One Arm Point Remote Community School (5583)

School Overview


One Arm Point Remote Community School (OAPRCS) is a K-12 school located in Ardyaloon (One Arm Point), an Aboriginal community approximately 210 km north of Broome on the Dampier Peninsula in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.

Our mission - 'improvement, always in all ways'- underpins everything we do. Our vision is to create a welcoming, safe, and stimulating learning environment where local Bardi Jawi culture is embraced, celebrated, and meaningfully embedded across the curriculum. We are committed to supporting every student to reach their academic potential while fostering pride, resilience, and a strong sense of belonging, ensuring our students grow into confident, capable members of society.

At OAPRCS, community engagement sits at the heart of all priorities. This approach has led to measurable improvements in attendance, early childhood outcomes, and overall student achievement. By building capacity within our local Aboriginal workforce, we have strengthened the relationship between the school and community, creating a high level of trust that directly supports student success.

OAPRCS currently serves 118 Aboriginal students, not including up to 20 children in our Ankoorrbin/Baby Turtles (0-3) early years program. Student enrolments fluctuate significantly - ranging from 76 students in April 2015 to 135 in July 2016, 120 at the end of 2021, and 74 in July 2022. These fluctuations impact funding, staffing, and program delivery, making flexibility and adaptability essential to the school's ongoing success.

Community obligations such as hunting, caring for family members, and cultural responsibilities can affect regular attendance. Students may be absent for extended periods due to cultural activities, family commitments, sorry business or community events. Despite these attendance challenges, OAPRCS remains committed to maintaining a critical mass to ensure the viability and quality of its educational programs.

Staff turnover - particularly among non-local teachers - creates an ongoing need for capacity building to ensure staff can work effectively within our unique context. In response, the school prioritises empowering local Aboriginal educators, embedding sustainable practices, and building systems that support long-term program success.

OAPRCS actively prioritises the employment of local Aboriginal people in leadership and key roles, providing strong role models whom students know, trust, and respect. This reflects our belief that 'if I can see it, I can be it,' and supports our broader commitment to self-determination within our remote Aboriginal community.

At the beginning of 2026, five of the school's seven classes are taught by local Aboriginal teachers - an extraordinary achievement for any school, and particularly for a small, remote community school more than 200 km from Broome. In addition, OAPRCS employs an Aboriginal Chaplain, an Aboriginal Curriculum Support Teacher, a Bardi Manager of Aboriginal Education, a Bardi Language Teacher, a Bardi On-Country Learning and Culture Coordinator, and many other local Aboriginal support staff across the school.

Despite the challenges associated with staff turnover and competing cultural obligations, OAPRCS is guided by a clear vision, a strong sense of purpose, and the unwavering support of the local community. This foundation enables strong relationships, continuous improvement, and positive outcomes for students.

Our school culture integrates local Aboriginal ways of being, doing, and knowing to promote high achievement, participation, inclusivity, and meaningful impact for all learners. Our staff, diverse in experience, age, and background, are united in their commitment to improving outcomes for students and securing a sustainable future for our remote community school.

OAPRCS is, at its core, a true community school. We recognise that it takes the collective effort of the entire community to reach our full potential, and it is an honour to be part of this ongoing and inspiring journey.