have authentic opportunities to learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their histories. For this reason, we teach Indigenous perspectives across all our key learning areas, all year long. We also acknowledge, recognise, and commemorate many special days that are important to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Reconciliation Week: 27th May to 3rd June

During this week the entire school is reminded of both the meaning and the importance of reconciliation in Australia. Specifically, we recognise that reconciliation is an ongoing process that previous generations of Australians fought hard for, and we must continue to strive for if we want to foster the opportunity for respectful relationships between the wider Australian community, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, thus creating a strong, supportive country that everyone can be proud of.

For more information on Reconciliation Week please visit:  https://www.reconciliation.org.au/national-reconciliation-week/

National Sorry Day: 26th May

National Sorry Day remembers and acknowledges the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were forcibly removed from their families and communities, which we now know as ‘The Stolen Generations’. On this day, we encourage students to reflect on the historical injustices faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and consider the intergenerational trauma on families and communities. We offer opportunities, both on this day and throughout the school year, for students to consider the impact of European settlement and the events that followed, on Indigenous culture.

For more information on Sorry Day please visit:  https://www.reconciliation.org.au/national-sorry-day-2020/

National NAIDOC Week

National NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia in the first week of July each year (Sunday to Sunday), to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth. You can support and get to know your local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities through activities and events held across the country.
 https://www.naidoc.org.au/

Local AECG

We maintain strong ties with our local Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG), which provides guidance, advocacy, and cultural expertise to support Aboriginal students and their families. The AECG works in partnership with schools to strengthen cultural understanding, promote community voice, and ensure inclusive, respectful, and culturally responsive educational practices.

https://www.aecg.nsw.edu.au/regions-lower-north-coast