
For the Whole of Their Life.
DALE
St Philip's Christian College DALE is a Dynamic Alternative Learning Environment for students in Years 5 – 10 who have an Autism Spectrum Disorder, social and emotional difficulties or a mild intellectual disability.
St Philip’s Christian College DALE is recognised by NESA as a Special School with campuses at Waratah, Gosford and Cessnock. It was established in 1997 to meet the needs of Year 7 to 10 students with emotional/behavioural problems and also catered for students with a mild intellectual disability.
St Philip’s Christian College DALE extended its curriculum to years 5-6 in 2012 and by 2018 grew to offer a unique educational option for students in years 3 -12, diagnosed with Anxiety, Depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and/or Autism. SPCC DALE fills the gap for students who want a mainstream education but are unable to access this in its entirety due to their mental health needs.
What makes SPCC DALE different?
- Smaller Class Sizes maximum 16 with 1 Teacher and 1 Wellbeing Assistant
- DALE Day Structure to maximize engagement
- Individual Planning focusing on student learning goals, and social and emotional skill development
- Zones of Regulations to foster self-regulation and emotional control to empower social success
- Brain Breaks and relaxation embedded to increase student engagement
- Alternative Seating to encourage a flexible learning environment within the classroom
- Playground areas which include a mix of structured and unstructured activities to assist social skill development
- Collaborative & Proactive Solutions a model fostering a collaborative partnership between adults and students which supports them in the problems that affect their lives.
Meet the Principal


All students deserve the opportunity to learn in a safe environment and so having the opportunity to lead a school to create a place that kids love coming to school, where they feel valued and where they experience success.