Far away from the death and destruction in their home towns, Iraqi and Syrian refugee students are determined to make a fresh start.
A translator and teacher helping a class full of students learn English.
For many it's the first time they've been in a classroom in up to five years.
But the long, hard journey to Australia never stopped 15 year old Sally Hazim's ability to dream about her future.
"I was thirteen years old when we just left Iraq. We left Iraq because you know war and it wasn't really safe and comfortable to be there. We moved to Turkey and then we came to Australia. We had been in Turkey for a year and ab out nine months. Sometimes I think like am I really in Australia or am I in my dreams. I like designing with photoshop so my dream job would be like an officer in Microsoft."
17 year old Nina Youkhana was visiting her grandmother, Leda Warada, thirty minutes away from her hometown, Hasakah, in north-eastern Syria when they were attacked by self proclaimed Islamic State.
Leda says they had to flee to Lebanon or face being murdered as borders between the towns were closed.
"At 3am Nina's parents ran away to the river. They crossed the river in the dirty water to escape the bullets from IS."
Almost two years later, Nina's mother, father, sister and brother still haven't been able to escape.
Nina says it's been very difficult to be away from her family.
But going to school in Australia is far better than in Syria.
"It was very difficult to leave my home and go to Qamishli then Lebanon and then Australia. At the beginning I used to cry. When we used to go to school and come back it was very scary there. Once I witnessed my friend being kidnapped by IS using a motorbike."
370 refugees have enrolled in one of the country's biggest Intensive English Centres this year.
Enrolments have almost tripled over the past twelve months.
The western Sydney school was forced to expand to keep up with demand.
Children will study English for at least one year before transitioning into the public school system, TAFE or the workplace.
Fairfield State High School Principal, Charles Borg, says 15 new refugee support leaders have been employed across New South Wales to help with the transition.
"One of the things we are really good at doing here is art therapy and also textiles. We've found a lot of our refugee kids are very talented in terms of their artistic skills and their textile skills so we actually do a lot of therapy through the actual curriculum. We have a drumming program, where on the surface it just looks like these kids are beating these drums to some sort of rhythm but it's actually all about while they're doing the drumming talking about their experiences. You know the person who does the drumming is Iraqi as well so he has those experiences."
Many students need counselling after experiencing trauma, torture or a disability through conflict.
Parent David Tamo says he worries about his children, but hopes Australia will give them a better chance.
"We were very scared of the psychological effect on the kids to see blood on the streets. We hope in this peaceful country that that will recover and go back to school and university and do the best for themselves and for the future of this country."
