Students soar on own plan

Helping students discover their passions is also helping them learn, research has found.

The study by researchers from Murdoch and Sydney universities found that schools that used the Big Picture Education model had improved attendance rates, fewer discipline problems and more participation by parents.

Under the scheme, which emerged from the US and has spread globally, schools use students' interests to develop an individual learning plan that links their special projects with the curriculum.

Classes are called "advisory groups" and aim for a maximum of just 17 students.

Students keep the same teacher for four years and older pupils spend one day a week being mentored in a workplace.

Big Picture Education Australia managing director Viv White said the model turned traditional teaching upside down by using a student's interests as the starting point.

"We believe that if we engage people in learning something they're interested in, they're more likely to keep learning," she said.

"They're still achieving the same learning outcomes, but doing it in a different way.

"It's highly personalised and relationships are central."

Hilary Saunders, principal of Maddington's Yule Brook College, which, in 2006, was the first school in Australia to introduce the model, said students had chosen to work on areas as diverse as aeronautics, forensic science and photography.

At the end of each term the students present an exhibition of their work to classmates and family.

Ms Saunders said Yule Brook students made greater progress on their national literacy and numeracy tests between Year 7 and Year 9 than students from similar backgrounds.

Attendance rates had improved from 79.1 per cent in 2012 to 84 per cent so far this year.

"We want to encourage the kids to follow their dreams and their passions," Ms Saunders said.

"It's a fabulous way to do education."