To aspire as an outreach of Reedy Creek Baptist Church and Queensland Baptists, to facilitate a world leading, future-focused educational experience, underpinned by a biblical world view.
Hillcrest Christian College is an independent, co-educational College for students from Pre-Kindy to Year 12 which delivers a world leading, future focused educational experience, underpinned by a biblical world view. Established in 1982 as a ministry of Reedy Creek Baptist Church, Hillcrest Christian College is a member of the ISQ (Independent Schools, Queensland) and the ACS (Associated Christian Schools). It sits on 10 hectares in Reedy Creek incorporating bushland, oval, sporting facilities and teaching buildings.
Hillcrest Christian College comprises of four learning communities: Junior Learning Community (incorporating our ELC), Middle Learning Community and Senior Learning Community. Hillcrest operates 2 campuses; at Coolangatta (Year 9), and Pre Kindy – Year 12 on our Reedy Creek Campus, with International students across the College cared for by our International Team. Our Virtual Learning Community (VLC) caters for students from Prep – Year 12, from across Queensland. The VLC provides a seamless, quality, independent school education for students wanting to learn in a Distance Education format, while still giving students enrichment and social opportunities. In the heart of Coolangatta on the Gold Coast, the Rise Program ignites the potential within Year 9 students, fostering a transformative journey of self-discovery, community engagement, and entrepreneurial thinking. Our mission is to cultivate a positive and caring environment that supports our young leaders to actively shape their own learning path and focus on their personal interests and strengths.
The College also have an extensive extra-curricular program and operate an Outside School Hours Care Service.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE STUDENT BODY
Total student enrolments: 1782
34 Indigenous students (2%)
Please refer to the ACNC website for a full breakdown of school income and funding. To view the College's NAPLAN results: http://www.myschool.edu.au/
Student’s attendance is recorded each day. In managing student absence, the College requires parents/carers to notify of any student absences by 9am on the day of the absence. If a student is away for an extended period due to illness or other circumstance, the College will endeavour to provide schoolwork if the student is fit to complete it. If a student is absent for an extended period (more than several days) and no notification has been given, then parents are contracted by a School Officer (either Teacher, Year Level Coordinator or Administration Assistant) to validate a reason. Long term absences with little expectation of attendance will usually result in a parent withdrawing the child from the College voluntarily, or a meeting will occur with the Executive Head of College or Head of School to discuss ceasing enrolment in each individual case.
AND CO-CURRICULAR
Life Groups: P – 12 with an intentional structure of being horizontal in Prep – 4 and vertical in Years 5 – 6, 7-8 and 9-12. In these sessions there is a Spiritual, Emotional and Wellbeing focus and this demonstrates how these three domains are so closely interlinked. The weekly themes and topic points are aligned across the JLC, MLC and SLC and delivered in an age appropriate way.
Gatherings: Chapel services are held weekly to consolidate the Spiritual theme in Prep – 4, 5 – 8 and 9 -12. These are student led by school leaders and the Gathering Teams. There are also opportunities for worship outside of gathering times.
Biblical World View: All lessons are planned from a Biblical World view across 5 – 12 and in Prep – 4 there is a dedicated age-appropriate Christian Living Program that runs in Life group sessions.
Mission and Service opportunities: Cooktown and Sherwood Cliffs. “Pass it On” service opportunities are being introduced in the MLC Life Group program this term.
Pedagogy: Age-appropriate Phases of Learning – ELC, JLC, MLC, SLC. Focused Elements of Learning targeting Personal Interests and Strengths, Social and Emotional Skills, Literacy and Numeracy, SECRET Skills, Entrepreneurial Skills.
Individualised Learning: Including Gifted and Talented programs and Learning Support.
Cocurricular: Reader’s Cup, A.B. Paterson Public Speaking, ICAS, Math’s Olympiads, World Scholar’s Cup, Chess, Fuse Cup, Sumo Robotics, Write a Book in a Day, IT Maker’s Corner: 3D Printing, Robotics.
Life Skills Program: Differentiated programs in P – 12 including but not limited to: Bespoke Lessons from Years 3 – 12 based on the CASEL competencies are delivered in the Life Group structure, MLC/SLC Mentoring and Leadership programs, Student driven pathways counselling.
Community Engagement: Community service, Community Fundraising and special events like Crazy Hair and Sock Day, Bully No Way Day, Pj Day, R U OK? Day.
Community Expectations: A culture fostering values-based expectations outworking Student recognition and Awards. College Community Expectations based on Behaviour Education and Emotional Awareness to create an inward motivation to make good choices rather than an external motivation linked to rules. Creating a sense of belonging and connection is the basis of our Community Expectations Framework and all choices are approached from a place of care and concern, coaching our students to joyfully take responsibility for their actions. The COACH approach has been introduced into the MLC this term to educate the students around emotions and behaviour. We have a zero tolerance for bullying behaviour and appropriate consequences are applied to choices that do not align with the school values.
SECRET Skills: The language of SECRET Skills is used across the community.
Community Partnerships: Be YOU, RightNow Media, PeaceWise, ReachOut, CASEL, UPP.
Social and Emotional Program Development:
• Bespoke Lessons from Years 3 – 12 based on the CASEL competencies are delivered in the Life Group structure – created and developed from feedback from the students (Student agency)
• Lunch time Clubs in the JLC and MLC
• Focused Boys and Girls Programs/presentations
• Guest speakers on specific topics
• Small group targeted support across communities
• Wellbeing – Chaplains, Wellbeing officers, counsellors across all communities
• Parent Programs – Tuning in to Kids and Tuning in to Teens.
• Marriage Programs – Focus on the Family and Alpha Parent Program
Sports Programs: Regular weekly Inter-School Sport fixtures for students in Years 5 to 12 and sports development in Years 3 and 4; Gala Day opportunities for various sports; Sports Excellence Programs in Basketball, Futsal, Netball, AFL and Mountain Biking; District, Regional, State and National Sporting Competitions participation; Cross Country, Swimming and Athletics Carnivals.
Culture and Wellbeing
Hillcrest Christian College has a dedicated Culture and Wellbeing team who support the alignment of Pastoral Care Programs across the College. The College recognises that wellbeing encompasses the spiritual, social, emotional, academic and physical components of an individual and that there is a collective impact of an individual's wellbeing on the Hillcrest Christian College's organisational wellbeing and social climate.
The College has a P-12 Community Expectations Framework, built on the College Values, which is the basis for building relationships, making decisions and supporting each others' positive wellbeing.
In 2023, the College participated in a number of wellbeing surveys including the ACER Social-Emotional Wellbeing Survey. Mission Australia Youth Survey and a staff-led research project in conjunction with Griffith University on School Sense of Belonging. The results indicate the following:
• Positive trend across all social-emotional domains
• Most data above National average
• Overwhelming positive response to:
• Student happiness
• Safety at school
• Connectedness with family, friends and staff, and a
• Positive sense of belonging to Hillcrest Christian College
Hillcrest has a highly professional mix of staff, from graduates to those with 3-5 years experience as well as long-established staff. One staff member identifies as indigenous.
All staff are required to complete 30 hours of CPD per year in a balanced and planned way.
Teacher participation in PD: 100%
Expenditure on Teacher PD: $163,327.53
Staff Attendance: 95.5%
Average staff attendance for the school, based on unplanned absences of sick and emergency leave periods of up to 5 days.
Staff retention from previous year: 84.3%
The People at Work survey that supports a psychosocial risk assessment process highlighted the following factors where the College achieved best practice (where job demands in the low range and job resources in the high range are considered best practice):
Job Demands
• Low Group relationship conflict
• Low Group task conflict
• Low Role ambiguity
• Low Role conflict
Job Resources
• High Co-worker support
• High Praise and recognition
• High Procedural justice
All qualified teaching staff are registered with the College of Teachers and all non-teaching staff hold a current suitability card for working with children. The percentage of classroom teachers and school leaders who hold qualifications are as follows:
• High Supervisor support
Hillcrest Christian College provides a plethora of opportunities for Parental Involvement, Parents and carers are encouraged to engage in the College community via the P&F Association, Class Parents, and volunteer participation in College Sporting, Cultural and Performing Arts events. These are the opportunities provided for parent and community engagement:
• Community Morning Tea
• College Fete
• Mother’s Day Stall
• Father’s Day Stall
• Musical – Pirates of Penzance
• Choral & Art Extravaganza
• Excursions
• JLC Classroom Helpers
• Classroom Parents
• Parent Information Evenings –held online where necessary
• Student -Parent-Teacher Interviews
• Sports Carnivals
• Culturally Significant Assemblies (Easter, ANZAC, Book Week, End of Year Celebrations)
• Community meals and hampers
• Catering
• Social events
• P&F Meetings
The MMG Education School Survey 2022 noted that Parent expectations were met or exceeded in relation to the following areas:
MMG Educational School Survey is biennial and due in 2024. Survey results from 2022 have been published
The Next Step Survey gives a snapshot of student destinations after completing Year 12. The 2022 Year 12 students were asked to complete a Queensland Government Next Step Survey, which targeted all students who completed Year 12 and gained a Senior Statement in 2022. The Office of the Government Statistician conducted this survey between March and June 2023, approximately six months after they had finished school. The results from this survey were published in September 2023.
Access the previous year's Next Steps Survey
87% of 2022 Year 12 completers were engaged in education, training or employment in the year after they completed school
64.8% continued in some recognised form of education and training
22.2% transitioned directly into paid employment and no further study
• Architecture and Building
• Creative Arts
• Education
• Engineering and Related Technologies
• Food, Hospitality, and Personal Sciences
• Health
• Information Technology
• Management and Commerce
• Natural and Physical Sciences
• Society and Culture
Total 84%
Universities of Study
• Bond University
• Griffith University
• QUT
• SCU
• UQ
• Other / Unspecified University
