Yipirinya School – Bridging Now to Next
Yipirinya School, located in Mparntwe (Alice Springs), was founded in 1978 by Town Camp Elders who wanted their children to receive an education that respected & included their own languages and cultures. At the time, no schools were doing this. The Elders fought for a school where Aboriginal children could learn in their own way—strong in culture & language, and strong in the world of today.
Today, Yipirinya is still one of the only schools in Australia teaching in four Aboriginal languages— Western Arrernte, Warlpiri, Luritja and Central Arrernte—alongside English. Our students learn language, stories, knowledge and traditions passed down by our language teachers and elders, while also building skills in literacy, numeracy and technology. This is what we call “two-way learning,” and it is at the heart of our approach. It helps students walk proudly in both worlds—with deep cultural strength and a clear path toward their future.
Reconciliation is part of everything we do. Our staff come from many backgrounds and work together with respect, care and a shared purpose: to give our students the best chance to succeed, while staying connected to who they are. We are one of few schools in the world to teach 5 different languages.
One way we are “Bridging Now to Next” is by exploring the creation of a Student Representative Council (SRC). This would give our students a stronger voice in shaping their education and environment. It would also be a space where the Leadership Team can hear directly from students and where students can develop skills in leadership, confidence and decision-making. Being heard is not only a part of reconciliation—it’s how we teach respect, responsibility and being a lifelong learner, our values that has guided Yipirinya throughout its history. To progress as a schooling community, we have to hear the voices of the future. Our values help guide us every day and bridge a better future at Yipirinya:
- Be Respectful (Antarnte arrerrtyeke/ Ntarnte arrentyeke/ Antani tjukaru/ Warra warra kanyi)- We listen, care for one another, and show pride in our culture and community.
- Be a Learner (Akaltye irretyeke, Kaltye irretyeke, Nintirrku tjaku, Pinarrijarriya) – We stay curious, try our best, and grow through everything we do.
- Be Responsible (Mwerre anetyeke, Marre netyeke, Palya nyinantjaku, Ngurrjurlu nyinaya) – We take ownership of our actions and support each other to do what’s right.
Yipirinya continues to grow, led by the same vision that built it: Aboriginal children learning in ways that honour their identity, their families, and their future.
