No uniforms, flexible learning: New Qld school breaking tradition

An independent school with no uniforms, no strict rules and flexible learning will be coming to southeast Queensland next year, as an educator aims to break away from traditional schooling.

The Omni Academies of Learning aims to break the mould of traditional schooling.

An independent school with no uniforms, no strict rules and flexible learning will be coming to southeast Queensland next year as an experienced educator aims to break the mould of traditional schooling.

Omni Academies of Learning, a school targeted at teaching the Australian curriculum in a more flexible and personalised way to engage students to learn, will be located in Ipswich Central, close to Queens Park and a train station.

The school will welcome Grade 7 to Grade 9 students in the next academic year.

Founding principal Meg Foley, who has 12 years of teaching experience, said there would not be any school uniform or strict rules.

“That shouldn’t affect your education,” she said.

“If the teachers are focused on whether your hair’s too long or you’ve got two earrings, they’re not building a relationship with you and can often put up barriers.

Meg Foley. Picture: Omni Academies of Learning

“So our staff would be looking at ways to connect with the students and would have clothing regulations so that to make sure that no one is offended and to make sure we’re covering workplace health and safety.”

Ms Foley said the school tends to build a framework to assist students who are not connected with their learning in the mainstream school.

“There aren’t that many options for students that might not engage in their learning in mainstream schools.”

Omni Academies of Learning hopes to teach the Australian Curriculum in a more flexible and personalised way.

“So our education system in Australia is excellent but there’s not much choice.

“And so that’s what we’re hoping to do with Omni Academies is to teach the Australian Curriculum, but in a more flexible and personalised way to allow students to really engage in what they’re learning.”

She said they had been looking at the location for six years and ended up in Ipswich.

“We came up from this location and it seems to be a really good space for encouraging multi-age learning, a bit more flexibility in the way students learn,” she said.

“There are lots of schools that are special assistance schools or flexi schools, for students that have difficulties with their learning, but that’s not where we’re positioning ourselves.

“Ipswich doesn’t have anything else like that in it.

“Having that sort of quality and space means that we can really make it our own, so we can be part of the fit out.”

The school is waiting for accreditation from the Non-State Schools Accreditation Board, but classes of grade seven to nine will commence next January.

Ms Foley said they plan to take 40 students in their first year, with a $10,000 tuition fee each year.

The school currently accepts donations to purchase resources including robotics, computers, curriculum materials, desks and chairs.