PORTLAND Primary School has been recognised for its engagement with the local Gunditjmara culture and people as a finalist in the Education Department’s outstanding Koorie education award.

Principal Steph Carter says she and her staff have worked over recent years to improve the inclusion of Koorie students across the school and integrate local Gunditjmara culture, language and history through the curriculum.

“It's a nice accolade to have for the hard work that our staff and our school community have put in.”

Although the award ultimately went to Reservoir Primary School, Ms Carter says being shortlisted is still something to be proud of, particularly for a school outside of the metropolitan areas.

“We were excited to be asked to nominate, but then to be shortlisted as a as a finalist was pretty exciting.

“I think there were only three regional schools shortlisted for any of the categories, so we felt pretty privileged to be in attendance.”

Around 15% of the school’s students have Indigenous heritage, a very high number compared to other parts of the state, which Ms Carter says has given them a strong incentive to make sure they are in a culturally inclusive environment, as well as having the support of families and the broader local Indigenous community.

“A few years ago, we changed our house names, which were early settler names.

“We went through the process with school consultation to have those changed. That was probably one of the first big things we did that really empowered us to think about how we could do things differently.”

Ms Carter says her school is doing “nothing magical”, they work with local groups and department support wherever they can and the staff make consistent effort.  

“A big part of the work has just been really trying to embed Indigenous perspectives wherever we can.

“It's not just one-off things like a one-hour lesson once a week and things like that, but it's just really making sure that we’re integrating it through lessons wherever we can.

“It's not special to our school, but it's just making sure that it's present in what we do throughout, rather than just as a special thing that we do every now and then.”

The school work with Gunditj Mirring Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation, as well as Department Koorie education support officers.

Portland Primary students are exposed to Dhauwurd-Wurrung language and Gunditjmara history and perspectives through everyday school routines, uniforms, artefacts, and signage.

In 2021-22, all their Koorie students were at or above their expected level of achievement in literacy, and families share with the school that they feel culturally safe and experience a high level of inclusion.

Ms Carter says the support and sharing of resources with other local primary schools has been invaluable, particularly in their Dhauwurd Wurrung language classes.

“We were all working really hard to try and do different things in our own spaces, so by coming together and sharing resources and ideas we’ve been able to do a lot more.

“I’d also really like to recognise the staff at the school, who have really shown a commitment and a passion to this work, and our parent community have been really supportive.”