Former student returns to the school that shaped her as a teacher in her old classroom

AS a child, Olivia Attenborough loved her time at Centaur Public School so much it inspired her to become a teacher – and now she’s back, teaching in the same Year 4 classroom she once sat in as a student.

Attenborough was school captain at the Banora Point school in 2011 and said even then her goal was to one day return and give back to the place that shaped her.

“I have very positive memories of Centaur Public School, particularly being involved in sporting teams and whole-school events such as multicultural day, end-of-year concerts and public speaking,” she said. “I remember feeling excited to come to school each day, and those experiences played a significant role in shaping my love of learning.

“Looking back, it was clear from a young age that teaching was something I was passionate about. As a child, I would make my younger sister play schools with me every weekend.

“As I went through the public education system myself and had very positive experiences I wanted to give back to the same system that supported and shaped me, and to help ensure all students have access to a high-quality education.”

After doing her HSC at Tweed River High School, Attenborough studied a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Primary Education at Southern Cross University on the Gold Coast.

She secured a full-year teaching contract straight after finishing her degree in 2022, due to staffing needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

“Centaur Public School played such an important role in my life, and it felt incredibly special to return as a teacher,” she said. “I have now been teaching at Centaur for four years and I’m currently teaching Year 3/4 in the exact same Year 4 classroom I once learned in as a student.

“It has been incredibly rewarding to come full circle and teach at the school where my own learning journey began.”

The 27-year-old is in the same sport house she was as a child, and several teachers who taught her during her primary school years are now her colleagues.

“Working alongside them has been one of the most special and surreal parts of returning as a staff member,” she said.

She said her connection to Centaur as both a former student and a current educator gives her a unique perspective, and she is passionate about creating the same sense of belonging and confidence for today’s students that her teachers once created for her.

“Seeing former classmates’ siblings and children come through the school has reinforced how strongly Centaur is woven into the local community and how meaningful it is to be part of its story again,” she said.