Introduction
Schools which receive ongoing recurrent funding from the Australian and Victorian Governments are required to publish annual data, in a number of areas, to comply with relevant legislation. We have presented this data in a form which we trust will be easily read and understood by the College community, and which will provide the information required under law.
Ballarat Christian College is a nondenominational, co-educational College catering for approximately 404 students in 2025 in Years Prep to 12. The College is registered as an education provider by the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA). A broad, inclusive and comprehensive program is offered from Years Prep to 10, with VCE, VET and VCE-VM offered to (some) Year 10, and to all Year 11 and 12 students.
Students are encouraged and guided to reach their God-given potential by striving for excellence in all endeavours. The College seeks to help students grow in the wisdom of God and to walk in His ways after initially having a saving faith in Christ. We foster the development of positive and harmonious relationships with other people, the environment and with God.
The College offers programs in many areas including pastoral care, student leadership and co-curricular, as well as a balanced curriculum based on the Australian Curriculum. Additionally, a Christian education program called Christian Living is taught, whereby the knowledge and heart of the Christian faith is transmitted through structured lessons delivered by Christian teachers.
OUR VISION Every learner reaching their God-given potential
To provide each student Christian education that gives opportunities to develop gifts and talents to fulfil the will of God in his or her life.
Board Chair's Report
Randall Dreger
Board Chair
2025 has been a year of thanksgiving as we celebrated 40 years of God’s faithfulness to Ballarat Christian College. Throughout the year we have again seen the Lord’s provision and guidance as the College community reflected on its history while continuing to grow in both numbers and impact. Our anniversary celebrations, including whole-College gatherings and community events, were a powerful reminder of the lives that have been shaped through Christ-centred education over four decades. The Board remains deeply committed to ensuring the College continues to fulfil its higher purpose of nurturing students to know Christ and live lives of service. We give thanks and praise to God for His continued blessing.
Board Changes
During 2025 the Board has continued its focus on strengthening governance and ensuring we have the right mix of skills to support the ongoing growth of the College. We continue to prayerfully seek additional directors who share a passion for Christian education and who are willing to contribute their gifts to the stewardship of the College. We thank each Board member for their faithful service, wisdom, and commitment throughout the year.
Enrolments
Following the strong growth experienced in 2024, student numbers again increased during 2025, reflecting the strong demand for Christ-centred education within the Ballarat region. This growth brings both encouragement and responsibility as the College seeks to maintain its strong sense of community while expanding opportunities for students and families. The Board and Executive have continued to work strategically to ensure that staffing, facilities, and resources keep pace with enrolment demand.
Capital Improvements
The additional land secured in the previous year, together with the expansion of classroom capacity with the completion of two new buildings, has allowed the College to better accommodate student growth in 2025. Planning has continued toward the long-term development of the site through the College Master Plan, which will guide future facilities and ensure that growth is both sustainable and aligned with the College’s mission. We are thankful for God’s provision as these preparations position the College well for the coming years.
Bus Service
The expanded bus service introduced to support enrolment growth has continued to prove valuable throughout 2025. Increased capacity has improved accessibility for families across the region and remains an important part of the College’s ability to serve a wider community. The Board will continue to consider transport needs as part of its overall strategic planning.
Financial
The financial position of the College should see a return to profitability following the significant investment made in preparation for growth in the last few years. While careful stewardship remains essential, the College has benefited from increased enrolments and prudent management, enabling continued investment into staffing, facilities, and student opportunities. We remain mindful that growth must be managed wisely and prayerfully as we seek to honour God with the resources entrusted to us.
Summary
2025 has been both a celebratory and forward-looking year. Marking forty years of Christian education has reminded us of God’s faithfulness in the past and strengthened our confidence in His provision for the future. I would like to again thank the Principal, leadership team, teachers, and support staff for their dedication and service to our students and families. Together, we continue to see the College make a lasting impact for Christ within our community. We look forward with anticipation to what the Lord has planned for Ballarat Christian College in the years ahead. Praise the Lord.
Executive Leadership
Ken Nuridin Principal/CEO
Simon Edwards
Business Manager
Bianca Francica
Head of Primary
Scott McKenzie
Head of Secondary
Julie Gall
Head of Teaching and Learning
Principal/CEO’s Report
Ken Nuridin Principal/CEO
It is my pleasure to present the 2025 Principal’s Report for Ballarat Christian College.
The College celebrated its 40th anniversary, marking its beginnings as the Carmel Christian Community School, commencing in February 1985 with 22 students. Major events were held during each term marking the anniversary, commencing with a service of thanksgiving to our Lord for His blessing upon the College over the years, combined with a fun day with activities provided by the Word of Life team from NSW. Befitting our 40th anniversary, the College marked another milestone in its development as we surpassed the 400-student enrolment mark for the first time.
Staffing
For many years the College enjoyed very low staff turnover, but the end of 2025 saw a larger than normal departure of staff for a myriad of reasons, including moving interstate or elsewhere in Victoria, and retirement or semiretirement. Finding replacement staff was challenging given the general shortage of teachers in Victoria, but we managed to cover all vacancies after much prayer and searching! Consequently, we will be welcoming a considerable number of new staff in 2026 and look forward to their fresh input and energy into the life of the College.
The Executive Leadership team remained unchanged in 2025 and comprised:
• Mr Ken Nuridin – Principal/CEO
• Mr Simon Edwards – Business Manager & Company Secretary
• Mrs Bianca Francica – Head of Primary
• Mr Scott McKenzie – Head of Secondary
• Mrs Julie Gall – Head of Teaching and Learning
Mrs Francica announced that she would step down as Head of Primary at the end of the year. I thank Mrs Francica for her service to the College over many years, and in particular for her service over the last seven years as Head of Primary. I take this opportunity to also thank the other members of the Executive for their ongoing work and support during the year.
Other staff who concluded their service with the College at the end of the year included Mrs Georgie Stevens (17 years teaching in Primary); Mr Mark Preston (10 years teaching Secondary Mathematics, retiring); Mr Jonathan Brown (Secondary Mathematics, relocating to Tasmania); Mr Dennis Rodwell (Secondary Science/Mathematics, relocating to Queensland); Mrs Sarah Rodwell, (Primary and Secondary Music, relocating to Queensland); Mrs Clare Wilksch (Primary and Secondary Food Technology, relocating to Western Australia); Mrs Nicki Laursen (Secondary English/History, relocating to the Geelong area); Ms Jo Hall (Visual Arts and VET Fashion, relocating to northern NSW); Mrs Robyn Halliday (Education Support Staff, retiring); Miss Rachel Fuentes (Administration); and Mrs Emma Maskell (Student Wellbeing, relocating to Gippsland).
Earlier in the year our College Pastor and member of the Student Wellbeing Team since 2008, Ps Steve Shaw, stepped down from his role due to ongoing health concerns. Mrs Susan Corden also concluded her long service as a member of the Education Support Staff earlier in the year.
On behalf of the College community, I thank each of the above-named staff members for their service to the College and pray our Lord’s blessing upon them as they pursue employment in new locations or enjoy their retirement.
Every learner reaching their God-given
The annual Staff Retreat was again held at RACV Goldfields Resort as a one-day event, followed by a dinner with invited guests, local MPs, past board members and staff to celebrate the College’s 40th anniversary. The guest presenter for the retreat day sessions was Dr Rowan Lewis, Head of Pastoral Theology at ACOM and lead researcher on the Your Story project, a national project listening to the voices of young Australians about their spiritual lives. Dr Maria Varlet from CSA was the guest speaker at the formal dinner.
Board
The Board Chair, Mr Randall Dreger, concluded his term as a Director and as the Board Chair at the end of the year. On behalf of the College community, I thank Mr Dreger for his many years of service as a Director and in his final two years as Board Chair. In November a new Director, Mrs Sharon Cuff, joined the Board. All other Directors remained unchanged from the previous year, namely Pastor Tim Clark, Mrs Amy Lewis, Rev Chris Duke, Mrs Jodie Rickard, Mr Richard Gent and Mrs Lorraine Firth. I take this opportunity to thank all Directors for their service to the College.
Infrastructure and Resources
In 2025 the College added two new modular buildings, providing an additional two classrooms each. The first modular arrived on schedule for the commencement of the 2025 school year and was mainly utilised by one Year 7 homegroup and Vocational Major (VM) classes.
The second modular building was scheduled to arrive in time for the commencement of the 2025 school year, but subsequent issues with a sewerage easement caused delays, which was then compounded by further delays as the applicable building permits needed to be reissued due to new compliance requirements. The compounding delays meant that the building was not finally delivered until Term 3 and handed over in the third week of Term 4, just in time for the Year 12 examinations.
Students
At the August Census date, the College reported an enrolment of 404.2 students (including one part-time Yr 12 student calculated at 0.2). There were 180 students in Primary and 225 (including the one part-time student) in Secondary. The ratio of primary to secondary students was approximately 45% and 55% respectively, which was little changed from the previous year.
The dedicated bus service, introduced in 2022, saw increased patronage during the year, with one of the two 24-passenger buses being replaced by a full-sized bus. The two buses continued to service the western side of Ballarat in an arc from Miners Rest, through Alfredton, Lucas, Winter Valley, Bonshaw and Sebastopol.
The 2025 College Captains were Freya Manton and Gibson Paxman. The Captains met regularly with the College Principal to exchange information and feedback and spend time in prayer. I thank the College Captains for their leadership within the College and as they proudly represented the College at various community events.
Conclusion
The growth trajectory of Ballarat Christian College continued in 2025 and is expected to continue into the foreseeable future. Whilst our grounds are large enough to comfortably accommodate increased enrolments for some years to come, our current buildings and facilities will require further expansion and upgrading. Major capital works are challenging for low fee schools, and careful planning and strategising will be required to facilitate further substantive growth. Nevertheless, whatever challenges we face, I am reminded that the College is the Lord’s school, and He knows our needs before we even ask. God has faithfully built His school over the past 40 years and can be depended upon for the future needs of the College.
If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing Himself to the worst by sending His own Son, is there anything else He wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? – Romans 8:32 (MSG)
Principal/CEO
Compliance Data
Senior Secondary Outcomes
Our class of 29 Year 12 students finished their studies with 100% of the VCE students achieving their Victorian Certificate of Education. The Median study score was 26.0.
Post-School Destinations
The following data supplied through the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) indicates Year 12 students’ post-school destinations:
Tertiary Offers: - 5 students
University Offers:- 5 students
TAFE/VET Offers:- 0 student
Internship:- 1 student
In Education and Training
Bachelor degree enrolled:- 4 students
Deferred:- 1 students
TAFE/VET (Cert + Diploma):- 1 student (Diploma level)
Internship:- 1 student
Not in Education and Training
Employed:- 15 students
Looking for work:- 1 students
Other data from Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) is outlined below:
School Programs
Number of VCE Units 3 & 4 with enrolments – 12 (and 7 via Virtual Schools Victoria)
Number of VCE VET Certificates with enrolments – 2 internal: Certificate II in Building & Construction and Certificate II Applied Fashion Design.
Student Achievement
Percentage of satisfactory VCE completions
Staff Standards and Qualifications
All teachers are registered by the Victorian Institute of Teaching as either fully registered; provisionally registered, as in the case of ex-graduates; or as having Permission to Teach (PTT), in the case of teachers in the process of finalising teaching qualifications.
Staff at the College possess the following qualifications:
The workforce of Ballarat Christian College consists of the following. Student Attendance
The College’s Student Attendance Policy and Procedures are to facilitate follow up of student issues relating to excessive lateness and absenteeism, through close monitoring of attendance data, direct contact with students, follow up letters to parents and interviews with students and parents. This role has been assumed by the Heads of School, along with homeroom teachers.
Administration staff follow up absentees daily where unexplained, and at least twice per week regarding written confirmation or medical certificates.
Parent, Student & Teacher Satisfaction with the School
The College uses the ACARA School Satisfaction Survey material for ascertaining feedback. This was conducted in the last term of 2025 to reflect student, staff and parent satisfaction with the College during that year. This survey was widely distributed to College parents, staff, and secondary students. The results have been analysed by the College’s Executive Leadership Team and Board; they will continue to be discussed with staff as an aid to implementing further improvements.
Parent Satisfaction Survey Results
Student Satisfaction Survey Results
Staff Satisfaction Survey Results
Every learner reaching their God-given potential
Student Outcomes from NAPLAN 2025
NAPLAN 2025 Outcomes – BALLARAT CHRISTIAN COLLEGE
NAPLAN 2025 Outcomes – AUSTRALIA
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These results, along with other qualitative and quantitative data, will be used to inform improvement in teaching and learning, as outlined below.
A consistent, established testing regime, triangulation of data, detailed analysis of the data at a management level, quality feedback to staff and ongoing professional development regarding data analysis and strategies for change, have been the key features of the College focus on maintaining, supporting and tracking student gain.
Ongoing detailed records of student academic ability, wellbeing and demographics have supported and assisted to track student progress based on individual need.
In 2025 the College continued to experience increased enrolments (approximately 12% up on 2024). This growth in students & staff presented challenges to the College’s budget. In additional to this, two new buildings were finalised during the school year - extending our Capital expenditure further than previous years.
The key outcomes of the year from a financial viewpoint were: (i) a 12% increase in enrolments, (ii) increased staffing expenses, (iii) a sustained focus on resourcing of staff and student programs, and (iv) developments for growth & improvement across the College.
The College's operating deficit was $253,140 [2024 – deficit $83,163]. The consolidated deficit for the year ending 31 December 2025, including capital donations, was $241,540 [2024 – deficit $81,564].
The Board acknowledges the funding grants received from both Commonwealth & State governments, and recognises its responsibility to act as a steward of the resources which God provides to the College.
Total Income -2025
Total Expenditure -2025
TOTAL EXPENDITURE 2025
$7,694,812
Please Note: There is a complete set of audited financial statements available to members on request from the Business Manager.
