Maitland Christian School's mission is 'to work in partnership with families and churches by offering a sound Christ-centred education which encourages the fullest possible development of the spiritual, academic, physical and social characteristics of each child'. The school achieves its mission by offering a comprehensive academic program delivered in a climate of strong Christian values supported by effective behaviour management and pastoral care programs. Extra-curricular programs in areas such as music, sport and mission-based activities are also available. The school was commenced in 1983 by Metford Community Baptist Church as a K-6 school. Years 7-10 were added in the late 1990s and the first Year 11 class was formed in 2006. There are now two classes per grade from Kindergarten to Year 10 as well as moderate cohorts of Years 11 and 12 students. The school continues to be a ministry of the church but has expanded to include families from all Christian denominations. The school is autonomously governed by a board of directors and is affiliated with Christian Schools Australia. The school has been located in the East Maitland suburb of Metford since January 1991. The school's facilities are of a high standard - all classrooms are air-conditioned, the school is well-appointed with computer technology and the school's grounds are attractively presented. In addition, the school has daily access to the adjacent council oval as well as daily access to Metford Community Baptist Church's auditorium and indoor basketball hall. The school follows the NSW Board of Studies syllabuses from K-12 and only employs Christian teachers who meet NSW Institute of Teachers standards. In the primary department there is a strong emphasis on literacy and numeracy. The school's literacy approach incorporates the phonics-based DIPL program. A feature of the primary school is that there is a balance between female and male classroom teachers. The secondary department has all the benefits of being small in size but maintains a wide..