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Australia, Gold Coast
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Somerset College came from humble beginnings in 1983, opening on 27 January 1983 with 158 students across Years 1–8. It grew to 248 students by the end of its first year, and the first Year 12 cohort graduated in 1987. The land on which Somerset stands was rolling dairy farmland before development, and leadership shaped the College's identity with Dr Barry Arnison OAM serving as Deputy Headmaster before being appointed Headmaster in 1986, a 26-year tenure ending in 2008; he was succeeded by Craig Bassingthwaighte in 2009, and Rev. Chris Ivey is the current Headmaster. Today the College enrolls more than 1,700 students and Founders' Day remains a core tradition with events such as the Steeplechase, Inter-House Tug of War finals, and the Courtyard Dash.
Somerset College maintains an active community through events such as Storyfest and the Festival for Young Performers. The Our Community section also includes a Parents' and Friends' Association, the Somerset Alumni, and a Reconciliation Action Plan, along with the Sports Precinct and The Somerset Foundation that engage families and supporters.
The Parents' and Friends' Association is a vibrant and welcoming community of parents who play an active role in shaping the Somerset Experience. All Somerset College parents are automatically part of the P&F Association and are encouraged to get involved through committee meetings, volunteering at events, or joining in opportunities to connect with fellow parents.
Somerset College on the Gold Coast is an independent day school offering the International Baccalaureate across the full range of grades, from Pre-Prep to Year 12. It delivers the Primary Years Programme (PYP) for Pre-Prep to Year 5 and the Middle Years Programme (MYP) for Years 6 to 10. In Senior School, students can follow the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) pathway, with 30 General Subjects and potential ATAR outcomes, alongside IB assessment. The school's campus combines specialised facilities for learning, science and design, a 300-seat Suzanne Roberts Performing Arts Centre, a Knowledge and Information Precinct library, a Design Centre for Digital Technologies, and extensive sports venues including an Olympic-sized heated pool and a high-performance fitness centre. Co-curricular activities span robotics, debating, theatre, music and community service. The college emphasises inquiry-based learning, intercultural understanding and leadership through meaningful service, with a strong focus on digital literacy and university preparation globally.
