Devonport Christian School

Devonport Christian School is a co-educational school providing education to approximately 165 students from Kinder to Year 6. At Devonport Christian School every student is seen as a unique, valued individual and all students are provided with opportunities to develop to the fullest extent of their potential.

Devonport Christian School is a school where teachers and parents work together to provide a safe and friendly environment where God is honoured and served. Opening in 1992 in the grounds of the Devonport Reformed Church, the school moved to its present location in February 1995.

Devonport Christian School is a member of Christian Education National (CEN), an Australia-wide group of 53 member associations that together govern well over 80 schools of approximately 23,000 students and 2,000 teaching staff. These are schools where parents and teachers work in collaboration to prepare their children to serve God and their neighbours in the world according to the gifts God has given them.

Devonport Christian School is a school where the values taught at home are reinforced by Christian staff, working within a Christian Curriculum. Our Vision A leading, truly Christ-centred school community, where students learn to love God, pursue excellence and flourish to reach their full potential. Our Mission Devonport Christian School develops students through high quality, holistic primary education in a Christ-centred school community.

The Curriculum is a realistic, broad, balanced programme focusing on the development of the whole child academically, emotionally, socially, physically and spiritually.The programme is engaging, developing life-long learning skills for students both in and out of the classroom. Our Parent Information Booklet contains a wide variety of general information for parents and students, including details of our curriculum.

The vision of a Christian School in Devonport began with the establishment of the Devonport Christian Parent-Controlled School Association in 1987. A number of years of hard work ensued as the Board and Association members worked together to realise this vision.

The school started out in a two room terrapin building in the grounds of the Devonport Reformed Church in Nicholls Street. The school opened its doors in February 1992 with an enrolment of 27 students in two classrooms - Prep/1/2, and Grade 3/4/5/6. Mr Kees van Niekerk was the first Principal, and along with teacher Miss Michelle Pinxt, worked hard to ensure that these first students received a full and enriching educational programme.

Steady growth soon resulted in this location being too small. Land was purchased in Jiloa Way, Don and 1994 saw building works commence for an administration building. During the Christmas holiday break the terrapin classroom at the Nicholls Street site was disassembled and moved to the new location where it was used as two classrooms. Building works at Jiloa Way were completed in time for students to commence in February 1995.

The past twenty years have seen continual growth and development for Devonport Christian School. F block was constructed In 1999, and the decision was made to add a Kinder class. Steady growth in student numbers meant that new classrooms were needed and a two classroom terrapin building was purchased and erected to help accommodate these additional students. This building was used as classrooms, IT lab and library before being dismantled in 2011 to make room for permanent classrooms.

Whether it's learning how to run a 400m race, learning how to spell '"rendezvous", or learning to factorise a polynomial, all knowing has its ultimate meaning and purpose when framed by God's big picture story anchored in Jesus.

All forms of education will have a particular perspective on life. It may not always be obvious or overtly stated, but it will shape how things are understood and spoken about, how things are done, and what is chosen to be taught. This might be in the form of assumptions about the nature and origins of the world, or it might be evident through suggestions about the purpose of life and indeed what it means to be fulfilled as a human. No form of education is neutral as it will always be providing a particular lens through which students see the world and their place in it.