Troubled high school that became $5m national inspiration

Cessnock High School, once notorious for its problematic past, has undergone a remarkable transformation under the leadership of principal Peter Riley and his dedicated team of staff.

This turnaround has been so impactful that it inspired the Australian federal government to fund a $5 million rollout of the Quality Teaching Rounds (QTR) program it pioneered across schools nationwide.

Prior to his role at Cessnock, Riley was the principal at Lambton High School, a far wealthier institution. Riley was quick to understand the unique challenges students faced at Cessnock High School in comparison to his former school.

Cessnock High’s Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA) and Family Occupation and Education Index (FOEI) scores reveal that 91 per cent of its students are in the bottom half of socioeconomic advantage in Australia.

In addition, the suburb of Cessnock ranks second in the state for domestic violence rates. Not only that, but the suburb also suffers from geographic isolation, with a two-hour public transport journey required to reach the nearest major city of Newcastle.

Riley said some families cannot afford the upkeep of a car, making access to essential services even more challenging.

With such different circumstances, he recognised the need for a different approach.

He partnered with Newcastle University researcher Drew Miller, implementing the QTR program, which emphasises peer observation and feedback amongst staff to foster continuous improvement.

Additionally, all staff were trained in the Berry Street Education Model (BSEM), tailored to support students with complex needs, often from backgrounds of trauma and poverty.

The results have been significant. Last year, Cessnock ranked 11th in the state for NAPLAN growth from Year 7 to Year 9, and their HSC results have improved by 53 per cent over the past five years. Attendance rates have also surged, outstripping the state average by 10 per cent.

The school’s cultural shift has also been evident in the increased rates of students wearing uniforms, moving away from its former reputation as ‘Stash House High’.

Principal Riley’s approach involves key strategies he refers to as “big rocks”, one of which is the “Cessnock Way,” a framework emphasising high expectations for both students and staff.

Extracurricular activities, such as the school’s F1 team and Duke of Edinburgh program, have further contributed to the positive changes at Cessnock.

Main image by Olivia Bui.

*The Constructive Journalism in Communities (CJIC) project has been made possible by the philanthropic support of AGL for regional communities. UTS has maintained full editorial control and independent journalistic standards.