About us

Ooof. Where do we start?

Our education system is a reflection of the society we live in today. Values of efficiency, standardisation, productivity and competition are deeply embedded throughout primary and secondary education in Australia. Students are taught a standardised curriculum via siloed subjects (eg. maths, science, English) and they are all measured against the same markers at the same age. We do all of this to prepare them for ‘success’ in the workforce and a strong economy.

Our education system has underwritten the conditions for the individualistic and consumerist narrative we live out today, actively perpetuating a status quo of inequity, injustice and disconnection.

Australia also has one of the most unequal education systems of any OECD country in the world.

But now, more than ever, the cracks are starting to show.

The challenges our young people face are unlike any that have come before. With the fallout from the pandemic, escalating climate disasters and inequality, rising mental health challenges and the growing teacher shortage, it’s becoming glaringly obvious that our education system is no longer fit for purpose.

We cannot continue to ignore the changes in our world and carry on with business as usual. Our young people aren’t buying it and neither should you.

We believe that what we need is an education system deeply rooted in place. One that reimagines what is possible, relocalises and connects young people to their community, and regenerates the planet.

Some reflection questions to get you thinking about why we might need to transform our education systems…

Students —

• Are you excited to go to school in the morning?

• Do you feel in control of how and what you learn?

• How does school make you feel about yourself?

• Does your school help you to feel connected to people, your community and the environment?

• Do you feel confident and excited about your future?

• Do you feel prepared for a world that faces escalating inequality and climate disaster?

• Do you think school is adequately preparing you for your future?

Educators —

• Are you excited to go to school in the morning?

• Do you feel like you have enough time and resources to adequately support the students in your class?

• Do you feel supported and connected?

• Do you think standardised curriculum and testing is working?

• Is the schooling system addressing the inequities that exist in our society?

• Is the education system fit for purpose in a changing world?

Parents/Carers —

• Do you feel your child is supported at school?

• Do they enjoy it?

• Are their needs being met?

• Do you feel like you’re a part of the school community?

• Do you feel like your child’s education is preparing them for the world we live in and the challenges they will face?

All Adults —

• How did you feel about school growing up?

• Do you think children today should have the same experience as you did?

• Did you feel like it prepared you for the real world?

• Did you use most of what you learnt at school after you left?

• How did school make you feel about yourself?

• Did school help you to connect with your community?

• Did school help you to connect with the natural world?

Good question. We’re here for questions. The answer is evolving everyday in our interactions with you and the rest of our community but here’s what we’ve got so far.

Reimagining

A new vision for education starts with imagination. Everything we ever achieved, started with someone imagining it first. We’re putting it out there — what might it look like if we create an education system that supports all young people to thrive?

Regenerating

How might our education system support us to live in reciprocity with our communities and the planet, find ways to adapt to the climate crisis and regenerate our world? Perhaps it could be through nurturing diversity, interconnectedness and interdependence in all our learning.

Relocalising

School takes place between the four walls of a classroom using a curriculum that is standard across all of Australia. Unfortunately, this ignores the innate wisdom that is local to people and place. How might we break down those walls and bring the learning into the community? How can we connect young people with the real world and the incredible culture and ecosystems they are a part of? How do we involve them in building resilient and adaptive communities in the face of the climate crisis?

We have done our research and think that we can definitely build something completely different within the legal structures and requirements we have today. However, laws, policies and institutions are not static and are meant to evolve with society. If we hit a roadblock on our journey to create a more accessible, equitable, just and regenerative education system, perhaps it will be an opportunity for us to challenge and shape a new way.

We’re working on it. We won’t compromise on the idea of offering an alternative education free of charge. Australia ranks in the bottom third of OECD countries in providing equitable access to quality education. It’s not good enough.

We have ideas about how we can make this work without continuously relying on philanthropic donations, we just need to dot the i’s and cross the t’s before we go looking for investment.

If you are interested in funding this project, please reach out for more information.

The short answer to that is, we don’t know. It all depends on what the community wants. Perhaps there are already enough schools offering these more conventional options and we need to think differently?

Do we really want our young people investing all of their time and energy into studying for a single score to get into university? Do most students really know who they are and what they want to do after spending 12+ years of their life at school? Is it wise to encourage our young people to sign up to an expensive degree that they’re not sure they even want, just because they think they should go to university? Is university really the ultimate goal, given the higher education system seems to be just as broken as the primary and secondary education systems? We’re not so sure.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could create alternative pathways for our students, grounded in connection and real world experience? Experiences that allow them to explore who they are and where they fit? University is always there if students decide that it is the right path for them.

Whenever we talk about this project, people tend to voice their doubts and think we’re being idealistic. So what? Humans built the education system we have today so we don’t see any reason why we can’t work together to create something different.

At REP, we can’t ignore the urgent need to transform our education system and we’re not going to just sit around talking about all the reasons it might not work. Young people are struggling now. Educators are overwhelmed now. The system is in crisis now. The time for change is yesterday.

We are under no illusion that this will be a quick and easy task. Our team is in it for the long haul and is ready to put in the hard, beautiful yards to make change happen. Additionally, we recognise that we aren’t starting from scratch. We acknowledge and are grateful for the people in this space who have worked and continue to work tirelessly to transform education in this country. At REP, we hope to learn from their example and continue to build on their legacy.

We are so keen to collaborate with anyone who is interested!

We are looking for educators, students, parents and community members to co-create with and learn from.

In the coming weeks and months we will be sending out surveys, holding workshops, having conversations and making plans. There is a lot of deep listening to be done. If you want to be involved you can sign up to our newsletter to stay in the loop or reach out via email.