Our College

St Philip’s Christian College Cessnock commenced in 2005 as Kindergarten to Year 6 with only 28 students, and has expanded to become a Kindergarten to Year 12 College with over 1200 students.

The mission of the College is to provide quality education in a caring, secure and challenging learning environment based on Christian beliefs, values and practice. The five Core Values of the College are: Christ First, Serve One Another, Strive for Excellence, Do What is Right, and Build Community. Staff at St Philip’s are dedicated to working alongside each student to draw out their God-given potential and equip them with the tools to succeed not only through their schooling career but through their life. We passionately believe in the need for a school that develops the ‘whole child’ for the “whole of their life” — intellectually, socially, physically and spiritually; a College that maintains high academic and behavioural standards while keeping the truth of the Christian gospel at its core.

St Philip’s Christian College Cessnock is leading the way in generating a shift in pedagogy and learning environments. We believe in fostering a spirit of excellence and this can be seen through the College having been awarded an Australian Education Innovation Award for the past three years, made the The Educator’s Hot List, had staff win The Educator’s Rising Star Award and has had teachers make the shortlist for Australian Primary Teacher of the Year, Australian Secondary Teacher of the Year and Australian Education Rising Star of the Year, alongside recently winning the 2022 Newcastle Architecture Education Excellence Award. 

We have implemented strategies that focus on the student as a global citizen; students that are inquiry-driven, collaborative and have synthesised understanding as a result of connecting experiences. Ways in which we have modelled this ethos is through the implementation of our award-winning YES Pathway, innovative buildings, Independent Learning Days, Academic Extension Programs, and participation in the Hunter Innovation Festival.

Our technology program utilises individual Macbooks in Years 5 to 12, and iPads for students in Kindergarten to Year 4, to support and extend their learning. Specialist PE and Music Teachers from Kindergarten to Year 12 ensure ongoing success and development of our Creative Arts and PE learning programs.

Extra-curricular activities include a wide range of sporting activities, gala days, music groups, drama performances, agriculture, dance performances, academic competitions, camping activities, overseas study tours and a range of community activities.

We are supporting a community approach to education through the introduction and intentional construction of shared community facilities. In the past two years, our state-of-the-art facilities have been utilised by The Wallabies, Western Force and Brisbane Roar; as well as numerous local clubs and organisations, including Park Run and the Weston Bears.

A unique feature of the College is its supportive Pastoral Care program. 

We believe that education occurs best when students are known well, taught well and loved well.