On Jacqui Beaman's first day at "Sandy," as Sandringham College is affectionately known, an openly gay student with acrylic nails and a Lady Gaga jumper walked her to class.

“He was telling me how wonderful it was that he could wear casual clothes and he felt able to express himself in that way,” Jacqui, now in year 12, says.

For Jacqui, and many other current and former students, the casual dress policy at Sandringham’s senior campus is a fundamental part of the young-adult learning environment that makes the school unique.

They say it is synonymous with the culture of Sandy, where students are encouraged to be individuals, teachers are addressed by their first names and no one is shut down for having an opinion.

“Everyone’s able to find their own niche at this school,” says year 11 student Lucy Wohnsdorf. “I used to go to another school and everyone was very much pressured to conform and look the same.”