Bendigo FLO 103 Smith Street, Kangaroo Flat, Victoria 3555

Welcome to Bendigo FLO, located at 103 Smith Street in Kangaroo Flat, Australia. We are an establishment and point of interest that provides specialized support to secondary school-aged youth who are at risk of not completing their schooling. BFLO is a partnership between the five government secondary schools and Kalianna Special School in Bendigo.

Since opening on the first school day in February 2017, BFLO has been dedicated to helping students get back on track with their education. If you or someone you know is not attending school or feels like they may drop out, BFLO can provide the necessary support to turn things around.

Our success is measured by the number of students who move on from BFLO to happily return to their local school and complete Year 12 or pursue further training leading to employment. We are a small government school administered by Weeroona College Bendigo (WCB) on behalf of Bendigo's six government secondary schools.

Enrollment at BFLO is by referral, and all referrals are considered by the BFLO Intake Panel. This panel convenes each term to review referrals and ensure that only students in genuine need of specialized support are referred to BFLO. Approval is based on evidence provided by the referring school, the student, the family or carer, and external services supporting the young person.

Only the six government secondary schools in Bendigo can refer students to BFLO, and each referral must be endorsed by the school's Principal. This endorsement signifies a commitment to welcome the referred student back to school when they are able to successfully participate in schooling.

Enrollment at BFLO is not time-limited, as some students may be ready to return to their local secondary school within a semester, while others may need our support for two or more years. The decision to transition back to school is made collectively with the student, their significant people, and the Wellbeing, Teaching, and Leadership staff at their destination school.

At BFLO, we believe in providing a safe, kind, and inclusive environment where unconditional positive regard is a maxim of education. We promote positive behavior through wholesome, consistent, helpful, secure, and trusting relationships. Our aim is to support students in developing personal capabilities and the literacy and numeracy skills needed to navigate relationships, expectations, and learning tasks in secondary school.

Our core values are safety, kindness, learning for life, and empowerment. We prioritize the wellbeing of everyone, treat ourselves and others with unconditional positive regard, strive for personal growth, and believe in the power of choices to improve lives and communities.

Weeroona College Bendigo places a high priority on successful transitions for all students throughout their secondary school years. We cater to the learning needs of each student through individualized goal setting based on their educational needs.

If you or someone you know could benefit from the specialized support and inclusive environment offered at Bendigo FLO, we encourage you to reach out. Together, we can help every student achieve their full potential.