Gairdner Primary School student numbers rebound from zero due to staff's hard work re-engaging with parents

Gairdner now has a group of students ranging from kindergarten to year 6. (ABC Great Southern: Jamie Thannoo)

When Sean and Anna Ward arrived at Gairdner Primary School, a tiny school in a tiny community, on Western Australia’s south coast, there were staff but no students.

The husband and wife, who are principal and teacher respectively, made the 370-kilometre move from Perth to Gairdner in WA’s Great Southern last year.

“It was certainly a culture shock for both of us, but I think we recognised as a family the uniqueness of the opportunity,” Mr Ward said.

“It presented a story that you couldn’t make up.”

Last year the school finished without any students turning up for school due to lingering issues between the school and families about its direction.

It’s now into term 2 and the school has held onto nine happy pupils this year — and staff and parents believe it will keep growing.

‘Beautiful moment’ when kids returned

Even at the busiest of times, Gairdner Primary School is a small school.

The small size can be a blessing, allowing tight-knit relationships to form and letting students get more attention from teachers.

But it can leave the school community exposed when things go wrong.

From 24 students at the beginning of 2022 the school dropped to seven at the beginning of 2023, hitting zero mid-year.

It was at that point Mr Ward became principal, joining a staff which now has eight members.

He said the key to reversing the trend was a keen staff and an effort to build relationships with the wider community.

“These schools live via their communities,” he said.

“You have to be willing to make the effort to engage with people because they have the knowledge of the area.”

Once the first four students returned in week 5 of term 3, Ms Ward joined as senior teacher.

She said staff had taken a broad approach, doing everything from making sure the kids had breakfast to showing parents they had a bright vision for the school’s future.

“When the kids came in it was a beautiful moment and they’ve just slotted right back in,” she said.

“My advice? Prioritise relationships first and worry about getting people through the door later. Go out and become part of the community, show them that you genuinely care.”

Having made the move from Perth with their own young child, the Wards said the warm welcome of the community eased the culture shock.

Both believe this is only the beginning and expect more students will continue to enrol.

“There’s certainly plenty of reasons to be optimistic,” Mr Ward said.

Parents on board

In a part of the country where changing school can mean adding another hour or more to your child’s commute, it’s not a choice made lightly.

Megan Dorrell withdrew her eldest son from the school last year.

“Moving our son was the decision that we had to make to be heard,” she said.

“Actually being heard and listened to did seem like the biggest struggle, but now that things are moving forward I’m very positive for the future we’ve got here.”

Fellow parent, Emma Smith, who previously taught at the school, praised the work of staff.

“When Sean got on board, and the strategies he put in, the care factor was back,” Ms Smith said.

“A lot of people are hurt in the community so it will take a lot to get them back. I think they can see how we’re doing and what we’re doing.

“I think it’s going to continue to grow.”

And the most important question — how do the kids feel?

“I like every teacher here a lot,” said 7-year-old Reuben Dorrell.

“Especially Mr Ward, because he’s funny.”