‘They’ve fled with nothing’ How Dandenong principal is going the extra mile to support refugee families

Dandenong Primary School principal Daniel Riley believes the best way to help disadvantaged families is through the education system. Here’s how he is changing lives.

It takes a special school to go above and beyond to help its most disadvantaged students adjust to a new country, language – and a totally different culture.

Dandenong Primary School is just that, thanks to the work of principal Daniel Riley and his team of dedicated teachers.

“It’s a different way of working here in Dandenong – it’s about supporting refugee families and children to settle in Australia, (where) the school is often their first experience in a formal school setting anywhere,” he said.

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According to the Refugee Council, more than half of Greater Dandenong’s population was born overseas, with about 2700 new arrivals – usually refugees – settling in the area each year.

Many of these new arrivals make their way to Mr Riley’s school, where they are greeted with open arms, as well as practical support.

Dandenong Primary School principal Daniel Riley with students Harper 7, Fatehbir 6, Aliza 7 and Phalika 8. Picture: Wayne Taylor

Helping those in need has governed the principal’s 21-year teaching career. He believes the best way to help families is through the education system.

“Before I was at Dandenong, I spent quite a significant amount of time working (at a school) in Frankston North, which is one of Melbourne’s most disadvantaged areas,” he said.

“That’s where I feel like I make a difference. If I was to work in a more middle-class school, it would be far less fulfilling or rewarding, because a lot of those children and families are just so well supported.”

While Dandenong Primary shares many similarities with Frankston North’s Mahogany Rise Primary School, Mr Riley says the work at his new school – where many students are newly arrived refugees – is especially meaningful. It is also sometimes tricky.

“This school is often (the students’) first experience in a formal school setting anywhere,” he said. “They’ve fled with nothing, but they value education enormously.”

Mr Riley believes in empowering disadvantaged communities through education. Picture: Wayne Taylor

To support those students, Dandenong Primary has launched an ambitious community-wide strategy, underpinned by research-backed teaching, multilingual inclusion and partnerships that empower families.

This includes publishing multi-language weekly newsletters and partnering with organisations such as the Afghan Women’s Organisation Victoria to provide classes to women from Afghanistan. This includes teaching them English, cooking and even how to ride a bike, which Mr Riley says has given women freedom of movement.

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He is on the lookout for new teachers and other staff members who have “the cultural understandings of the communities that we serve, who also ideally speak the same languages”. This, in combination with targeted professional development, means Dandenong Primary has some of the most committed and compassionate teachers around.

“We want the teachers to be experts,” Mr Riley says. “Because the more expert they are, the better they’re able to respond to every student’s needs.”

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Originally published as ‘They’ve fled with nothing’ How Dandenong principal is going the extra mile to support refugee families