OUR STORY

In 2010 Jimmy Orange (The Founder and Director of Academy Movement) arrived in Australia, with two and a half years of teaching experience in one of New Zealand’s most under privileged and challenging schools. He learnt very quickly, the value of relationships and how creating a culture of community, belonging, pride in one’s school and ownership was a vehicle to drive learning outcomes and greater engagement through all student groups.

After a short stint relief teaching upon arrival in Melbourne, Jimmy took up a full time post at Fountain Gate Secondary College. There, he started coaching rugby while undertaking his core responsibilities as Head of the Science. Within 12 months, Fountain Gate Secondary College had won its first State Championship. It won another in 2013 and as girls rugby was introduced to Victoria, a legacy of dominant girls’ rugby began at Fountain Gate. Down came the soccer goals and up went the Rugby Posts!

By 2014 the interest in Rugby at school had continued to peak and in 2015 Jimmy started the Fountain Gate Secondary College Rugby Union Academy, a first of its kind in Victoria.  The program continued to evolve and the enrolments at the school increased from 1055 in 2015, to 1240 in 2019. In a five year period, the Rugby academy returned 25 major titles across all age group male and female competitions; but the big win, student engagement and retention. The academy started with a total of 30 students and by the end of 2019 had grown to 120 students.  As the Rugby Academy grew bigger, so too, did student engagement and pride in their school. Jimmy began to think; how can this success be applied and shared across more student community groups? It was at this time “Academy Movement” was born.

Using his knowledge of curriculum, the school system and experience in creating and running a highly successful academy program, Jimmy is taking this blueprint to other schools in Australia to help engage more students through this academy model.