"This is a place where you can be you, without judgment or any of that because you're around people that are like yourself too that have found it hard to fit in."
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That is how a student named Zach described their experiences at a school which provides an education pathway to high school students outside of mainstream schooling and for students, it has been a resounding success.
The Western Riverina Community School, run through the Western Riverina Community College, has added a year 11 class to the school for the 2020 schooling year, having previously run classes just for year 9 and 10 students.
Head Teacher at WRCS Lyn Muntz said the school aims to help students who don't fit traditional schooling or have become disengaged with mainstream schooling achieve their educational goals.
"It's for opening up educational opportunities for those students that otherwise would not have the opportunity to engage in education," Ms Muntz said.
"A lot of them haven't attended school much at all ... it's about making them life ready and work ready."
The school runs a reduced program, with students not studying towards their HSC, but towards goals they wish to achieve - linking with the college to help students access tertiary certificates during their studies.
Ms Muntz said the program has already seen some success, with students picking up apprenticeships and full-time work as a result of their studies.
"We try to make them work ready rather than work towards a HSC," Ms Muntz said.
"We believe there's so many other pathways if they then want to go onto university ... [the HSC] causes so much stress for kids so we try to alleviate that for them."
Key to the school's model is smaller class sizes than mainstream schooling.
Science teacher at WCRS Ann Pretty said the smaller class sizes allow for students to pursue their interests under a close view.
"They get a lot of individualised attention," Ms Pretty said.
"I'm not having to spread myself thinly across the classroom which gives them the scope to do these individual personal interest projects."
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Year 11 student Taya Scott said small class sizes helped her learn more things due to an increased student-teacher focus.
"I've learnt so much more than I did at a mainstream school," Taya said.
"You don't have heaps of students taking up the teachers time."
Ms Muntz said students get the chance to deliver feedback on topics, with subjects focusing on a theme of tourism this term after a number of students asked to learn more about the area.
The school is in the process of interviewing prospective students and if you wish to make further enquiries to the school, you can do so by calling 6964 5334.