True to our roots
Our College Board remains committed to keeping Newhaven College fees accessible.
We charge less than other independent schools so we can continue to serve our local community.
Our school by the sea
An independent school serving Phillip Island and beyond
Our founding story is simple. It began in the late 70s. Members of the community around Phillip Island were hankering for a local, high-quality school.
A local solicitor, Peter Reith, started the conversation about an independent co-educational Christian faith school. Community support was strong.
Once the school was established, it quickly grew to span Junior, Middle and Senior years.
Newhaven College developed a reputation for excellent teaching, personalised care and exceptional facilities.
The next generation
In recent years we've welcomed students who are the children of students who graduated in the 80s and 90s.
Parents have returned so their children can experience the same nurturing education they had at Newhaven College.
A number of families work and study at the College.
A welcoming community
The school was founded on Christian principles. These underpin our values today: excellence, responsibility, honesty, respect and empathy.
We promote equity and social justice. We celebrate diversity, appreciating the uniqueness of each student in our care.
While we're proud of our students' academic and sporting achievements, we're even prouder of our caring and inclusive culture.
A brief history of Newhaven College
1976 |
The idea for the school came from members of the local community, including local solicitor Peter Reith. They saw a need for a local independent school based on Christian values. |
1977 |
The first public meeting was held, with over 350 people attending and a committee was formed to develop the plans. |
1979 |
The committee purchased land on Boys Home Road for the school's location. |
1980 |
The brand new school opened its doors on Phillip Island with Frank Moore as founding Principal. With 51 students in Years 7 and 8, it was a humble beginning. The College had one administration building and portable classrooms. We also had big plans for the school we could become. |
1989 |
Progress was swift in our first decade. By 1989, a Year 11 and 12 complex was completed, and work started on new classrooms and a laboratory. |
1996 |
The Junior School opened in 1999 with a composite class of 25 students in Years 5 and 6. |
2000 |
The College's population had reached 400 students and 40 teachers by the year 2000. |
2004 |
Land was purchased in Phillip Island Road in 2004 and the Year 9 Environmental Centre opened the following year. It was the first of many state-of-the-art facilities on the new campus. The Junior and Middle Schools, the Trades Skills and Food Technology Centres, the Senior School and the Specialist Art, Science and Technology wing followed over the next 12 years. |
2018 |
The whole school came together on one site – a historic moment. It was also a pivotal time for those who'd been in the first Newhaven College Prep class as they completed Year 12. |
| 2019 | The Gymnasium was handed over to the College, work on the new playing fields began and plans were commenced for the swimming pool. Boys Home Road Boulevard was created between the Senior School and the Specialist wing. A grant was received for the Performing Arts wing which will commence building works in 2020. Plans were also developed to establish our wetlands and to build the amphitheatre which will be a central gathering space for all our students. |
| 2020 | The open air Amphitheatre, natural turf soccer pitch, and synthetic tennis/hockey field were completed. Building work commenced on the Performing Arts Wing. With the assistance of grants, work on our wetlands area commenced. Work began on the outdoor Basketball/Netball Courts and Cricket nets. Finally, through the leadership of our staff and student environmental committee, our four-bin waste system and worm farms were introduced to assist with our goal to become a carbon neutral school. Principal Gea Lovell retired. |
| 2021 | New Principal, Mr Tony Corr commenced. The outdoor Basketball/Netball Courts and Cricket nets were completed. The Year 9 Centre was refurbished. A long jump pit was installed. Year 9 and Year 3 students planted additional plants in the wetlands. The College became a co-member of Totally Renewable Phillip Island (TRPI), a collective of local business working towards sustainable change and zero carbon emissions by 2030. |
| 2022 | Year 9 became part of Senior School. The Performing Arts Wing was completed, accommodating musicians and performers within the Rehearsal Studio, Black Box Theatre and many rehearsal and collaboration rooms. |
Today |
Forty three years after the idea of a new school became a reality, more than 900 students in Prep to Year 12 attend Newhaven College. Students engage in an incredible range of academic, creative and physical learning activities. They are encouraged to achieve their best through intellectual, emotional and spiritual growth. |
Newhaven College is a member of Ecumenical Schools Australia, a network of independent, co-educational schools that vary in size, location and faith background.
ESA member schools work together to improve educational practices and support each other.
Newhaven College values the learning, support and connectedness provided by this network.
Our College is part of the South Eastern Independent Schools Association (SEISA).
SEISA provides opportunities for students to compete against other schools in the region.
Winter and summer sports include team sports, plus cross country, athletics and surfing.
SEISA also offers cultural competitions for Chess, Debating, Theatre Sports, Music and Visual Arts.
Newhaven College Alumni
Are you a former pupil? We'd love to see you at our next event for alumni. The alumni reunions occur on Open Day.
Old Collegians are invited to contact us.
Contact Us