First Nations students need to feel safe: educational support structures leading to improved engagement

Too often the remote school discourse continues to reinforce a deficit perspectives by focusing on the students (lack of) participation in school. This is exacerbated, in part, by entrenched funding models that are based on the counting of students. One way of reframing such deficit perception is to examine the school environment to understand ways of making it more engaging for First Nations students and their families. A strengths-based approach to education in remote schools may provide areas of growth, innovation and change for educational institutions and system of education more generally. We spoke with 137 students, local and non-local teachers and school staff, principals, and community members in remote contexts across Western Australia and the Northern Territory to understand the difference that positive school environments make in remote First Nations schools. Participants described several features that contribute to a positive school environment including community involvement in decision making; positive leadership and governance; addressing school safety and social factors such as racism, bullying and violence; and the misalignment of school and cultural priorities. The findings have implications for schools, systems, policies and funding priorities.