Studio Schools of Australia (SSA) is a ground-breaking new model of Indigenous education.

Yiramalay Studio School is a partnership between the Bunuba People and Studio Schools of Australia, and is located on Bunuba country, approximately 80km North of Fitzroy Crossing in the Kimberley region. This location is classified as very remote.

Based on the long-term success of Yiramalay Studio School, SSA is developing a new system of residential Studio Schools on-country across the remote North, together with an Indigenous Education and Research Centre (IERC), co-led and co-designed in genuine partnership with local communities for Indigenous success.

A Studio School is:
A place of practical, hands-on learning
A residential model on-country, co-led and co-designed with Indigenous people
Close to home and family and with a strong focus on local culture and language
An holistic learning framework that balances academic, personal and industry/enterprise learning
A place where learning is integrated across the day with a focus on health and well-being

The Studio Schools model delivers a significant leap in engagement and positive outcomes:
90% attendance level
96% Year 10 completion rate
80% Year 11 completion rate
75% Year 12 completion rate

The Studio Schools model is embedded in Indigenous culture and language.. The holistic learning framework balances academic, personal and industry/enterprise learning, in the unique cultural context of each Studio School.

With a partnership of nearly twenty years, Bunuba and SSA can share many lessons learned regarding the challenges and opportunities of education based on Indigenous language and culture, and the potential for this model to deliver inter-generational improvements in outcomes for Northern Australia's First Nations people. In turn, these communities can play a bigger role, and benefit more equitably from development in Northern Australia.