Twenty-seven years ago, the Valley’s first christian college was nothing more than two dedicated teachers (with an army of volunteers) shepherding 29 young students through their academic journey from the back of the Presbyterian Church Hall on Lee St, Nambucca Heads.
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One of those teachers was Robin Williams, who has watched Nambucca Valley Christian Community School grow from those humble beginnings to its current strength of over 250 junior and senior school students in its own dedicated campus.
“I remember when we were in the back of the hall there was only a curtain dividing the upper and lower primary students,” Robin said.
“We moved to the current site in 1992 which had only four classrooms, an office block, and toilets at the time.”
This year, after three separate stages of infrastructure upgrades, the wholly community-owned and operated school celebrates its first cohort of grade 12s, making it the Valley’s first private K-12 experience.
Prior to 2013, parents wanting a christian high school experience for their children had to send them to Bonville.
“I didn’t expect it to be this big, and to grow to grade 12, not in a small town,” Ms Williams said.
And now with the growth in resources, facilities, and student numbers, we’re up there with the best of the state schools.
She said it’s been a pleasure to watch her students grow over the years.
One of those students is captain Jake Wilbow, who has been attending the college since Kindergarten.
Jake, like all seniors, is keen to see the end of the year but says that he has enjoyed his nearly 13 years at the school.
“It’s much easier when you have to come to just one place,” he said.
“And I think it’s a more tight-knit school because it’s smaller and because there’s a lot of intermingling between grades.”
Jake’s senior year will be less stressful than most, having already completed two of his HSC subjects last year – an innovation that school principal Jeff Allen is proud of.
Mr Allen is also happy (and a little relieved) to have finally brought the school up to its full spectrum of grades, with each new grade added since 2013 requiring an elaborate process of registration, accreditation and review.
“It’s tremendous that NVCCS has finally brought about a Kinder to year 12 experience in the Nambucca Valley,” he said.
“This is a great place to live and its a joy and privilege to be the principal here.
On behalf of the school I’d like to thank the school community and wider community for establishing another significant educational option.
The school now offers quite a few unique academic outlets for students too, with Mandarin language offered for grades 7 and 8 students, and marine aquaculture technology for grade 10 kids.
It also teams up with Camden Haven High School and the Coffs Harbour Education Campus to provide distance education opportunities, significantly broadening the range of subjects for students to choose from.
And while Mr Allen is excited about the upcoming stages of infrastructure and resource upgrades, he’s at pains to point out that, for him, the school’s greatest resource is its children – something that chaplain Dave Hall nods in agreement with.
“One of the things I find impressive about the school is, while they are very well-resourced now, the focus has always been on its students and providing a nurturing and supportive environment for them,” Mr Hall said.
Mel Leigh Dee
Mel is a journalist at the Guardian News and is based in Macksville.
Mel is a journalist at the Guardian News and is based in Macksville.
