Primary Schools in Australia razed by bushfires

http://www.cliftoncreekps.vic.edu.au/

 In November and December 2019 Clifton Creek Primary School (Victoria) and others such as Wytaliba primary school (New South Wales) were razed to the ground by the violent unrelenting fires in Australia. These schools are vital to their communities as ours are in the UK! . Not only the school - business were lost and family houses destroyed. People have lost their lives. My Australian relatives drew my attention to their plight as I work across the Uk with over 1000 schools as an Education Business Consultant. They wondered if I’d get off my butt and try to galvanise support here in the Uk! Education is very close to my heart (as many of you know). This is being run through my company Huggon Associates to also obtain support from other businesses where I can. What these schools are doing in their communities through learning was nothing short of staggering. Let’s help them get back to where they were! Let’s help the people of this community! Now it’s gone - the buildings, their flourishing market garden and so much more. The historic 1911 buildings have gone. All the funds raised here will go DIRECTLY to the school and community. You will know what your money has supported.

Clifton Creek Primary School is a small rural school, established in 1911, which is a twenty minute drive from Bairnsdale in East Gippsland, Victoria and approximately 300 kilometres east of Melbourne.

Set in the foothills where farmland meets forest, it’s school grounds provide a fabulous outdoor play environment rich in opportunities for growth and learning. Excellent facilities included three modular classrooms, a little library, community built mudbrick art/music room and kitchen with three fully equipped learning stations.  A wireless network and combination of desktop computers, laptops and iPads ensured digital technologies were embraced as an aid to individual learning at Clifton Creek Primary School.

Like all primary schools they implement the National curriculum with a priority on laying strong foundations in Literacy and Numeracy. However, they have  many special programs and school rituals along with the setting and the very low student staff ratio make Clifton Creek a unique school. 

They had a secret garden, a chook pavilion, veggie gardens and frog bog. Learning was enhanced through a mates program and tuckshop/toastie/taco Tuesdays run entirely by the students. They held an annual Kids & Blokes evening, Mother’s Day Dinner and end of year concert. They develop and implement shared philosophies and educational goals.

Whilst the State will provide mobile classrooms until the school can be rebuilt - politically they are rural and not a priority. They may be given mobiles to carry on teaching but with what? They now have no resources. They have lost EVERYTHING. Some homes and businesses keeping the community vibrant in this 300 strong community have also gone.

There are numerous things that they now require to get this great little school back up and running -  Things the Government WILL NOT cover..

There are some big ticket items such as

• IPads
• other ICT equipment
• smart boards/whiteboards
• stationery 
• educational resources spanning mathematics English, sciences and humanities 
• a pressure pump to supply water for the Market.   Garden ,
• push bikes to ride when they go off doing movie
making ,
• a trailer for their  recycling that they had set up (they are  very environmentally)
• a rebuilt chicken pavilion - totally destroyed 

There are many many affected people out there. Many have lost  their lives, some their homes and ALL possessions. Family histories gone. 

i realise there are major charities and disaster funds but 100% of funds, goods and services will be given directly to this community through the money raised here. The school is currently setting up a bank account to hold their funds received. More information will be added as I receive it.

please offer whatever you can.

i already have support from some north west England primary schools whose students will be writing letters and filling boxes for each child.

come on guys - what can you give up spending on today that you can give to this cause!