ANNUAL REPORT 2019
ANNUAL REPORT 2019 This is the forty-seventh Annual Report of the School and the fourth report of Mr Adam Heath as Headmaster. The School is a company limited by guarantee, with the Bishop of Ballarat, The Right Reverend Garry Weatherill, as President, and twenty other Members drawn from different constituencies within the Grammar community.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS The governing body of the School is a board of nine Directors. The Board meets eight times per year, as does the Finance Committee. Each of the other ongoing Committees meets at least once per term – Planning, Nominations and Audit and Governance. We have much cause to be grateful for Directors’ generous commitment of time, and for the expertise which they bring. The School expresses particular gratitude to Chair, Dr Shantini Deutscher and Deputy Chair, Mr Tim Hovey, for their enormous commitment to the School as well as their interest in and commitment to so many of the School’s activities. We have a full complement on the Board of Directors over 2019 and membership of the Board is as follows: Chairman of the Board Dr Shantini Deutscher
Ex officio The Very Reverend Chris Chataway (Archdeacon of Ballarat) The Headmaster and the Business Manager, Mr Peter O’Dwyer, attend meetings of the Board and each of the following committees: Finance Committee Mr Tim Hovey (Chairman) Dr Shantini Deutscher (Deputy Chair) Mr Ewen Nevett Assoc Prof Robyn Pierce
Co-opted Members Mr Lindsay Evans Mr Colin McIntosh Mr Cameron Moore Mr Alan Swanson
Ex officio Finance Manager, Head of Senior School Audit & Governance Committee The Very Reverend Chris Chataway (Chair) Mr Geoff Ryan (Deputy Chair) Dr David Mackay Mrs Georgia Yanner
Ex officio
Finance Manager
Planning Committee Assoc Prof Robyn Pierce (Chair) Mr Ewen Nevett (Deputy Chair) Dr Maryann Brown Dr Shantini Deutscher Dr David Mackay Mr Geoff Ryan
Ex officio
Director of Admissions, Head of Senior School Responsibilities of the Board Now operating a learning enterprise for seventeen hundred students and over four hundred staff and managing a business with an annual turnover exceeding $40 million, the Board has significant responsibility. It has been fortunate to have specialist expertise from different corporate and professional sectors and experience of governance in a range of entities. Major Capital Projects • Completion of the northern Junior School playground and surrounding landscaping. • Renovation of the Beckworth Design and Technology facilities. • Renovation of Larritt Junior Girls’ Boarding House (4 bedrooms and a common area); • The mezzanine in the John Ross-Perrier Water Sports Centre (Rowing Shed) providing facilities for land-training, as well as a committee room for meetings. • Works on Junior School Reception commenced in July 2019 with possible completion by mid-2020. • The Canteen was refurbished in two stages, with all internal areas renewed over the summer break. • Two four-bed rooms in Dart Boarding House were refurbished along with a large section of the entry corridor. • A new Year 8 classroom in the downstairs area of the Queen’s wing was completed. • The student bathrooms adjoining Queen’s, along with two staff bathrooms have been refurbished. • A new staff office and Year 12 study area has been added to the library. We acknowledge the invaluable contribution made to the development of Grammar and the provision of scholarships and bursaries by the Ballarat Grammar Foundation. We express particular gratitude to incoming Chair of the Ballarat Grammar Foundation, Mr Phillip Mann.
SIGNIFICANT FEATURES OF THE YEAR The year started with great positivity and tremendous heart was drawn from the strong VCE results from the 2019 cohort and the overall positive wellbeing indicators of the student cohort. There were some very high achievers in our VCE 2019 cohort: • • • • • •
Two students with an ATAR of 99.75. Five students with an ATAR of 99 or above. 11% of the student cohort with an ATAR of 95 or above 23.3% of the student cohort with an ATAR of 90 or above There were three perfect study scores. 46% of the student cohort with an ATAR of 80 or above.
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ANNUAL REPORT 2019
•
University destination data for Victoria is interesting with a big increase in Year 12’s selecting Monash: Monash 16% University of Melbourne 17% La Trobe 8% RMIT 10% Deakin 22% Federation 5% Swinburne 7% ACU 9% Victoria University 3% Course destination data reflects another increase in interest in health-related studies: Science 12% Arts, Psychology, Social Sciences 17% Health 27% Commerce, Economics, Business 9% Creative & Visual Arts 6% Education 5% Engineering 7% Agriculture & Environment 4% IT 1% Law and Criminology 5% Architecture and Building 2% •
A new online reporting system for Middle and Senior School students has been implemented. This new system provides online comments and next steps for students following each assessment.
•
A range of overseas and local trips with a service focus have been made available for our students in the Middle and Senior Schools. These include trips to Thailand, Timor, Timber Creek and the Goldfields Rail Trail. These trips are becoming a cornerstone of the School’s service program and are helping change the lives of people in many parts of the world and showing our students that they can have a meaningful impact on the world.
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•
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online management program of continuous online reporting in NEXUS. Students self-report on diet, sleep, emotions and relationships and this allows them to set wellbeing goals and academic goals throughout the year. The Flourishing Index houses NAPLAN, PAT and school assessment data along with a summary of school involvements for each child. Through the relationship with the Homeroom teacher or Mentor, this information provides an overall picture of the child’s engagement in school life.
Eight students successfully entered trade-based apprenticeships.
The School’s Professional Growth Program has seen staff immersed in collaborative learning projects focusing on providing more diverse pedagogy, enhancing questioning techniques, using data to inform practice and improving the effectiveness of the feedback provided to our students. Staff have selected professional learning projects, working individually or in collaboration with others to research and implement new and innovative practice. Ballarat Grammar’s wellbeing program continues to make use of data gathered throughout the year on the self-reporting of student wellbeing and through the Pastoral Care program where the Classroom teacher, Homeroom teacher or Mentor monitor quantitative data throughout the year. Pastoral Care reporting also provides provision to track student engagement through involvements across numerous domains in co-curricular areas. The School developed and adopted its own Flourishing Index to gather data on student wellbeing and academic progress for students in Years 7-12. This is used in line with the School’s
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The School’s ongoing journey of compliance with the Child Safe Standards continued unabated in 2019. This now serves as a standing item on the agendas of all Leadership and Board Committee meetings, ensuring regular updates on progress. A disabled toilet and staff change rooms were constructed adjoining the swimming pool as a requirement of Child Safe Standards.
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Total School enrolment stands at 1,700 with approximately one third of these students receiving some form of scholarship, bursary or rebate.
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A scholarship fund for Indigenous students from Timber Creek has been created by the Australian Government as part of the agreement with the Traditional Owners of the Land on which the Bradshaw Airforce Base is located. This scholarship will allow two students per year, for five years (10 students in total), to attend Ballarat Grammar for their secondary education.
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We continue to have a strong partnership with the communities of Kalumburu (WA) and Timber Creek (NT). Four students from these areas attended the School in 2019 on scholarship, as well as seven students from the local community and a small number of students from refugee communities. All our indigenous and multi-cultural students are contributing to the life of Grammar in different and valuable ways.
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With boarding enrolments of 226 students from across Australia and a small number of international students, we are the second largest boarding community in Victoria. Our boarding community and its wholesome country values continues to be at the heart of the positive culture of our school.
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With approximately 250 students sitting scholarship testing, it has again proved popular and an indicator of strong enrolment trends. Scholarships continue to be a significant contributor to maintaining the diversity of our community.
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City Cite continues to provide outstanding experiential learning opportunities for our Year 9 students for three weeks in Term 4. Our students return from this experience with far greater confidence in managing themselves in Melbourne and a great appreciation of the culture and diversity of this city.
•
Under the guidance of Whole School Literacy Coordinator, John Lee, the focus for the literacy program has moved to humanities in the Middle School and Year 2 in the Junior School. Independently validated assessments, such as NAPLAN, indicate a positive impact from these programs.
•
Thirteen students went on exchange to 6 different countries with 9 Round Square and partner international schools. A delegation of 10 students and four staff participated in the
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ANNUAL REPORT 2019
Round Square International Conference in Indore, India, after being hosted by The Doon School for a week-long cultural and service program. •
Our culture of promoting kindness, empathy and trust through supporting disadvantaged members of our community is evident in the activities of students from the CEEd through to Year 12. We have established relationships with organisations in the wider Ballarat community and our students work hard for these community organisations, as well as collecting donations for those less fortunate in our local community. The Soup bus visited Grammar, on loan to the Wigan House boys who sold soup to raise money to fit out a second soup bus for Ballarat. A team of approximately 30 students and parents put together 150 sanitary kits for girls in East Timor.
•
In 2019 the School once again sent two delegations of students, one from the Middle School and one from the Senior School, to Timor Leste which served as a very positive service opportunity for our students.
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Our Guardians supported several charities in 2019, including Anglicare and the Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal. Funds raised at the Spirit Week Guardian Auction were split between the charities: Bicycles for Humanity (a charity that focusses on bicycles as a sustainable form of transport in the developing world); and the Barbara May Foundation (a charity supporting maternal health in sub-Saharan Africa). Money raised at the Kurt Hahn Sleepout was used to purchase items for those sleeping rough in Ballarat and donated to UnitingCare Ballarat.
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Approximately 200 students participated in the Red Shield Door Knock Appeal to support the incredible work of the Salvation Army.
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Service involvement continues to be not only a requirement for all students but at the heart of the ethos of the School. Our students understand and value their involvement in the more than 180 community partnerships locally, nationally and internationally.
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Our production of Once Upon a Mattress was a great success and the highlight of a very busy performing arts program in 2019. Grammar in Concert showcased the significant talents of our musicians in a very impressive performance.
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The Careers Expo provides significant opportunities for students in the region to speak to industry representatives, as well as university representatives, for a hugely diverse range of vocations and courses. Our partnership with the Wendouree Rotary Club has been at the heart of the success of this expo.
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VCE Premier’s Awards were awarded to 2018 School Captain, Kimia Mohammadsaeedi for Top All round VCE High Achiever. Kimia also received a VCE Top Achievers award for English, as did current Year 12 student Sophie John, who completed Unit 3 and 4 English as a Year 11 student in 2018. Lucy Ford received a VCE Top Achiever award for her results in Agricultural and Horticultural Studies.
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Ellie Litras was selected to perform in the Top Class Dance program as part of the VCE Season of Excellence.
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Sport at Ballarat Grammar continues to be a vibrant and challenging co-curricular option for our students with high levels of participation across some 30 plus activities on offer. Each school term, students have many options to choose from; individual or team, indoor or outdoor, competitive interschool competitions or recreational pursuits.
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2019 has once again seen many teams triumph on a local and State level, with the undoubted highlight being our Senior Girls Netball and Football teams claiming victories in their respective State competitions, our Senior Boys Football team taking out the final of the Herald Sun Country Cup and our Senior Boys Basketball team claiming our first BAS premiership in 28 years. Just as impressive, was the effort of our Swimming, Athletic and Cross-Country teams winning all three major ICCES trophies for the second year in a row. Rowing also provided many highlights with Senior Girls’ and Boys’ 1st crews taking out the much-coveted Head of the Lake titles and for the boys, their victory also sealed the overall boys’ team premiership.
•
Some of the highlights that Grammar students have enjoyed: • BAS Athletics – Co-educational and Girls Champions. • BAS Swimming – Co-educational and Girls Champions. • BAS Road Relays – Co-educational, Boys and Girls Champions • BAS Cross Country – Co-educational and Girls Champions. • BAS Lap of the Lake – Co-educational and Girls Champions. • BAS Senior Girls Premierships – Cricket, Basketball, Football, Tennis and Volleyball. • BAS Senior Boys Premierships – Basketball, Hockey, Tennis and Volleyball. • BAS Senior Co-Educational Badminton Premiers
Outdoor and environmental education continues to form a crucial part of Ballarat Grammar’s approach to holistic education, offering students in Years 3 – 12 a wide array of unique learning experiences.
CURRENT LIFE GOVERNORS (Listed in order of appointment) Mrs Dawn Macdonald Mr Barry Smith OAM Mrs Lorraine Bell Mr John Miller Ms Jo Watson Mr Bob Bath Mr Alf Hancock Mrs Topsy Nevett Mr Lindsay Evans The Hon Robert Knowles AO Deceased Life Governors The Hon WH (Bill) Borthwick AM Mr Wallace Cochran Mr WH (Peter) Heinz OAM Mr Norman Must Mr Geoffrey Petch Mr Geoffrey Richards Mrs Alison Rucco Mrs JM (Jessie) Scott MBE Mr Norman Stevens Miss CE (Kit) Williamson
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ANNUAL REPORT 2019
2019 Actual Income
2020 Budget Income Other Income State Grants 1.4% 4.9%
State Grants Other Income 1.8% 5.5%
Commonwealth Grants 32.6%
Private
Commonwealth
Income 60.1%
Grants 35.2%
Private Income 58.4%
2019 Actual Expenditure Finance 9.7%
Finance 9.3% General Admin 14.0%
General Admin 13.8% Operations 10.1%
2020 Budget Expenditure
Salaries/OnCosts 51.8%
Operations 6.8%
Salaries/OnCosts 54.9%
Boarding 6.0% Boarding 5.9% Tuition 8.7%
Tuition 9.0%
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ANNUAL REPORT 2019
SCHOOL PERFORMANCE INFORMATION FOR YEAR ENDING 31 DECEMBER 2019 BALLARAT GRAMMAR Learning to Thrive; Engaged in the World Our regional Anglican school fosters: • academic aspiration • trust • opportunity and engagement • optimism and resilience • social and environmental justice within the search for faith and meaning. The Essence of Ballarat Grammar Ballarat Grammar looks to a positive future from the standpoint of a proud tradition dating back to 1877, when Queen’s College was established. In 1911 the Anglican Diocese founded Ballarat Grammar School, and in 1973 these schools combined to form Ballarat and Queen’s Anglican Grammar School. The co-educational school, known as “Ballarat Grammar”, educates approximately 1700 students from early childhood to Year 12, based on a 16 Ha parkland campus north of Lake Wendouree. Over 220 boarders live on campus, in five familyoriented boarding houses. Boarders are country students from all States, with a small number of overseas students. The earliest learners, from age six months, are in childcare in the Centre for Early Education (CEEd) which also offers programs, based on the Reggio Emilia philosophy, for three- and four-year-old children. The Junior School is authorised as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. This delivers the Australian Curriculum in an internationally-renowned framework. Year 4 classes operate for most of their week in a purpose-built Agricultural and Environmental Learning Centre, The Stephen and Sue Higgs Centre, on the School’s 50 Ha farm at Mount Rowan, 3 km north of the Wendouree Campus. The enriching breadth of student involvement expands as students move into the Senior School, where programs lead towards a choice of over 50 VCE studies and a VCAL stream, with excellence in outcomes illustrated by numerous Premier’s Awards. Throughout the School, academic aspiration is fostered within a framework which nurtures all-round personal growth, in a researchbased, structured “positive education” program. This is founded in positive relationships between and among students and staff, a distinctive feature of the School being the warm, respectful and trusting relationships which characterise its community. These in turn reflect the Christian values at the heart of Ballarat Grammar, expressed in the Anglican tradition of openness and inclusivity, in ways which invite students to search for meaning. An ambience of ambition and encouragement supports students as they explore diverse talents and range widely. Learning is enriched by partnerships, most importantly with parents, who work closely with the School to sustain young people’s developing growth mindsets. Students compete in more than thirty different sports; they perform and exhibit at the highest level in different visual and manual, musical and theatrical arts; they take on outdoors
challenges from the Grampians to the Alps; they are active in service to the local community in myriad ways, and in action for social justice. The ethos of service is at the core of the Round Square, an international fraternity of over a hundred schools, committed to working together for a better world. This fundamental commitment involves students in many ongoing service projects, both locally and globally, from working with disadvantaged youth in Wendouree West to providing fresh water to hill tribes in Thailand, or English lessons in Timor Leste. Term-long exchanges to Round Square schools in eighteen countries, and service-based conferences, for example, in South Africa and Kenya, foster international understanding through friendship and service. Helping others through service enriches students’ lives by building positive connections with their communities and helps them find meaning and fulfilment. Round Square membership also requires a commitment to action on behalf of the natural environment. From the earliest days, Ballarat Grammar has had a strong connection with the land. This is expressed most obviously today in a thriving Agriculture program based at the Mount Rowan farm, and also in the environmental underpinnings of the Year 9 program, housed in an experimental centre with its own wetland on the main campus. The School’s commitment to environmental improvement is apparent in expanding rooftop photovoltaic arrays, with several wind turbines. Year 9 students venture to explore the City of Melbourne, spending three weeks at the School’s City Cite campus, usually living in Melbourne for that experience. One measure of the value of that experience is that thirty other schools send their classes to City Cite for programs run by Ballarat Grammar. The outstanding facilities of the Wendouree campus support learning in many forms: modern class facilities are designed to facilitate collaborative learning; the Wendouree Centre for Performing Arts enriches school life but also catalyses community engagement. Such facilities strengthen the arm of our most important resource, a talented and committed team of teaching professionals. The generous provision of physical resources also speaks of the generosity of spirit of the School’s community. In this spirit, Grammar welcomes students from many backgrounds, from Ballarat, across Victoria, from all States and from overseas: students from regional and remote communities; students of different faith backgrounds; students from refugee and indigenous communities; exchange students from around the world. Surveys show that students leave Grammar with high levels of confidence about their future. Following expert careers guidance, they progress to many and varied destinations, emboldened by strong and abiding relationships formed at school. Equally, Grammar looks to its future as an exemplary regional school, providing exceptional value not only to its members but also to the wider community.
KEY STUDENT OUTCOMES Student Characteristics Around 1,700 students attended Ballarat Grammar in 2019, commencing in our childcare, kindergarten and reception programs in our Centre for Early Education, through the Junior School (Prep Year 6) and Senior School (Years 7 - 12).
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ANNUAL REPORT 2019
Our 220-plus boarding students, between Years 7 – 12, board at Grammar in five boarding houses. The majority of boarding students come from regional areas of Victoria and New South Wales, with a small percentage being international students. Our close relationship with indigenous communities in Kalumburu in WA and Timber Creek in NT saw four students from these communities attend Grammar in 2019. Below is the data for 2019 student home languages. This data is for both Junior and Senior School and excludes CEEd. Language Not Selected Albanian Amharic (Ethopian) Australian Indigenous Language Cantonese English Only Ewe Fijian German Greek Hindi Indonesia Japanese Korean Malayalam Mandarin Marathi Nepalese Nuer Papua New Guinea Languages Pashto Urdu Persian Punjabi Russian Serbian Swedish Telugu Thai Vietnamese TOTAL
Students 3 2 2 3 1 1453 2 1 1 4 7 1 2 3 2 18 2 1 2 1 2 2 3 2 2 1 1 2 3 1529
We have 3 students where the home language is unknown. Student Attendance The average attendance rate was 96.7% over Years 1 to 10. The attendance rate by year level is as follows: Junior School Year 1 98.35% Year 2 98.78% Year 3 98.68% Year 4 98.98% Year 5 98.84% Year 6 98.35%
Senior School Year 7 94.43% Year 8 92.25% Year 9 93.97% Year 10 94.07% In the compulsory years of schooling (to age 17 as of 2012 in Victoria), Ballarat Grammar is accountable for students’ attendance. A roll is taken of student attendance every class during Periods 1 to 5 and any absences are followed up by administrative staff with parents. Furthermore, given the sequence of our carefully-planned learning activities, it is important for students to be in attendance throughout the year, unless illness occurs or a serious family matter takes precedence. If there appears to be a need for a student to be absent for reasons other than these, parents are expected to seek permission for absence from the Head of the Senior School, the Head of Middle School or the Head of the Junior School. In these situations, students would obtain work from their teachers so as to keep up with the curriculum. The Ballarat Grammar NEXUS online learning management system and the netbook program in the Senior and Middle School allows all students to access their work and communicate with teachers from beyond the School. Benchmark Results Year 3 – National Minimum Standard for Numeracy was met or exceeded by 99% of students in Year 3. Moreover, the Mean Scaled Score of 438 was the highest score since 2015. This highlights the continued progress made with the teaching of numeracy in the younger years of the Junior School. Improvement was also seen in Reading and Writing, but most significantly with Spelling, which saw a 5% increase to 97% of the cohort meeting or exceeding the National Minimum Standard. This suggests that the significant energy devoted to the Smart Spelling program and the teaching of phonicsbased reading is starting to bear fruit. Year 5 – 100% of students met or exceeded the National Minimum Standard for Numeracy. Equally, the five-year trend for Mean Scaled Scores in Numeracy has remained stable. This represents a consistency of strategy that is serving our students well at the Junior School, helping to produce numerate students who can approach Mathematics with confidence at the Senior School. Year 7 – Literacy results remain consistently high, as they have for the last three years. In 2019, 100% of Year 7 students met or exceeded National Minimum Standards in Reading and in Grammar and Punctuation. Similar success was evident in Numeracy at this year level, with 100% of students meeting or exceeding the National Minimum Standard. Year 9 – All areas of NAPLAN saw improvement from 2018. Across all aspects of literacy, growth was achieved, which is a major positive given the large intake of students from regional areas who traditionally come to board at Ballarat Grammar in this year level. Numeracy results are especially encouraging with 100% of students meeting or exceeding National Minimum Standards.
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ANNUAL REPORT 2019
NAPLAN 2019 Reading Writing Spelling Grammar and Punctuation Numeracy
Year 3 96 99 97 96
Year 5 98 95 95 97
Year 7 100 99 98 100
Year 9 99 96 97 98
99
100
100
100
Year 3 96 99 92 99
Year 5 98 100 96 97
Year 7 100 99 99 99
VCAA Study Scores attained. Students continue to achieve ‘perfect’ study scores of 50 in a variety of subjects, including, in the past three years: Further Mathematics (4), Legal Studies, English (4), Chemistry and Physical Education. Our five highest ATAR scores were 99.75 x 2, 99.5, 99.45 and 99.1. 100% of our students sitting the VCE satisfied the VCE requirements. Post-School Destinations Post-School destination
NAPLAN 2018 Reading Writing Spelling Grammar and Punctuation Numeracy
NAPLAN 2017 Reading Writing Spelling Grammar and Punctuation Numeracy
100
99
100
Year 9 98 94 95 97 99
Year 3 100 100 98 95
Year 5 99 100 100 99
Year 7 100 97 97 99
Year 9 100 94 96 97
97
100
100
100
The figures represent the percentage of students who achieve at or above the national benchmarks established for each area of NAPLAN testing. Literacy This year saw further consolidation of staff training in literacy instruction. Guided by the Literacy Co-ordinator, staff from several Faculties were trained how to apply instruction methods from The Writing Revolution. This promotes a consistency of approach to literacy instruction across the school, which is reflected in the promising achievements of both our Year 7 and year 9 cohorts. The school is committed to developing this approach further via the creation of a Middle School Literacy Project which will further embed a consistent approach to literacy instruction within the school. Numeracy Numeracy continues to be strong across the Junior and Middle School. 100% of students across Years 3 to 9 met or exceeded National Minimum Standards in Numeracy. This result is testament to sound instructional processes undertaken by our faculty staff and Junior School teachers. Secondary School Outcomes In VCE, achievement in each of the Studies is assessed on a scale of 0 - 50 with the state average study score being 30. In 2019, our average study score was 32.2. In 2019, 93.3% of VCE students achieved an ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) above 50, while 23% achieved ATAR’s above 90. Results in the core Maths and English studies continue with mostly positive differential between expected Study Scores and actual
In Education or Training Bachelor degree Certificates/diplomas - Certificate I-III
Ballarat Grammar No. %
Ballarat (C)
Victoria
No.
No.
%
%
69
84.1
378
62.1
19,923 74.5
59
72.0
260
42.7
14,561 54.5
8
9.8
62
10.2
183
11.9
2
2.4
20
3.3
684
2.6
42
6.9
2499
9.3
56
9.2
2179
8.2
37
6.1
1616
6.0
6 7.3 - Certificate IV or higher 2 2.4 Apprenticeship/traineeship 2 2.4 - Apprenticeship - Traineeship 5.9 Not in Education or Training 13 4 4.9 Employed 1 1.2 - Employed full-time 3 3.7 - Employed part-time Looking for work 9 1.0 Deferred NILFET Unknown 82 100.0 Total respondents
19
3.1
63
2.1
31
37.9
6812
5.5
105
17.2
2713
0.1
32
5.3
67
2.9
73
12.0
1946
7.3
31
5.1
1150
4.3
88
14.4
2718
0.2
7
1.1
31
0.9
609
100.0
-
-
26,735 100.0
SATISFACTION Parent, Teacher and Student Satisfaction Extensive consultation with students, staff and parents was undertaken throughout 2019 in the development of the new School strategic plan. Five areas of focus were derived from our School context, research and honed throughout this consultation process: • A thriving connected community • Future focussed learning pathways • Emergent learning technologies and opportunities • Holistic learning • Inspiring educators and • Social and environmental sustainability In line with the Strategic Plan development, the wide range of Ballarat Grammar community events during 2019 provided significant opportunity for gathering feedback from a broad cross-section of the School community: past and current parents and students, from the local day school demographic and from the rural/regional communities. The events ranged from groupings of constituents at House Group events, ‘Country Gatherings’ for regional families from the major rural areas in Victoria and New South Wales, regional events such
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ANNUAL REPORT 2019
as Field Days and attendees at School Reunions of classes spanning 50 years. These interactions affirm the positive themes that were evident in previous surveys: the overwhelmingly positive reflection on the teaching staff, the great sense of community in the school, the holistic, well-rounded nature of the School, and the support of breadth across all academic areas, the arts, music and sport. Enrolments continue in record numbers for the Centre for Early Education, Junior School and for both day and boarding placements in the Senior School. The School continues to rely on word of mouth, giving a simple practical measure of an atmosphere of parental satisfaction. Regular informal assessments indicate high levels of satisfaction from Grammar staff and parents. As with all institutions, there is room to improve; however, the overall picture is very positive.
AGE RANGE OF STAFF
STAFF QUALIFICATIONS Headmaster Mr Adam Heath BA, Dip. Ed., MSL, MACE Head of Senior School Mrs C J Shaw BEd(Ballarat) GradDipEdAdmin(Melb) MEd(Melb) GAICD Head of the Middle School Mr C W Beechey BA(Sc)(Deakin) DipEd(Melb) MEd(Deakin) Head of Junior School Mr M C Warwick BTeach BEd(La Trobe) Assistant Head – Administration Mrs S Hinchliffe DipTeach(MIHE) BEd(UWS) Assistant Head – Teaching, Learning and Innovation Ms B G Cuthbert BDrama/Arts(VCA) BA(Hons) (Tas) BTeach(Prim &Sec)(Deakin) MEd (Deakin) Assistant Head – Wellbeing and Pastoral Care Mrs S L Warwick BEd MHealthSc(UB) DipArts(Res Care)(ACU)
Chaplain Reverend Dr Timothy Gaden BA Bachelor of Divinity PhD Divinity Business Manager Mr P O‘Dwyer BB CA ASBA GAICD Director of Admissions Mr B H Pipkorn BBus(BCAE) CA GradDipEd(Sec)(ACU) CertRelEd(ACU) GradDipMSMaths(ACU) Director of Boarding Mr C R Van Styn BEd(Hons)(Ballarat) GradCert Counselling (Monash) Director of Care Dr M Rayner BSc (VU) Hons(VU), PhD (Swinburne), MAPS. Director of City Cite Mr H M Leather BSc(Melb) DipEd(Melb) MProfAcc(Deakin) MACE Director of Curriculum Mr G Hislop MEd (USQ) BEd (Griffith University) Certificate of Positive Psychology (Wholebeing Institute) Director of Development Mr T Polkinghorne Director of WCPA: Mrs S Hyde Director of Finance: Ms A Axen BComm(Ballarat) ASA (CPA) Director of Leadership and Service Mr M Hanlon BEd(Ballarat) Director of Music Mr A S Dale BEd(Music)(MSC) Director of Sport Mr DA Rossato BAppSc(PE) Director of Staff Mr G S Wilkins DipEd BA(VIT) Daily Program Manager Ms R R Fisher BEd(Ballarat) Head of Innovation and Learning Technology Mr D Hofler BAppSc(Computing) Monash Co-ordinator Middle School Learning Ms A F Ryan BSc (Melb) GradDipEd (ACU) GradDipRE (ACU) Teaching Staff Mr T Adams BA (Dip Ed) (Melb) Mrs N Adlington BEd (Primary) Fed Uni Mr R Allitt BSci (Melbourne) DipEd (La Trobe) Mr F Apostoli BArch (Deakin), Grad Dip Ed (Federation), Grad Cert Math (CSU) M Ed (Federation) Mrs J Ashman – B. Ed. (Secondary), Monash University Mr R A Bade BSc(Melb) DipEd(Melb) GradDipEdAdmin (Melb) Mr Andrew Barker DipTeach BEd (ACU) Mrs S Barlow BMus (Melb), Grad Dip Ed (Monash), MEd (Melb), Cert IV Training and Assessment (IVET) Ms L Becker Diploma of Children's Services (Early Childhood and Care) University of Ballarat Mr A J Beech BEng(Hons) PGCE Mrs C L Bell BMus(Monash) GradDipEd (Monash) GradCertArtsHistoryEd (Monash) CertIVMIS (Ausmusic) Mrs A Bentley BArts/Teaching, Postgrad Dip in Educational Studies (Student Welfare), Masters Ed (Spec Ed Needs) Mrs A Binion BEd (Primary) (ACU) MEd (Melb) Mrs K A Bishop DipTeach(BCAE) BEd(Prim) (BCAE) Reading Recovery(ACU) Mrs P Bissinella BEd(ACU) Miss A S Boyd BTeach (Secondary)(Deakin) BArts (Dance)(Deakin) Mrs K Brady BA(Melb) GradDipEd(ACU) Mrs L Bramble BSci(Biomed) (Ballarat), Grad.DipEd (Secondary) (Ballarat), GradCert(STEM Ed) (Deakin) Mrs B Buckingham BA Visual Arts – Graphic Design/ Multimedia (University of Ballarat) Grad Dip Ed – Visual Arts (University of Melbourne) Miss E Burnham BA(Ballarat) BTeach (Prim) (Ballarat) Mrs M A Cahir BEd(ACU) MEd (Melb) Mr R L Carroll BEd MEd(UNE) Mrs J Y Chadderton BA(Hons)(UEA) PGDipArabic (Durham) PGCEd (London) RSATeach EFL(UEA) Ms C Clare BA(Sc) Grad DipEd Miss M A Cornell B.Ed (Prim)
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ANNUAL REPORT 2019
Mr S Cox B. Exercise & Sport Science (University of Ballarat) and Grad. Dip. Ed. (University of Ballarat) Ms J M Craven BA(UB) PGCE(Cambridge) Mrs S A Cuff BPrimEd (Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University) Mr B Curran BEd(Ballarat) Ms L M Curran BA(Sc)(Ballarat) DipEd(ACU) Mr P Curry B. Ed (Melb) M. Ed (Deakin) Grad Dip Writing (Vic Uni) Grad Dip App Sci (Melb) Mr J C Daniel DipAppChem(Swinburne) GradDipEd (Hawthorn) Ms S Davidson BABus (CSU) GradDip T&L (CDU) Mr M B Dickinson DipTeach(Prim) B.Ed (Monash) GradDipEdAdmin (Melb) GradDipIT (Systems Admin) (Swin.) MEd Studies (Ballarat) Cert IV Training & Assessment, Cert III Agriculture Mrs A Dillon BA(Hons) (Melb), BMus (ACU), Grad Dip Ed (Melb) Ms S Dix Bachelor of Education (Physical Education) Mrs S Doust BA (Creative Arts) DipTeach Mr M J Downes BSocSc(Deakin) GradDipEd(Sec)(Ballarat) Mr J Duncan Ms M C Dunley BA(LIS)(Canberra) MB(RMIT) Mrs N A Dunne BA(VisArt)(Ballarat) GradDipEd Mrs D J Eldridge DipHum&SocSc(Ballarat) GradDipEd(Sec)(Ballarat) Mr M J Elshaug BEd(Ballarat) Mr P A Esmonde BEd(Ballarat) Dr A T Ford BVSc(Melb) GradDipEd(Ballarat) Ms N L Gabb BArts/Science (UNE), MTeach (Secondary) (UNE). Ms S M Garner BA (Hons) DipEd(Melb) MEd(Deakin) MHist (UNE) Mr R S Grant BAppSc GradDipEd(University of Canberra) Mr R G Gray DipAppSc(Ballarat) DipEd(Toorak) Miss A K Griffin MTeach (Secondary) (FedUni) BComDes (Swinburne) DipGD (Swinburne) DipVisMerch(RMIT) Mrs L J Gunn BEd(Prim)(Flinders) BEd(Sec)(Launceston) Mr D R Hardy BAppSc(Riverina) DipTeach(Mercer House ATTI) GradDipComp(Deakin) MACS Ms K Hart BSc (Nutrition) Latrobe GDipEd (Sec) University of Ballarat MEd (Student Wellbeing) University of Melbourne Ms L Harty BEd(EC&Primary)(ACU) Miss H A Hazledine BA(Ballarat) BEd(ACU) RegRAD(London)LicAssAICDAdvTeachDipABS Miss S K Healy BEquineSc(CSU) GradDipEd(Ballarat) Ms P M Herington BEd(Ballarat) GradDipComp(Ballarat) Mr J Hocking Grad. Dip. Ed. (Secondary) (Monash University), BEng (Civil) (Hons)/BA (University of Melbourne) Mr S J Hopkins BA(Ed)(Deakin) B. Ed (Ballarat) Mr R F Hurley DipArts (Fine) (Ballarat) DipEd (Ballarat) Mrs A Humble BEd (Hons), Grad Dip Outdoor Ed (Ballarat) Ms S Kaur B.A., M.A., M.Phil. B.Ed. Mrs C L Kelly BA(Ed)(Deakin) GradDipEd(Ballarat) Mr R J Klopak BEd(Manitoba) Mrs M Krause BSci (Melbourne) Dip Ed (Melbourne) BEd (LaTrobe Bendigo) Mrs C Lambert DipEd (Melbourne University, BA Hons (Melbourne University) Cert IV Professional Writing and Editing (RMIT). Mr N A Lanyon BA(Melb) DipEd(Melb) Mrs F J Latrobe BAppSc GradDipEd(Monash) GradCertComp(Deakin) Mrs L J Layton BVisArts DipEd (Ballarat) Mrs E Le Marshall BEd(P-10)(Ballarat) Mr J Lee BA (Joint Hons), University of Liverpool PGCE, University of Sheffield Mr B K Leonard BDes(RMIT) GradDipEd(Latrobe) CertIVWT&A Mr C R Lewis BA(UB) DipEd(Prim)(Monash) Ms G Lillie BA(Ed)(Ballarat)
Ms B M Linahan BSc (Monash) Grad Dip Ed(Sec)(Ballarat) Ms C M Lisle DipTeach(Gippsland) BEd(ACU) Mr D Marriott BA(OE) DipEd(La Trobe) Ms C McDonnell BA(Deakin) BEd(Deakin) Ms T McGowan BEd BA (Science) Mr A McKnight BA(Deakin) BEd(Deakin) Mrs V McNabb GradDipEd (Secondary) (FedU) DipFP (Deakin) BSc (UWA) Ms R M Menhennet BEd DipEd(Ballarat) Ms J E Mete BMus,Grad Dip Ed, BA (Psych) with Honours, Masters Ed (Spec Ed Needs) Mrs K F Miller BEd(Melb) DipLang/Lit(Paris) Ms K M Milne BEd(Pim)(Ballarat) DipTeach(ACU) Ms K Mitchell BEd(Primary) (ACU) Ms R Montgomery BEnvScience (Wildlife and Conservation Biology) Deakin University, M. Teach (Primary), Melbourne University Mr C Morcombe BEd(University of Ballarat) Ms A C Murdoch BA (Melb) BTeach (Melb) Mrs S Murdoch BComm, BArts (Melbourne Uni) MTeach (Monash Uni) Mrs P Nankervis BEd(Ballarat) Mr D Nevins BBus (Swinburne) Dip Ed (La Trobe) Ms L O’Keefe Bachelor of Education (P-6) Federation University Ballarat Ms D E Oliver BEd(Sec)(VicCollege) Mr B Olver BSc(Monash) Grad Dip Ed (Sec) (Melb) Mr M J O’Neill DipEd(Ballarat) Mrs D Parkins BEd(Sec)(Melb) Mr B G Peace BEd (Physical Education) – University of Ballarat Mrs C S Peace BEd (Physical Education) – University of Ballarat Ms L Permezel BA(Melb) DipEd(Hawthorn) MA(UNSW) GradCertPlaywriting(NIDA) Ms R Pilven BVisArts, BBus (Monash) MTeach (Secondary) Fed Uni Mr A G Pitson BEd(MSC) GradDipEdAdmin (Deakin) DipResSchServ (Qld) Mrs T Poole BSc(Hon)(Monash) Grad Dip Ed (Sec) (Ballarat) Mr L Pougnault BA B.Ed(Murdoch) Mr I P Riethoff BEd(Tas) Ms D Robertson BA DipEd (Monash) MEd Careers (ACU) CertIV TESOL (Holmesglen) Mr C Robson LTCL, BMus (Monash), GradDipPMus (University of Tasmania) Mr K Romanis BA(Hons)(USYD) DipEd GradCert RE(ACU) Ms E Rooney BSci (Hons) (Manchester Metropolitan University) Grad Cert Ed Manchester Metropolitan University) Mrs E D Sabellico BA(CSU) DipEd (La Trobe) Mr S Salimpour BDesign (UB), MSc. (Astronomy/Astrophysics)(Swin), DipEd (Melb), MTeach(Physics/Art Education)(Melb) Ms S Sebastian BMusic (Australian Institute of Music) AdDip Sound Production (Melbourne Polytechnic) DipMus (MWT) CertIV Training and Assessment (MWT) Ms S Sedgwick BA(Ballarat) GradDipEd(Vic College) Ms L D Sharp BEd(UB) Mr A W Shaw BCom(RMIT) GradDipEd(Ballarat) Ms L Shen: Chinese Assistant Mr B Sheridan BAcc(CQU) GradDipEd (Prim)(La Trobe) Mrs D A Simmons BAppSc (Ballarat) GradDipEd (Sec)(ACU) Mr J P Simmons BAppSc (Ballarat) GradDipEd (Sec)(ACU)
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ANNUAL REPORT 2019
Mr B C Smith BBiolSc (Hons)(La Trobe) Mrs R L Smith BEd(Melb) Mrs S Smith Mr M T Stowe BEd(Ballarat) GradDipResSchServ(Qld) GradCert MYMathematics(ACU) Mr R G Sullivan DipTeach(Ballarat) GradDipHealth(Ballarat) Mrs D R Tesoriero BA (Ballarat) GradDipEd (ACU) MCouselling(ACU) Ms K J Theodore AdCertLabTech AssDipAppSc(LabTech) (Ballarat) BAppSc GradDipEd(Sec) (Monash) GradCert MYMathematics (ACU) MEd Student Wellbeing (Melb) Reverend Canon P D Treloar BA(Sydney) BTheol(MCD) GradDipEd(ACU) GradDipMentalHealth(Monash) MPsychCouns(UB) Mrs H Trotter BEd (Hons) Southampton Uni, UK Mrs N C van Berkel BEd(ACU) Mrs Claire Walter Bachelor of Arts Nature Tourism/Outdoor Education (LaTrobe) Graduate Diploma of Education (LaTrobe) Ms K R Ward BEd(Ballarat) MEd (ACU) Mr A C R Watson DipAD(Vic) DipEd(Melb) GradDipAdolHealth(Melb) Ms J J White BA(VisArt) GDEd(UB) Mrs F L Whitehouse BA(ACU) BTeach(ACU) Mrs J M Williams BA(Hons)(Melb) BA(Hons) UNEDipEd(Melb) GradDipLibrarianship(RMIT) CertFreeJourn(ACJ) GradCertHRM(Bathurst) Ms K L Williams BEd(UB) Ms R B Williams BAppSc(RMIT), GradDipEd(Sec)(Ballarat), MEd(US) Mrs K C Willowhite DipTeach(Prim)(UB) GradDipSpecEd(Melb) MTeach(La Trobe) Mr J Wilson B Exercise Science & Human Movement (VU Footscray) GradTeach (Primary) (Fed Uni) Ms H O Wise BA(Hons)(Melb) DipEd(Monash) Mrs K Withers BMus (Qld Conservatorium) BEd (Deakin Uni) Mr S W Woodrow BA(RMIT) DipEd(Prim)(UB) Trista Wright – City Cite Mrs B Wu BSc(Beijing) DipEd(La Trobe) MEd(Deakin) Mrs G N Zala DipTeach(Prim)(Ballarat) GradDipTeachLibrarianship(Ballarat) AISTD(London) ON LEAVE Mrs L Zarifis BA (Latrobe) DipEd (Monash)
CEEd Director - Mrs K Naylor BaAppSc (Disability Studies) (Deakin), DipCommServices (Childcare) (Swinburne), Grad DipEd (Early Childhood) (RMIT) Assistant Director/Educational Leader Ms T Abbott B.Ed. (Ballarat) GradCertECEd (Murdoch) Reception and Kindergarten Teaching Staff Ms T Abbott B.Ed. (Ballarat) GradCertECEd (Murdoch) Mrs L Baker Dip Teaching (Early Childhood) B.Ed. (EC) (Melb) Mr J Betts Grad DipEd (Early Childhood) (RMIT) Mrs A Devlin B.Ed. (Early Childhood &Prim) (ACU) - parental leave Ms M Forrest B.Ed. (Early Childhood &Prim) (Ballarat) Mrs M Hooper DipChildServices (Ballarat), B.Ed. (Early Childhood &Prim) (FedUni) Mrs N Ivey B. Bus. (Latrobe), Grad DipEd (Early Childhood) (Victoria University) Miss O Kent B.Ed. (Early Childhood &Prim) Mrs K Singleton B. Ed. (Early Childhood) (Swinburne) Mrs S Wilson BA (Acting) (Ballarat), Grad DipEd (Early Childhood)
Reception and Kindergarten Associates Mrs J Askari DipChildServices (FedUni) Mrs L Di Giovanni DipCommServices (Childcare) (Ballarat) Mrs A Hickmott DipChildServices (Ballarat), B.Ed. (EC&Prim) (FedUni) Miss O Kent B.Ed. (Early Childhood &Prim) Mrs E Kuhle DipChildServices Mr C Nunn B. Ed. (Early Childhood) Miss V Stewart CertIIIChildServices Miss V Stokes DipChildServices Infant & Toddler and Aftercare Lead Educators and Associates Miss L Becker DipChildServices (Early Education and Care) (Ballarat) Mrs K Beggs Dip Teaching (Early Childhood) (Institute of Early Childhood Development) Miss R Bye DipChildServices Mrs T Dalton DipChildServices (Ballarat) Miss M Forrest CertIIIChildServices Miss E Jedwab DipChildServices (Holmesglen) Miss B Mahoney CertIIIChildServices Mrs E Northcott DipChildServices (Ballarat) Miss V Rosewarne CertIIIChildServices Miss A Sculley DipChildServices (Ballarat) Miss D Sharp CertIIIChildServices Miss E Spiteri DipChildServices Mrs V Sporton CertIIIChildServices Miss B Spratling CertIIIChildServices Miss G Taylor DipChildServices Mrs F Vandermost DipCommServices (Childcare) (Gordon) Administrative & Ancillary Staff Mrs Melissa Polkinghorne (CEEd Administrator) Miss A Turkenburg (CEEd Chef) Mr E Van Der Gronden (CEEd Cleaner) Mr Michael Zala (CEEd Cleaner) Ms C Millar (CEEd Cleaner) (concluded November 2018) Boarding House Assistants Ms S Adamson, Mrs T Beechey, Mr R Brehaut, Mr A Cochrane, Mrs D Hanlon, Mr A Litras, Mrs R Marquand, Ms A Mauderer, Mrs S McDonald, Ms K O’Dwyer, Mr N Patrikeos, Ms J Paul, Mr J Petrie, Ms J Sharry, Mr H Walters, Mr D Watson, Ms K Wright Boarding Prep Supervisors Ms K Freeman, Mr T Gribble, Mr F Gribble, Ms S Grills, Ms G Hearn, Mr O Kay Boarding Activities Co- ordinator Mr P Taake
Instrumental Music, Voice and Speech Art Mr L G Askew BMus GradDipEd GradCertRE(ACU) Cert IV WT&A Ms C Bennett AMusA Estill Voice Training Levels 1 and 2 Mrs K Both DipTeach(PrimSACAE) Mrs S Brown BMus BTeach(Melb) Ms D Cotton AMusA Recorder Mr H Dale Miss I Dale BMus (Monash) Estill Voice Training Levels 1 and 2 Mr B Deenick BA(Monash) DipEd(La Trobe) Mr M Evans-Barker Mrs S Goodbourn BMus (Melb), GradDipEd (Melb) Mr I Govan AMusA CEO Teaching Registration CAA REIV Mrs K Govan BA(Music)(VCA) DipEd(Melb) Ms J Heley BMus BA AMusA, B.Mus.Ed Mrs A Ho BMus(Hon)
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ANNUAL REPORT 2019
Ms A Ives BA(Scottish Music Piping) Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, MEd Federation University Australia Ms M Jess BA AMusA NCAS Level 1 EFA Dressage Judge Mr B Jones Mr H Joyce Ms G Kennelly BSc(Hons)(Scotland) Mrs M Kriss BAMus MMus(PT) GradDipEd (LaTrobe) Mr D Lawless Ms L McKenna BVisArts Mr C Meddings BAMusPerf(VCA) Mrs N Meddings BMus (Melb) Miss A Meerbach BA PerfArts(Ballarat), LTCL (Trinity College) Miss G Parry BMus(Melb) AMusA LMusA Mrs P Powell CEd(Manchester) LGSM Ms W Rechenberg MPVA(CSU) DipArt(Music)(VCA) AMusA Mr C Robson, LTCL, BMus(Monash), GradDipPMus(UTas) Ms S Savy DipArts (Ballarat University) Mrs C Schuler AMusA GradDipMus PerfCert GradDipEd(Sec) Cert IV W&A Ms Shobana Sebastian BMus (AIM), AdvDip Sound Production (NMIT), Estill Voice Training Levels 1 and 2 Mr B Sozanski BA(Music,French)(Sydney) DipEd(Double Music)(Sydney) Associate Trinity College London (Piano tuition) Board Member VMTA Mr W Stewart BMus (Hons) (UWA), DipEd (Wollongong), APRA Full Writer Member (APRA), AMusA (French Horn), (AMEB) Mr G Williams MA ModMusEd&CreatCertEd Mrs Kristiana Withers BMus (QLD), BEd (Deakin) Administrative & Ancillary Staff Mrs I Blobal AdvCertOfAdmin Cert III Financial Services Mrs B Brehaut DipBus, Cert IV T&A Ms S Clifford Mrs N Connors DipBusAdmin, CertIVT&A Mrs R Dagar-Clare CertIII Financial Services, CertIII Retail Mgmt Ms S Eaton BAppSc Ballarat Mrs N Faulkner Mrs B Ford Miss D Hateley DipBus, DipBusMgt, Cert III & IV Financial Services, DipAcc Mrs C Hay Ms Z Hocking Mrs J Hume CertIIIIT Mrs J Huntley DipBus(HR), AdvDipMgt(HR) Mr M Lenton BBus(Finance) Swinburne, ASA (CPA) Ms K Mahar Mrs N Mason BComm (Accounting/Law) Ballarat Ms L McCracken Mrs H McIntosh Ms L Moneghetti LLB, Med, GDLegalTraining Mrs J Norman DippAppSci(Ag) VCAH Mrs M Polkinghorne Mrs C Prendergast AdvDipMgt, CertIVBusAdmin Mrs M V Pullin BA (Melb) MA RMIT, ASDA AMEB Miss J Rodda BComp Ballarat Mrs L Schorbuck Mrs D Squire Ms D Stephen DipFinMkt(SIA), CertMktg Swinburne Mrs T Varnis Mrs A Verstage B Comm Ballarat, CPA Mrs G White CertIVFoodTech, CertOH&S
Wendouree Centre for Performing Arts Mrs Sue Hyde (Centre Manager) Ms C Heenan Mr A Rivett Canteen Supervisors Mrs B Garnham, Ms L Dennis, Mrs M Ford Cleaning, Catering & Operations Operations Manager Mr W Dunn CertIV OHS Mr T van Eekelen, Mr P van Styn, Mr S Millar, Mr N Morcombe, Mr S Pullin, Mr B Van Styn, Mr R van Styn, Mr B Wallis, Mr N Bassett, Mr D White, Mr A Gibson, Mr J Hoskin, Mr M Hay, Mr I Bilston, Mr R Allen, Mr T Pierce, Mr A Secker (LAPG), Roderick (Rod) Baxter, Justine Berg, Peter Bogert, Janice Carroll, Ivy Clark, Joshua Davies, Kerry Ellingham, Shane Gray, Deborah Gaylor, Stuart Gibbs, Lynette Howlett, Terry Hoare, Rob Knowles, Glenn McGregor, Nicole Robe, Yusron Sons, Carly Pettigrew, Heidi Bessler, Louise Robertson, Karen Simpson, Michael Wilson, Andrea Weston, Vicky Benson, Brian Madden, Daniel Van Styn, Colleen Millar, Edgar Van Der Gronden, George Golder, Marlene McKaw, Garry Williams, Shane Daly, Michael Zala, Rana McCurry ICT Mr M Blackman Ms Tayla Curran Mr T Eaton Mr N C Hargreaves DipIT(Ballarat) DipInterNW(Ballarat) CertIVIT CCNA BIT(Ballarat) Mr S P McDonnell CertIVTech(CCTAFE) VIDCAM operation(ASF&TV) Mr J D Mills DipIT(Ballarat) Mr A Swendson Health Centre Staff Mrs J Fullerton BN Child (University of Southampton, UK) paediatric RN Mr M P Davis BA(Fed Uni) GDipPsych(Monash) MPsych(Monash) Ms L Dean BA BSocial Sciences (Pyschology) DipEd MPsych Mrs G Johns BN (ACU) Grad Cert Crit Care (La Trobe) Mrs B Ludbrook RN(Ballarat) RPN(Royal Children’s) CertIV (TAE)(MGB) GradCertAnaphylaxisMgtTraining Mrs D Pitson RN(Prince Henry’s) Midwifery(Box Hill) GradCertOnc&PalliativeCare Dr M Rayner, BSc (VU) Hons(VU), PhD (Swinburne), MAPS. Mrs M J Wilson RN (Royal Melbourne Hospital) RM (Ballarat) Grad Cert Allergy & Anaphylaxis Management(University Of South Australia) School Shop Mrs N Kulinski Mrs B O’Dwyer Archives Mrs N Squire BSc(Melb) TSTC Dr R Squire DipFor(Cres) BScFor(Melb) MScFor(Melb) PhD(Melb) Teacher Assistants Mr R Austin-Eames BA (UNSW), BTh (CSU) Ms Laura Brown Cert III General Education, Cert Ed Support (Monash), Dip of Auslan Mrs S Doust BEd, BA Mr M Drain Grad Dip Legal Practice ANU, LPAB Law (Sydney) Dip Accounting, CertIII&IVFitPerTraining Cert1111&IV WT&A, DipPolicingPublicSafety
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ANNUAL REPORT 2019
Ms T Harris LISTD (London) CICB Licentiate CBA – CICB (Life Member) Mrs J Lacy DipChild Services, DipCounselling (Estrada College) Dip of Children's services Cert III in children's services ,Cert in Professional learning engagement, Cert I Integration support, Cert II advanced skills in integration support , Cert III Literacy and Numeracy Integration support, Cert in Key Word Signing Ms R Martino Mrs A Pougnault Ms J Powell Cert III in Ed Support Mrs S Rinaldi CertIIIEdSupport Mr P Taake Registered Nurse Mrs J Treloar AdvCertHospStud(WAC) CertIntDes(RMIT) Mrs K Widdison CertIIIEdSupport CertIVA&WT DipArts(VCA) Mrs Kim Forbes – BA, Dip Ed, Cert IV (TAE), Cert III Business
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING Our 2019 professional learning journey began with polar explorer Eric Phillips who shared the highlights and challenges of his Antarctic journeys. Eric shared the importance of goal setting, gathering data and evaluating when planning his adventures. While teachers are not arctic adventurers, we do need to plan the learning journeys of our students and ensure that we collect accurate data to ensure we will on target. The major focus for teaching and learning in 2019 was the Personal Growth Program (PGP) action research projects. The PGP is a program that can be tailored to meet the professional learning needs of individual educators across the school. During our Monday professional learning sessions, educators collaborated on their action research projects, collecting data to understand the impacts of their teaching. Drawing on coaching conversations strategies that Glen Pearsall had introduced staff to in 2017 and 2018, we supported members in our action research teams. We identified a research question, designed teaching strategies to learn more about the pedagogical issue and gather student data to understand the impact of our teaching strategies on our learners. The outcomes of the action research projects were shared during the Term 3 staff day. This day of professional sharing and learning was a celebration of inquiry, where educators across our school shared their knowledge. Of particular note were the presentations by Tamara Abbott ‘Nature Pedagogy’ which was initially presented at the International Association of Nature Pedagogy, Australian Symposium; and Rachael Williams and Adele Ryan’s ‘Teen Inquiry’ presented at the Adolescent Success Conference. The PGP supports the diversity of interests our educators have from the CEEd to VCE. A staff survey at the end of the year indicated a preference to continue the PGP model into 2020. Brianne Cuthbert Assistant Head, Teaching Learning and Innovation
CURRICULUM In 2019 the Curriculum Innovation and Assessment Committee (CIAC) continued its work in curriculum development and design. Membership of the CIAC (Curriculum Innovation and Assessment Committee) The CIAC is comprised of the Chairs of Faculties Ms Sue Sedgwick, Chair of Art & Design; Mr Alan Pitson, Chair of Commerce; Mrs Kate Brady, Chair of English; Ms Hannah Wise, Chair of Humanities; Mr Frank Apostoli, Head of ICT; Ms Yvonne Chatterton, Chair of LOTE; Mrs Delwyn Oliver, Chair of Mathematics; Mr Andrew Dale, Chair of Performing Arts; Ms Shenai Dix, Chair of Physical Education and Health; Mr Keith Romanis, Chair of Religion, Philosophy and Ethics; Mrs Deidre Simmons, Chair of Science; Ms Priscilla Herington, Futures Coordinator/Applied Learning Coordinator; Ms Adele Ryan, Coordinator of Middle School Learning. Advisors to CIAC: Ms Melissa Dunley, Senior Librarian; and Mr Darren Hofler, Head of Innovation and Learning Technologies. Members of the CIAC meet fortnightly to discuss curriculum development, assessment and reporting matters. Flourishing Index The Flourishing Index was launched with staff in the Middle and Senior Schools in Term 3, 2020. Staff were asked to address wellness data first with students in their tutorial groups. This approach was guided by the basic fundamental of our culture; to nurture the wellbeing of our students, first and foremost. Staff were able to gather data that addressed sleep, emotions, relationships and exercise, all of which allowed for rich conversations to enhance our levels of student wellness. Wellbeing goals were set and recorded over Terms 3 and 4, and 2020 will provide staff the opportunity to further refine this system. The operability of the Flourishing Index will expand next year to include the recording of academic goals. All data that relates to academic attainment is contained in the Index so Mentors can monitor student progress in both wellbeing and academic pursuits. 2020 will see the introduction of Character Strengths to the Index which will provide another layer of useful information to help guide students and staff. PAT Online Testing 2019 marks four years of Ballarat Grammar recording PAT data and staff have been able to use this data to assist in the development of numeracy and literacy strategies to assist learning and teaching across the school. Our Mathematics and English Faculties staff have addressed this longitudinal data and have developed strategies to address our curricula, looking for ways to improve practice. Middle and Senior School Subject Selections Documentation that relates to Subject Selections has been viewed through Nexus this year. The system has been refined from last years’ launch and staff, parents and students have been able to access vital course information at home, well before selections were due. The online system provides flexibility for Chairs of Faculty to refine curricula and update information that pertains to their faculty. This provides up-to-date information that is helpful in make informed decisions. Web Preferences, the web-based subject selection app, is housed in Nexus, hence providing a single-point access for all subject selections.
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Nexus Reporting Nexus has been used for school communications for the last two years. In 2019, based on our trials of progressive reporting at the end of 2018, all staff in the Middle and Senior Schools have entered all summative assessment grades as well as summative and formative feedback, into Nexus. Parents and students can see assessment results, uploaded by faculty staff, which is timely and specific. Based on the teachings of Professor John Hattie of the Melbourne University Research Institute, feedback aims to provide an indication of what the student has achieved as well as opportunities for improvement. This change in culture has been incredibly useful for staff and has provided for powerful conversations between staff and students.
WELLBEING 2019 was an opportunity to celebrate and reflect upon how far we have come in the area of Positive Education and Whole School Wellbeing, and to begin the process of developing a vision for the next phase of our journey. With an expanding level of expertise and deliberate focus from our staff, it is clear that Ballarat Grammar continues to lead the way not just locally, but nationally and internationally. The following areas of focus were addressed:
Graham Hislop Director of Curriculum
•
Fostering of links and sharing understandings through the Grammar and broader Ballarat community continued and we hosted visiting like-minded schools as well as presenting to, and mentoring, local schools.
CHAPEL OF ST MARK
•
Links between our Outdoor Education program and the positive education program were reviewed and enhanced through discussion and meetings with our camp provider - The Outdoor Education Group.
•
A continued focus on mindfulness, gratitude and self- compassion across the whole school community.
The life of the Chapel this year began with the induction of a new Senior Chaplain in January, but otherwise continued unchanged, providing the usual regular weekly rhythm of worship and an oasis of peace and stillness in the heart of the school. Every week in termtime, six Chapels are held, two Junior School, three Senior School and one Boarders’ service. A growing number of these services are student-led, as groups of students (the Round Square Committee, Guardians, Middle School leaders, the weekly Bible study group and more) meet with the Chaplaincy team to develop worship events on themes and social issues of their choosing. This year we were fortunate to have help in leading our services from a number of local clergy, especially the Revds Graham Reynold and Ryan Austin-Eames and from school staff, including Ms Tanya Poole, Ms Laura Bramble, Mr Keith Romanis and others, who provided a variety of worship styles and voices. These helpers gave visible expression to the diversity and inclusiveness of the School’s Anglican ethos, and we are very grateful to them for their input and their help. All of our services are enriched by the dedication and talents of our organist, Mr Leigh Askew, to whom thanks is also due. In December a new stained glass window was installed in the Chapel, depicting the Lion of St Mark, the symbol of the new co-educational school, as it emerges – and continues to grow and take larger shape – from the merger of the separate boys and girls grammar schools in the 1970s. It is a most fitting capstone to the Chapel’s stained glass windows, now complete, and we are much in debt to the generosity of the donors. Despite a set-back in health for Fr Peter Treloar earlier in the year, which obliged him to give up his duties as assistant chaplain, we are grateful for his gradual and consistent return to health. He and his family remain in our prayers. The Reverend Dr Timothy Gaden Senior Chaplain
Student input has been developed through the Wellbeing Committee of Guardians, Wellbeing Buddies in the Junior Schoolas well as Year 7 Mentor captains fostering supportive relationships across year levels. •
For staff, the wellbeing goal continues to be an integral part of the Staff Professional Growth Program. In addition to this, there has been a deliberate shift to use PERMA as a framework for meetings; a positive primer to commence each gathering with staff is being habitualised.
•
The Teaching Learning and Wellbeing committee sustains links across schools and disciplines.
•
The School continued to be supported through consultation with Dr Suzy Green.
While we are certainly building a wealth of knowledge and expertise across our school community, we are also conscious of not being complacent. There is much that continues to be reviewed, researched, reflected upon and developed as we seek to provide the best environment for all in our community to flourish. Dr Meredith Rayner Director of Care
BOARDING The notion of community connectedness is essential in the success of our boarding program. Our boarders and their families feel engaged and connected with each of their boarding houses, and as such, important cultural events are well supported and attended. Our community is at its best when we are working towards a common goal; service and sport are two areas where this is no more evident. Whilst the interhouse sporting events, along with the School’s Aquatics and
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Athletics Carnivals are important events that punctuate each calendar year, it is the social capital and community spirit that is generated here that helps to establish a firm foundation for the year ahead. For many new to our community, these events are the first opportunity to experience ‘House Spirit’ along with a taste for the School culture. It is those important incidental conversations and interactions that occur early within each year that help to reframe and enhance the partnership between students, their families and our staff. Our Year 12 leaders were again an exceptional group of young people who capably steered our community throughout 2019. Their stewardship of the cultures and traditions that our community hold dear, ensured that as our 2020 leaders approach their Year 12 experience, that our community is in good shape for the next step in our boarding history. Common features of a ‘typical boarder’ is a willingness to give back, to help others both within and outside of our community, and hold a passion for ‘their’ boarding house, and those who call it home. This was evident throughout 2019 and provided a common feature for the various events throughout the year. In all areas of the School our boarders can be found, and I am particularly proud of the willingness that many exhibited in trying new experiences and developing new skills. With the surge and easy of access to inexpensive and reliable technology, our boarders are better placed than ever to engage in the world around them and stay connected with those loved ones at home. With this opportunity comes the consequential pitfalls that can be associated with technology overuse, particularly in the adolescent demographic. Accordingly, in 2019 we reviewed and updated our technology policy, to ensure that we were supporting our students appropriately throughout their journey, helping them to navigate the tricky balance of access to phones and laptops, but also safeguarding against overuse. Our new Phone Policy was introduced at the commencement of 2019, ensuring that our students were able to enjoy screen free time, and a more uninterrupted sleep, whilst also helping our most senior students to develop greater agency and self-control for that important ‘Year 13’, where greater independence and less supervision become the norm. And as the year draws to a close, I am buoyed in the knowledge that our departing Year 12s go into the world having developed friendships for life and experiences that will serve them well in the next chapter. 2020 is shaping up to be another exciting year for boarding, and with several new initiatives and innovations planned, will allow for our continual growth as a community. We are blessed with a supportive and engaged parent community who walk this journey with us, and a staffing team who are deeply invested in the success of the young people in their care. Mr Chris Van Styn Director of Boarding
CAREERS Grammar’s education of the whole student prepares young people for the dynamic and changing world of careers, where ATAR is but one consideration. Whether to apply for scholarships, medical school, other course applications, to gain an apprenticeship or employment, the opportunities at Grammar allow students to draw on an impressive range of experiences.
Mrs Karin Miller continued to lead the Careers team alongside Careers Advisor, Ms Kristy Ward and Ms Donna Stephen as Academic and Careers Administrator. A wide range of professional development sessions attended by careers practitioners included a conference in Sydney on careers in agriculture, CEAV (Careers Education Assoc of Vic) biennial conference and visits to universities for new tertiary courses and opportunities. Regular meetings with the University of Melbourne Careers Reference Group and Ballarat Careers Education Network (BCEN) ensure Grammar students have the most up-to-date relevant resources available. The introduction of Ballarat Grammar Connect linking our Old Grammarians with current students using social media platforms will provide invaluable opportunities into the future. Over 300 interviews with individual students were scheduled with some students in Years 9 and 10 who have started considering their career choices. This is in addition to numerous informal careers and subject selection chats. Morrisby testing for Year 10 students offered guidance by providing a brief explanation of individual aptitudes, and how these aptitudes can inform career and subject choices. Work Experience remains an important learning opportunity for students, with numbers in excess of 400 students between Years 1012 completing placement in a variety of businesses. Our local health services provide invaluable programs offering a taste of the expectations in the different medical fields. Some students obtained a privileged placement in the Navy, RAAF, Victoria Police, archaeology at Port Arthur on a historical dig or researching aerospace in Perth. Information sessions in the Careers Centre included representatives from Victorian, interstate and Lincoln NZ universities, with Monash University and Mannix College representatives Harrison Monk, Finn Leslie-Goldstraw and Olivia Delahunty (all BG’18) as well as the Australian Defence Force all giving exceptional talks. Guest speakers included representatives from universities, Work Safe, parent Dale Coutts from FKM Global, and current tertiary students from Elevate on study skills. We organised Barista and Responsible Serving of Alcohol courses for students looking to gain part-time employment. We were fortunate to be able have two successful Mindshop Excellence problem solving teams in 2019; the Year 10 students worked at Federation University, whilst the Year 11 team worked for the Buninyong Business Network. Year 10 Careers (Janus) staff collaborated to assist students to make informed subject choices for their VCE and beyond, with lessons on job applications before undertaking mock job interviews with working professionals. The 24th Ballarat Careers Expo, was held at the School on Monday 19 August, with tremendous support from Grammar and the Rotary Club of Wendouree, Federation University Australia, Ballarat Connected Communities, ACU, Deakin and LaTrobe universities, 3BA, Wines Office Furniture, Spring H20, Celtink Creative and The Ballarat Times News Group and by all accounts the biggest one yet! Karin Miller Head of Department, Careers
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SENIOR LIBRARY AND JUNIOR INQUIRY CENTRE All Ballarat Grammar students are be encouraged to engage with a diversity of books and text-types on offer at both Grammar Libraries. Recent PISA results reflect the significance of reading as foundational for academic success and lifelong learning and our library staff continue to support our students with a broad and popular range of fiction and non-fiction books. 2019 saw the implementation and collaboration with the English Faculty, of the Middle School Reading Passport – an active way for our students to take a reading ‘journey’ and document the books they have read in their ‘Reading Passport’. Our students are offered the opportunity for sustained reading in the Library and this will continue to for the duration of their middle-schooling. They are free to choose their genre and the aim, always, is for them to enjoy the stories they select. Our students in Junior, Middle and Senior School borrow over every school holiday period, we aim to keep their motivation for reading high during those breaks! Students have options to access EBOOKS and Audio books via the APP/library sites on NEXUS and statistics on this format have been consistently positive. Our NEXUS page is the first port-of-call for our readers and researchers, and we continue to build on this access for our school. The Junior School IB Accreditation was a positive one for the Inquiry Centre. The ‘Mother Tongue’ collection continues to grow and be an important aspect of the IB at Grammar. Families who travel internationally have graciously donated books in many languages to share with our young students and staff in the Junior School. Students on both campuses are very willing to make suggestions and it is always an empowering moment when they receive the book they asked for! Senior Library acts as a healthy transition space for our Year 6 students and 2019 has seen the refurbishment of the VCE study room, which was a busy and quietly respectful study space for our VCE students. Whether it is a Year 10 English student looking to extend their reading of literature, or a Year 4 rushing for the next ‘Anh Do’, our libraries offer welcoming, friendly and positive environments for the students. Library staff are passionate about current trends in books, reading and literature; building relationships with booksellers and the publishing industry as well as very close alignment with the curriculum in support of our learning outcomes. Melissa Dunley Head of Library Gwen McMullin Learning Resources Manager
HEALTH CENTRE The Ballarat Grammar Health Centre is a busy service providing holistic care for the Grammar community across the CEEd, Junior School, Mt Rowan Campus, Senior School, Boarding houses and staff. In 2019, the Health Centre attended to 5,125 students and 143 staff presentations. The provision of first aid, health promotion, medical care and student/ staff well-being remain the core objective of the Health Centre.
The Centre is staffed by 4 part-time registered nurses; Jess Fullerton, Brenda Ludbrook, Debra Pitson and Mandy Wilson in conjunction with the school’s 3 part-time psychologists; Matt Davis, Larelle Dean and Meredith Rayner. In 2019 the Health Centre introduced a managerial position to assist with the growing demand on the facility, which was filled by Jess Fullerton in September. In 2019 the Health Centre responsibilities included: • Managing 1588 listed student medical conditions across the campus. • Student Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management remained a large part of our role, managing 455 listed allergens across the whole campus. This involve organising of students with allergies to have an EpiPen, action plan and management plan which complies with the Department of Education and Early Childhood requirements. • The Health Centre saw a number of medical conditions. The most common presentations being students collecting prescribed medication (n=523), unspecified “Other” incidents (n= 491), Allergy (n = 411), Sprain (n = 308), Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (n = 290). • Standardisation of first aid kits across campus including Junior school, Senior school, CEEd, Mt Rowan, WCPA, City Cite and The John Ross-Perrier Water Sports Centre. Whilst also coordinating First Aid kits for camps, sport and trips.
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Providing medical support attending sport events and other school community events such as School Dance, Lap of the Lake, Tough Grammar, Swim carnival, Seniors and Juniors Athletics, Junior Grandparents Day, Junior School Cross country, and 50 years + Queens and Grammar School Reunion. Counselling and support of students, staff and parents is a significant part of our role as health professionals, working in collaboration with school psychologists and teaching staff. Organising and maintaining medical records. Treating community members. We are available and used as a resource by many of the school staff and their children Attending student wellbeing meetings across the Senior and Junior campuses. Facilitating boarder’s attendance to doctor’s appointments and referral to health professionals and medical specialists. Supporting the boarding community during and after health centre hours. Organisation, and supervision of immunisations by the City of Ballarat for students in Year 7 and 10. Organising and facilitating the vaccination of staff members and boarders against Influenza. Assisting Year 8 Health Classes, facilitating hands on training for students on CPR and Party First Aid. Hosted “SHOCKtober” - a health awareness event teaching 76 students CPR and defibrillation training for Sudden Cardiac Death Awareness, over the month of October. Hosted “Movember” – a health awareness event offering staff health checks open to all staff over the month of November. Introduction of Dog therapy in December 2018; starting training a golden retriever puppy named Arlo. Providing medical supervision on international trips; Debra Pitson in East Timor and Brenda Ludbrook on a Round Square Big Build in Sri Lanka. Maintaining required professional development.
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In addition, Brenda Ludbrook attended an Aboriginal and Torres State Islander Health Conference, Brenda Ludbrook and Debra Pitson attended the Emergency Nursing for School Nurses conference, and Mandy Wilson attending the Australian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) conference. Brenda Ludbrook attended the Raising Child Network as a Medical Consultant. Professional networking within the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation’s Victorian School Nurses Group.
Jess Fullerton Health Centre Manager
ADMISSIONS The School has seen an increase in enrolments to 1700 students at the end of 2019 from 1640 students in 2018. Prominent factors include continued enrolment strength in the CEEd and at Years 4, 5 and 6. Growth in the demand for Middle School places at Year 7 places also resulted in one additional class in 2019, taking the Year 7 cohort to a total of seven classes. Boarding enrolments also remain strong. At year end, CEEd enrolments were 165, Junior School 495 and Middle/Senior School 1040 students. The impressive programs offered at the CEEd continue to be a significant point of interest to families, with enrolment strength resulting in some waiting lists for places. Continued growth is evident in the number of CEEd 4YO students enrolling Prep in the Junior School. Strong levels of interest in the Junior School reflect the continuing impact of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme and the unique learning opportunities at the Year 4 program at the Mount Rowan Farm Campus. Waiting lists are now common at Years 4,5 and 6. Middle/Senior School enrolments remain strong, with enrolments increasing to 1040 students, including 226 boarders. The School is ensuring an active focus on capturing the emerging enrolment interest from families intending to relocate to Ballarat for employment within the expanding state government sector (GovHub). The additional Year 7 class in 2019 was accompanied by organic growth from the additional Year 7 class added in 2015. The School continues to be promoted to country families across Western Victoria, the South West, Wimmera/Mallee, North Central Victoria and Southern NSW. Other significant events include Scholarship Day, Open Days in February and November, Twilight Tours and public Information Evenings. The active weekly School Tour program also compliments the major events. Interest in a Ballarat Grammar education continues to be very strong and the School is excited about the strength of its future enrolments. Bruce Pipkorn Director, Admissions
ARCHIVES Nola and Ross Squire continued to take responsibility for the Butler Archives Centre (BAC) and the John H. D. Roberts Museum. This integrated facility continues to function very well. The BAC in the Centennial Wing provides ideal storage. The storage space above the Health Centre will continue to be required for the foreseeable future. Student Involvement The seven Year 7 History classes visited for an introduction to the Museum, the display process and an explanation of how items are catalogued with examples of both primary and secondary sources. All Year 6 students visited in July, as part of their pre-Exhibition program on “Where we are in place and time”. We discussed the archives/history/journey of Ballarat Grammar over the last 100 years. Requests and Service Many diverse requests continue to be directed to Archives from the School community and beyond. Responding to these often requires substantial research, documentation and interaction. For the 2019 Founders’ Day Service School History presentation, we were involved with script writing and checking. Administrative support has been provided for a variety of needs . Boomalacka We have worked closely with Marnie Pullin for two issues of Boomalacka in 2019, writing the Archives sections, researching and supplying photographs and material as required elsewhere in the publication. Donations Items of significance, varying greatly in age and provenance, continue to be given to the School. Donations from many individuals were received and acknowledged. Cataloguing Many audio-visual items have been catalogued. In addition, in many instances, multiple individual items are catalogued under one number and the relevant key search terms are entered in the data base. Displays The third Gala Reunion held for the 1979, 1989, 1999 and 2009 year groups required the preparation and mounting of four separate displays. The data base search for relevant items, the listing, selecting, extracting, displaying and returning of items to the correct designated storage location is a time-consuming and exacting process. Historical Collection Policy The policy remains unchanged. We place great importance on ensuring that the material on display in the Museum and presented elsewhere is as accurate as possible with regard to historical facts. Professional Development The School continues as an Institutional Member of the Australian Society of Archivists (ASA) and is affiliated with the ASA Victorian School Archives Special Interest Group (SIG).
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Capital Expenditure: Items for Consideration The digitising of all of the School Magazines and Boomalackas remains as a strong recommendation.
Philosophy as banners to guide the content of our meetings, resulting in increased appreciation, understanding and insight into this philosophy and way of thinking.
Nola and Ross Squire School Archivists
Beautifully written chapters from Stefania Giaminutti’s book ‘Dancing with Reggio Emilia: Metaphors for Quality’ (The Value of Rich Normality, The Value of Narrative, The Value of Memory, The Value of Locality, The Value of IdentityRelationship, The Value of Transparency-Democracy, The Value of Language and The Value of Beauty-Aesthetics) made the language and ideas of Reggio Emilia tangible and authentic and further aligned this thinking with our CEEd philosophy and work practices.
CENTRE FOR EARLY EDUCATION Program enrolments In 2019, the CEEd experienced continued demand for its early childhood education programs for 187 children from 167 families. Kindergarten and Reception program enrolments were strong and the Infant & Toddler Programs were fully utilised throughout the year with an extensive waiting list. The extended care programs (Before Care, Aftercare and Holiday Club) were increasingly sought after with all programs running at capacity for 48 weeks of the year. 155 new applications for enrolment (current at 9/12/19) were processed. This number was an increase from previous years (up 9 from 2018, up 41 from 2017 and up 57 from 2016). CEEd Staffing 35 educators were employed at the CEEd in 2019. This number includes full-time, part-time and casual relief educators. We welcomed Mrs Karen Singleton into the Treefrog Program in third term when Mr James Betts went on Long Service Leave. At the end of the year we farewelled CEEd Chef, Amy Turkenburg asshe moves to Melbourne, and we saw Mrs Emma Northcott, Mrs Sarah Wilson and Mrs Gina May commence 12-months Parental Leave. New technologies In 2019, our overarching CEEd professional learning goal was to ‘use of digital technologies to complement and strengthen existing individual goal-setting and documentation and family communication’. With this goal in mind, this year has seen the introduction of Seesaw in all CEEd Programs, providing a digital platform to make learning visible and share individual goal setting and observations. At the beginning of 2019, we introduced a new digital signin system to support the administrative demands of the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) implemented by the Australian Government in 2018. CEEd Parents and other authorised persons now sign children in and out at iPads near each learning space. This resource is also used to share important reminders about upcoming events with CEEd families and has been well received by our community. In dialogue with Reggio Emilia This year we have been in dialogue with Reggio Emilia where we used the fundamental principles of the Reggio Emilia
Bush Kinder and Bushlings Over the past 12 months, we have seen further consolidation of our Bush Kinder Programs and the launch of ‘Bushlings’ (a nature play program for children under 3 that attend our Infant & Toddler Programs.) Through this process of teaching and learning we have observed the children becoming increasingly resilient, creative, environmentally aware naturalists who make considered decisions, take managed risks and regulate their own behaviour. The children and educators look forward to their weekly session in the 'bush' and the benefits for all are evident. Parents have also reported positive changes in their children as a result and new families have enrolled in the CEEd because of our Bush Kinder program. Online Incident Reporting This year saw the weekly collation and entry of CEEd Incident/Injury/Trauma and Illness Records on Complispace. This pilot program has provided us with an insight into the volume and type of incidents occurring at the CEEd, including location of incidents, age of children and frequency of individual children having accidents. Parent Teacher Conversations This year saw the introduction of Parent Teacher Conversations, in lieu of mid-year Summary Reports, at the end of Term Two. This is the first time that we have introduced this process and we had 100% uptake by all Reception and Kindergarten families and excellent feedback about how much parents enjoyed the reciprocal nature of the conversations and the clarity that was provided around the children’s goals and learning outcomes. Our continued focus on the overarching principles of Reggio Emilia, Nature Pedagogy and Positive Psychology, and our ongoing research and contextualisation of these ideas specific to our CEEd learning community continues to raise quality and drive continuous improvement, providing consistency in direction and purpose and are the rich pedagogical well from which we draw on. Koren Naylor Director, Centre of Early Education
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JUNIOR SCHOOL
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Existing students and families were exceptional as always in welcoming new students to the School. Our newest students in the Prep classes settled in beautifully, evidence that the transition program continues to work well.
Middle School students embraced the theme “My Middle School; My Move” and engaged in the rich range of learning opportunities provided both in the classroom and beyond it. We have an aspiration for our Middle School students to change the world and have the belief that they can achieve this. We surround them with supportive staff who work with families to promote their growth, selfconfidence and learning skills. Our focus this year was to continue to increase student engagement in the life of the school and continue to evolve the explicit teaching of content and every child’s opportunity to apply this knowledge to a real world situation. Our world class teaching team have achieved this.
During 2019 the Junior School undertook an in-depth review of teaching and learning, in line with an evaluation visit from the IB. This process was very thorough and rewarding as we worked through the positive changes that have been implemented throughout the Junior School over the past six years. The report came back with glowing references to what is happening in the Junior School whilst, as all good reviews do, identifying our next areas to focus on which have been added to our action plan. We are grateful to all who contributed to this review, especially Mrs Maria Cahir for her tireless work bringing it all together. The culmination of the PYP journey is the PYP Exhibition which was held in early Term 4, and showcased how far we have come with Year 6 students, confidently and proudly sharing their research with other students, teachers, parents and visitors to the School. We welcomed new teaching staff members in Chris Jones (Year 4), Anna Coote (Year 1 and PE), Mr Ben Woodland, and welcomed back to the Junior School Mr Shane Woodrow (Year 6). Due to the exciting baby arrivals for Miss Kylie Michell, Mrs Lani Sharp, Mrs Zara Cornell – Smith (and Mrs Melissa Cornell – Smith), and Mrs Maria Cahir, along with a year of leave for Mrs Helen Trotter we also welcomed Sally Gorman, Mrs Anna Casey, Mrs Smith, Mr Edward Higgs and Mr Chris Vaughan throughout the year. We have been very lucky that we have been able to engage these quality teachers in these roles. Camps, Arts, Service and sport were again all well supported by the student body. Bina Day was again a hit, along with many other student driven awareness campaigns. The Production, ‘The Gallery Strikes Back!’ was another outstanding event bringing student voice to the script and the singing, dancing, drama and art provided a showcase of the Arts program, along with our Wakakirri crew making it to the State Final for the second year in a row and the Gala Concert. Our sporting carnivals and competitions provided a great deal of colour and excitement and some outstanding results. We also had a number of wellbeing activities provided by student leaders to brighten up the spirits of all in the School. We are thankful to all who made 2019 the year that is was in the Junior School and for all the opportunities that were available to the students. Mr Mark Warwick Head of Junior School
Our altruistic leadership model coupled well with our expanded service program. With service based adventure trips to Thailand, East Timor, the Kimberley and the Goldfields Track; students in Years 8 and 9 were challenged to extend themselves beyond their limits. What we learnt from this experience is that our students have untapped potential and capacity. This combined with our numerous local service projects including AAA sport, Eat Up and maintaining the ecosystem around Lake Wendouree set our students up to be truly global citizens who see service to others as a way of life. The Middle School has provided leadership opportunities as well as Service and Adventure opportunities that were once only reserved for senior students. The Middle School student leaders were mentored by School Guardians to ensure they not only learnt important leadership skills but also had a significant and positive impact on our community. The skills that they have developed will serve them well throughout life and the role modelling they displayed to our younger student was profound. The Round Square ethos is firmly intrenched in the Middle School. We had our Inaugural Middle School Round Square Discoveries Day where students were introduced to the Round Square Discoveries and their Round Square Passports that they will use to log their involvements throughout their Middle School journey. With the Round Square International Conference occurring in 2020; the impact of Round Square on our community will continue to grow in the future. Staff have focused more intently on future skills such as communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking. These skills were assessed in each subject which gave students feedback on their learning beyond the traditional knowledge-based constructs. This is imperative as the development of these skills is incredibly important to their future success in a fast-changing world. We were named the Young Entrepreneur School of the Year and two of our students won the Peter Doherty Science Award. This is testament to the students, their intent on making a difference, the support of the teaching staff and the rigor and challenge that they provide in learning programs. Our literacy project was a great
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success and will be amplified in 2020 and the planning is complete for a new approach to Mathematics being introduced at Year 7 next year. All of these initiatives sit alongside the plethora of programs that already run successfully. Sport, Music and the Arts continue to be pillars of engagement and meaning for many students and for others it is Technology, Science and Mathmatics. What we are most proud of is the development of the Middle School culture. Middle School students at Ballarat Grammar are now expecting to be challenged in all that they do. They are expected to share their views, be inventive and innovative and embrace opportunity. Middle School students know that they will be challenged to lead, to serve and to persist. Our Middle School students are great ambassadors of our school. At every turn, they amaze us in what they can achieve. Credit must go to the teaching staff who work tirelessly to provide opportunity, challenge and support to our students and the support we have from the parents, guardians and community more broadly has cemented the Middle School as a centre of connection, aspiration, achievement and growth. Mr Chris Beechey Head of Middle School
SENIOR SCHOOL 2019 in the Senior School was a year where our students worked tirelessly in all manner of things from their academic studies to serving others. By working towards common goals, our Senior School aimed to be stronger together – as we re-identified our place as the Senior School learning community. Our staff worked to ensure all students had a place of connectedness fulfilling the values we proclaim. Assistant Heads Mrs Sandra Warwick, Mrs Sue Hinchliffe and Mrs Brianne Cuthbert, have provided outstanding support and ingenuity in their areas of focus, and we continue to thrive as a result of all they contribute. We celebrated 40 years of our House system this year embracing everything we have valued about the care, support and academic endeavour that our pastoral care system provides. As our student numbers continue to grow in both day and boarding, we have continued to strengthen integral roles that ensure a high functioning school, thriving in all respects. The Wellbeing program is undergoing ‘reimagining’ as we look to strengthen all that is good about it, whilst building the links to the teaching and learning programs within the School. As part of this, we launched the Flourishing Index which will provide us with data about the whole child, highlighting to the Mentors, areas for support and insight into each student under their care. The School was proud to be finalist in the Australian Educator Awards for Best Boarding School and Best Wellbeing Program and we congratulated Mr Chris Van Styn for being awarded the ABSA Best Boarding Person for 2019. Continued presence at Regional Gatherings provided important links for our rural families and the Boarding community continues to thrive under Chris’s leadership. Our subject offerings, service, leadership, outdoor education, sport
and music opportunities continue to be broad, allowing for everyone to find their place, use a strength and flourish. In particular, Applied Learning is continuing to come of age as we strengthen the options and possibilities for wider pathway choices for our students. Student agency and leadership continues to be developed and at every turn our Grammarians are engaged in the thinking, planning and delivering of their school. We have encouraged our staff and students to set goals throughout the year, planning steps along the way to ensure they are both measurable and attainable. Robust learning requires constant and flexible goal setting to ensure success. Individually this happens often, but when we expect our students to be global learners, they must be contributors. Walking around Grammar and spending time with our students, you can see this in action everywhere and every day! Our students have been engaged in everything they possibly can achieving outstanding results along the way. We hosted the DAV Debating and took Senior teams right through to the finals. Our Junior teams entered Royal South Street for the first time and the A team was successful under Mr John Lee’s Guidance. Senior Students entered the EVATT competition and we had more Da Vinci Decathlon teams than ever before. In both Sport and Music, the outcomes were outstanding, from wins at South Street and Eisteddfods, the extended Pipe Band competition successes and performances at many community events. Mr Andrew Dale ensures our musicians play at a very high standard and they impress us consistently with the heights they reach. The Senior School Production – ‘Once Upon a Mattress’, directed by Ms Elena Sabellico was a highlight ensuring maximum participation for our students on stage or behind. On the sporting front the riches have been many. We have won State Titles in Girls’ Football and Netball, the Boys Div 3 Herald Sun Shield Title and both the boys’ and girls’ Head of the Lake, just to name a few. Individually we continue to have students selected to National level in all manner of sports and we are proud of the way we support them as elite athletes as well as in their studies. Captains and Guardians encouraged the student body to find their voice through ‘Radio Grammar’ and our House Captains created atmosphere and engagement at all House events they were charged with. We enjoyed the Round Square Dance, International Women’s Day and the Hunger Lunch, all led capably by our Round Square leaders. As part of our commitment to Round Square we have provided numerous opportunities for our students to experience international travel and service opening up their minds to the world beyond the Grammar Gates. Ongoing Round Square Exchanges, Thailand, Timor Leste, RSIC India, RSIS Big Build Morocco, the USA Sports Tour and Nepal, provided many of our students with the chance to travel and step out of their comfort zone. The benefits are many to our young people and these experiences are life changing. Staff in the Senior School continue to strive for enhanced practice seeking Professional Development in all areas. In particular, we now have large numbers of staff working as VCAA Assessors and this brings benefit to our students in their ability to manage and untangle the challenge that is a VCE subject. Having staff working closely with a wide array of studies at the assessment level is an absolute benefit to all. We were also once again able to link with an external provider to offer a VCE lecture series at BG prior to the examinations. 2019 will be a year remembered for many achievements in the Senior
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School. The strength of relationships are seen everywhere at Grammar and the bonds being created in the classroom nurture learning in a way where everyone can achieve. Students know that they are stronger together – working with each other or working with their teachers. There’s a connectedness and understanding in our senior students that links their learning to life. They strive academically, but that’s only part of the story as it’s not a unilateral outcome they are after. There are many doors to an optimal life and the character they continue to develop will be one that helps them change the world. Empathetic, caring and knowing – sensitive to each other, their environment and the world, our senior students are now and always will be - stronger together! Mrs Christine Shaw Deputy Head and Head of Senior School
ROUND SQUARE It has been a busy and productive year of Round Square activities in 2019 at Ballarat Grammar. In Term 1, Year 7 enjoyed a terrific day of activities based on the Round Square Discoveries and Ideals out at Mt Rowan, drawing upon team based skills to complete a range of challenges in a friendly environment. Several Year 8 students attended the Round Square Regional Conference at Woodleigh in the April holidays, camping under the stars accompanied by Mr Esmonde and getting to know many students from other schools in Australia and South East Asia. Students were involved in organising and participating in a range of Round Square events throughout the year. The Round Square Senior School Dance in Term 2, and Year 8-9 Social in Term 3 were well attended events that brought our student community together. The Hunger Lunch in Term 1 and Kurt Hahn Sleep Out in Term 3 raised proceeds and provided goods for those less fortunate in our community, both globally and locally. International Women’s Day was also a hit in Term 1, where three guest speakers discussed the progress and enduring challenges in the area of women’s rights. Throughout the year, seven Year 11 students have participated in Big Build Service Projects. Annie Trotter, Aeron Johns and Phoebe Sheehan went to Morocco in the mid-year break, whilst Sophie Tan, Alexander Unmack, Austin Eaton and Ellie Litras travelled to Borneo in December. On top of these service projects, we have had many of our Year 10 students out on international exchanges throughout 2019, hosting students from Canada, Germany, Columbia, South Africa, the USA and Scotland, to name a few, whilst also studying in these locations. These exchanges have pushed our students to broaden their horizons, gain a greater understanding of the world they live in, whilst also building self-confidence and strengthening their cultural literacy. Many international friendships have been formed as a result of these experiences. A very fortunate group of Year 10 students travelled to India for this year’s RSIC in the September holidays. The participating students were open-minded, resilient and impressive in the way they negotiated the challenges of their journey, embracing many adventures and cultural situations that were not within their existing life experiences. Our students worked superbly together and met some terrific young people from all around the world, whilst also bringing valuable knowledge back to Ballarat.
Finally, thank you to this year’s outstanding Round Square Captains, Aemilia Riethoff and Angus Drain. Both Captains led by example and were active role models in living out the Round Square Ideals. They were inclusive, compassionate leaders who listened to everyone and acted upon their ideas with reliable determination and good humour. A massive thank you also to the outgoing Round Square Coordinator, Mr Matt Hanlon, who has championed the Round Square philosophy at Ballarat Grammar for many years and provided life changing experiences for countless Grammar students over the years, both here on campus and on overseas adventures. Tim Shaw Round Square Co-ordinator International Exchange Co-ordinator
FACULTIES ART AND DESIGN Staffing • Julianna Paci, replacing Jane Boadle (retired), • Melanie Buckingham, replacing Gabrielle Lillie (parental leave) in Terms 3 & 4 • Madeleine Cruise, Art Assistant replacing Sam Anstis Extra Curricular • Life drawing classes • Afternoon and evening studio sessions for VCE students in all terms • House Art Competition • VCE Art and Design exhibition • Screen printing support for Junior School Production • Progressive hanging of artworks throughout the school (Madeleine Cruise) • Royal Melbourne Show • Fashion Awards Australia • Collaborate with RP&E Year 10 students for their Contemporary Ethical Questions task • Kim Anderson Artist Visit, Year 11 Art Theory • Face Off portrait competition Creative Entrepreneur Keep Cups (Year 9, Ruby Pilven) Raised over $1,300 for bushfire relief Selected for Top Designs (Melbourne Museum) Zoe Thomas (Product Design) Ryan Anderson (Product Design) Luke DeBuhr (Systems Engineering) Shortlisted for Top Arts (National Gallery of Victoria) Marcus Bedford (Art) Shortlisted for NextGen at the Ballarat Gallery Brooke McNeight Sophie Johns Ellie Litras Emily Baker Jasper Chatham William Grills Bronwyn Peters
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Ryan Anderson Pip Metcalfe Heidi Bast Marcus Bedford Harrison Keeble Grace Crook Georgia O’Loughlan Maddison Price Fashion Awards Australia Wearable Art • 3rd Tessa Fasham Upcycled Wear • 1st Heidi Bast Royal Melbourne Show Casual Wear Years 9 & 10 • 1st Alice Barry • 3rd Kitty Wills Formal Wear or Costume Years 9 & 10 • 2nd Ellie Sinclair • 3rd Grace Anderson Formal Wear or Costume Years 11 & 12 • Commended Sophie Tan Miscellanaeous Item Years 7 – 10 • 3rd Tessa Britnell • Very Highly Commended Charlotte Robson Staff Professional Learning Natalie Dunne • VCAA Training Session, Visual Communication Design, Ballarat Gallery • VCAA Assessor Visual Communication Design Examination Rob Hurley • VCAA Training Session, Art and Studio Arts, Ballarat Gallery • Adobe Creativity in the Classroom • Adobe Virtual Reality for Educators and Engage Your Students with Digital Drawing. Alan Beech • VCAA Moderation Training, Systems Engineering • Python Programming, Codeacademy • MatLab and Simulink for returning Engineer, MATLAB • The Grid Method, Teach Better Beau Leonard • VCAA Moderation Training, Product Design Sue Sedgwick • VCAA Moderation Training, Art and Studio Arts, Ballarat Gallery • Zart Nurturing Creativity Conference with guest speaker – Abdul Abdullah • Ballarat Gallery Teacher’s Exhibition, exhibitor • Seminar, Contemporary Chinese Artists, Ballarat Gallery • The Muse in Art: Lecture at NGV • Artist Residence, Art Vault Mildura • VCAA Assessor Art Exam
Gabrielle Lillie • VCAA Moderation Training, Art and Studio Arts, Ballarat Gallery • Ballarat Gallery Teacher’s Exhibition Ruby Pilven • Middle Years Learning Leader • Presenter, International Ceramics Conference Victoria, Yarra Valley Julianna Paci • VCAA Moderation Training, Art and Studio Arts, Ballarat Gallery • Zart Nurturing Creativity Conference with guest speaker – Abdul Abdullah • Judge, Textiles, Royal Melbourne Show Melanie Buckingham • Zart Nurturing Creativity Conference with guest speaker – Abdul Abdullah Sue Sedgwick Chair of Faculty, Visual Arts and Design
COMMERCE The staffing of Commerce subjects has remained as it was in the previous year with Adam Shaw, Susie Murdoch, Denise Parkins, Bruce Pipkorn and Alan Pitson. All staff continue to work tirelessly to assist and support students and to model resilience, zest and optimism. Furthermore, a cornerstone of our teaching is the establishment of positive connections with students. Throughout the year our team has focused professional learning on the themes of differentiated teaching and literacy development. We have also explored and shared feedback practices which facilitate student ownership over their learning. Attention towards practices to Staff have attended conferences conducted by the VCTA which have centred on teaching strategies and resources required for new study designs. Staff have also engaged in collaborative planning to establish a new Year 9 entrepreneurial elective titled Start up: Start now to commence in 2020. Student numbers across the faculty have remained very strong and with a relatively equal gender balance. Students have participated in the Australian Schools’ Sharemarket Game and the Commonwealth Bank Plan Your Enterprise Competition. Additional insight into the world of commerce has been provided by excursions to courts, prisons, local businesses and with presentations by guest speakers. Commerce awards: Yr 12: Melbourne Nawaruth Yr 11: Ella Mackenzie ASX Schools’ Sharemarket Game: Zane Wang Alan Pitson Chair of Faculty, Commerce
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ENGLISH Staffing We welcomed a number of new staff members to the English faculty in 2019, Ms Sally Smith to the Senior English team as well as Mrs Sarah Allitt for Term 1 in a replacement capacity for Ms Jayne Craven who was on long service leave. Mr Nathan Thomas and Mrs Andrea Maxted joined mid-way through the year taking on Middle Years English classes. We said goodbye to long serving and retiring senior English and Literature teacher, Mr Richard Carroll, who had been with the School for 25 years. In addition, Mr Paul Esmonde also departed the School to pursue further study and Mrs Kath Milne, from the Year 9 Program, retired at the conclusion of the 2019 teaching year. We thank all three for their dedication to the faculty and the students and they go with our best wishes for the future. Teaching and learning The faculty focus through the year supported, in part through the PGP program, was centred on a review of feedback practices. Middle Years teams implemented D.I.R.T. writing routines complemented with Comparative Judgement marking practices to inform feedback strategies and teaching foci within the Year 7 and 8 classrooms. Senior teachers explored and implemented feedback strategies that facilitated student engagement with the feedback. In addition to reflections on VCE data, ongoing review of NAPLAN and PAT data sets were utilised to prompt reflections on practice in response to student need. 2020 will see a focus on Year 7 explicit literacy interventions based in part, on this data. 2019 saw English as a standalone subject reintroduced to the Year 9 program. Continued collaborative planning practices were coordinated and led by Ms Alice Humble as Middle Years Learning Leader. In her role she also oversaw the continued evolution of a rigorous and engaging Middle Years curriculum. 2019’s new subject additions included: It’s Lit and Media Head at Year 8 and Speak Out and Advanced English at Year 9. Our VCE staff continued to work tirelessly in order to support students. The addition of Saturday Trial exam in Term 3 was sustained and gave students an opportunity to receive external marker feedback that helped to promote practice in the lead up to subsequent Trial Exam period in September. Additionally, revision lectures and before school study session have been offered by VCE staff. Throughout the year before school masterclass sessions were run on a Tuesday and Thursday morning and taken up by an increasing number of dedicated students. The final results suggest those who took up such offerings benefitted greatly in their final examination results. VCE staff continued their commitment to best practice through their role as VCAA markers in each of the three English streams. In addition we had one staff member complete the GAT marking. Debating and Public Speaking VCAA Plain English Speaking Awards In June of 2019, Year 11 student Laura Wright and Year 10 student Tom McKenzie competed in the regional finals of the Plain English Speaking Awards. Tom was the winner of the Regional finals which allowed him to compete in the State preliminary finals. Tom, while not winning this round, was given
a wild card through to the State finals, a fantastic experience and tremendous result. Debating Association of Victoria (DAV) This year, under the stewardship of Mr John Lee, The Grammar Debating Group enjoyed another productive season of debates in which they found increasingly inventive ways to argue their point, confound their opponents and state their case. BGS hosted the Ballarat event this year and fielded teams form Years 9 through to 12. A highlight of the program was the mentoring of new debaters by our senior debating members. In addition, experts from the DAV ran workshops to hone the skills of all students. South Street Debating 2019 saw the reintroduction of Junior Debating through the South Street Competition. Two teams in both Years 7 and 8 competed at the competition with both levels making through the final round and taking out the competition. Evatt Voice of Youth This year Ballarat Grammar hosted a regional round of the Evatt Voice of Youth with one team of Violet Cotsell and Finley Japp making it through to the finals down in Melbourne. Legacy Junior Public Speaking Competition The Ballarat Grammar participants in the Legacy Junior Public Speaking competition for 2019 were Elena Craven , Francesca Khoury, Leo Keutmann and Bella Wolf. A Rostrum Voice of Youth This year we had four students compete in the junior division of the Rostrum Voice of Youth this year, Jacinta Gosby, Saffron Dreger, Krystalia Triandafillidis and Liana Henderson-Drife. All performed admirably in the heats and two competitors made through the semifinals. Kate Brady Chair of Faculty, English
HUMANITIES 2019 was a year of extension and improvement across the faculty. The Professional Growth Program challenged the faculty to make changes to our practice to improve the outcomes of our students. As a faculty, we decided that students writing would be our focus, as this was an area that we identified as needing improvement at the VCE level. To do so, we identified vocabulary, use of evidence and sentences as three areas to improve strategically. Working with the English department and the concepts of the “Writing Revolution,” each team at Yr 7, 8 and 10 looked at how we could better embed strategies such as vocabulary lists, specific feedback and connectives to help scaffold student’s writing. At each year level, we chose a specific task to introduce each of the concepts, working to build each of them in all of our units of work. This has been an outstanding success, as student written work has become more complex and better structured. In Yr 7 this change has coincided with Project Based Learning, a structure that works to engage students
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through real-world issues. We approached each term from a new perspective, with major changes to our practice being that students produce a product, for a real-life audience after a strategic immersion in a topic. Students were given the chance to draft and re-draft their work, building on the skills required to produce highquality work. Along with a considerable change in how often we give feedback to students and the strategies of the Writing Revolution, we have seen a huge improvement in student efficacy and writing in general. Next year we are looking to roll out changes to units in both Yr 8 and Yr 10, in an effort to make these practices part of our everyday teaching. Next year we look forward to continuing our PGP project, collecting data more thoroughly to reflect students’ growth. Our VCE students have continued to work very hard and develop their knowledge and skills. Numbers have grown slightly and are looking very promising for 2020.
Staff • The French Unit 3/4 students were assisted by Dr Alastair Hurst who provided one to one oral tuition. • Chinese students worked with Ms Luna Shen our Chinese Language Assistant. • We welcome Ms Kristiana Withers to the school to teach French at Year 7.
Staff In order to develop this curriculum, there have to be innovative and passionate teachers that are willing to go above and beyond and the Humanities Faculty. We have a strong team of educators who help make student experiences authentic. Year 7 team was led by Hannah Wise and supported by Andrea Maxted, David Marriot, Adele Ryan, James Wilson and Graham Hislop. In Year 8 our team was led ably by Ian Riethoff along with Graham Hislop, Tim Adam, Crystal Bell and Fiona Whitehouse. Our Yr 10-12 Team consisted of Ian Riethoff, Jo Ashman, Luke Pougnault, Marcus Downs and Nick Lanyon, each making strong contributions to the development of new curriculum and tasks for the students to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding. We look forward to continuing to evolve and grow in 2020.
Mathematic in 2019 provided a rich tapestry of learning through class activities, enrichment opportunities, access to externally provided programs and service.
Hannah Wise Chair of Faculty, Humanities
LANGUAGES Languages students have continued to take part in the numerous cultural and language learning opportunities that have been offered to them. Students have enthusiastically met the challenge of language competitions and have enjoyed cultural activities and overseas exchanges. • • • • • • •
Eden Squire (11) and Natalie Fitzpatrick (11) undertook exchanges through the CIVEL exchange program to Lyon, France. Year 7 LOTE students were entertained by a visit from the North Eastern Melbourne Chinese Association Dance Troupe organised by Mrs Nancy Wu. Year 7 Chinese students visited Bendigo Museum and Year 8 Chinese students visited Melbourne Museum Unit 3/4 Latin Students attended a preparation session for the VCE Latin Examination, held in Melbourne accompanied by Mrs Jocelyn Williams. Unit 3/4 French students attended The Matinée du Français session in Melbourne in preparation for the VCE French examination. All Year 8 students participated in the Bastille Day celebrations at school, experiencing French activities, games, and food. Latin students participated in the Classical Association of Victoria Latin Reading Competition. Ashwin Rajagopalan received Second Place in the Year 11 category.
Yvonne Chadderton Chair of Faculty, Languages
MATHEMATICS
Service The student to student peer tutoring continued to grow and strengthen its place in the School on a Monday afternoon. At its height 56 tutor and tutee pairs worked together forging relationships while exploring maths. The number of students willing to give their time to help others and become tutors in this program has been amazing. The student tutors are students who have confidence in their ability to learn and teach maths. One of the highlights of the program has been watching a Yr10 student who has participated in the Maths Peer Tutoring Program as a tutee in Yr7, 8 & 9 become a tutor in Yr10. She was able to reflect on how the extra help she gained in younger years was a positive experience and that this was a factor that helped her maths to improve. She wanted to provide this for younger students and realised that being able to help others learn maths was not the domain of the students with the strongest results but the domain of all students who have had success at their own level. Competitions and Camps During Term 2, Yr11 and Yr12 Specialist Maths students travelled to Monash University to participate in the BIG Data Challenge. This day was aimed at high achieving students in mathematics. It was a day where students could explore areas of interest that included actuarial studies, modelling, business and logistics. The 11 students who attended reflected on the benefit of the day which included activities, lecturers explaining the worth of courses and imploring students to follow their passion along with returning students describing their careers and the interesting, at times unlikely, pathways they have taken to reach the point they are currently at. The Australian Maths Competition (AMC) was held in August with 214 students electing to take part. This is the largest number of entries in the AMC in the last 20 years. Two students gained High Distinctions (Mathew Walker Yr10 and Callum Luttrell Yr10) with 45 students receiving Distinctions. These results meant that 22% of our students attained HD or D with 15 (7%) of the results being in the Senior Division (Yr11 & 12) Marcus Bedford (Yr11) was accepted as a participant at the National Maths Summer School (NMSS) held in Canberra in January 2020. Thomas Burnett (Yr12) participated in the NMSS in 2019 and was accepted to return as a mentor to the current year group.
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VCE Maths The numbers of students who completed VCE Mathematics was strong. 106 students completed Further Maths Units 3&4, 62 students completed Math Methods Units 3&4 and 16 students completed Specialist Maths Units 3&4. 2019 marked the second group of Year 11 students to complete Math Methods Units 3&4. In total eight Yr11 students completed Maths Methods Units 3&4 with the highest two study scores in Maths Methods Units 3&4 coming from this group. Delwyn Oliver Head of Department, Mathematics
OUTDOOR EDUCATION “The destiny of character is shaped outside the classroom” Kurt Hahn One’s connectedness with nature can at times be a rare feat, often neglected in today’s fast-paced and electronically connected world. Outdoor Education provides opportunities for students to embrace their relationship with nature on a level that may at times seems unattainable. A simple moment floating downstream or rigorously skiing through sub-zero blizzard conditions allows for important personal growth. Through such experiences students develop life skills such as teamwork, the ability to communicate, compassion, tolerance and a real sense of adventure. Over the years students at Ballarat Grammar have been very fortunate to be offered an array of Outdoor Education experiences and 2019 has proved no different. Our students embrace the natural environment through multiple journey-based programs, involving students within the Middle School and Senior School alike. The adoption of an adventurous mindset and the ability to embrace personal and community challenges soon become an innate strength of our students. Outdoor Education programs are designed to be physically and mentally demanding allowing opportunities for immense personal growth, which at times cannot be achieved within the confines of the classroom. These demands are equally challenging for our teaching staff and Senior School Outdoor Education Leaders who attend programs, assisting to facilitate the multitude of educational outcomes. It would not be possible to manage one hundred and eighty students without a strong team of staff and they are sincerely thanked for their commitment to and involvement in the Outdoor Education Program. David Marriott Outdoor Education Co-ordinator Duke of Edinburgh Awards Co-ordinator
HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION The Ballarat Grammar School Health and Physical Education staff continued to work collaboratively, with a focus on redeveloping the units on offer within the Middle School from Years 7 to 9.
maximise the learning outcomes for students. Pleasingly, our numbers at VCE level for both Health and Human Development, and Physical Education increased, which is a testament to the impact and influence of the faculty teachers. Shenai Dix Chair of Faculty, Health and Physical Education
PERFORMING ARTS 2019 has been another outstanding year in the Performing Arts life at Grammar. During Term 1 the Pipe Band achieved impressive results at the Ballarat, Geelong and Ringwood Gatherings. This ensemble continues to grow in numbers and experience and is in demand for performances on a regular basis. Many music students participated in successful String and Band Camps at Norval in the Grampians with our first ever live stream concert, observed by people in Europe and Australia. The Don Huntley Memorial Piano Recital featured guest artist, Stefan Cassomenos. Stefan was ably supported by Year 12 student, Cooper Harwood. Our Senior School Production, Once upon a Mattress, showcased a depth of talent in our Senior School, with strong acting, singing, dancing and music. Jazz at the Mechanics’ featured our Jazz Quartet, Bluegrass Band, Sultans of Swing and Stage Band performing to a wonderful audience in the historic Minerva space. Royal South Street results were once again outstanding for our ensembles and it was pleasing that over 200 students participated in solo and group performances across Speech Art, Piano, Voice and Instrumental sections. Impressive results were also achieved by students sitting for AMEB, ANZCA and Trinity examinations. The opportunities provided by 43 Music and Speech Art staff is appreciated widely by those involved and the wider school community. We extend thanks to all staff and Friends of Music for their invaluable support. Exceptional performances by VCE students saw Marcus Govan and Ellie Litras selected for the VCAA Season of Excellence; Marcus to perform his work prepared for his Performance (Percussion) exam and Ellie, the work prepared for her Dance exam. The Dance program at Ballarat Grammar nurtures students with a passion for movement and diverse dance styles to become involved through curriculum choice, to VCE level, or co-curricular opportunities such as the School Production or Dance Club. Students gain a sense of achievement and enhanced self-esteem by working on individual and group choreography in a nurturing environment, often achieving a real sense of pride. Dance recitals and involvement at School Concerts and Assemblies adds value to the cultural life of the School. Andrew Dale Chair of Faculty, Performing Arts
The aim of this was to update units to ensure they are consistent with learning activities, assessment rubrics and key skills and knowledge. This was achieved by using the Middle School unit planner and will continue to be an ongoing focus in 2020 to ensure we
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ANNUAL REPORT 2019
RELIGION, PHILOSOPHY AND ETHICS
SCIENCE
2019 has been a very productive year for the Faculty, we were thrilled when the Reverend Dr Tim Gaden was appointed to the role of Senior Chaplain with his expanded role of teaching in the Middle School and his leadership in the Chapel of St Mark. We farewelled Rev. Eleanor O’Donnell and wish her well in her adventures in Perth and the significant work she is doing supporting new chaplains of the Perth Archdiocese and as Senior Chaplain of the prestigious Hale School.
Staffing After 38 years of service, we sadly farewelled John Daniel or, as he is more fondly known, JD. Originally employed as a Chemistry teacher, JD taught VCE Physics and Science across all year levels. JD leaves with our best wishes!
With a focus on developing our use and understanding of literacy initiatives based on the Hochman Method and an intentional search for authentic audiences for our Middle School projects, the Faculty has made significant progress on our Faculty goals of improving literacy and best practice in Middle School teaching and learning. 2019 has been one of effective progress that will be reflected on and further developed in the coming year. One highlight was the Year 7 “Design a Chapel” project where students visited our own Chapel of St Mark as well as being hosted at St Matthew’s Anglican Church Wendouree to explore the essentials of Anglican Worship. Students constructed 3D and digital models of their imagined chapels and were delighted to welcome Priests and Parishioners from the Anglican Parishes of the City of Ballarat. These visitors proved to be an informed and very interested audience for our Year 7 students. This activity was written up and featured in the Anglican Schools Association Magazine and “The Chronicle”, the Diocesan Newsletter of the Diocese of Ballarat. The Middle School RP&E program has been ably conducted by a committed team of dedicated staff who sought to engage deeply with the academic and spiritual journeys of their students. Rev. Dr Tim Gaden has worked in Year 9 and Year 7, Ms Jo Ashman has worked tirelessly with a range of Year 7 classes, Ms Danielle Tesoriero has continued to work with both Year 7 and Year 8 and Ms Fiona Whitehouse has had a wonderful year with Year 8 and Year 9 classes. Mr Keith Romanis has enjoyed working across the Middle School with classes from Year 7 to Year 9. The VCE Unit 1 and 2 Religion and Society course provided a fantastic springboard for Year 10 classes led by Ms Fiona Whitehouse, Rev Dr Tim Gaden and Mr Keith Romanis to explore a range of contemporary religious and ethical issues. The students concluded their year of exploring the ethical process, viewpoints of different religions and philosophers by engaging deeply with a contemporary Australian ethical question which included a range of amazing creative responses. The Unit 3 and 4 Religion and Society completed a very strong year of study that produced our best results yet. An initiative that has been in development for some time came to fruition in 2019 with the Faculty presenting a range of ethical seminars to the VCAL cohort. The Faculty is grateful for the VCAL teachers giving us room in their full program and to Ms Fiona Whitehouse and Mr Keith Romanis who delivered the seminars and look forward to developing this in 2020 and beyond. The support given to the efforts of the Religion, Philosophy and Ethics teachers and their students is greatly appreciated. The strong support of our colleagues and the broader Ballarat Grammar community created a wonderful environment in which we have been blessed to work in 2019.
We warmly welcomed Laura Bramble and Sara Fields to the Science Faculty in 2019. Laura taught Year 11 Chemistry, Year 10 Science and Junior Maths, while Sara taught Year 11 Biology, Year 10 Science and Year 8 Science and Maths. After 10 years of being Chair of the Science Faculty, Dee Simmons relinquished this position. Laura Bramble has been appointed to the role for 2020. Perfect Study Scores & VCE Premier’s Award Kimia Mohammadsaeedi scored a perfect 50 in Chemistry while Lucy Ford received a VCE Premier’s Award for excellent academic achievement in Agricultural and Horticultural Studies. Congratulations go to Louise Curran and Matthew Dickinson for guiding and supporting these students throughout their studies. Science Forums and Experiences Amy Zuell (Yr 12) attended the prestigious 2019 National Youth Science Forum (NYSF) in Canberra at the beginning of the year. Alexander Unmack (Yr 11) has been invited to attend the 2020 NYSF during the summer break. Competitions and Awards Many of our Science students participated in a variety of Science competitions throughout 2019. Leopold Felstead (Yr 7), Marco Pasakos (Yr 7), Bella McLeod (Yr 8) and Veronica O’Brien (Yr 9) were awarded Distinctions in in the Big Science Competition. Alexander Unmack (Yr 11), Thomas Burnett (Yr 12), Stephanie Hancock (Yr 12) and Luke Williams (Yr 12) were awarded a High Distinctions in the Australian National Chemistry Quiz. Leopold Feldstead (Yr 7), Marco Pasakos (Yr 7), Kate Anderson (Yr 9), Lola Speer (Yr 9), Hannah Ryan (Yr 10), Caroline Tatham (Yr 10), Ashwin Rajagopalan (Yr 11), Rui Xing (Yr 11), Michael (Jiangmin) Zhang (Yr 11), Aaron Lowe (Yr 11) and Amy Zuell (Yr 12) were awarded Distinctions in this competition. Excursions and Events • Year 8 Food Glorious Food students visited Inglenook Dairy to gain a better understanding of the some of the local food industries. • Year 11 and 12 Environmental Science students gained valuable field experience when they visited Mt Rothwell Conservation and Research Centre and undertook some trapping data collection and observations of the endangered Spotted Quoll. • A group of students from Year 9 to 11 entered one hybrid trike in the Energy Breakthrough challenge in Maryborough. The team was highly competitive and travelled 850km in the 24 hour event. Deidre Simmons Chair of Faculty, Science
Keith Romanis Chair of Faculty, Religion Philosophy and Ethics
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COMMUNITY
Grammarians’ Association has seen greater participation in the planning and conduct of these events, to the advantage of all.
BALLARAT GRAMMAR FOUNDATION
The Foundation records it appreciation of the insightful leadership brought to Foundation matters by our Headmaster, Mr Adam Heath and looks forward to a long and beneficial relationship as we continue to meet our goals.
Directors President – Mr Phillip Mann Senior Vice President – Mr G R Eyres Junior Vice President – Mrs P Coghlan Mr L G Evans, Mr K R Cook, Mrs A Gaunt, Mr C McIntosh, Mr G I Millar, Mr M C Warwick Company Secretary – Mr P G Hunt
The Ballarat Grammar Foundation again offers its sincere thanks and appreciation to all those who have been able to support the School in 2019.
The Ballarat Grammar Foundation retains as its primary role the preservation and development of the services, property and facilities of the School by providing funds which bridge the gap between income from fees and government grants and expenditure within the operating budget of the School. The Foundation achieves this by prudent management of its investments and through the pursuance of donations, corporate support, gifts and bequests to underpin its work.
BALLARAT AND QUEEN’S OLD GRAMMARIANS’ ASSOCIATION
Now in its thirty-eighth year of operation the Foundation has played a critical role in ensuring the on-going stability of Ballarat Grammar. This would not be possible without the continuing high level of support from parents of the School, past students, staff and friends.
In June, the girls Heritage Football match was played at St Patricks’ oval against Loreto. The OG Committee presented the B & F medal after the match as the Grammar girls won in a thrilling match, albeit very cold. Ballarat Grammar hosted Ballarat High School. We invited past Grammar captains and footballers from the 10 last year who some did attend. Engaging and inviting past students and staff to these events are key to grow the Association and schools volunteer group for the future.
This year the Foundation has experienced a significant transition in leadership with Mr Lindsay Evans stepping down as President after being in the role for 28 years and Mr Phillip Mann commencing in the role. Our sincere appreciation goes to Lindsay for his strong leadership and support over an incredibly long period of time and we are grateful that he is able to continue as a Board member. The Foundation also welcomed Mr Cameron Moore who officially commenced as a Board member this year. The Annual Giving Program remains a primary source of Foundation fundraising and the high level of support for this program, which in 2019 focussed on the Ballarat Grammar Foundation Scholarship Fund, the John Ross-Perrier Water Sports Centre mezzanine and the Stage Two refurbishment of Dart House Boarding facilities is again gratefully acknowledged. A large proportion of current School families contributed to the Building Fund whilst a number of friends of the School committed to pledges, gave generous gifts or advised of bequests which have been made in the School’s favour. To all donors we extend our grateful thanks. Director of Development, Mr Travis Polkinghorne has led the Development Office throughout the year with valuable assistance from Mrs Claire Hay. The Foundation continues to be active in its support of past students and the wider Ballarat Grammar community with the 2017, 2014, 2009, 1999, 1989 and 1979 reunions successfully conducted. Successful Ballarat Grammar reunions/gatherings were also held in Sydney and on the Sunshine Coast. The 50+ Luncheon was held as an informal occasion to promote and maintain friendships as well as rekindle memories of the School. The continued strengthening of the partnership with the Old
This year the Ballarat and Queen’s Old Grammarians’ Association gained traction on many areas that we wish to develop. We are enthusiastically planning new events and activities that will align with the school's calendar, giving Old Grammarians the opportunity to contribute more to the School.
Grammar in Concert was also a huge success with so many students excelling in their passion for music. It was remarkable to see a few OGs following their dream in studying music in joining the current students at the concert. This year there have been many OGs shining through in Ballarat and the world stage in music. Careers Expo went off with a bang. With many of the mentors being Old Grammarians coming back to the school answering many questions Ballarat students have for their field of work. This area is our main focus for the Association and the OG community, to collaborate their work experience and offer advise through the new online alumni platform, Ballarat Grammar Connect. This program aligns many areas within our Strategic Plan for the Association and the school. In October we had the gala reunion from multiple year levels. This was the second year this event was ran and it went very well. It was great to see so many past teachers also attend. In December 2019 Ballarat Grammar held the second 50 plus reunion. More than 100 Old Grammarians attended the event. There was a terrific buzz around the large group with Old Grammarians and staff reminiscing over old times and taking a look at what’s changed at Ballarat Grammar. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my fellow Committee members, the Ballarat Grammar Development Office especially Travis and Claire, Careers Office, Ballarat Grammar Board, Adam Heath and supporting school staff for their assistance in furthering the activities of the Ballarat and Queen’s Old Grammarians’ Association. Laura Le Marshall (MacDonald ’02) President, Ballarat and Queen’s Old Grammarians’ Association
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FRIENDS OF BALLARAT GRAMMAR With a focus on stability, Friends of Ballarat Grammar again commenced the year with a full management committee of 12 members. With our meeting format providing separate business meetings, Friends of Ballarat Grammar continued to promote gatherings and events to encourage community engagement and connectedness. Gatherings this year included presentation topics such as Outdoor Learning, Leadership and Service, Mathematics pathways, City Cite Program and an overview of the Grammar Masterplan. We sincerely thank the staff and students who gave their time to share their knowledge and experiences with us. A new venture in 2019 was the creation of a social subcommittee enthusiastically led by Virginnia Robson. Our first event was a bus trip to Bendigo Art Gallery for the Tudors to Windsors Art Exhibition. A fantastic event we, along with a bus load of ladies, enjoyed a royal day out with lots of laughs, amazing food and a little bit of art. In another new initiative, in August we held a wellbeing event and brought the documentary style film, Screenagers, to the Ballarat Grammar community. This was then followed by an encore screening in October for the Ballarat community as a whole. Focusing on the topic of ‘growing up in a digital world’, the screenings were followed by a Q&A session and were both extremely well received by those that attended with lots of positive feedback. Our sincere thanks go to our panel, Jacquie Evans Barker (Neuro Psychologist), Matt Davis (Ballarat Grammar Psychologist), Jesse Park (Headspace) and Des Hudson (Community Policing) for volunteering their time and being willing to answer some challenging questions arising from the audience. Our annual dinner events for both Prep parents and Year 7 parents were again wonderfully successful and enjoyed by all. Both of these events focus on assisting new families integrate with current families and form bonds that will carry through their years as part of the Grammar community. It was the first year that we held the Year 7 dinner in the Ballarat Grammar Dining Hall and we give thanks to chef Adam Sekkar and his team for a delicious meal. We also thank Chris Van Styn for accommodating us and making other dinner arrangements for our boarding students so that we could take over their dining hall. Volunteers again stepped forward to provide refreshments for the 2019 Ballarat Careers Expo where we continue to work in partnership with the Rotary Club of Wendouree and enjoy support from the Ballarat and Queens Old Grammarians Association. Thank you to Cathy CarusoRobinson in her first year as co-ordinator of the volunteers on behalf of FOBG. Special thanks to Claire Hay in the Development Office for her unwavering support and assistance throughout the year. Along with Travis Polkinghorne their work behind the scenes to support Friends of Ballarat Grammar is truly appreciated. We also extend our thanks and appreciation to Mr Adam Heath, Ms Christine Shaw, Mr Chris Beechey and Mr Mark
Warwick, not only for their impeccable leadership but for their overwhelming support and their willingness to openly engage with us despite their already heavy workloads. To the 2019 committee, Vice President Gail Oliver, Treasurer Keah Otto, Secretary Gretel Johns, and general members Virginnia Robson Lea-anne Dolan, Verity Trigg, Cathy Caruso-Robinson, Linda Barry, Brett Bryant and Maree Parish, thank you. In the words of Henry Ford, “coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress and working together is success”. I’m very proud of how cohesive and collaborative you’ve been this year and I look forward to what we can achieve in 2020. Sue Lembo President
THE VIKINGS ROWING CLUB 2019 has been a year of great anticipation for the Vikings Rowing Club as we watched the building of the new mezzanine floor within the shed. In operation at the commencement of Term 3, the feedback from rowers, coaches and parents has been resoundingly positive. This major infrastructure development significantly enhances the quality and flexibility in how coaches can structure and deliver the rowing program. We are extremely grateful and would like to acknowledge the major capital investment the school has made in this redevelopment initiative. The Vikings believe that ‘shed’ now offers the space and comfort that is aligned with a ‘Rowing Club’. We would like to invite all past and present members of our rowing community to drop by and enjoy one of the best views Ballarat has to offer from the mezzanine balcony while you watch the rowing program in action. Garry Trotter President, Vikings Rowing Club Committee
STAFF ASSOCIATION The Staff Association of Ballarat Grammar aims to contribute support in a significant way to making Ballarat Grammar an outstanding place to work. It endeavours to do this by: • Encouraging and supporting each other in times of need • Supporting groups within our community who are in need • Organising social events across all areas of the School • Continuing to work with the Administration and Governance of the School in a partnership that fosters good will. In 2019, Staff contributions assisted our ongoing sponsorship of students in Starehe Boys Centre and School in Kenya, The School of Saint Jude in Tanzania and Thai Water Projects, as well as making contributions to students and staff at Ballarat Grammar to support their endeavours and opportunities where necessary. The Staff Association raises money through a coffee program, where staff member and coffee roaster, Mr Marcus Downes, of Charisma Coffee, provides coffee beans sourced from East Timor for the staff coffee machines. All proceeds go towards supporting Ballarat Friends of Ainaro Community Committee (BFACC), and their work in East Timor. Jason Simmons President, Staff Association
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ANNUAL REPORT 2019
CITY CITE In 2019, once again we had school bookings the forty full weeks of the school year up until mid-December. Various other organisations continue to use the facility, including several workshops for GATEWAYS holiday programs, GradReady and a United Nations Youth Association conference and for meetings. A group from St Andrew’s Grammar on the Sunshine Coast used City Cite again for three weekends through the year. Throughout the year we continued to encourage students to study questions that involve issues concerning social equity or current city issues, such as architecture or transport. Students from many schools visited Intersection run by the Collins Street Baptist Church, the Big Issue, and the Jesuit Social Services who have refugee speakers who talk to students. For the fifth year; a few the schools have visited FareShare in Collingwood where they were involved in making meals for those who are food insecure.
International Study Tours from Korea, Japan, Vietnam and China in 2019 have meant an even busier year with some new schools and new inclusions in programs. 2020 promises to be an active year with more overseas students visiting even though agents are often late to confirm and very budget conscious. All overseas student groups were accommodated in Ballarat and had lessons at Grammar. Most of the groups were from Japan, China and Korea. It has been a great advantage to have a dedicated and talented staff with Andrew Barker, Lyn Zarifis, Trista Wright and several very competent sessional staff. This year it has been a step forward to have someone whose main role has been to review and enhance our curriculum materials. Claire Walter joined the staff in July. She had previously been Year 9 co-ordinator at Beacon Hills and prior to that had been at Caulfield Grammar for several years. The enthusiasm of our staff and preparedness to keep refining our curriculum and programs have been of great value. Harry Leather Director of City Cite
We continue to review our teaching materials to bring keep them up- to-date and make them more attractive, appeal to the students and meet curriculum objectives. We have continued to look at innovation in the way that we present and the way that we expect students to report back to us and to their parents.
SPORT
Schools and organisations that have been involved at City Cite in 2019 include the following:
2019 has once again seen many teams triumph on a local and State level, with the undoubted highlight being our Senior Girls Netball and Football teams claiming victories in their respective State competitions, our Senior Boys Football team taking out the final of the Herald Sun Country Cup and our Senior Boys Basketball team claiming our first BAS premiership in 28 years. Just as impressive, was the effort of our Swimming, Athletic and Cross Country teams winning all three major ICCES trophies for the second year in a row. Rowing also provided many highlights with Senior Girls and Boys 1st crews taking out the much coveted Head of the Lake titles and for the boys, their victory also sealed the overall boy’s team premiership.
Avila College Auburn High School Ballarat Grammar Year 9 Ballarat Grammar Year 8 Ballarat Grammar reunions Berwick Grammar Braybrook College Distance Education Victoria GATEWAYS Geelong College Geelong Lutheran College Genazzano FCJ Gippsland Grammar Hamilton College Huntingtower Kingswood College Korowa Girls School Year 9 Maffra Secondary College Mentone Girls Grammar Mt Scopus Memorial College Newhaven College Orchard Church Oxley College Plenty Valley Christian College Sacré Coeur St Andrew’s Grammar St Margaret’s School Vision Australia Woodleigh School United Nations Youth Association Xavier (Burke Hall) Xavier (Kostka Hall)
Sport at Ballarat Grammar continues to be a vibrant and challenging co-curricular option for our students with high levels of participation across some 30+ activities on offer. Each school term, students have many options to choose from; individual or team, indoor or outdoor, competitive interschool competitions or recreational pursuits.
These along with many other sporting triumphs throughout the year, are just some of the highlights that Grammar students have enjoyed. • • • • • • • •
BAS Athletics – Co-educational and Girls Champions. BAS Swimming – Co-educational and Girls Champions. BAS Road Relays – Co-educational, Boys and Girls Champions BAS Cross Country – Co-educational and Girls Champions. BAS Lap of the Lake – Co-educational and Girls Champions. BAS Senior Girls Premierships – Cricket, Basketball, Football, Tennis and Volleyball. BAS Senior Boys Premierships – Basketball, Hockey, Tennis and Volleyball. BAS Senior Co-Educational Badminton Premiers
INTERSCHOOL COMPETITION ATHLETICS • BAS Girls Champions • BAS Boys Runners-Up • BAS Co-Educational Champions • ICCES Overall Team Champions Jet Appleton (Year 8 Boy) Individual Champion • Angie Selkirk (Year 9 Girls) Individual Champion
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ANNUAL REPORT 2019
BADMINTON • BAS Open Mixed A Grade Champions • BAS Open Mixed B Grade Champions • BAS C Grade Champions • BAS D Grade Champions
• • • •
BASKETBALL • BAS Senior Girls A Grade Champions • BAS Senior Girls B Grade Champions • BAS Senior Boys A Grade Champions • BAS Senior Boys B Grade Runners-Up
ROWING • Boys Overall Head of the Lake Champions • Senior Girls Division 1 – Head of the Lake Champions • Jess Mahony (bow), Tess Heath (2), Cecilia Hearn (3), Sophie Reinehr (stroke) and Harriet Jones (cox). • Senior Boys Division 1 – Head of the Lake Champions • Sam Crothers-Bade (bow), Davis Coutts (2), David Cuff (3), Felix Oliver (stroke) and Henry Dickinson (cox) • Senior Girls Division 3 – Head of the Lake Champions • Ellie Op de Coul (bow), Annabelle Fox (2), Febey McClure (3), Sophie Tan (stroke) and Jemima Howell (cox). • Senior Boys Division 4 – Head of the Lake Champions • Lachlan Sim (bow), Frasier Southee (2), Jesse Selkirk (3), Stuart Unwin (stroke) and Jeremy Aked (cox) • Year 10 Boys Division 2 – Head of the Lake Champions • Sam Hancock (bow), Luke Zuell (2), Sebastian Pendlebury (3), Lachlan Maxted (stroke) and Ashlyn Hall (cox) • Year 10 Boys Division 3 – Head of the Lake Champions • Ethan Preston (bow), Felix Kendall (2), Matt Walker (3), Aden Bermingham (stroke) and Charli Walter (cox). • Year 9 Boys Division 1 – Head of the Lake Champions • Will Clarke (bow), Fraser Saunder (2), Hugh Bond (3), Dan Mizzeni (stroke) and Leo Goldsbrough (cox).
CRICKET • BAS Senior Girls Champions • BAS T20 1st XI Senior Boys Runners-Up • BAS 2-Day 1st XI Senior Boys Runners-Up • BAS T20 2nd XI Senior Boys Runners-Up CROSS COUNTRY BAS Road Relays • Boys Overall Champions • Girls Overall Champions • Co-Educational Champions BAS Cross Country • Girls Overall Champions • Boys Overall Runners Up • Co–educational Champions • Claire Mahony (Junior Girls) Individual Champion • Georgina Mees (Intermediate Girls) Individual Champion • Isaac Rossato (Intermediate Boys) Individual Champion • Amy Canavan (Senior Girls) Individual Champion
BAS Senior 4ths Runners Up BAS Year 10 Champions BAS Junior A Champions BAS Junior B Champions
BAS Lap of the Lake • Girls Overall Champions • Boys Overall Runners Up • Co-educational Champions • Claire Mahony (Junior Girls) Individual Champion • Isaac Rossato (Intermediate Boys) Individual Champion • Georgina Mees (Junior Girls) Individual Champion
SWIMMING • BAS Girls Champions • ICCES Overall Team Champions
ICCES Cross Country Overall Team Champions • Claire Mahony (Junior Girls) Individual Champion • Georgina Mees (Intermediate Girls) Individual Champion • Isaac Rossato (Intermediate Boys) Individual Champion
TABLE TENNIS • BAS Open A Grade Runners-Up • BAS B Grade Champions • BAS D Grade Champions
FOOTBALL • Senior Girls Division 1 Herald Sun Champions • 1st XVIII Senior Boys Herald Sun Country Cup Champions • Intermediate Girls Division 1 Herald Sun Runners Up • BAS Senior Girls Champions • BAS Junior Girls Champions
TENNIS • BAS Senior A Grade Boys Champions • BAS Senior B Girls Grade Runners-Up • BAS Senior A Girls Grade Champions • BAS Senior B Girls Grade Champions • BAS McNeil Cup – James O’Sullivan – Senior Boys Champion • BAS Henderson Cup – Shannon Hearn – Senior Girls Runners-Up • BAS Rob Benoit Cup – Charlie Alcock – Junior Boys Runners-Up
HOCKEY • BAS Senior Boys Champions • BAS Junior Boys Runners-Up • BAS Junior Girls Champions LAWN BOWLS • BAS Open A Grade Runners-Up
SOCCER • BAS Junior Girls Champions
VOLLEYBALL • BAS Senior A Grade Girls Champions • BAS Senior A Grade Boys Champions • BAS Intermediate A Grade Girls Runners Up • BAS Junior A Grade Girls Champions
NETBALL • BAS Senior 1sts Runners-Up • BAS Senior 2nds Runners-Up
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ANNUAL REPORT 2019
HOUSE COMPETITIONS 2019 LAP OF THE LAKE RESULTS BOYS 1 BUTLER 14 2 WIGAN 14 3 SMITH 20 4 DART 22 4 ROBIN 24 6 NEVETT 32
GIRLS MANIFOLD WOODBRIDGE HAYHOE MACPHERSON KROME CUTHBERT
DIVISON Junior Boys Intermediate Boys Senior Boys
COMBINED WIGAN/HAYHOE SMITH/MANIFOLD DART/WOODBRIDGE BUTLER/KROME ROBIN/CUTHBERT NEVETT/MACPHERSON
16 16 20 24 25 26
CHAMPIONS Butler Wigan Dart
DIVISION Junior Girls Intermediate Girls Senior Girls
INDIVIDUAL AGE CHAMPIONS House Age Groups
34 36 38 39 52 56
CHAMPIONS Manifold Woodbridge Hayhoe
Age Groups
Name
Name
House
U13 Boys
Lachie Heath
Smith
U13 Girls
Claire Mahony
Cuthbert
U14 Boys
Alex Feldman
Robin
U14 Girls
Lily Jordan
Manifold
U15 Boys
Isaac Rossato
Smith
U15 Girls
Georgina Mees
Manifold
U16 Boys
James O'Sullivan
Robin
U16 Girls
Paige Follett
Macpherson
U17 Boys
James Ham
Butler
U17 Girls
Amy Canavan
Manifold
U21 Boys
Jacob McFarlane
Nevett
U21 Girls
Holly Nicolls
Manifold
2019 ATHLETICS CARNIVAL RESULTS PLACE COMBINED 1ST Butler/Krome 2ND Smith/Manifold 3RD Dart/Woodbridge 4TH Robin/Cuthbert 5TH Wigan/Hayhoe 6TH Nevett/Macpherson DIVISON Junior Boys Intermediate Boys Senior Boys
POINTS 3916 3883 3854 3797 3730 3537 CHAMPIONS Butler Robin Butler
GIRLS Manifold Woodbridge Krome Hayhoe Macpherson Cuthbert
POINTS 2005 1999 1934 1858 1857 1811
DIVISION Junior Girls Intermediate Girls Senior Girls
PLACE 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH 5TH 6TH
BOYS Robin Butler Wigan Dart Smith Nevett
POINTS 1951 1943 1858 1841 1830 1714
CHAMPIONS Manifold Woodbridge Woodbridge
RECORD BREAKERS Boys 14 & U 800m Walk Boys 15 & U 4x100m Relay
3:39.00s Butler 48.75s Robin
Fraser Saunder Max Procaccino, James O’Sullivan, Jarred Nunn and Liam Howard
Girls 14 & U 3000m Girls 14 & U Long Jump Girls 16 & U 800m Girls 16 & U 1500m Girls 21 & U Triple Jump Girls 14 & U 4x100m Relay
11:21.00s Manifold 4.89m Krome 2:30.00s Manifold 5:32.00s Manifold 10.08m Macpherson 55.12s Krome
Georgina Mees Angie Selkirk Amy Canavan Amy Canavan Ella Squire Amelia Walker, Ruby Saunder, Charlotte Dolan and Angie Selkirk
AGE GROUP 12 & Under 13 & Under 14 & Under 15 & Under 16 & Under 21 & Under
ATHLETIC AGE CHAMPIONS BOYS CHAMPION Lachie Heath (Smith) Jet Appleton (Dart) Isaac Rossato (Smith) Max Procaccino (Robin) Daen Sadhai (Robin) Hugh Hoffmann (Butler)
GIRLS CHAMPION Olivia Lam (Manifold) Milly Sharp (Cuthbert) Angie Selkirk (Krome) Emma Hillier (Krome) Amy Canavan (Manifold) Holly Nichols (Manifold)
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ANNUAL REPORT 2019
1st 2nd 3rd
The HM Johnston Memorial Sprint Trophy Hugh Hoffman (Butler) James Oro (Butler) Brait Headon (Wigan)
2019 BAS RECORD BREAKERS Girls U15 Triple Jump: Girls U17 800m: Girls U17 1500m: Girls U17 4x100m Relay:
1st 2nd 3rd
The Queens Cup Open Sprint Champion Angie Selkirk (Krome) Nyakoat Wuol (Krome) Renee Saulitis (Woodbridge)
Angie Selkirk – 10.80ms Amy Canavan – 2:26.0s Amy Canavan – 5:06.0s 52.47s Camilla Butler, Bella Robson, Renee Saulitis & Georgette Douhadji
2019 ICCES RECORD BREAKERS Boys Year 9 Triple Jump: Ryan Hovey – 11.16m Boys Year 10 Discus: Thomas Nevinson – 37.82m Girls Year 9 Triple Jump: Angie Selkirk – 10.38m Girls Years 11/12 4x100m Relay: 53.05s Holly Nichols, Ella Squire, Camila Butler & Georgette Douhadji 2019 SCHOOL RECORD BREAKERS Boys U14 Triple Jump: Ryan Hovey – 11.29m Boys U14 Long Jump: Ryan Hovey – 5.34m Boys U15 800m Walk: Fraser Saunder – 3:26.0s Girls U16 Long Jump: Nyakoat Wuol – 4.94m Girls U17 800m: Amy Canavan – 2:26.0s Girls U17 1500m: Amy Canavan – 5:06.0s Girls U17 4x100m Relay: 52.47s Camilla Butler, Bella Robson, Renee Saulitis & Georgette Douhadji 2019 AQUATICS CARNIVAL RESULTS PLACE COMBINED 1ST SMITH/MANIFOLD 2ND ROBIN/CUTHBERT 3RD BUTLER/KROME 4TH DART/WOODBRIDGE 5TH NEVETT/MACPHERSON 6TH WIGAN/HAYHOE
PTS 1566 1516 1509.5 1507 1412.5 1286
GIRLS MANIFOLD WOODBRIDGE MACPHERSON KROME CUTHBERT HAYHOE
PTS 674 662 661 647.5 639.5 562
PLACE 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH 5TH 6TH
RECORD BREAKERS Girls 21 & U 100m Freestyle Girls 13 & U 100m Backstroke Girls 15 & U 50m Freestyle
Lily Jordan Lily Jordan Keylah Walker
1:05.90s 37.36s 30.48s
Manifold Manifold Macpherson
Boys 16 & U 50m Freestyle Boys 16 & U 50m Backstroke Boys 15 & U 50m Breaststroke Boys 15 & U 50m Freestyle
Sam Crothers-Bade Sam Crothers-Bade Jonas Paar Heath Johns
26.41s 31.19s 33.40s 27.43s
Butler Butler Butler Dart
1st 2nd 3rd
The Max Stowe 200m Individual Medley Shield Jonas Paar (Butler) Zachary Meakin (Robin) Hamish Warwick (Smith)
1st 2nd 3rd
Year 7 Year 8
SWIMMING AGE CHAMPIONS Ben Meakin( Robin) Giles Peters (Smith)
Year 9
Ryan Booth (Wigan)
Year 10 Year 11 Year 12
Jonas Paar (Butler) Sam Crothers-Bade (Butler) Lachlan Warwick (Smith)
BOYS SMITH BUTLER ROBIN DART NEVETT WIGAN
PTS 684 677 676.5 643 586.5 569
The Priscilla Herington 200m Individual Medley Shield Charlotte Bodey (Macpherson) Lily Jordan (Manifold) Catherine Cornish (Cuthbert) Amy Bregazzi (Manifold) Lily Jordan (Manifold) & Anna Swanton (Manifold) Charlotte Bodey (Macpherson) & Keylah Walker Macpherson) Catherine Zhao (Cuthbert) Catherine Cornish (Cuthbert) Jess Mahony (Woodbridge) & Cecilia Hearn (Cuthbert)
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ANNUAL REPORT 2019
2019 BAS – RECORD BREAKERS Girls Inter B 4x50m Medley Relay: Girls Senior B 4x50m Medley Relay: Girls U13 A 4x50m Freestyle Relay:
2:16.84s 2:13.94s 2:11.37s
Georgina Mees, Heidi Simpson, Lucia Hill and Zara Sadhai Keeley Button, Remi Hooper, Cecelia Hearn and Lavinia Male Jazmin Vincent-Durow, Lila Paar, Amy Bregazzi and Mackenna Naylor
2019 ICCES – RECORD BREAKERS Girls Year 9 4x50m Medley Relay: Boys Year 10 4x50m Medley Relay:
2:25.72s 2:05.48s
Amber McClure, Charlotte Bodey, Stephanie Millikan and Charlotte Dolan Jonas Paar, Felix Kendal, Bryce Henwood, Heath Johns.
2019 SCHOOL SWIM RECORDS BREAKERS Girls U16 50m Freestyle Keylah Walker 30.06s Boys U16 50m Breaststroke Jonas Paar 33.66s Boys U17 50m Freestyle Sam Crothers-Bade 26.67s Girls U13 4x50m Freestyle Relay: 2:11.37s Jazmin Vincent-Durow, Lila Paar, Amy Bregazzi and Mackenna Naylor Girls U14 4x50m Freestyle Relay: 2:06.87 Lily Bryant, Anna Swanton, Lily Jordan and Matilda Myers Girls U15 4x50m Freestyle Relay: 2:25.72s Amber McClure, Charlotte Bodey, Stephanie Millikan and Keylah Walker Girls U16 4x50m Medley Relay: 2:22.29s Amber McClure, Charlotte Bodey, Stephanie Millikan and Keylah Walker Girls U21 4x50m Medley Relay: 2:24.80s Catherine Cornish, Bella Geue, Jess Mahony and Febey McClure Boys U16 4x50m Freestyle Relay: 1:52.6s Jonas Paar, Felix Kendal, Angus Bade and Heath Johns. Boys U16 4x50m Medley Relay: 2:05.48s Jonas Paar, Felix Kendal, Bryce Henwood and Heath Johns
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