A new dual-engagement school for young people disengaged from mainstream education is set to open in Wollongong, New South Wales, in Term 1 2027, subject to regulatory approval.
BlendED, an initiative of Edmund Rice Education Australia (EREA), will combine teacher-led online learning with in-person gatherings and wellbeing support, according to a statement. Each student will receive an Individual Learning Plan and support from both a teacher and a dedicated wellbeing worker.
The NSW campus will initially enroll up to 150 students in Years 7-9, with Year 10 added later in 2027, Year 11 in 2028 and Year 12 in 2029, per the statement. Enrollment will be open to students from across the state.
The launch follows a broader trend of school disengagement. BlendED's statement cited national data showing about 60% of students attend school more than 90% of the time. The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) reported that measure, known as the attendance level, at 59.8% for 2024, down from 61.6% in 2023.
ACARA's most recent figures, released for 2025, show the attendance level rose to 62.1%, up from the 2024 figure BlendED referenced. The broader attendance rate for Years 1-10 also increased, to 88.8% in 2025 from 88.3% in 2024, according to ACARA. Neither measure has returned to 2019 levels, when the attendance rate stood at 91.4% and the attendance level at 73.1%.
Model already running in two states
BlendED's NSW expansion builds on programs already operating in Queensland and Tasmania, which together enroll more than 300 students, according to the statement. The model began in 2024 as a program at Saints College in Victoria before expanding nationally under EREA.
Independent trade coverage corroborates the program's growth. BlendED's Queensland campuses, which opened in Brisbane and Cairns in July, were reportedly approved by the state's Non-State Schools Accreditation Board. BlendED National's website lists the NSW campus as in early planning stages, with a launch targeted for early 2027.
In NSW, the school has been endorsed by the NSW Department of Education, and Adam Rafferty will serve as its first principal.
Executives, local partner respond
BlendED national regional director Daniel Brown said the program was designed for students who wanted to learn but had struggled in traditional schools due to trauma, bullying, disability, neurodivergence, anxiety, depression or other challenges, EREA stated.
"Our commitment is to provide inclusive and accessible education opportunities for young people who have become disenfranchised from mainstream education," Brown said.
BlendED national chief executive Chloe Hand (pictured) said the model combines online learning with in-person gatherings and wellbeing support to help students reconnect with education, the statement said.
"For every young person who walks through the door believing school wasn't built for them, BlendED exists to prove otherwise," Hand said.
Tim Gilmour, acting executive director of Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong Schools, welcomed the program to the region.
"Every young person deserves the opportunity to learn and belong in an environment that understands who they are as a person and learner," Gilmour said.
A student identified only as Eva, who recently joined the Queensland program, said she was enjoying school "so much more than I used to."
Unlike traditional schools, BlendED does not use detentions or suspensions, instead applying what the organization describes as a strength-based, trauma-informed approach, according to EREA.
The program also runs the Waterford Program, a small, in-person pathway for twice-exceptional students who are highly capable but often masked by similar barriers.