Christian high school option

It will now start the process of seeking permission to open a Christian secondary college.

Foundation member Phillip Nash, who is principal of Green Point Christian College in North Gosford, said the application would be lodged by March next year.

If successful, the school would be ready to take on students by January the following year.

Mr Nash said The Melos Foundation initially tried to stop the closure of the Deniliquin Christian School.

When that attempt was unsuccessful, they set themselves on a new task.

“We heard last year the school was closing and contacted them to see if we could do anything to help keep it open,” Mr Nash said.

“When that did not work, we took over the property and we hope to open a new school by 2025.

“We need to make an application to the New South Wales Education Standards Authority, which must be lodged by March in the year before you intend to start operating the school.”

Mr Nash said while the Deniliquin Christian School offered a Kindergarten to Year 10 education model, he said discussions with select community members so far has identified the need for another secondary school option in the community.

“The message is that there is a need for a high school alternative,“ he said.

“We’ve had discussions with the previous board of the Christian School and it’s principal, and also with the local real estate agent - which included possibly leasing out the school for a while.

"So we see there is a demand for another high school in the town, but if the demand is there to offer primary we can look at that too.

“There is a bit more research to do, and we will be looking at some public meetings in the community.”

Mr Nash said The Melos Group has recently opened two new schools, and as such is well versed on the requirements of opening a new school.

To be given approval, the group must demonstrate a capacity to operate within the required guidelines.

It includes ensuring access to adequate facilities, having suitable policies, compliance with the law and being capable of delivering a pre-submitted curriculum.

If approved, a 12 month licence to operate will be granted. Any possible expansion of the licence will be reviewed before the year is up.

“We have opened two schools in the last two years,” Mr Nash said.

“One was at my school in Gosford, which is for children on the spectrum. While it is independent of my school, it is on the same site.

“The other is in Brewarrina Shire.

“We purchased a closed school just out of the town and we’ve now been operating for two terms with 14 students,” Mr Nash said.

Deniliquin Christian School closed at the end of 2022.

The school’s board made the tough decision because of waning enrolment numbers, which it identified would create “significant financial risk going into 2023”.

The school had 31 students and 10 staff at the time of closure.