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Somerset College is a coeducational, independent, inter-denominational Christian school serving a community of families. Somerset’s mission is to develop engaged global citizens, aspiring to excellence, demonstrating integrity and valuing difference. The College has a commitment to being a pioneer and leader in educational innovation, in accessing recognised national and international curricula, and in fostering and building links with local, national and international tertiary institutions and within the broader international community. The International Baccalaureate Diploma is an option for students in Years 11 and 12 and the Middle Years Programme and the Primary Years Programme are an integral part of our curriculum.
Somerset College caters for children from Prep to Year 12. It is located at Mudgeeraba on Queensland’s Gold Coast, and is situated on approximately 22 hectares of land. The site upon which Somerset College is built was originally used for dairy farming, was uniquely rural and owned by the original pioneering families to the area. Since 1983 the surrounding countryside has undergone considerable urban development. Massive building developments have taken place almost continually as the College increased in size to its present maximum enrolment of approximately 1,120. The first Year 12 students graduated in 1987.
Major contributing factors to the success of the College have been a very well-qualified, talented and deeply committed staff, and the presence of very strong support from parents and the community. The most up-to-date equipment and the fine facilities enhance an educational environment in which academic, cultural and sporting opportunities are maximised.
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Our aim at Somerset College is to create an atmosphere where happiness, trust and understanding are just as much a way of life as are endeavour, competition and achievement. We believe that such an environment produces a stable academic climate which allows each student to develop his or her special talents by learning to respect excellence and striving to achieve it.
This philosophy has also attracted excellent staff who share this view of education. Under their guidance all students are provided with the necessary encouragement to fully develop academic skills, strength of character and a wide range of interests in areas such as sport, music and drama. A high level of individual commitment and participation is expected of all students.
The College also places particular emphasis on appropriate standards of discipline, especially in relation to manners, speech and dress. The philosophy of Somerset ensures that these standards of behaviour come about as a result of high levels of self-esteem and self-discipline. The measure of any school lies in its readiness to help young people to grow, to develop their talents and to liberate their imagination. Somerset happily accepts this challenge and seeks to create vital and resourceful young men and women.
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The College is situated on approximately 22 hectares of land in the Gold Coast Hinterland. The buildings comprise an Early Learning Precinct, a four classroom double storey Junior Primary block, three Junior School blocks of four classrooms and one extra room, a four room Computer Centre, a Junior School Engineering Technology Centre, Junior School Music Centre and Art Centre, five Science and one Engineering Technology laboratories, an Art/Graphics block of three classrooms, two double storey blocks of eight classrooms each in the Senior School, an Administration block, a well equipped Library, a Great Hall/Chapel and a Performing Arts complex comprising a theatre, four classrooms and facilities for the teaching of Music and Drama. In addition there is a Music Centre for private and classroom lessons, a Senior Common Room and a Senior Locker Building.
The Ray Building, opened in January 2007 provides teaching areas, a gymnasium, climbing wall, dining room, alfresco eating areas, cafeteria, café and retail facilities.
The extensive grounds include eight sporting ovals and an athletics track, a large asphalt area providing courts for Volleyball, Basketball and Netball, a covered sports pavilion, an Olympic size swimming pool and a covered Learn to Swim Pool, a Tennis complex comprising five courts including one grass court, a fully equipped Gymnasium and an Equestrian area.
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Somerset College has always produced and continues to produce exceptionally high academic results when compared with the rest of Queensland, Australia and even with comparable schools internationally.
The College offers both the Queensland Senior Certificate (OP) and the prestigious, internationally recognised International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme. This programme caters to senior students in Years 11 and 12 and in recognised by ALL Australian universities and by universities across the globe. The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme and Primary Years Programme are also integral parts of our curriculum.
Somerset is dedicated to promoting excellence in all aspects of education embracing Academic, Cultural, Social, Spiritual, and Sporting Endeavour.
The College believes that learning is more meaningful when students are active participants in the learning process. To facilitate this, it seeks to enable students to live in a world where there are various worldviews and to know how to create meaning through the tensions and positive aspects of difference. The College recognises the importance of developing students’ social skills and modes of human interaction (the journey outward) and learning situations that extend the physical, mental and spiritual abilities (the journey inward).
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The College accepts students with a wide range of academic, sporting and co-curricular abilities. All students are of equal worth in the eyes of the College and the notion of excellence in education relates fundamentally to the desire to meet the needs of individual students. Students are encouraged to aspire to personal levels of excellence and to understand that they are all skilled in their own way. To enable this, the qualities of self-confidence, self-esteem, optimism and personal excellence are nurtured.
The cultural programme covers a diversity of activities from the creative to the visual arts and from the verbal to written expression. Cultural awareness and participation plays an integral role in a student's education.
The Co-curricular Programme at Somerset College covers most aspects of tuition that are considered complementary to the curriculum. This covers such areas as music, dance, ESL (English as a Second Language), speech and drama and chess. These offerings allow for the broadening of the students' experiences in the arts. The Arts is an important area of development for children.
Sporting activities play an important role in a student's life at Somerset College. The scope of these activities has broadened considerably over the years and includes Physical Education, team sports, individual sports, House sport and representative sports. All students at Somerset College from Years 4 to 12 are expected to participate in Interschool sport.
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Somerset College is a community of families where care for one another is fostered. The College encourages individuals to achieve their personal best and to understand the importance of perseverance, discipline and the pursuit of excellence. The focus of Somerset College is to empower young people through idealism and hope and to aid them in their quest for self-identity, self-knowledge, self-discipline and self-fulfilment.
At the centre of life in the College is a system of student support and welfare. It is at most times unobtrusive and executed by caring teachers coaching sport or giving guidance during camps and expeditions. Teachers provide assistance and directions in and out of the classroom.
We endeavour to help our students recognise that the world extends beyond the confines of our suburbs, state and country. We encourage this from the Junior School Global Awareness Day, right through to overseas travel. Language programmes and the teaching of the International Baccalaureate programmes also give our students a global perspective.
At Somerset, we believe it is important to give something back to the community. We achieve this through many avenues such as The Somerset Celebration of Literature, The Somerset Festival for Young Performers, community service, fundraising for charities and House sponsorship of children in other countries.
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The Somerset Celebration of Literature
In March each year, Somerset College hosts its annual Literature Festival, known as The Somerset Celebration of Literature. Over the years, the Festival has grown significantly, gaining recognition as a major festival on Australia’s literary calendar and featuring author sessions, workshops and functions, including a highlight Literary Dinner with a notable guest speaker. Each year, the Festival attracts over 12,000 students from 50 schools from across southern Queensland and northern NSW.
The Somerset Festival for Young Performers
Somerset College also holds an annual Somerset Festival for Young Performers. This Festival is open to students from Australia and overseas. Students are encouraged to perform in a variety of areas – vocal, instrumental, and speech and drama – and are encouraged for their efforts. The achievement is in the effort, not the placing. The aim is to foster a sense of encouragement and enthusiasm in both performers and audience.
Somerset Open Days
Open Days are held in April and August each year. If you would like more information on these events, or if you would like to see the College at another time, please contact the Dean of Admissions and Community Relations on 07 5559 7100. |
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