Along with the structural changes to the school that were discussed earlier in the year, the school plans to take a more realistic approach to teaching in the town and wants members of the community to become more involved in the education process.

Principal Peter Partridge outlined the changes last week in a meeting with school teachers and community leaders.

In the changes teachers would focus on aspects of education that cannot be learned from a textbook.

"These are some values and some attitudes to things that we would like to see our children taught that aren't in things that come from the Board of Studies," Mr Partridge said.

"I'm talking about things like truthfulness. If you were an employer in the town, what sorts of qualities would you want to see in children? Yes, they turn up with a higher school certificate that says they can do various things, but what are the other qualities you look for that aren't necessarily of mandated that we have to teach?"

Mr Partridge stressed the importance of community involvement in any changes made to the school's structure and curriculum, and in teaching children values important to the community.

"There's a lot of good stuff in our town that needs to be preserved and needs to be run by the community, so that whoever comes in as principal or whoever teaches at the school there are certain values that this community holds dear that should stay on."

The school is looking at modifying the current syllabus to adapt the teaching to the reality of living in Lightning Ridge.

They hope to still maintain the mandatory outcomes required by the Board of Studies while making the lessons more relevant to the children.

"So instead of doing something on the eskimos, let's do something on the Aboriginal children and families around Lightning Ridge, instead of doing gold, let's do opals. So let's make it a bit more meaningful to our kids. We're taking the things we have to do and writing our own situations," Mr Partridge said.