When the father of a student from Homebush West Public drowned last year, the close school community was devastated.

The man was rescuing his niece and nephew from a rip on the NSW south coast when he got into trouble.

It was Christmas Eve, but principal Estelle Southall remembers it like it was yesterday.

“It shook us to our core,” she recalled.

“I was on a beach myself when I found out. My heart broke for the family involved, but I also thought, ‘we have to do everything we can so nothing like this happens again to our families again’.”

Ninety-five percent of students from Homebush West Public School are from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, a group sadly overrepresented in Australia’s annual drowning statistics.

“In Australia we grow up on the beaches. Beach culture is common, but our families at Homebush West generally don’t grow up around the water and many have a great fear of it,” Ms Southall said.

Homebush West recently started a surf safety program for parents, with the first practical session on Manly Beach.

Among the participating group was Manash Sudhea, who has a son in Year 3.

“In my country, Nepal, we have lots of rivers but no beaches, so I have no idea what to do. This will help me survive in the surf,” Manash said.

“I learned many things today. I’ve got many ideas that I can now share with my children to keep them safe as well. My sons love going to the beach, so this is a great thing to do.”

Joyce Kong has a daughter who has just finished Year 6.

“I never went in the surf before coming to Australia, so I have a lot to learn,” she said.

“We learned how to look for rips, how to be safe in the water, how to stay on the board, how to float. With some more practice I will feel much more confident going in the water this summer.”

Ms Southall said the smiles on the faces of the parents said it all.

“They’re having the loveliest time, but they’re also doing something brave,” she said.

“We call them our change-makers these parents, because next year we expect to have double the number of parents out here on the water.”