Piper-Lily didn’t think she would graduate. Now she’s off to university

Résumé détaillé

The previously disengaged student is one of many who are turning their education around thanks to special schools with a different focus.

Piper-Lily Daniel received her university offer on her mum’s birthday in early October.

Now she’s weeks away from graduating from The BUSY School Brisbane City campus, a special assistance school designed to help disengaged young people.

The Fortitude Valley school runs a different curriculum to a standard high school, steering students towards employment rather than grades, and focusing on rebuilding trust.

Its roughly 250 students attend classroom lessons for the equivalent of three days each week, studying applied subjects in English, maths, and social work.

The students’ remaining two school days are spent in industry settings pursuing vocational education and training (VET) subjects, which can sometimes include courses on the campus.

About 86 per cent of students complete this subject mix, making them eligible for a Queensland Certificate of Education.

Daniel was among this number, having completed certificate courses in hospitality and social work.

The year 12 student said her new school environment had not been a cure-all for the barriers she had faced in her previous traditional high school.

“I still struggle to do schoolwork in the school environment, but at my last school, I would just give up ... now, I get all my assessments done,” she said.

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