About us
AT DAVID SCOTT SCHOOL, WE SUPPORT YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN MARGINALISED FROM MAINSTREAM EDUCATION TO RECONNECT WITH LEARNING AND WITH THEIR FUTURE.
A school built around people, not systems.
David Scott School is designed for young people who need education to work differently. Many of our students have experienced disruption, marginalisation, or disconnection from mainstream schooling. Our response is not to force young people to fit a system, but to build a learning environment that responds to them.
We work with students who are ready to reengage, recognising that readiness looks different for everyone. Learning is personalised and paced, grounded in strong relationships, and supported through an integrated approach to teaching and learning, wellbeing and engagement, and careers and pathways.
Students are known as individuals. Their experiences, strengths, interests, and aspirations shape how learning is designed and delivered. Through consistent, traumainformed practice and high expectations, we create the conditions where students can feel safe, develop confidence, and begin to see themselves as learners again.
The result is a calm, predictable, and supportive environment where young people are empowered to show up, stay connected, and move forward — academically, personally, and toward life beyond school.
“Here, they listen to you. If something isn’t working, they don’t give up on you — they work it out with you.”
Born from a legacy of social impact.
David Scott School was established by the Brotherhood of St Laurence, an organisation with a long history of advocating for equity, social justice, and opportunity for people experiencing disadvantage.
Our school was created in response to a clear need: too many young people were being left behind by systems that were not designed for their realities. Drawing on decades of community-based research, practice, and partnership, David Scott School was designed to do education differently — with young people at the centre.
As a special assistance senior secondary school, our program is intentionally small, relational, and responsive. We focus on removing barriers to education, strengthening connection, and building pathways that extend beyond school. When students leave David Scott School, they leave with more than a certificate — they leave with confidence, capability, and a clearer sense of their future.
WHO WAS DAVID SCOTT?
A LEADER WHO BELIEVED PEOPLE COULD ACHIEVE MORE THAN THEY EVER IMAGINED.
David Scott was a long-time social welfare and social policy advocate whose work helped shape a more compassionate, practical approach to social justice in Australia. He was the nephew of Father Gerard Tucker, the founder of the Brotherhood of St. Laurence, and served as the organisation’s Director from 1969 to 1980.
During his life, David Scott helped establish Community Aid Abroad, which later became part of the story of Oxfam Australia.
He was known for a simple belief: that when people are met with encouragement, respect, and the right support, they can do far more than they ever thought possible — a philosophy captured in his personal motto:
“Always say yes.”
HELP CREATE EDUCATION THAT WORKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO NEED IT MOST.
David Scott School exists because of a shared belief that every young person deserves access to meaningful education — regardless of their background, circumstances, or previous school experiences.
Your support helps us provide personalised learning, wellbeing support, and pathway opportunities that enable young people to re-engage with education and move toward positive futures. Together, we can continue to build an environment where students feel safe, supported, and ready to grow.
