The partnership started in 2009 after a teacher at Penbank School took leave to work in the Northern Territory and formed a strong bond with the children at Wugularr School near Katherine.

Since then, the bond has flourished, with children from both schools regularly visiting each other. The children have become so close they have created a name for the combined schools - Wugubank.

Penbank School principal Vivienne Wearne said the program helped to break down some of the barriers that still existed between indigenous children and the wider community.

"Students gain friendship, understanding and respect for the first people of our country and knowledge of Aboriginal history," she said. "Last year we hosted students from the Wugularr School for a week and this year our students went there for 10 days."

Mrs Wearne said many of the students had an emotional reaction to the experience.

"They build such personal relationships and gain such a great understanding of where they live and enjoy the company of the other children who teach them so much," she said.

"Teachers have also gained a lot from the experience. I think there are still a lot of barriers between the cultures and often in the Australian culture we don't recognise or understand just how disadvantaged some of these students are."

The grades 5 and 6 pupils mix with the 200 children at the Wugularr School across all year levels.

"It is nice for the students to experience what it is like to be in a different setting," Mrs Wearne said. "The kids love seeing the community and finding out about the spiritual areas and hearing the Aboriginal dreamtime stories.

"They have all read the story of the Rainbow Serpent and they love going to the Katherine Gorge where the story originated."

Mrs Wearne said she hoped the partnership would continue. "There are so many benefits to both schools from this program," she said.

The partnership is supported by the Rosie's For All Kids Foundation and the Hawthorn Football Club.