Something significant is happening in NSW education. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics Schools 2025 data, independent school enrolments grew by 6,816 students last year while government school enrolments fell by 6,959. Independent schools now educate one in five NSW students, up from just 13 per cent in 2000, and two thirds of all additional students enrolled in NSW since 2000 have chosen an independent school.

Families are not making this shift by accident. As Independent Schools NSW Chief Executive Margery Evans noted, parents are consciously seeking schools that reflect their values, with wellbeing programs, strong community links and genuine investment in each child’s future among the key drivers.

At Alesco Secondary College, that is exactly what we offer.

“The growth we are seeing in independent school enrolments across NSW reflects something families have always known – that the right environment makes all the difference. At Alesco, we have built a school around that belief from the ground up,” CEO, Helga Smit said.

A school built around wellbeing and learning

Alesco is an independent secondary school serving Years 9 to 12 across the Hunter Region, with campuses in Cooks Hill, Charlestown, Woodberry, Northlakes, Raymond Terrace, Tomaree, Tuncurry and Abermain. Our name comes from the Latin word for growth and maturity, and that philosophy underpins everything we do.

We believe wellbeing and learning must work together. Alongside a NESA-accredited curriculum with pathways to the HSC, every Alesco student participates in a dedicated Wellbeing program that builds practical skills for managing emotions, navigating relationships and developing resilience for life beyond school.

Small campuses, personalised programs

Every Alesco campus is intentionally small. Smaller class sizes mean staff genuinely know each student, and every education plan is tailored to the individual’s needs: academically, emotionally and socially. Students are treated as capable young adults, involved in decisions about their own learning, and never expected to simply fit a mould.

For students who have felt disengaged, anxious or unsupported in a mainstream environment, this difference is significant. Alesco is a school students choose to attend, and that choice is the starting point for real engagement and real progress.

Our parent and student survey conducted in 2025 revealed that nearly all survey respondents had a positive experience with Alesco:

• 97% of parents felt that Alesco brings out the best in their child
• 98% of students felt that Alesco helps them work toward their goals
• 96% of students said they felt accepted at Alesco
• 98% of students said they felt safe at Alesco

“Every student who walks through our door has the capacity to succeed. Our job is to create the conditions where that can actually happen, and for many young people, that means a smaller, more personal environment where they feel genuinely known and supported,” Alesco Principal, Mark Rudd, said.

Is Alesco right for your family?

Alesco is not the right fit for every student, and we would not claim otherwise. It is designed specifically for young people in Years 9 to 12 who are finding mainstream schooling difficult, whether due to anxiety, disengagement, learning differences or social challenges. Students who do well at Alesco are typically those who benefit from smaller class sizes, a more flexible approach to curriculum, and a school environment where wellbeing support is built into the day rather than offered as an afterthought.

It is also worth knowing that Alesco is a choice, not a default. All applications go through a screening process to ensure each student is a genuine fit for the programme and the campus community. Enrolment is not guaranteed, and places are offered based on availability and suitability.

If your child is currently disengaged, reluctant to attend school or struggling to get the support they need in a mainstream setting, Alesco is worth considering.

To find out more or to start an application, visit atwea.edu.au/high-school-at-alesco or call 02 4925 4200.

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Pat Conroy Citizenship Award

The Pat Conroy Citizenship Award recognises a student who embodies values, service, and a commitment to making a positive impact on other members of the community. In 2024, this was awarded to Kailey Clydesdale. Kailey has demonstrated outstanding character, leadership, and dedication in our school community. She shows exceptional compassion, perseverance, and a strong moral compass, consistently uplifting her peers and contributing to a more inclusive, positive, and supportive environment. Her dedication and willingness to go above and beyond to help her fellow students at Alesco Charlestown makes her the perfect recipient for this virtual award.

Tim Crakenthorp Student Award

Ashlee Curnuck has been awarded the Tim Crakanthorp Social Justice Award for her strong commitment to fairness, integrity, and accountability. Ashlee is a student who leads with strong morals, always striving to do what is right and encouraging those around her to do the same. She holds her friends and peers to high standards, fostering a culture of respect and responsibility within our school community. Her dedication to social justice and unwavering belief in doing what’s right make her a truly deserving recipient of this award.

Community Spirit and Leadership Award

Shardonnay Sojenka has been awarded the Sharon Claydon Community Spirit and Leadership Award for her outstanding dedication to our school and community. As a strong role model, Shardonnay consistently seeks ways to make Alesco a better place for all, leading by example and inspiring those around her. She is a passionate advocate for our school, demonstrating maturity, initiative, and a commitment to positive change. Her leadership and unwavering dedication have made a lasting impact, and we are incredibly proud to recognize her achievements.

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Longer-term, our school hopes to grow produce from seedlings in our ‘nursery’, and produce fresh produce to help support our families and the local community.

Alesco has allocated one lesson per week for our students to work in and maintain our Hydroponic Gardens. Our students will be researching and learning the benefits of hydro farming, planning what we will grow in the gardens, and maintaining the crops as they grow.

As part of reducing the running costs of this project and minimising our environmental footprint, Alesco Northlakes purchased a rainwater tank after receiving a grant from Hunter Water. This has enabled our garden to be eco-friendly and contributed to our overall school goal of reducing our impact on the local environment. This tank allows for water and wastewater efficiency improvement, protects and enhances the environment AND is an education initiative with a focus on water and wastewater.

A huge THANKS to and !

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Alesco Senior College would like to acknowledge and thank Vuly for their sponsorship in helping our school purchase this equipment and look forward to sharing the ongoing benefits that this equipment will bring to our students. We value our students’ wellbeing above all else and it’s great to be able to contribute to that in any way we can.

About Vuly

Based in Brisbane Australia, Vuly has been at the global forefront of innovative engineering for ,��,��,��,��kids bikes and many other outdoor play products. For over a decade, they have pushed the limits of innovation, safety and fun. They strive to engineer the world’s safest outdoor play equipment – ideal for Australian backyards.

You can find out more by visiting

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Annelise came to Alesco Cooks Hill to start Senior 1 at the beginning of 2020. Prior to this Annelise had been home schooled. She has flourished in Alesco’s learning environment. As unpredictable as 2020 was Annelise achieved excellent results and always maintained positivity, even during uncertain times.  As a senior leader in 2021, she is a role model both within the school environment and in the community as a whole and has continued to be positive even in the face of personal struggles. Annelise always sees the best in others and will go out of her way to help them in class, whether that be helping them with their assessments and even printing out her own study notes for others to use. As a learner Annelise is incredibly independent and highly motivated, at times the classroom cannot function effectively without her presence.

Jacinta Cook

Jacinta is an outstanding student of the Tuncurry Alesco campus. Due to reasons beyond her control, Jacinta recently found herself without a home. The family’s housing situation has separated the family, with Jacinta separated from her parents and staying at various people’s homes. Despite these circumstances Jacinta maintains a positive outlook on her personal and school life. She maintains excellent attendance, coming to school each day. While she is at school she is engaged and participates fully in all aspects of classroom learning and whole school activities.

Jacinta is a teacher’s dream student and it can be easy to forget her difficult personal situation because she soldiers on so well. Jacinta is proactive and has jumped through hoops to obtain identification documents allowing her to get a job and get her L plates. She has stayed back after school to complete a resume and do a phone interview for Woolworths, which she was successful in. She has also stayed back after school hours to complete a Driver Access program to help her obtain her L plates.

On top of all this Jacinta is kind hearted and inclusive, often subtly taking the time to talk to and involve students who would usually sit out by themselves. Jacinta is a genuine young person who is currently living through circumstances way beyond her control, she takes it in her stride and gets on with her life, never complaining.

Jade Tau

Jade has been part of the Alesco Northlakes community since the campus began operating three years ago. Since the beginning, Jade has been a passionate advocate of our school community. She is one of the most caring and compassionate young people we have had at our school who has brought such a positive influence to the campus. Jade is always looking outwardly for ways that she can help and support others both in and out of the school. She has remained committed to completing her HSC studies over the last two years despite many personal challenges and setbacks. Jade also acts as a significant support to her mother and siblings; as well as to many others in her community who her and her family offer a home to throughout the year. Jade has actively participated in all of our whole school events and always represents the school in line with our philosophy and values. In the classroom Jade has a work ethic that is second to none. She is determined, has a can do attitude and has never given up on completing anything that has been put in front of her. We are all so proud of the amazing young lady that Jade has become and cannot wait to see her continue to shine as she enters the next chapter of her life at the end of this year, and show the world what she has to offer.

Tyson Dann

Tyson has done far more than demonstrate his academic ability this year. He turns up every day prepared to do his best and in doing so he has demonstrated a level of resilience and persistence not often seen in someone so young. Tyson lives with significant barriers to learning and since joining the Alesco family he has slowly yet surely pushed himself to do more and actively move beyond his comfort zone and challenge himself. For example participating in all whole schools events and excursions even though his social anxiety can seem almost crippling and in doing so he is consistently setting a solid example for other students by embodying all that we believe an Alesco student to be.

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The benches were originally designed with consultants from the UN for a United Nations project in Africa. The specifications were developed to be extremely robust as they were being moved between buildings across sometimes rough terrain as well as from room to room and had to have a long life of everyday use.  That was around 25 years ago and they are still in use.

Since then they have been used in schools, colleges and universities around the world. This is the first time they have been imported to Australia. They come complete with equipment for specific science subjects such as forensics, electricity and electronics, microscopy, data logging, chemistry and biology.

A huge thank you to Justin Henderson, Grant Dennis, IPC Irwin and the Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation for making this project happen.

The benches are due to arrive in early 2022 and we can’t wait. They are going to make such a huge impact on the way we teach science and the way our students engage with their education.

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������Ƶ and Alesco Senior College are proud to announce that Student Learning and Support Officer Belinda Wells has been nominated for Teacher’s Aide of the Year.

Belinda, who now works at our new Abermain Campus, started with Alesco Cessnock in 2016 as a Student Welfare Officer. Before this, she worked with Father O’Riley’s Youth off the Streets as a youth worker for 2 years.

Belinda’s passion in life is to take each challenge head-on and offer support to others. She is a passionate and dedicated worker who thoroughly enjoys coming to work every day. She finds working with young people very rewarding especially when you see them make any improvements over time. Belinda enjoys the smaller class sizes at Alesco as she gets to work closely with the students and observe them working hard and building on their skills and knowledge. She loves watching them thrive with the ultimate goal of completing their schooling. Belinda works intensively with identified student’s one on one or in a small group setting to enhance their educational needs.

Belinda teaches the reading program which has been highly successful for students who have taken part. In 2018, Belinda created resources and developed a reading program for a number of students. This program had successful results for all students who participated. One student who took part started with a reading age of 8 years old. When they completed the program their result improved to a reading age of 12.5 years. This student has now graduated from school and recently visited the campus and told Belinda that they continue to read every day. Belinda also teaches small groups of Year 9, Year 10 and Senior students in the Intensive Learning Support Program which focuses on numeracy and literacy.

Belinda chose to work with Alesco because she can advocate for, and support, at risk youth. When she was completing high school herself, she was facing her own struggles and adversities. She received an abundance of support from one teacher in particular, as well as receiving not one, but two educational scholarships through the Hunter Mentor Collaborative. With this support, she was able to finish her Year 12 studies. It was then she knew she wanted to help and support young people as a career.

In 2020 at the Atwea Staff Reward and Recognition ceremony she received two awards, Recognition for Integrity and Recognition for Innovation. In 2018 she made it as a finalist for the Advocate for Children and Young People Youth Advisory Council, and in 2016 was Youth Sector Youth Worker of the Year and also nominated for Young Person of the Year.

Belinda is highly satisfied with her teaching experience at Alesco, when she is not teaching her programs she is in the classroom supporting our students to ensure their learning needs are met. ������Ƶ and Alesco Senior College would like to congratulate Belinda on her nomination and wish her all the best.

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Akiva has remained focused on her goals and in 2020 played the lead role in the award winning Australian film ‘The girl on the moon’. Here she tells us more.

“Guudjiyiigu (Welcome/hello).  I’m Akiva, a proud Worimi woman from Forster- Tuncurry.

When the school first opened up I was one of their first enrolled students. When I started in 2016 I was this crazy and loud teenager but the teachers never gave up on me. I persevered with my studies and was proud to complete Year 12 in 2019.

When I graduated from Alesco, I was filled with a roller coaster of emotions. I was very nervous and a tad scared… but I was also hopeful and excited to begin my future as an independent, young adult.

Since leaving I have had the opportunity to model for a successful Indigenous business called Gillawarra Arts. I have been inspired and supported by my Aunty and my biggest role model, Krystal Hurst, who runs this company. I’m currently working on an Indigenous clothing line too. I am proud of how this clothing will showcase my amazing culture and be inclusive of every shape, size and gender.

I also had a fantastic opportunity to be in a short film called “The girl on the moon” where I played the lead role of “Luna”. This film was produced and directed by Georgina Jenkins (Birds of Prey Entertainment) and we were thrilled when it won an award in the Miami Science Fiction Festival.

I am intrigued by the world of acting. As a little girl I would say to my Mum “I’m gonna be on Home and Away” and it has been such a wonderful experience to star in this film.

It has been a massive leap to take, moving to Canberra especially coming from a small town like Forster. It was a very nerve-racking move but I’m glad I did it. I’ve been able to be a part of two Indigenous fashion shows and a film. I am excited to be continuing my modelling, to showcase my Peoples beautiful culture as well as pursue a career as an actress and a fashion designer.

I am forever grateful for every teacher at Alesco who pushed me to strive for the best in every aspect of life.”

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The project aims to bring awareness to the local community about our endangered Manning River Helmeted Turtle. The turtle is a 55 million year old reptile found only in the middle and upper catchment areas of the Manning River in NSW. It is a medium short-necked freshwater turtle and was listed as an endangered species in 2017. The project is in collaboration with artist Shona Wilson and the international organisation withNature2020.

withNature2020 is a global initiative that aims to engage more people in the conservation and care of local nature through art and to raise awareness about endangered species in the world.  The initiative began last year in Copenhagen and Midcoast Council is one of only two areas in Australia involved in the project.

Other community volunteer work Alesco students have recently participated in is the Forster Tuncurry Community Kitchen where VET Retail students prepared and served healthy meals to local residents. Interacting with the residents at Evermore Retirement Living and helping with their Morning Tea. Alesco also has a long-standing collaboration with Ted Bickford and students regularly volunteer to work with Ted to remove graffiti and apply an anti-graffiti solution to local landmarks.

Alesco Senior College has an interest in connecting and volunteering within the local community so jumped on the opportunity to be a part of this international project. Alesco is always open to looking into other community collaborations.

Some information courtesy of MidCoast Council

For further information on the Manning River Helmeted Turtle project, you can visit: https://www.Midcoast.nsw.gov.au/Part-of-your-every-day/Council-Projects/Manning-River-turtle-Conservation-Art-Project

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The Alesco Tuncurry graduation was a proud moment all round for our 40 strong Tuncurry campus cohort. The ceremony was held at Club Forster and attended by students, parents, careers as well as special guests Principal Theresa Pantalone, Atwea Executive Director Rowan Cox, Atwea Board Member Jane McConville, Australian Defence Force representative David Morgan and Ted Bickford.

Our Alesco Tomaree graduation was a joyful celebration giving the students an opportunity to reflect on their achievements throughout the year. We would like to thank Port Stephens Mayor Ryan Palmer for attending and conferring his Dedication and Growth Award along with other special guests, Chris Seysener (Atwea Board Chairperson), Nicola Bartlett (Senior Education Manager), Tracey Stenlund (VACE Coordinator), Grant Dennis (Northlakes Head Teacher) and Mere Johnson (Student Welfare Officer). Thank you to our student’s, Monique for starting the ceremony off and Stephanie for her heart-warming address to end the day, as well as Jenna and Tjarla for giving the Acknowledgement to Country. Special mention to Stephanie Aitchison who received the Alesco Resilience Award.

Alesco Northlakes campus gathered to celebrate the graduation and achievements of our wonderful students. 2020 has thrown many obstacles in our students directions and we’re so incredible proud of their resilience and perseverance. Two ceremonies were held at Cardiff RSL which included our Junior and Senior students as well as many special guests. The Northlakes staff are very sad to say goodbye to our department students and look forward to seeing what the future holds.

Alesco Cooks Hill celebrated the achievements of our 2020 cohort at Newcastle Exhibition and Convention Centre. As always, the students have shown incredible resilience in marking another milestone in their educational journey. We were lucky enough to be joined by special guests Dan Brown, Tim Crakanthrop MP, LAC Damien Smith, Board Members Chris Seyenser and Kelsey Barrett, Executive Director Rowan Cox and Principal Theresa Pantalone.

Alesco Raymond Terrace held their 2020 Graduation Ceremony at the Raymond Terrace Bowling Club. In attendance were some very special guests who we thank for their time. Thank you Ms Kate Washington MP, Councillor Paul Le Mottee, Atwea Board Member Todd Saddington, Jamie Culver (Youth Health Team, Alesco Alumni), Senior Constable John Collins and William Harrison (Raymond Terrace Library). Senior 1 student, Jack Polson was outstanding as our Master of Ceremonies.

Alesco Cessnock held a dual graduation ceremony for both their junior and senior schools at Cessnock Leagues Club which was followed by a senior formal. The event was the perfect opportunity to recognise the achievements of our 2020 students and their incredible effort in inspiring one another to work through any challenge they may have faced. Paul Mather Memorial Award recipient and Cessnock student Joel Gilmour also spoke about his experiences at Alesco and winning his award during the ceremony.

We would like to congratulate all of our Alesco 2020 cohort on their achievements for this year and wish our departing students all the best for the future.

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