A school that feels like home in Browns Plains

Harrison McGrath was once almost expelled during primary school due to poor attendance.

Now in Year 11, Harrison has won the senior award for attendance and is a student mentor.

He has turned his life around – with the help of his school, Ohana College in Browns Plains, an independent school designed for students who become disengaged from mainstream education, often due to bullying, trauma, or family dynamics.

‘I used to hate school because it would take me a while to understand things and teachers didn’t seem to have enough time to pay attention to anyone,’ Harrison says.

‘It got to the point where I felt like there was no point in even going to school because I didn’t learn anything.

‘This place feels like more than a school – it’s like a family.’

And that’s exactly what Principal Tenneille Lynham was hoping to achieve, as ohana means ‘family’ in Hawaiian. At Ohana College, every student follows a curriculum plan adjusted to their ability levels, with courses like social-emotional learning, where students learn skills including emotional self-regulation.

She says the school focusses on students’ welfare as much as on their education.

‘Our goal is to ensure all aspects of their lives are on track otherwise it’s difficult for students to effectively engage during class,’ she says.

‘Some students just aren’t able to type a 500-word essay or sit in external exams because of anxiety, so we implement different assessment methods instead.’

The school offers a number of different pathways for students beyond year 12, with the recent partnership with Griffith University opening doors to tertiary education.

Students will be able to go on placement and participate in research opportunities to continue their learning.

Ohana College is also opening a new 20 million dollar campus on the Griffith University Logan Campus in January 2023.

Harrison, who will graduate next year, plans to complete a Certificate III so he can sign up for a university course in education.

‘I’d like to give back to kids in the same way I’ve been supported,’ he says.

If you’d like to learn more about the school and their philosophy, check out the Ohana College website. Ohana College has also relocated – read about its new Meadowbrook campus here.