Since implementing Positive Behaviour Learning at Australian Christian College Darling Downs, the atmosphere in classrooms has become more conducive to learning, with students more motivated, respectful and eager to participate, explains recently retired Principal Jacqui Burrage.
When Ms Jacqui Burrage welcomed just 36 students to Australian Christian College Darling Downs in 2017, she saw more than empty classrooms – she envisioned a thriving community where every child could flourish.
Today, with 155 students across K-10 and plans to expand to Year 11 and 12, the legacy of her pioneering spirit has turned that vision into reality, proving that small schools can achieve remarkable growth through dedicated leadership.
Ms Burrage retired from her position at the school at the end of 2024. In her place now is Ms Jade Baker, who joined the school as Deputy Principal in Term 3 last year, and commenced as Principal in January 2025. Before joining Darling Downs, Ms Baker was Head of Secondary School at ACC Southlands in Albury, WA.
Now enjoying retirement, Ms Burrage’s career is a testament to passion, persistence, and a lifelong commitment to student potential. From her earliest memories, teaching was more than a profession – it was a calling. “I always wanted to be a teacher,” she recalls.
Her professional journey began in the West Australian education system, where she quickly distinguished herself by working with diverse student populations. Ms Burrage’s experience spans a range of educational contexts – from supporting challenging students to nurturing gifted learners and supporting students from backgrounds with varying literacy and numeracy levels.
A pivotal moment came when she transitioned from the government education system to independent Christian schools. Her pioneering spirit emerged early, as she became one of the first teachers at Carey Baptist College in Western Australia to help establish secondary year levels. This experience would become a hallmark of her career – building educational environments from the ground up.
Her career progression was deliberate and strategic. After years of classroom teaching, Ms Burrage took on leadership roles, first as a deputy curriculum leader at Mandurah Baptist College. This role expanded her influence beyond individual classrooms, allowing her to shape broader educational approaches.
Influenced by educational thought leaders like New Zealand education academic Mr John Hattie, Ms Burrage developed a philosophy centred on high expectations and comprehensive student support. “I’ve always expected children to do really, really well,” she explains, “and then supported them in that.”
Her move to Australian Christian College (ACC) Darling Downs, a co-educational school in the Perth suburb of Brookdale, in 2017 represented the culmination of her educational vision. Starting with less than 40 students, she grew the school to quadruple its initial cohort, demonstrating her ability to build educational communities from modest beginnings.
“It really does take a certain kind of person who is able to be flexible and to keep the vision going even when it’s difficult and be there to roll your sleeves up and do things without a whole lot of administrative support – you often don’t have that in small schools because you can’t afford it,” Ms Burrage says.
Innovative approach to positive learning and behavioural development
At ACC Darling Downs, education extends beyond traditional academic metrics.
Under Ms Burrage’s leadership, the school has developed a comprehensive approach to student behaviour that transforms how young people understand interpersonal relationships, respect, and personal responsibility.
The school’s philosophy is simple yet profound: “Well known, well loved, well taught.”
While rooted in Christian principles, this approach is designed to be universally applicable, welcoming students from diverse backgrounds and belief systems. The philosophy creates an environment where every student feels seen, valued, and supported.
Central to the school’s approach is the CHRIST values framework: Courage, Humility, Respect, Innovation, Service, and Teamwork. Unlike traditional value statements, ACC takes an innovative approach by making these values explicitly actionable.
“The framework make values tangible for children,” Ms Burrage says. “For humility, it might be demonstrated by opening a door for someone or helping someone who has dropped something.” This approach transforms abstract concepts into concrete, observable behaviours that students can understand and practice.
ACC has also implemented multiple complementary programs designed to prevent behavioural issues and develop emotional intelligence. One of these is Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL). This program provides explicit guidance on expected behaviours, creating clear expectations for student interactions. The approach moves beyond punishment, focusing instead on teaching and reinforcing positive behaviours.
“I went to the annual ACC principals conference at the beginning of 2024 – ACC has 14 schools around Australia – and the Principal from Carey Baptist College spoke about PBL. The beauty of it is the explicitness. These explicit behaviours are written; they’re on a chart in every classroom. That language has been helpful, to teachers, students and parents,” Ms Burrage says.
The other programs ACC has implemented include:
- PeaceWise Program: A Christian-based conflict resolution program that teaches students critical interpersonal skills. It helps students understand constructive responses to conflict, moving beyond typical fight-or-flight reactions.
- Second Step Program: A secular program focusing on empathy and communication, teaching students how to have meaningful conversations, be assertive, and understand emotional nuances.
Perhaps most notably, bullying is not a significant issue at ACC.
“When I would speak to prospective parents, I could actually say we don’t have bullying at the school,” Ms Burrage says. This isn’t through strict enforcement, but through comprehensive behavioural education.
The school’s approach recognises that bullying prevention requires more than rules – it demands a cultural transformation. By teaching explicit social skills, empathy, and respect, ACC creates an environment where harmful behaviours are naturally discouraged.
While the school’s approach is compassionate, it’s not without boundaries.
The school has clear guidelines for addressing persistent behavioural challenges, recognising that supporting students sometimes means establishing firm, consistent expectations.
For students with special needs or impulse control challenges, the approach is nuanced and supportive. The focus remains on understanding individual needs while maintaining a safe, respectful learning environment.
Underlying these strategies is a meaningful goal: preparing students for responsible, empathetic adulthood.
Strategic support
During her tenure at ACC Darling Downs, Ms Burrage developed a holistic approach to teacher support that balanced professional development, data-driven insights, and technological innovation.
“The most important resource are employees,” she says, “and I wanted to make sure they were okay.” This mindset translated into a comprehensive support system that recognised the challenges of modern education.
Initially, Ms Burrage balanced her role as both principal and classroom teacher, providing her with unique insights into daily educational challenges. “I had the privilege of being a teacher-principal,” she recalls, “which allowed me to truly understand the day-to-day experiences of educators.”
The school benefits from centralised support through ACC’s head office, which manages administrative tasks like payroll and HR. This allows teachers to focus on their core mission: student education. As the school grew, Ms Burrage was intentional about developing robust systems and documentation to support expanding operations.
For a growing school like Darling Downs, NAPLAN represents more than just a standardised testing mechanism. Ms Burrage viewed it as a sophisticated diagnostic tool for understanding student progress and identifying areas for targeted intervention.
“I valued the information and data we got from NAPLAN,” she explains. “It allowed us to break down specific outcomes that needed addressing at individual, group, or year-level.” The approach went beyond simply comparing scores, focusing instead on individual student growth and targeted support.
With students joining from various educational backgrounds, NAPLAN assessment helps track progress and develop personalised learning strategies. The school celebrates individual achievements, such as tracking one Year 9 student who has consistently improved beyond national averages.
In addition to NAPLAN, the small school is also navigating the AI revolution. As artificial intelligence transforms educational technology, ACC is taking a measured, strategic approach. The school has implemented a one-to-one device policy from early years, recognising the importance of technological literacy.
While a comprehensive AI policy is still developing, Ms Burrage saw potential benefits in workflow management and personalised learning support. “If AI can help generate targeted lesson plans for students struggling with specific outcomes, that’s incredibly valuable,” she says.
The school is also teaching critical digital literacy, emphasising the importance of ethical AI use. Students are encouraged to reference AI-generated content transparently, understanding the difference between using technology as a tool and presenting it as original work.
Ms Burrage’s approach to AI mirrors her overall leadership philosophy: proactive, strategic, and student-centred. The school is developing policies that embrace innovation while maintaining a focus on critical thinking and responsible technology use.
“My ultimate goal was not only academic achievement, but helping children become responsible, empathetic adults who can navigate life’s challenges with courage, humility, and respect. Every interaction, every lesson, every moment was an opportunity to shape not just a student’s education, but their character.”
