Cessnock High School is a co-ed government secondary school with a strong pastoral culture and tight-knit community feel.
NAPLAN well below national year-level averages; the result is a C+ overall.
Cessnock High School is a co-ed government secondary school with a strong pastoral culture and tight-knit community feel. The school runs Inspire, a program for high-potential and gifted students, and provides additional learning support services. It's known for the House of Origin sporting competition and an active Interact Club that focuses on community service. Families choosing Cessnock tend to value a supportive, connected environment where students can develop both academically and through community engagement.
Cessnock High School is also known as Cessnock HS and CHS Cessnock.
Cessnock High School draws students from the Cessnock HS (and 1 more zone).
Cessnock High School has an overall SchoolRank score of 32/100, rated "Below average". This score is calculated from academic results, student growth, wellbeing, extracurricular programs, and value for money. Academically, the school grades C+ (Below average) against other Australian schools. The school's ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) is 892, below the national average of 1,000.
Cessnock High School is a medium-sized government secondary school with approximately 616 students. It offers education for years 7-12. As a government school, enrolment is generally available to students living within the school's designated catchment zone. Families outside the zone may apply for out-of-area placement subject to availability.
Cessnock High School is a government school, so there are no tuition fees. Families may be asked to contribute to voluntary school fees covering materials, excursions, and activities. The school has a value score of 40/100 on SchoolRank, which compares educational outcomes relative to cost, government schools typically score well on this measure.
Cessnock High School has a student-to-teacher ratio of 9.6:1. This is well below the national average of approximately 14:1, meaning students generally receive more individual attention. Support staff make up 24% of the workforce, providing additional learning assistance and pastoral care. The student attendance rate is 75%, which is below the national benchmark.
Cessnock High School is located in Cessnock, NSW, classified as a major cities school. With an ICSEA of 892 (9th percentile), the school community's socio-educational advantage is below average, which means the school serves a community with greater socio-educational challenges. ICSEA measures the educational advantage of a school's community, not the school's quality, a lower ICSEA school with strong academic scores may indicate particularly effective teaching.