Extracts from an article in The Age :

A note from our (Canadian) Editor:

"What a fascinating life experience!

A great memoir, but more importantly, an insightful and important critique of education today. The trials and tribulations of the Australian school system are endemic in many Western education systems, so the solutions and approaches taken by FCS have universal application. 

This book will therefore appeal to many educators, not just those in Australia. As a former university professor, I can attest to the lack of quality produced by many North American schools, for largely the same reasons raised in this book. 

This is a real eye opener and gives me hope for our future. This is an important book and should be part of all teaching credential programs."

Commendations of the book or the school

ALTERNATIVE APPROACH ACES NAPLAN TESTS

Academic achievement is not the highest priority at [the non-selective] Fitzroy Community School.    

It is not even the second priority. In fact, it comes in at a distant third after happiness and viability.

“We don’t spend a lot of time relative to other schools doing maths and English,” says principal Tim 

Berryman.

So it is somewhat ironic that Year 5 students at the alternative independent primary school blitzed 

the state in the 2011 NAPLAN tests, outperforming every other Victorian school in spelling, reading, 

grammar and punctuation. …"  (28 Feb 2012)

Remarks by Australian historian, Geoffrey Blainey:

“I liked your book.  You are brave and sensible people, if I may say so.  Congratulations!  I hope your pupils will, one day, grasp how fortunate they were.”   (22 Nov 2015)

Fitzroy Community School Book 

ABOUT the FUTURE of SCHOOLING in AUSTRALIA​