Kurri Kurri High School and St Philip's Christian College Cessnock were named on the 2020 Innovative Schools list, which is compiled by leading education magazine and website The Educator.

Fifty schools feature on this year's list, from more than 300 entries received.

Now in its sixth year, the Innovative Schools list recognises the schools making the most profound and exciting impact in K-12 education in Australia.

Kurri Kurri High School principal Tracey Breese said the staff were thrilled to be recognised for their hard work.

"We work each day to make learning matter through new and exciting ways of teaching," she said.

The school has transformed the delivery of its curriculum through its student-centric Staged Learning program.

"This has been a four-year journey, creating a new blueprint for learners and utilising the skills of the learner as the central piece of teaching," Ms Breese said.

"The COVID challenge was a 'call to arms' for staff to recalibrate the way we worked.

"We are in a new era, a new architecture of learning must be at the centre of our work - our studio school and village concept is central to our innovation as educators to create the future."

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St Philip's Christian College Cessnock's outgoing principal Darren Cox said it was exciting for the school to be named on the list.

"We pride ourselves on being contemporary and progressive, and challenging how education look and be done," he said.

Both schools were also recently honoured at this year's Australian Education Awards.

Kurri High was a finalist in the Secondary School of the Year (government) and Best School Strategic Plan categories, receiving a certificate of excellence in the latter.

St Philip's staff Naomi Doherty and Ben Peacock were finalists in the primary and secondary teacher of the year categories, with Mr Peacock receiving a certificate of excellence.

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