About the school
Cessnock High School was established in 1937 and is the traditional high school of the City of Cessnock, located approximately 50 kilometres south west of Newcastle in the Lower Hunter Valley of New South Wales. Serving around 600 students, the school forms part of the educational journey for students from five local primary schools: Cessnock, Cessnock East, Abermain, Kearsley, and Kitchener.
Educational Approach
Cessnock High School prides itself on being an innovative learning community that places high importance on student welfare, adhered to by the Positive Behaviour for Learning framework which encourages Respect, Responsibility, and Readiness to Learn. The school has successfully adopted 'The College', enriching its senior curriculum to ensure relevance and engagement.
Programs and Achievements
The school offers a comprehensive educational experience with strong leadership in subjects including Literacy and Numeracy, Creative and Performing Arts, Agriculture, and Aboriginal Education. It also boasts a mentoring program aimed at improving teaching quality in junior year groups. Furthermore, the school is an active participant in the Cessnock Community of Great Public Schools, which facilitates a cohesive learning progression from kindergarten through to Year 12.
Community Engagement
Cessnock High School fosters a diverse and inclusive environment, encouraging every student to engage in various aspects of school life and community activities. The school’s facilities and programs support students in achieving their full potential while maintaining connections to their families and local culture.
Mission
At Cessnock High School, we empower our students to reach their full potential through a commitment to academic excellence, personal development, and future readiness.
Location & Catchment Area
- Cessnock High School
Nearby or Connected Schools
- A Cessnock Public School 524 m
- B Cessnock East Public School 1.7 km
- C Cessnock West Public School 2.3 km
- D Kearsley Public School 3.0 km
- E Mount View High School 3.7 km
- F Kitchener Public School 3.9 km
- G Nulkaba Public School 4.1 km
Profile (2025)
- Total enrolments
- 616 (307 girls, 309 boys)
- Enrolments (FTE) What does this mean?
- 615
- ICSEA What does this mean?
- 892 (percentile 9)
- SEA quarters What does this mean?
- 69% / 24% / 6% / 1%
- FOEI What does this mean?
- 158
- Indigenous students
- 24%
- LBOTE What does this mean?
- 2%
- Teaching staff (FTE) What does this mean?
- 64.2
- Non-teaching staff (FTE) What does this mean?
- 20.5
Enrolments by grade (2025)
| Grade | Headcount |
|---|---|
| Year 7 | 127 |
| Year 8 | 149 |
| Year 9 | 108 |
| Year 10 | 110 |
| Year 11 | 73 |
| Year 12 | 49 |
| Total | 616 |
Year by year
Attendance data for 2020 is unavailable — NSW schools were disrupted by COVID-19 and the Department of Education did not publish figures for that year.
| Year | Enrolments | Girls | Boys | Attendance % | ICSEA | Teaching staff (FTE) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 616 | 307 | 309 | - | 892 | 64.2 |
| 2024 | 627 | 311 | 316 | 75.8 | 894 | 62.2 |
| 2023 | 592 | 277 | 315 | 74.4 | 884 | 62.1 |
| 2022 | 617 | 292 | 325 | 71.5 | 871 | 60.3 |
| 2021 | 636 | 308 | 328 | 77.9 | 869 | 59.9 |
| 2020 | 602 | 285 | 317 | - | 865 | 55.7 |
| 2019 | 588 | 274 | 314 | 81.2 | 871 | 55.1 |
| 2018 | 562 | 265 | 297 | 78.6 | 870 | 51.8 |
| 2017 | 554 | 268 | 286 | 82.9 | 867 | 50.4 |
| 2016 | 564 | 283 | 281 | 83.4 | 873 | 51.5 |
| 2015 | 582 | 286 | 296 | 85.1 | 876 | 52.7 |
| 2014 | 595 | 307 | 288 | 83.6 | 887 | 54 |
| 2013 | 553 | 304 | 249 | 81.2 | 895 | 51.6 |
| 2012 | 565 | 301 | 264 | 82.1 | 900 | 52.2 |
| 2011 | 573 | 305 | 268 | 83.3 | 898 | 52.2 |
| 2010 | 567 | 299 | 268 | - | 898 | 52.3 |
| 2009 | 577 | 289 | 288 | - | 932 | 52.1 |
| 2008 | 591 | 283 | 308 | - | 932 | 54.1 |
Attendance data for 2020 is unavailable — NSW schools were disrupted by COVID-19 and the Department of Education did not publish figures for that year.