2023 Graziher Boarding School Guide

BOARDING SCHOOLS GUIDE 2023

BOARDING for OUTBACK KIDS

TAKING THE REINS

Gaining independence through education

ON THE SHORTLIST

Choosing the right school

“It’s a normal part of life”

I KNOW A FEW KIDS WHO HAVE STARTED YEAR 7 this year. Without exception, their parents have thought long and hard about which school to send them to. And it’s not something they have left to the last minute either. They have spent hours researching: gone on school tours, paid a waiting list deposit and, as the day has drawn closer, worried more and more about whether they had made the right decision. So, imagine how happy journalist Georgina Poole was when her 12-year-old daughter texted her a few days after starting at boarding school: “Hi Mum, I love it, it’s been the best week ever.” Now, as you will read on page 10, Georgina is more concerned that Harriet prefers her life at school to the one she had at home!

Graziher’s Sally Jackson and I have been joking about exactly the same thing, as her daughter also started boarding this year. Grace recently had to have her appendix removed and asked Sally if she had to come home after hospital — she prefered to go straight back to school instead. “Well, at least I knew I had choosen the right school when I heard that,” says Sally. After a bit of persuading, I managed to get Sally to write about her family’s experience of sending a child to boarding school, on page 30.

Jack Hick, who is on our cover, always knew he would be going off to boarding school, just like his mum and dad before him. The Hick family live on Antrim station, a 19,000 hectare property about 100 kilometres south of Hughenden in north-west Queensland. Jack is now at All Souls St Gabriels in Charters Towers. “I came home after dropping him off and cried for an entire day. It is a feeling of shock: the child we have been 100 per cent responsible for keeping alive and thriving is now off, and we have to adjust to not seeing him or being with him, as he learns how to stand on his own two feet and cope without us,” says his mum Lindy on page 4. Jack was settling in well when I spoke to her and his two little brothers are now doing some of his jobs around the house. “Jack is also a wonderful help with whatever we’re doing on the place, particularly mustering and cattle work. We really miss having him here.”

I hope that reading these stories from three mums all sending their first child off to boarding school helps make the same journey for you a bit easier. It is without doubt one of the most important decisions you will ever have to make — sorry to put the pressure on!

Enjoy the issue,

VICTORIA CAREY victoria@graziher.com.au

So, imagine how happy journalist Georgina Poole was when her 12-year-old daughter texted her... “Hi Mum, I love it, it’s been the BEST week ever.”

Head to GRAZIHER.COM.AU for our digital Graziher Boarding Schools Guide, with extended stories on all the schools featured and direct links to all school websites.

CONTENTS

THE FIRST ONE Queensland photographer and mum of three Lindy Hick on sending her eldest son Jack to boarding school this year in Charters Towers. GETTING AN EDUCATION As the first of her three children settles in as a boarder, Georgina Poole reflects on her own school days.

A STRONG START The Graziher boarding school directory is a good place to begin your research.

THE BIG DECISION Graziher’s Sally Jackson reflects on her journey as a new boarding parent.

06

THE FIRST ONE Jack Hick, right, enjoys summer fun on his family property near Hughenden, Queensland, before heading off to boarding school for the first time.

SCHOOLS

THE CATHEDRAL COLLEGE Bright futures are ahead for the Dunn sisters.

THE GEELONG COLLEGE Prefect Molly Harris talks about how boarding at Geelong College feels like home.

SOMERVILLE HOUSE The best of boarding life broadens the horizons of girls at Somerville House. GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL Riding high with the superb equestrian facilities for boarders and their beloved horses.

NUDGEE COLLEGE Boarders get a high level of care and education at their home away from home.

THE ROCKHAMPTON GRAMMAR SCHOOL

The Wilson family, now four-year boarding veterans, see their children making lifelong connections.

ST MARGARET’S SCHOOL Lucy Edwards relishes the expanding horizons that boarding school in Brisbane opens up for her.

STUARTHOLME SCHOOL Set in the natural beauty of Mount Coot-tha Reserve, Stuartholme girls develop friendships that feel like family.

ST PETER’S LUTHERAN COLLEGE

State-of-the-art boarding facilities encourage learning every day.

THE ARMIDALE SCHOOL The Slack-Smith family are happy all three of their children can be together at TAS.

THE KING’S SCHOOL, TUDOR HOUSE

Learning is an adventure for primary school boarders in this rural setting outside Sydney.

GEELONG GRAMMAR

Pip Crawford also boards two horses at school, allowing her to compete at a high level while she studies.

ANGLICAN CHURCH GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Inspiration comes easy to boarders in the brand new facilities at Churchie in Brisbane.

SCOTS PGC COLLEGE We shine a spotlight on boarder Will Bryant, who loves the diverse educational opportunities at Scots.

THE KING’S SCHOOL All the King’s men from Australia’s oldest independent school.

PLC ARMIDALE Students enjoy bespoke learning opportunities at PLC Armidale, where future leaders are made.

SCOTCH COLLEGE MELBOURNE

Scotch College looks forward to an exciting future with the induction of its 10th principal and the opening of new boarding facilities.

After attending a small local primary school near his family’s property in north-west Queensland, Jack Hick has headed off to boarding school this year to complete his high school education.

THE FIRST ONE

Queensland photographer and mum of three Lindy Hick on sending her oldest son Jack off to boarding school this year in Charters Towers.

PHOTOGRAPHER LINDY HICK lives on Antrim station, a 19,000 hectare property about 100 kilometres south of Hughenden in north-west Queensland, with her husband Tony and three sons: Jack, 12, Hugh, 10, and six-year-old Frankie. This is Jack’s first year as a boarder at All Souls St Gabriels in Charters Towers, Queensland.

Sending Jack to boarding school was a mixed bag of emotions. We are super-excited for him and the opportunities he is about to experience, but at the same time we are missing him like crazy. I came home after dropping him off and cried for an entire day. It is a feeling of shock: the child we have been 100 per cent responsible for keeping alive and thriving is now off, and we have to adjust to not seeing him or being with him, as he learns how to stand on his own two feet and cope without us. He’s experiencing so many new and exciting things we don’t get to watch or be a part of anymore. It’s all a very normal and important progression, but we’ve realised how quickly 12 years goes.

The two younger boys miss him, too, especially when it comes to the extra chores they’ve had to take on in Jack’s absence, such as feeding the animals and collecting the eggs.

Jack is settling in well at school. He has a fantastic group of mates and I’m yet to hear a single negative word about

either the teachers or the food, so things must be good, as those are the two things most boarders complain about first.

Both Tony and I attended boarding school. I loved my experience. I threw myself into everything going and never really had much time to get homesick or bored. Tony also thoroughly enjoyed his time at boarding school, although he admits his final two years were a waste of his parents’ money and his teachers’ time!

My favourite thing about boarding school was always being busy. I played every kind of sport on offer and had a social life to die for. It was so different from my life back at home on the station as a distance-education kid, with only my brother and sisters for company, and I absolutely relished the experience. There was a real sense of family within the school community. Everyone was experiencing all the same emotions, all at the same time, so we were able to rally together and support one another when we needed it.

One of the most profound experiences I had at school was when I was in Year 10, and one of my best friends was killed in an accident at home during the Christmas holidays. I remember having absolutely no idea how I was even going to get through another day, but as the school year rolled around, I returned to a shell-shocked community, all experiencing the same feelings as I was. We grieved together, >

Jack, 12, has always been a big help to his parents on their family property, especially with mustering and cattle work. Opposite page The Hick family live at Antrim station, south of Hughenden, Queensland.

“The two younger boys MISS HIM, too, especially when it comes to the EXTRA CHORES they’ve had to take on.”

and having that in common helped us all heal. It really is one big family.

Choosing a school for Jack was easy for us. Tony and I both attended the same school when we were kids, and Tony’s family live nearby, so it was a no-brainer.

But there are many things to take into account when choosing a school and it all comes down to what is important to you. We chose a school we were familiar with. We already knew a number of the teaching and administrative staff, and many of the kids and their families, too.

We love that Jack is going to a school surrounded by good old-fashioned, well-mannered people. When we went to look around, we were met by kids who introduced themselves confidently and proceeded to tell Jack, “You’re going to like it here.” We thought, if that’s what they’re fostering here, then we’re in.

We prepared Jack the best we could for boarding school by explaining how it’s just a ‘normal’ part of life, because out here it is. I don’t think there’s anything you can do to truly prepare them for the homesickness, apart from letting them know that it’s a perfectly normal emotion that everyone goes through and that the best way to cope is just to keep

busy. The more you get yourself involved in, the less time you have to think about home and, after a while, you find yourself actually enjoying your time there.

Jack’s first phone call home was on his third day at school, to tell us not to worry about him as he’s not homesick anymore... after texting me and telling me he didn’t think he could do it, on day two! It’s up and down, but thankfully mostly up.

My advice for other parents, especially for those who never attended boarding school themselves, is: firstly, it’s going to be okay! It’s a wonderful, unique experience that teaches kids resilience, independence and the confidence to make decisions on their own. Secondly, don’t call your kids, let them call you. Try your best to leave them in school as much as you can during the first term. Communicate more with the dorm master and less with your child, as they’re your eyes, so they’ll let you know exactly how they’re doing. Your kids will cry to you, then hang up and run off with their mates, having a whale of a time, while you’re left feeling like the worst person that ever existed. Finally, enjoy the hugs when they get back home — they’re the best I’ve had from Jack in years! g

“It’s a wonderful, UNIQUE EXPERIENCE that teaches kids resilience, INDEPENDENCE and the confidence to make DECISIONS on their own.”

Jack learning the ropes from his dad, Tony; whether he’s riding his Honda motorbike or his horse, Jack loves to be outdoors whenever he gets the chance. Opposite page Dogs in the yards at Antrim station.

GETTING AN EDUCATION

THE MESSAGE CAME through loud and clear, via text. There was no room for interpretation.

“Hi Mum, I love it, it’s been the best week ever.”

It’s a little terrifying when your first-born prefers her boarding school over our home, and certainly our wideeyed 12-year-old is having trouble containing her glee.

This year our daughter Harriet started boarding at St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School in Brisbane. It’s a day we have long known was coming, but the emotions accompanying such a milestone are hard to predict.

My parents still joke about my own initiation into life beyond the farm gate: while they prepped themselves for a teary farewell, off I ran without looking back. Compared to my tiny rural primary school, boarding school was the ultimate slumber party: a community of silly, giggling 12-year-old girls, and I was all for it.

Although it’s still early days, Harriet seems to have inherited this enthusiasm. Her mood is as bright as the pop of neon Crocs — the unofficial after-school uniform — jostling their way along the hallways as girls bounce, laugh and talk over each other.

Boarding school has long been a ritual for country kids across Australia, and the essence of the boarding experience doesn’t seem to have changed dramatically since my school days, although these days there’s no tiptoeing into the dining hall after hours to sneak spoonfuls of Milo. Well-stocked common rooms and kitchenettes put my pantry to shame, and with sushi on the afternoon-tea menu, day girls no longer need to pity the ‘starving boarders’.

Phone cards, reverse charges and the old two-second ‘ring me back’ trick every boarder would well remember are also history, and time once spent waiting in a payphone line is now dedicated to TikTok dances and Snapchats.

It feels like only yesterday I was the boarder waiting for the payphone, but now that little handheld vortex of distraction is a brutal reminder of the generation gap. >

As the first of her three children settles in as a boarder, Georgina Poole reflects on her own school days.

Portrait photography Pip Williams

“It’s this bush kid’s dream,” says Georgina of her daughter Harriet’s boarding

experience.

Mobile phones are one of the trickiest challenges to navigate in modern boarding houses, and a school’s policy on usage can be a deal breaker. Yet for all social media’s well-documented evils, it has been — as intended — a wonderful communication tool for the family.

Social media spared us much of the uneasy churn that accompanies any fateful ‘first’. Our hours leading up to drop off were dominated not by nerves, but the maddening pings of a group-chat discussion revolving around what each girl was wearing. For six months prior to the big farewell, we’d had transition days and sleepovers, and the school was fabulous at gradually initiating the girls. Social media did the rest.

Come day one, a contact list full of bitmojis transformed into actual faces and personalities — and they were even more fun IRL (ridiculously, there is now a legitimate abbreviation for ‘in real life’).

Our experience has been positive, which has eased the transition enormously, however I’m mindful that this is not always the case. Almost three decades later, I still vividly recall girls, eyes red-rimmed, trying to stifle snuffles at the dinner table. Their grief is seared into my memory, although, to add a disclaimer, they are all now happy, well-adjusted adults, waving their own children off to boarding school.

The aftershock of rugged emotions for those left at home once a child goes to boarding school is also not lost on me.

A friend recently described how their cat continues to circle through their daughter’s bedroom, meowing painfully in confusion. The cat’s crying is so unsettling that she admitted, through tears, that they’re hoping their daughter’s scent abates soon so the cat will give up.

It’s a grim reality, and thankfully we’ve been spared a long goodbye, although there will be bumps in the road ahead. Friendships and boundaries will be pushed and broken, and the novelty of living with hundreds of teenage girls will at times lose its shine.

Our little family has been prematurely dismantled. It’s something I try not to let my mind linger over, but the reminders are ever present. One less towel to straighten in the bathroom, an empty seat throbs at the dinner table and a silent bedroom, a small and empty world suspended somewhere between childhood ballerina ornaments and Mecca Cosmetica shopping bags.

Right now, however, our daughter’s world is big. Friends, sport, school, weekend shopping trips — it’s this bush kid’s dream, and each day is abuzz with opportunity.

And then, ever so occasionally in the quiet lulls of conversation she’ll ask how the dogs are, or what her siblings have been up to, and I know she’s thinking of home after all. g Georgina Poole is a journalist based in Moree, New South Wales, who is passionate about sharing stories from the bush.

“We’d had transition days and SLEEPOVERS, and the school was FABULOUS at gradually initiating the girls. Social media did the rest.”

The three Poole children head off together on the last day they were all at the same school.

Clockwise from above Harriet, 12, savours a quiet moment at home with her brother Arthur, 10, and Jack Russell terrier Hairy Maclary; Georgina and Harriet; Frances, eight, will miss having her big sister around. They are pictured in front of the Mehi River when it flooded last year.

A strong start

There is rarely a perfect answer when it comes to making a decision about your child’s education, but the Graziher directory is a good place to begin.

CHOOSING A BOARDING school

can be a life-changing decision for both parents and children, and one which should not be taken lightly. It can be complicated, with a range of factors to take into account. Not only do you need to consider the academic and co-curricular opportunities a school offers, but also the logistics of location and access, school policies and values, parental communication and involvement, boarding facilities, fees and more. Finding the ‘right’ boarding environment for your child can enhance their school experience in so many ways, so it is critical to weigh up the pros and cons and do your research to help choose a school where your child will thrive. Graziher’s directory will help you explore aspects of what the different schools have to offer as you conduct the search for your child’s ‘home away from home’.

ANGLICAN CHURCH GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Established in 1912, the Anglican Church Grammar School (‘Churchie’) is for boys from Reception to Year 12, with boarding offered from Year 7. The school is situated on the largest inner-city school campus in Brisbane, where students are fully supported in their development. Churchie is a member of the Great Public Schools’ Association of Queensland (GPS) and participates in a range of academic, sporting and cultural competitions. The diverse co-curricular program taps into esteemed national programs such as The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award and the Australian Army Cadets. Open Day is 3 May, 2023.

Oaklands Parade, East Brisbane Qld 4169; churchie.com.au

GEELONG GRAMMAR SCHOOL

As Australia’s largest co-educational boarding school, Geelong Grammar School welcomes students from Early Learning Centre to Year 12 across four specialist campuses. Established in 1855, the school offers exceptional learning opportunities that are built on real-world experiences. Students at all year levels enjoy a rich co-curricular program and have access to exceptional facilities such as the equestrian centre, which is surrounded by sprawling paddocks allowing students to agist their horses on campus during the academic year. 50 Biddlecombe Avenue, Corio Vic 3214; ggs.vic.edu.au

PRESBYTERIAN LADIES’ COLLEGE ARMIDALE (PLC)

Specialising in the education of girls, PLC Armidale welcomes day students from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12, with boarding offered from Year 5. Since 1887, PLC Armidale has supported girls as they develop into young women of substance and character. A signature feature of the school is the international program, reflecting the school’s global approach to learning. Students are encouraged to engage in the global community through curricular and co-curricular tours, international exchanges and more. School tours are available every day: visit the website to book. 15–57 Crest Road, Armidale NSW 2350; plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au

SCOTCH COLLEGE MELBOURNE

For more than 170 years, Scotch College has been educating boys at its 27 hectare Melbourne campus. Scotch is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church of Victoria and has both a junior and senior school. Boarding at Scotch provides an education of the highest standard, in combination with accommodation in a caring, well-equipped environment. With extensive sporting, outdoor and cultural

activities on offer, boarders can make use of excellent facilities on their doorstep, such as the school’s music practise rooms located in the James Forbes Academy, as well as an allocated practise room in each house. Visit the website to book a tour. 1 Morrison Street, Hawthorn Vic 3122; scotch.vic.edu.au

SCOTS PGC COLLEGE

Located on the outskirts of Warwick, Queensland, SCOTS PGC College is a Prep to Year 12 co-educational school for day and boarding families. One of its great strengths is the diverse pathways it provides, with some students achieving exceptional academic results, some excelling in school-based apprenticeships or traineeships and others completing a workplace-ready qualification. SCOTS PGC boasts one of the best school equestrian programs in the country. From dressage, jumping, eventing and polocrosse to campdrafting, students broaden their knowledge, with the opportunity to bring their own horses to school. Visit the website to book a tour. 60 Oxenham Street, Warwick Qld 4370; scotspgc.com.au

SOMERVILLE HOUSE

Established in 1899, Somerville House is a Prep to Year 12 school for girls, offering boarding from Year 6. Somerville House is the only private boarding school for girls in the heart of Brisbane, within walking distance of the CBD, the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA), the Gabba sports ground and the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC). Under the governance of the Presbyterian and Uniting Churches, Somerville House offers comprehensive education and co-curricular programs that recognise the importance of physical and spiritual wellbeing as well as academic excellence. The Big Sister program assists new boarders to experience a positive transition into their new environment.

Visit the website to book a tour.

17 Graham Street, South Brisbane Qld 4101; somerville.qld.edu.au

ST JOSEPH’S NUDGEE COLLEGE

A Catholic boarding and day school for boys in Years 5 to 12, St Joseph’s Nudgee College in Brisbane’s north has developed confident and capable young men since its establishment in 1891. The academic life at Nudgee is shaped by enthusiastic and highly skilled teachers committed to bringing out the best in all students. The college’s inclusive co-curricular program encompasses a range of sporting and cultural activities, and the school is also a member of the GPS Association of Queensland. Students are provided with the resources they need to perform at the highest level in sports such as tennis, with 12 championship-size courts and fully equipped training facilities on campus. Open Day is 20 May, 2023.

2199 Sandgate Road, Boondall Qld 4034; nudgee.com

ST MARGARET’S ANGLICAN GIRLS SCHOOL

Situated in the leafy Brisbane suburb of Ascot, St Margaret’s is an independent day and boarding school for girls from Pre-prep to Year 12, offering boarding from Year 5. The school has been educating girls since 1895, and is known for academic excellence and commitment to pastoral care, while offering 21 sports, a thriving cultural program and a strong emphasis on social responsibility. St Margaret’s also provides opportunities to participate in a global exchange program with six countries including Canada, Japan and South Africa.

11 Petrie Street, Ascot Qld 4007; stmargarets.qld.edu.au

ST PETERS LUTHERAN COLLEGE

Catering for boys and girls since 1945, St Peters is Brisbane’s only co-educational boarding school. The college has two campuses, educating students from Prep to Year 12, with boarding offered from Year 6. St Peters is recognised for having one of the most outstanding music programs in Australia, with more than 400 music lessons each week. Students have the ability to try out for productions, ensembles, choirs and

bands. The Performing Arts Centre is the artistic and cultural hub for the St Peters community. Open day is 11 March, 2023. 66 Harts Road, Indooroopilly Qld 4068; stpeters.qld.edu.au

STUARTHOLME SCHOOL

Located just six kilometres from the Brisbane CBD, Stuartholme is a Catholic day and boarding school for girls in Years 5 to 12. Being a relatively small school, students have the advantage of being known personally, with customised educational experiences. The school has launched their new Athlete Development Program, which will aid and equip selected students aspiring to sport pathways and future careers at State and National levels as athletes, coaches and administrators. It is the first single-sex secondary school in Brisbane to offer a program of this kind. School tours are on 5 May, 14 August and 10 October, 2023. 365 Birdwood Terrace, Toowong Qld 4066; stuartholme.com

THE ARMIDALE SCHOOL (TAS)

Located on the New England Tableland of northern New South Wales, The Armidale School is a co-educational Anglican day and boarding school with broad academic, co-curricular, adventure and pastoral programs, making it an ideal family education destination. The school welcomes students from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12, with boarding offered from Year 6. The Armidale School is a member of the Athletic Association of the Great Public Schools (AAGPS) of New South Wales, the only member located outside the Sydney metropolitan area. Embedded in the school culture is the belief that academic endeavour must be balanced with activities outside the classroom, such as the school cattle team, where students train and prepare animals for the show ring. School tours are available every day: visit the website to book. 87 Douglas Street, Armidale NSW 2350; as.edu.au

“Our students build CONFIDENCE, character and skills that go BEYOND school, in a safe and NURTURING environment.” Whitsunday Anglican School Principal Andrew Wheaton

Students can agist their own horses at Geelong Grammar School.

THE CATHEDRAL COLLEGE

Built in the shadow of St Joseph’s Cathedral, Rockhampton, Queensland, The Cathedral College is a Catholic co-educational boarding school. The Cathedral College offers a high-quality, faith-based education from Years 7 to 12 and continues to grow with more than 1300 students currently enrolled, including 200 boarders from across central Queensland and beyond. “Our core values are gratitude, respect and compassion, and we strive to live out these values every day in the way we treat each person in our college community and interact with the wider community,” says Principal Rob Alexander.

189 William Street, Rockhampton Qld 4700; tccr.com.au

THE GEELONG COLLEGE

With two campuses south-west of Melbourne, The Geelong College is an independent co-educational school founded in 1861.The Geelong College welcomes students from Early Learning to VCE, with boarding from Year 7. The school’s tight-knit community of boarders is drawn from across the country and overseas. Co-curricular programs are available in music, drama, public speaking, debating and sport. The college is also home to The Geelong College Recreation Centre, a state-of-the-art aquatic facility designed to FINA standards. Open day is 3 May, 2023.

20 Talbot Street, Newtown Vic 3220; tgc.vic.edu.au

THE KING’S SCHOOL

Specialising in boys’ education for more than 190 years, The King’s School is known for its immersive approach to helping boys develop into young men of good character and integrity. Located in North Parramatta in Sydney’s western suburbs, King’s is an independent secondary school offering boarding from Year 7. Boys are encouraged to develop their talents and interests with first-class facilities in 194 hectares of space, including 17 sports fields, nine halls, and the renowned King’s Theatre, a 350-seat industry-standard performance space. Campus tour dates are 17 May, 7 June, 16 August, 13 September, 1 November and 22 November, 2023.

87–129 Pennant Hills Road, North Parramatta NSW 2151; kings.edu.au

THE KING’S SCHOOL, TUDOR HOUSE

The Southern Highlands campus of The King’s School, Tudor House, caters for girls and boys from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 6, with boarding offered from Year 3. Set on 68 hectares, Tudor House offers exceptional indoor and outdoor learning facilities that provide space for children to learn through active investigation and exploration. A blend of historic buildings, modern classrooms, a welcoming boarding house, bush trails, campsites and excellent sporting facilities give children a unique environment to grow. Tudor House is committed to nurturing students to achieve their full potential

wherever their passions lie. Campus tour dates are 31 May, 6 September and 28 October, 2023.

6480 Illawarra Highway, Moss Vale NSW 2577; tudorhouse.nsw.edu.au

THE ROCKHAMPTON GRAMMAR SCHOOL (RGS)

Proudly known as Queensland’s largest boarding school, The Rockhampton Grammar School is an independent co-educational boarding and day school that was established in 1881. Students from Early Learning to Year 12 are welcome, with boarding offered from Year 6. The co-curricular program at RGS is a key part of the school’s difference, complementing academic pursuits and encouraging all students to ‘have a go’. As a leading provider of agricultural education in Queensland, RGS boasts its own demonstration farm and access to a commercial cattle herd. The school delivers a Certificate III in Agriculture as part of a larger paddock-to-plate food education program. Every day is open day at RGS: book a tour online. Archer Street, Rockhampton Qld 4700; rgs.qld.edu.au

WHITSUNDAY ANGLICAN SCHOOL

Situated in beautiful tropical surrounds near Mackay and the Whitsundays in Queensland, Whitsunday Anglican School is a leading regional co-educational school for students from Kindergarten to Year 12, with boarding offered from Year 5. Whitsunday Anglican is proud to support boarders locally, and places emphasis on helping them maintain connections with their communities, providing a chartered bus service to surrounding areas each weekend. Full-time boarding is also offered for students who need it. “We pride ourselves on providing opportunities in learning and in life. Our students build confidence, character and skills that go beyond school, in a safe and nurturing environment that allows them to thrive,” says Principal Andrew Wheaton. Visit the website to arrange a tour. 2–16 Celeber Drive, Beaconsfield Qld 4740; was.qld.edu.au g

For more information about schools in this directory, visit Graziher’s digital Boarding Schools Guide at graziher.com.au

Outdoor activities at Tudor House, a campus of The King’s School.

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THE BIG DECISION

NO-ONE HAS CHILDREN thinking, ‘I can’t wait for the day we send them off to boarding school,’ although there may be the odd moment when your pre-teen is causing you grief that it seems like an excellent idea. So, when the day comes and you have to decide where and when you send your child out into the wide world, how do you choose?

It’s week five for me as a parent of a daughter who has started at boarding school this year and I’ve reflected on how we came to this point. I hope these thoughts might help some of you who are currently sitting on the fence.

When it became apparent that we needed to look for another schooling option for our daughter, it wasn’t an easy process. My husband and I now live in a different state from where we both went to boarding school. So, even though I have fond memories of my time in Adelaide, it wasn’t a practical solution to look at my old school.

To make life more interesting, when we had to choose which school our daughter would go to, we were navigating Victoria’s lockdowns and school tours were basically nonexistent. The mass exodus out of Melbourne to regional areas around this time also put a strain on waiting lists and reduced the places available at schools in major regional centres.

This is when online research via school websites, independent guides, boarding school expos, field days — and stalking schools with active social media profiles — became a regular activity for me. The bush telegraph is also very important; talking to other parents of present and past students of the school can be very helpful.

When it was at last possible to do a school tour, this helped us make our final decision. You get to learn first-hand what the school can offer. Sending your child to boarding school is about so much more than just the education they will receive. When we walked out of one particular school tour, my girls

said they wished they could start there as soon as possible. I knew then we were on the right track.

Sending your child to boarding school is hard on many levels. Even though I’ve been a boarder myself, the lead-up to the first drop-off was daunting, and I felt quite emotional. Thirty years on, I finally understand why my mum said she cried all the way home after dropping me off.

My tip is to make sure you have your sunglasses on your head. It’s pretty amazing how they help cover your eyes when you have to say your first goodbye in the dining hall. You can’t blame the dust in there! They are even a lifesaver when a sad song comes on the radio as you drive out of your driveway to your first drop-off and you nearly lose it. But I can tell you that drop-off does get easier.

One thing I wasn’t prepared for was the empty feeling I had in the first few weeks after my daughter had started. Mobile phones are a great way of communicating, although when you only receive the odd one-word response — she was having the best time — it makes you miss the conversations you used to have about everything and nothing.

As fate would have it, we got to see a bit more of our little boarder than we were expecting during the first few weeks of term. A pesky appendix decided that it wasn’t needed and she ended up with a trip to emergency. While we were waiting in hospital for surgery, I was asked the question no parent of a new boarder wants to hear: “Do I have to come home, Mum?” In mock horror I said, “Gee, you must have a terrible home life!” Her response: “It’s not that, Mum; don’t be silly. I just really like being at boarding school.” I knew then we had made the right decision.

Sally, a Graziher team member and farmer, grew up in the south east of South Australia and went to Seymour College in Adelaide. Her daughter is currently attending Ballarat Grammar.

SALLY JACKSON on her journey as a new boarding parent.

Sally and Andrew at home with daughters Eliza and Grace.

Opportunity knocks ...

Aurora College is NSW’s virtual school, offering a mix of online and residential school classes for high potential and gifted students in rural and remote NSW government schools

Opportunity knocks

Join the virtual school for rural and remote students

Aurora College is NSW’s virtual school, offering a mix of online and residential school classes for high potential and gifted students in rural and remote government schools

The school provides innovative, flexible learning in a whole new context, by allowing students to connect locally and to learn globally Students learn with their teachers and classmates in timetabled lessons using cutting-edge technologies in a virtual learning environment

The school provides innovative, flexible learning in a whole new context, by allowing students to connect locally and to learn globally

Our school offers:

Students learn with their teachers and classmates in timetabled lessons using cutting-edge technologies in a virtual learning environment.

Year 5 & 6 Opportunity Class

Year 5 applications for Aurora College's 2023 virtual opportunity class open Thursday March 30th 2023 and close at 5pm on Monday 15th May 2023

Year 7 - 10 Selective School classes in English, Mathematics and Science

Year 11 and 12 students the opportunity to study one or more Preliminary and/or Higher School Certificate subjects that may not be available in their local school

Opportunity class students study mathematics, science and technology, integrating the design thinking process

For further information, visit ou b i du au or phone 1

Students study the balance of the curriculum in their local government school. This unique provision allows students to access a challenging academic program without the need to leave their local community

For more information and application dates visit: https://aurora schools nsw gov au/

BRIGHT FUTURES

The Dunns are happy with their choice of The Cathedral College for the opportunities it offers Eve and Alice to choose their own paths.

Eve, left, and her sister Alice at home on the farm.

FOR SISTERS EVE AND ALICE DUNN the future is wide and big and holds much promise and hope. The girls are the daughters of Anthony and Anna Dunn from Ellangowan near Toowoomba and they board at The Cathedral College (TCC), a Catholic co-educational boarding college in Rockhampton.

Love of the land runs in their veins, having a rich family history in agriculture. During school holidays, riding horses and working cattle is what they enjoy most.

But when it’s time to go back to school, they’re impatient to get back to the endless opportunities for education and co-curricular activities, and catching up with their boarding and day-school friends. For both girls, there’s their beloved Oztag football games and their part-time jobs. Talking about their friends raises broad smiles.

Eve, who is in Year 11, is excited to have been selected as a University of Queensland Science Ambassador. “We get to run the science activities and STEM clubs at school. This will help set me up for my future as I combine my love of science and the land to work in the agricultural industry,” she says.

Alice, who is in Year 9, was chosen as one of the College’s Middle School Captains and has won many academic awards, including dux of her year.

Boarding school was a big decision for the tight-knit family but one the Dunns know they got right.

Mum Anna, who is a grant writer assisting business and community groups to realise their dreams, says it was the school’s family values combined with a strong academic record and encouragement for diverse career pathways that fulfilled their wish list in a school.

“We wanted both our daughters to have the freedom to choose the pathways that are right for them and The Cathedral College values and encourages all students to reach their true potential,” she says.

“Anthony and I are very proud of Eve and Alice. They continue to become more confident and independent and embrace the opportunities presented to them at TCC.”

Visit tccr.com.au for more information about the school and its educational and boarding programs.

Eve and Alice Dunn love their boarding school.

a place to grow.

THE CATHEDRAL COLLEGE

As a Catholic Co-Educational Boarding College in the Diocese of Rockhampton, The Cathedral College offers a holistic education for your young people to thrive. We can’t wait to welcome you to our Place.

Feels like home

Prefect Molly Harris tells us about her boarding experience.

Words Molly Harris

WHEN I TAGGED ALONG with my parents and older brother to an open day, I had only recently learned that The Geelong College existed. Geelong had only ever been a town we would drive past on the way to Melbourne from Warrnambool or vice versa. I had no concept of what boarding school was, or could look like, aside from twentieth century children’s literature that painted it as somewhere for the troubled or orphaned.

This is, of course, far from the truth. But back in 2017 when my parents mentioned over the dinner table that something my brother could consider was boarding school, I was taken aback. We only intended to see the boys’ boarding house that day, but once we saw the girls’ house, I knew then and there that I wanted to go here, too.

I can remember conversations with my parents regarding what I would bring with me, who I would meet, and what living in Geelong would be like.

It was hard at first. I found it hard to navigate, to distinguish between who was also new [Molly started in Year 8] and who wasn’t, and I was anxious to figure out the accepted way of doing things, to blend in. Moving away from home and adjusting to a new community was always going to be hard, but looking back I’m incredibly grateful and satisfied that my experience has been what I hoped for and more. I have never regretted it for a second.

I think a lot these days about the unique nature of my highschool experience because of boarding. It has allowed me to

be widely involved with the school and its people, occupying myself with and loving everything from bands to debating. Easily distracted and prone to procrastination when at home, the phoneless study time and access to academic tutors has helped me get the most out of the learning opportunities I have here.

I’ve also forged friendships with people regardless of age and met and lived alongside my best friend. Living in Mossgiel [House] has been defined by Woolies runs, brushing teeth together, trying to sort out leave arrangements, looking forward to decorating my new room, my dad complaining about how many books I insist on bringing, conversations over dinner, Tuesday and Thursday morning eggs, staying up until we get ordered back to our own rooms, and much, much more.

Now that I’m entering my last year, I’m noticing and reflecting on these aspects of my life more often and determined not to wish them away, despite my excitement for the next phase of my life.

I’m also excited about the opportunity to lead my school and to give back as much as possible. To me, the position as school prefect is a chance to connect more with the College community andto positively impact the culture of the school.

I think that some of the experiences I’ve had, and skills I’ve learned, in my time at Mossgiel have prepared me well to take on such a position and I can’t wait for it to become part of my boarding and high school experience.

Visit tgc.vic.edu.au for more information.

Molly Harris, Year 12 student at The Geelong College. Opposite page Molly (far right) with some of her friends.

BROADENING HORIZONS

At Somerville House, boarders enjoy the best of boarding life and a vibrant learning atmosphere.

THE CHOICE OF A BOARDING SCHOOL for your daughter is determined by the best fit for her needs and interests, and how you feel about the educational environment. Somerville House is renowned for its inclusive boarding experience for girls in Years 6 to 12, providing the best of boarding life in the heart of Brisbane’s 21st-century smart city.

Being the only girls’ boarding school in central Brisbane, Somerville House is within easy walking distance of South Bank and Queensland’s cultural precinct.

Close to the river, the boarding house is ideally situated in a green setting with city views and easy access to parkland, riverside walks and two universities.

The complex comprises two buildings that accommodate up to 120 boarding school students. The contemporary boarding facilities include bedrooms, shared leisure spaces, in-house kitchens, modern bathroom facilities, supervised study spaces and soundproof music practice areas.

At Somerville House, your daughter will gain an outstanding education while meeting other girls from all walks of life, broadening her horizons.

Visit somerville.qld.edu.au for more information and a virtual tour of the school. For enrolment enquiries, please contact the Admissions office on admissions@somerville.qld.edu.au or (07) 3248 9200.

In the heart of Brisbane city, girls find a home at Somerville House.

“At Somerville House, your daughter will gain an OUTSTANDING EDUCATION while meeting other girls from all walks of life.”

Where her story starts

Somerville House Boarding, Years 6 to 12.

Through a Somerville House boarding experience, your daughter will gain the independence, motivation and ability to do well anywhere.

History has proven that Somerville girls literally create their own story in whatever pathway they choose. Countless Old Girls have become trailblazers in business, arts, sport, science, philanthropy, medicine and more.

Boarding at Somerville, a home away from home for trailblazers and changemakers

Tom, Sophie and Emma Slack Smith, with friend Jorja Curry (second from left), enjoy dinner during a harvest on the family farm at Burren Junction

RIDING HIGH

WHEN YOU BRING your horse to live at school with you, each day takes on a new dimension. At Geelong Grammar School, Pip Crawford, a Year 12 boarder from Cootamundra, New South Wales, has made this routine part of her school experience since she commenced in 2018.

“On hot days, I go down to the paddock before breakfast to take rugs off, or on colder days I’ll go down at lunchtime or recess. After school I ride until about 5.30 or 6pm.” This year, Pip has two horses at school: Mack, a Thoroughbred she uses for dressage and showjumping, and Spy, a part Warmblood. Last year, Mack was injured, leaving Pip with no horse and too much time on her hands, so Spy has come along to ensure that doesn’t happen again. “Riding and looking after two horses takes a bit longer but it’s worth it,” she says.

Geelong Grammar’s impressive equine facility, the David William Robert Knox Equestrian Centre, incorporates a world-class all-weather indoor arena and outdoor dressage and showjumping arenas. It can accommodate up to 40 horses in its surrounding paddocks. The school’s equestrian coordinator feeds the horses hay twice a day, but students are responsible for rugging, additional feeding, exercising and grooming. Dressage and showjumping competitions take

place most weekends, and students can elect to participate in equestrian sports for the entire year.

“Some of my friends do rowing or netball for one of the sport seasons,” explains Pip, who tried netball for a season in Year 7 before deciding to focus on her horses. “I wanted to push myself more and compete at high levels.”

Her hard work has paid off. Pip has represented the school in state interschool competitions, as well as being selected for the national interschool championships, which unfortunately were scuppered by COVID-19. Her most significant achievement to date is qualifying Mack in dressage in the Marcus Oldham Australian Interschool Equestrian Championships for Team Victoria in 2021.

Pip’s mum, Alice Crawford, attributes her success to the school’s equestrian program. “If she couldn’t have her horses at school, she wouldn’t be where she is now. The quality of the instructors that she has had is exceptional. After school, Pip has opportunities to go overseas to ride or work as a groom, which is because of the instruction she has received.”

Students who have their horses on campus don’t all compete; riding can be chosen as an after-school activity rather than a sport. The school offers horsemanship clinics as well. >

At Geelong Grammar, boarding is not only for humans but for horses as well.

Dressage practice. Opposite page Year 12 boarder Pip Crawford is happy to have her horses at school with her.

Naturally, Alice is proud of her daughter’s achievements, but this outcome was not in mind when the family chose to enrol Pip at Geelong Grammar. “Because the equine centre was there, we thought we’d take the pony along to help her to settle in,” explains Alice.

Both of Pip’s parents attended Geelong Grammar, and this family connection was a motivating factor in choosing the school, but even more important was the school’s coeducational status. “It was definitely important to me to keep Pip and her two brothers together, even though they were sometimes at different campuses. It means they have a shared experience.”

At Geelong Grammar, all Year 9 students spend the entire year at the remote Timbertop campus in the Victorian high country, which celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2023. “ Timbertop is so important for rural children because they just slot straight in: rural kids look to the horizons, and at Timbertop the horizons are all around them. Both the Corio and Timbertop campuses really provide rural children with space to thrive.”

The Corio campus, home to boarders in Years 7 and 8 and Years 10 to 12, is semirural, situated on 230 hectares on the shores of Corio Bay on the outskirts of Geelong. Most students, almost 900 in total, are boarders. “Because it’s a

majority of boarders, it’s brilliant for rural families with the generous support provided by the staff and their families. It’s like a big home that they go to,” says Alice. For many boarders, the Equestrian Centre is a place where they can spend time with their friends, even if they don’t have horses themselves. “When Pip was in Year 7, we found that having her horse at school also helped a lot of the other children who were new, especially rural children, who could go and pat Pip’s horse if they were feeling homesick.”

Pip loves the fact that horses bring people together. “Although you are competing for yourself, everyone who is involved mixes together, regardless of whether you are in Year 7 or Year 12. It’s not like most sports where you mix mainly with your peers.” Meals from the Equestrian Centre’s kitchen are often shared, and on Saturday mornings before sport, the smell of bacon and eggs wafts through the hay.

Much of Pip’s weekend is spent either at the Equestrian Centre or travelling to competitions, so organisation is the key to managing her schoolwork. “It means keeping up with my work during the week and leaving the minimum amount for the weekends.” As part of her Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), Pip is studying Equine Studies through a TAFE online module. Having her horses at school enables Pip to complete practical tasks, which are then assessed at Wangaratta during the school holidays. “I quite enjoy it. It covers the theory of horses, breeding, the different parts of horses, and the thoroughbred industry.”

Though Pip doesn’t yet know which path — or rather, bridleway — she will follow after school, she is confident that Geelong Grammar has set her up for success, personally as well as academically. “It has been a great experience, even though I started in Year 7 not knowing many people. We all get homesick, but because there are so many different people here, you’re more than likely to find someone who has the same interests as you. You’re not left alone. There are activities and sports in which you’re interacting with other people, so you’ll always have someone around who can support you.”

She values especially the lifelong connections she has made, with teachers as well as her peers. “The teachers are not just teachers, but also your head of house, matron or sports coach. You always see them around the place. Most of my friends are from the country but a fair few are Geelong or Melbournebased. I’ve had the opportunity to make friends from other places and learn about their lives as well.”

As Australia’s largest co-educational boarding school, Geelong Grammar School welcomes students from all over the nation. Visit ggs.vic.edu.au, contact the Admissions staff via telephone on (03) 5273 9307 or email admissions@ggs.vic.edu.au to learn more about boarding opportunities for your child, together with their equine friend.

Emma, Tom and Sophie Slack-Smith

Pip at the Geelong Grammar equine facility.

THE ADVENTURE STARTS HERE

CO-EDUCATIONAL BOARDING

As Australia’s largest co-educational boarding school, Geelong Grammar School celebrates a vibrant and diverse community with students attending from across the world.

Together we are committed to shaping curious, courageous and compassionate learners. Are you ready for an adventure?

www.ggs.vic.edu.au

e : admissions@ggs.vic.edu.au

t : +61 3 5273 9307

A HOME AWAY FROM HOME

Nudgee College opens its doors to show prospective boarders the high level of care and education they can expect as students.

FROM THE UNWAVERIN G support of staff who treat the boys in their care like family, to the bonds among brothers that last a lifetime, there is something truly special about Nudgee College boarding.

To experience Nudgee College life for yourself, you’re invited to attend the Open Day on Saturday 20 May, 2023. From a dedicated Q&A session for boarding families to student-led tours, this event provides the perfect opportunity for prospective families to immerse themselves in all Nudgee College has to offer. Families unable to travel to Brisbane on this day are also always welcome to tour the College at a time convenient for them.

Year 9 student Xavier Doherty, who started boarding at Nudgee College when he was in Year 7, says his favourite thing about boarding is always being surrounded by his friends and having people to talk to.

“You’re never alone,” he says. “There’s always someone you can rely on and someone you can trust.”

Dean of Boarding Mr Casey Brealy says that Nudgee College is so much more than bricks and mortar.

“It is the feeling of belonging. The feeling of connection. The feeling of safety. Feelings that we hope each and every boarder has each day,” he says.

In 2023, Nudgee College Boarding features one of the most comprehensive pastoral-care models in the country. The four Houses within the Boarding Village are each led by a Head of House, two Assistant Heads and a House Mother. Additionally, there are numerous supervisors from all walks of life, including a combination of teaching and non-teaching staff. The breadth of the team allows staff to form smaller pastoral groups to provide regular check-ins and ongoing support. The network of care for the boys also extends to psychologists, registered nurses and kitchen and laundry staff, all of whom are dedicated to supporting the boys through the ups and downs of day-to-day adolescent life. With 24/7 active supervision, as well as strong leave processes and structures to account for boarders’ whereabouts, our duty of care and the safety of the boys is always our priority.

To register for Nudgee College’s Open Day, or for more information about the college, visit nudgee.com

St Joseph’s Nudgee College is located in Brisbane’s north.

Lifelong network

farm, Port Curtis.

The Wilson family, now four-year boarding veterans, on the benefits of boarding at The Rockhampton Grammar School.

ANDREA AND TRADER WILSON have always wanted their children to “follow their own path”.

It’s a message their Year 11 son Lachlan and daugher Mia, who is in Year 8, are comfortable with as they progress through their schooling as boarders at The Rockhampton Grammar School (RGS).

The Wilson family live on Kaiuroo in the Central Highlands’ Mackenzie district, located about 90 kilometres north of Dingo, Queensland. Kaiuroo is one of four properties in an aggregation that includes grain, cattle and irrigation on the Mackenzie River.

Lachlan had an outstanding year in 2022. Not only did he place first in Year 10, Lachlan won 13 awards at the school’s speech day ceremony. He topped seven subjects and his many additional awards included Outstanding Boy Boarder.

Andrea still recalls Lachlan calling home with the news.

“We knew he had a good year, but we were all so surprised. Lachlan called and said, ‘They read out so many awards I can’t even remember what they all are’.”

At the completion of Year 12 next year, Lachlan is hoping to study for a Bachelor of Biomedicine degree at university in Melbourne.

Andrea and Trader are fully supportive of whatever careers their children want to pursue. “We manage the property we live on. We don’t own it, so they’re not going to inherit it,” Andrea says.

Trader says sometimes there’s an expectation put on children that they are coming home to the property after school, whether they like it or not. “There are big opportunities in the agriculture industry, but it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. There are certainly a lot of different facets to the industry now compared to what granddad did 50 years ago,” Trader says.

Andrea says they have always encouraged their children to look at something else and boarding at RGS has helped broaden life’s bigger picture.

When the family relocated to Central Queensland just over three years ago, it was the first time they had to consider sending their children to boarding school.

“In our previous jobs we had always lived close to town so we never had to think about boarding school, but when we moved Lachlan was starting Year 8. We had to make a choice and I didn’t want to be too far away from him,” Andrea says. “Trader went to boarding school so he was accustomed to the idea, but I wasn’t.”

Andrea and Trader have adjusted to their children being away at boarding school, with the proximity to RGS allowing them to catch up at least once a month.

Trader says every parent just hopes their kids fit in at the start and find friends at school. >

From left Lachlan, Andrea, Trader and Mia Wilson.

Lachlan says he felt immediately welcomed when he started boarding at RGS, despite some initial reservations before leaving home.

“There are a lot more opportunities at school. Being a boarder, there are no restrictions if you can get there or not. It’s all here for you,” Lachlan says.

Younger sister Mia admits she doesn’t see too much of her brother at school, as they keep busy with their own interests, but she has also made some great friends and likes the different opportunities available as a boarder.

Boarding school has also taught Lachlan and Mia independence: whether that be washing their own clothes or making sure they meet their study and co-curricular commitments.

“When the kids are in boarding they learn about being independent and they are more dedicated to their studies when they have to do homework and prep,” Andrea says. “At home they would probably say they are going to ride their horse because they don’t have any homework. And that would probably go on for three days.”

Outside of the classroom, Lachlan also finds time to finetune his talents on the piano. Lachlan’s parents gave him an old keyboard when he was 10 or 11 years old and he started

teaching himself by watching YouTube. “It’s just fun playing the piano. I still practise a lot when I’m home from school. I’m not super helpful on the property when I go home but I do drive the tractor a bit,” Lachlan says.

Mia, who also enjoys music, prefers kicking the football around with friends after school and when she’s back home you’ll find her in the yards or riding her horse or motorbike.

While Lachlan and Mia are enjoying the now ‘normal’ busy lifestyle and endless opportunities of boarding school, they still both enjoy their ‘quiet’ time when they head home to Kaiuroo for long weekends or school holidays.

Andrea and Trader have also welcomed the extended family network that comes with being a boarding parent. Trader says at boarding school the kids might be from everywhere and from all walks of life. “It’s a network for the rest of your life. You always know someone, somewhere.”

Conveniently located in one of Queensland’s largest regional centres, The Rockhampton Grammar School is proud to be the school of choice for generations of families throughout Central Queensland, North Queensland, the Northern Territory and overseas. Talk to us today about starting something special at The Rockhampton Grammar School: rgs.qld.edu.au

Emma, Tom and Sophie Slack-Smith

Lachlan, top and at the piano; Mia and Andrea have a private moment in Mia’s room.

The Wilson family on campus at RGS.

Expanding horizons

Lucy Edwards relishes the opportunities that boarding at St Margaret’s in Brisbane has opened up for her.

FIVE YEARS AGO, Lucy Edwards moved from the country to experience life in the city at Brisbane’s St Margaret’s Anglican Girls School.

“My parents wanted me to attend boarding school in Brisbane so that I could expand my horizons and make connections for the future, and I’ve had many opportunities to do just that,” Lucy says.

A Toowoomba local, Lucy has really valued the opportunities she’s had living and studying in the city.

“St Margaret’s boarding staff organise so many experiences for us to explore the city on weekends. One of my favourite places to visit is South Bank, but I’ve also really enjoyed attending the rugby matches at Suncorp Stadium or dining out at Eat Street Northshore. I’ve really gained an appreciation for life outside of my hometown,” Lucy says.

“I also really value the school-based opportunities that have allowed me to further explore my passions, such as attending a physics lecture at Churchie and hearing from a keynote speaker in the field, or entering the Titration Competition to conduct an experiment in a laboratory at a local university. St Margaret’s annual Science Week is always something I look forward to as well.”

Lucy now has a new opportunity to look forward to: leading her peers in the boarding house as the 2023 Boarding Captain alongside fellow boarder Hadassah Todd.

“Becoming joint Boarding Captain at St Margaret’s is an absolute honour and I feel very privileged to be given the

responsibility. Since Year 7, I have imagined leading the boarding house and now I cannot wait to embrace the opportunity to further develop my leadership skills and contribute my own leadership ideas to the boarding community,” Lucy says.

“What I love most about boarding at St Margaret’s is the diverse community made up of girls from all different backgrounds and cultures. I’ve really appreciated getting to know each girl and learning about their experiences, and, as a leader, I plan to continue to look for ways to nurture the inclusivity of our boarding family.”

As for the future, Lucy aspires to work in the medical engineering field, producing medical aids such as prosthetic hands and pacemakers to change people’s lives.

Lucy first discovered her love of engineering while studying a dedicated STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subject when she was in Year 9.

“One of our projects involved designing and building a 3D-printed prosthetic hand. It was a definite highlight for me and it was when I first discovered my fascination with developing medical equipment that can improve health care and medical services.”

Visit stmargarets.qld.edu.au for details of future open days and applications for boarding.

Lucy demonstrates a bionic hand that she developed in her STEM class in Year 9.

LEARN MORE ABOUT ST MARGARET’S BOARDING

A SUPPORTED TRANSITION FROM THE BUSH TO THE CITY

THE TRANSITION to secondary school is a significant adjustment for any child, even more so when it involves relocating from home in the country to boarding school life in the city.

For this reason, St Margaret’s offers a transition program for incoming Year 7 students involving regular communications (which start the year prior to their move), a bigsister buddy program, sleepovers, events, activities and boarding house closed weekends. The transition program is designed to establish a sense of belonging for new boarders and their families and welcome them into the tight-knit community.

In addition to these wellbeing initiatives, students are also

supported in their academic transition. A huge advantage is that St Margaret’s teaching staff work in the boarding house each evening to assist students with their homework, study and assignments. In addition, communication between teaching staff and boarding house staff is key to monitoring each student’s academic progress.

St Margaret’s educators are also highly skilled at deploying differentiated teaching strategies, which greatly assists boarders transitioning from varied learning experiences.

St Margaret’s Wellbeing Coordinator in Boarding, Hannah Calcino, says place identity has been identified as a key factor in a student’s transition to boarding school life.

“Boarding school transitions for rural students are most successful when they are able to form a

positive place identity with their new environment. Place identity is how you, as an individual, fit within a community and how you find value in the community.

“Fostering a sense of community is vital to supporting the wellbeing of all boarders. We host events, dinners, activities and closed weekends to aid in building the boarding community, while encouraging relationships with day girls, which also helps to expand boarders’ connections outside the boarding community. These relationships are fostered through boarder–day girl sleepovers and the annual boarder–day girl long weekend.

“We are also quick to encourage our boarders to embrace the sporting and extracurricular life at St Margaret’s to enrich their learning, extend their friendships, and help them establish their place identity and settle in,” says Hannah.

EDUCATION

CLOSE TIES

IN MANY WAYS, S tuartholme School is a home away from home. Surrounded by the natural splendour of Mount Coot-tha Reserve, you enter Stuartholme via a tree-lined driveway, at the end of which you are greeted by a historic building at the heart of the school. Stuartholme boarding house is home to 125 students who are from regional Queensland, northern New South Wales and overseas.

With a school population of only 690 students, Stuartholme provides an inclusive and supportive environment for students to flourish. It is small enough for each girl to be personally known, yet large enough to offer an extensive, relevant and dynamic range of academic, cultural, wellbeing and sporting opportunities.

Stuartholme School feels like a village; it is a highly relational, inclusive educational community where everyone knows and cares for one another, just like being at home.

“At Stuartholme there is a true sisterhood, where friends become sisters and it is truly special,” explains Jane Morris, Dean of Boarding. “Our boarders hold a very special place

in our school community. It’s not just due to location but to their active involvement, compassion, respect and care for each other.

“You will find that our boarders bring warmth and a genuine connection to all they meet. They are open and generous to all new students, knowing that a friendly face is very important, not only on the first day, but each and every day.”

With a mission of enabling each individual to flourish in a way that helps others at the same time, a Stuartholme education offers young women opportunities to build lifelong friendships and graduate with courage, confidence and self-belief.

This year sees the completion of the $6 million Boarding House redevelopment. The Boarding House provides individual rooms for each girl, shared bathrooms, common spaces and access to 21 hectares of grounds with ovals, pools, a gym and Mount Coot-tha walking trails for the girls to enjoy.

Visit Stuartholme on the road this year on one of our regional tours: see stuartholme.com for dates.

“A Stuartholme education offers young women opportunities to build lifelong FRIENDSHIPS and graduate with courage, confidence and self-belief.”

Dean of Boarding, Jane Morris, with some of her charges. Opposite page The campus hosts 690 students.

Friends become sisters in the boarding house at Stuartholme where they understand the importance of a friendly face.

Learning every day

State-of-the-art boarding facilities paired with a co-ed campus provide a family-like environment for students at St Peters.

ST PETERS LUTHERAN COLLEGE has been a leader in Christian co-education for 78 years, supporting students from Prep to Year 12 to achieve their full potential through its world-renowned academic, sport, music, digital and extracurricular programs.

With boarding available from Year 6, St Peters provides a home away from home for rural, remote and international students. Today, around 120 students form the tight-knit St Peters Boarding community: a multicultural family that embraces diversity and cultural exchange.

At the premier co-educational boarding school in the Brisbane municipal area, siblings can remain close to each other, plus there are a range of initiatives to create family-like bonds and build a sense of connection and belonging within the boarding houses.

The benefits of boarding at St Peters are endless. Set within 21 leafy hectares in Brisbane’s inner west, St Peters’ prime location and state-of-the-art facilities provide boarders with the space they need for focused learning and co-curricular

activities during the week, and a taste of ‘city living’ when they explore further afield with their house groups on weekends.

St Peters’ teachers deliver engaging and immersive learning experiences, preparing students for a variety of career pathways. The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) or the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) programs will help develop inquiring students who are motivated to succeed, while our Vocational Education and Training (VET) programs prepare our students for the world of work.

In addition to a strong academic and co-curricular program, boarders benefit from tutoring support and extra-curricular and service learning programs. These activities allow them to broaden their interests, learn new skills outside of the classroom and form lasting friendships with other students.

St Peters has a proud history of providing an exceptional boarding experience for young men and women, opening the door to vast educational, social, sporting and cultural opportunities. This is a place for every child to learn every day. To find out more, visit stpeters.qld.edu.au

Sport, music and other co-curricular activities are encouraged at St Peters.

W IT'S YOUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME HERE

Suppor�ng rural families for over 78 years

Tom, Sophie and Emma Slack-Smith, with friend Jorja Curry (second from left), enjoy dinner during a harvest on the family farm at Burren Junction.

ALL TOGETHER

WITH THE NEAREST high school 90 kilometres away on a black-soil road, Tom, Emma and Sophie Slack-Smith knew that one day they would need to go off to boarding school. But for the fifth generation to live on their family property at Burren Junction in north-western New South Wales — and their parents Rodney and Kate — the question was, ‘Where?’ Rodney, one of three brothers, had attended a boys’ boarding school in Sydney; Kate had lived in a town and went to a co-educational high school with her two sisters and three brothers. So when it came down to choice for their children, there were many things to consider.

“We wanted them to be as close as possible to each other. We also wanted to be able to access them. When The Armidale School (TAS) made the decision to go co-educational around the time we were having to choose a school for Tom, well, it all just fitted together,” says Kate.

Tom, now in Year 12 at TAS, admits that it took him a while before he enjoyed boarding, but he has thrown himself into many school activities with his mates: sport, cadet leadership, the two kilometre Coffs Harbour ocean swim and the Sydney City2Surf fun run, as part of a school challenge award called the Triple Crown.

“A real highlight was the service trip to St Christopher’s Orphanage [in Fiji] when I was in Year 8. Just seeing what life was like for them and being able to help, and doing it with your friends, was really good. My time at school has gone quickly, but what I’ll take with me is a feeling of being part of a community and giving everything a go.”

It’s an attitude also taken up by Emma, who is umpiring netball and cooking for the homeless as part of school initiatives for The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award.

“Even during the lockdown there were plenty of cocurricular options and clubs to do online, like cooking. >

The opportunity for all three of their children to attend the same boarding school was appealing to Kate and Rodney Slack-Smith.

I really like being on the farm but it’s a long way from your friends, and here you have them right with you.”

Just as she appreciated having Tom keep an eye out for her when she started boarding, Emma says it’s great being able to help younger sister Sophie as she settles in at TAS. “It’s not our home, but it feels quite like it with the others here.”

While she has only just started, Sophie enjoyed Coast Weekend, a tradition on the first weekend of term for boarders to really get to know each other.

“It’s made it a lot easier having Tom and Emma here,” Sophie says.

For their parents, it’s been greatly reassuring to have their children together, but able to pursue their own interests.

“We love that they are all on campus living together; we feel strongly that this is as close to family as we could get. While we live 400 kilometres away, it’s entirely achievable if we need to get there for any reason,” Kate says.

“For our children, being able to compete in local sport as well as rowing or rugby in Sydney has been fabulous. They see each other daily and the school is big enough for them to follow their own pursuits and small enough that everyone is known. We are excited about where the school is heading.” For more information, visit as.edu.au

Emma, Tom and Sophie Slack-Smith.

Building Brilliance from the Ground Up

As the only fully co-educational GPS boarding school in NSW, TAS is a dynamic and vibrant place to live and learn.

Half our Middle and Senior students are boarders and our vision is to ensure all our students grow to become confident, resilient and independent young men and women. Our broad academic, co-curricular, challenge and adventure programs are geared towards this goal.

Take our virtual tour and call our Enrolments Registrar, Jo Neilson on 02 6776 5800 to discover why TAS truly is the one for all.

MAKE TAS THE ONE FOR YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER

A TUDOR ADVENTURE

At The King’s School, learning is an adventure, and it is the iconic learning environment of Tudor House that makes it one of Australia’s most unique primary schools.

THE 68 HECTARE CAMPUS nestled in the beautiful New South Wales Southern Highlands welcomes adventure, curiosity and investigation. As the only International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) school in the Southern Highlands, Tudor House has much to offer.

Tudor House is a co-educational primary boarding school. At the heart of the school sits Medley House, a home away from home for boys and girls from Years 3 to 6.

The advantage of primary boarding is that it provides children with the opportunity to gain their boarding wings before transitioning to high school. For many boys, it is the perfect stepping stone to The King’s School senior school, and there are multiple advantages of a primary boarding experience, both educationally and socially.

According to the Head of School, Mr Adam Larby, the Tudor House boarders have a host of incredible education and personal development opportunities.

“From our mountain bike track to climbing ropes, vegie gardens and beehives, for a child there are so many incredible life experiences on offer here,” says Adam.

“Learning is an adventure at The King’s School, Tudor House. And with adventure comes the opportunity to develop young people into leaders of the future.”

The King’s School invites families to learn more about the Tudor House adventure by attending our Boarding Webinars. You can also find out more about our campus tours by visiting the website at tudorhouse.nsw.edu.au

Students enjoying some of the outdoor activities available on the 68 hectare campus.

INSPIRATION CENTRAL

Churchie has upgraded its boarding facilities with inviting new spaces to inspire boys to reach their full potential.

Year 8 boarder Dan O’Neill relaxing in the Gerald House common area.

CHURCHIE HAS REDEFINED the boarding experience, with fully refurbished accommodation designed to enhance the school’s boarding program and help boys become accomplished young men. Alongside our health centre and new dining room, situated on the largest inner-city school campus in Brisbane, Churchie boarding truly is an experience like no other, where boys are fully immersed and supported in their development.

Churchie’s Gerald and Goodwin boarding houses now feature enhanced privacy with full-size individual rooms for every boy, including larger rooms with king single beds for senior students. Bathrooms are modern and built with privacy in mind, and the décor of each house is welcoming and light-filled, with heritage features and colour schemes to remind the boys of their shared heritage and bond.

Opportunities for socialising, group meetings and shared study have also been increased with a variety of wellappointed common spaces inspiring boys to connect, learn and grow. Each boarding house includes a kitchen, perfect for preparing a snack, enjoying some weekend cooking or celebrating a birthday.

The new boarding accommodation marks the latest in a series of upgrades to Churchie’s boarding precinct in recent years. A new purpose-built health centre and refurbished dining room and kitchen in the heritage-listed School House add to the world-class facilities that cater to the needs of every boy. And being situated on an expansive 22 hectare campus, boarders take full advantage of Churchie’s unique proximity to the city while having all academic and sporting facilities on their doorstep.

As Churchie boarders, all boys receive the highest level of care from a dedicated core team of specialist staff who live on campus with their families, including the director of boarding and a housemaster, assistant housemaster, housemother and resident master for each house. They are further supported by a network of teachers, nurses, catering staff and academic and counselling staff across the school, who are united in their commitment to the best care for Churchie’s boarders.

Ultimately, it is the combination of expert staff with worldclass facilities that provides the environment within which boys grow into accomplished young men. Churchie’s mission, the making of men, ensures every element of the school collaboratively supports each boy’s journey. The new boarding houses at Churchie are the latest development within a culture of continuous improvement dedicated to ensuring Churchie boarding offers the very best.

Take a virtual tour at churchie.youtour.com.au to view our new facilities, or visit us in East Brisbane to see them for yourself (for tour bookings, visit churchie.com.au/enrolments/school-tours). We are also visiting locations near you across Queensland, New South Wales and the Northern Territory, with ‘on the road’ locations and enquiries at churchie.com.au/ontheroad

As Churchie boarders, all boys receive the highest LEVEL OF CARE from a dedicated core team of specialist staff who live on campus with their families.

Boarders catching up in the Goodwin House common area.

Year 8 boarder Lachlan Carter enjoying a game of table tennis in the Gerald House common area.

“MY FAVOURITE THING about school is definitely the tech shed… just working with my hands.” Meet Will Bryant, a SCOTS PGC boarder and boy from the bush who’s about to embark on his senior years of schooling at SCOTS PGC, where he receives an education that suits his style of learning and supports his objectives of securing trade skills through a school-based apprenticeship, while also allowing him to complete Year 12.

“We’ve made loads of things in our Industrial Technology Skills class. I’ve already made a chair in woodwork and now I am doing a coffee table. We also made a toolbox, fire brazier and fishing rod. I think industrial tech is great because it teaches us life skills and business skills. We treat the tech shed like a business, so we have to plan and calculate what materials we need to use with the least amount of scrap.”

The Bryant family live at their property, Cytherea, which is 80 kilometres from the township of Mitchell in outback Queensland. Bill and Shelly Bryant have three children: Matilda, Will and Phoebe. They chose SCOTS PGC as a boarding school for many reasons. It was important to keep their children together in a co-educational setting but also be >

Will Bryant and other students work with the college’s cattle. Left Will in his element.

WORKING WITH WILL

We shine a spotlight on Scots PGC boarder Will Bryant, who extols the school’s broad educational opportunities.

in a supportive environment that was reflective of their home and the country values they’ve grown up with. For Will, the College’s Tech Shed and agricultural offerings were the biggest drawcard. SCOTS PGC has a distinctive country feel and, to the Bryant family, it felt like home — because ‘home’ has an abundance of wide-open spaces.

The Bryant family intially researched five different schools when they were looking for a boarding school for their children. “I think it was definitely an advantage for SCOTS having the agricultural facilities there. When you drive into the place you can see sheep and cattle in the school’s paddock on the side of the road, so it immediately made the kids feel like they were at home. Obviously, coming from where we live, that was a pretty important thing,” says Bill.

Boarding keeps the Bryant kids busy with an abundance of activities and things to do. Weekends also provide opportunities to connect with the day-student community.

“A lot of my day-student friends live on farms, so I go and ride motorbikes and drive tractors and help their dads,” Will smiles. “I couldn’t see myself doing that at a city school.”

SCOTS PGC College is a co-educational day and boarding school with separate residential facilities for boys and girls. Will boards at the college with his younger sister, Phoebe. Matilda graduated in 2022 as the SCOTS PGC Girls’ Boarding Captain.

“When you drive in... you can see sheep and cattle in the school’s paddock on the side of the road, so it immediately made the kids feel like they were at home.”

Will

Bryant, left, relaxes with other boarders in the communal kitchen.

THE KING’S MEN

Australia’s oldest independent school offers scholarships and bursaries to empower deserving students from all over Australia.

The King’s School Cadet Corps instils the values of service, courage, integrity, respect and excellence.

AS AUSTRALIA’S OLDEST independent school, King’s is celebrated as a place where academic excellence and character development are nurtured in a Christian community. This three-pillar approach means that every student receives a quality education and is challenged and developed through a commitment to co-curricular programs and community service. It is through this holistic approach to education that young men are empowered to become global thought leaders.

The King’s School prides itself on offering a range of scholarships and bursaries to students who are willing and capable of contributing positively to the school and beyond. King’s has a history of welcoming students from many corners of the country and even the world, particularly boys from rural New South Wales who are looking for a distinctive boarding adventure in the heart of Sydney.

King’s Boarding Bursaries enable families in remote areas an opportunity to access world-class education for their sons by minimising the financial pressure associated with boarding fees. Each year we reserve several places for boys who demonstrate Kings qualities and are deserving of fee support to enable them to take their place in our school.

The King’s School offers a range of scholarships and bursaries for entry to Years 7 to 11, although the majority of these are for entry to Year 7. Many of these awards have been established as a result of the generosity of parents, friends, associated organisations and bequests.

Because the school focuses on many areas, not just academics, boys must be prepared to contribute in many ways in order to be a recipient of a King’s scholarship. This includes demonstrating a commitment to their studies, identifying their place within the sport and co-curricular programs, and establishing enriching ways to serve the King’s community.

As King’s approaches the celebration of its bicentenary in 2031, the school continues to pledge its commitment to making an impact for the good of society, not just educationally but also socially and environmentally. The Scholarship and Bursaries program empowers deserving young men to honour this pledge, through the opportunity of a King’s education. Families interested in learning more about The King’s School 2025 Scholarships and Bursaries program are invited to apply online in October at kings.edu.au

Where Leaders Are Made

BESPOKE LEARNING

Future leaders are made at PLC Armidale, where boarders and day students are given many opportunities for personal growth.

FOR THE PAST 136 YEARS , Presbyterian Ladies’ College (PLC) Armidale has been educating girls from across the region and beyond. The college provides a caring, encouraging and empowering environment for each student to reach their potential and equips girls to lead lives of significance.

The 2022 Higher School Certificate (HSC) results demonstrate the college’s academic advantage: it had a higher percentage of its 2022 HSC cohort on the Distinguished Achievers list than any other school in Armidale.

A stroll through the bright and airy classrooms set in the spacious grounds of this 17 hectare property confirms this is an ideal place for young women to learn and grow.

The college’s capacity was intentionally designed to ensure an environment of close connection where girls are individually known and nurtured, so class sizes allow students to receive one-on-one instruction from teaching staff.

A phenomenal average student-to-teacher ratio of six to one across the school allows for bespoke learning plans. As one of the oldest educational institutions in the region, the school is resolute that one size does not fit all.

The result of this focus is demonstrated by a visit to the My School website, which shows PLC Armidale consistently scores above the national average in nearly all areas of NAPLAN testing.

Principal Nicola Taylor says students educated in an all-girl environment are more confident about asking questions, particularly in mathematics and science.

“When girls become the focal point, there is greater opportunity for engagement and achievement,” Mrs Taylor says. “Our students have higher occupational aspirations, which are fostered throughout their school career; they have higher participation rates in activities such as sport and PE, and they develop a greater sense of connectedness. Girls in a girls’ school form close friendships, often lasting for life.”

As places are limited, girls at PLC Armidale Junior School are given first preference. Boarders are catered for from Year 5. There is a mixture of full, weekly and casual boarding, with each girl given her own room to decorate in the style of her choice.

Boarders enjoy the many co-curricular opportunities on offer, including joining one of the most productive and successful school cattle teams in the region. For two years running, PLC Armidale has been chosen to prepare and lead the Schute Bell Charity Steer, to raise money for the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, at the Sydney Royal Show, the first school outside the Riverina to ever do so.

PLC Armidale has numerous scholarships that are awarded on merit to girls in academic, music, creative arts and leadership fields, as well as for all-rounders and boarders.

Many accomplished women have been the beneficiaries of the scholarships and bursaries offered to girls of promise and potential from regional New South Wales who demonstrate a commitment to their education and future. The CEO of Fletcher International Exports, Melissa Fletcher, was once a recipient of a scholarship at PLC Armidale, as was Dr Nicole Sides, Medical Director of Compass Fertility and former Australian Capital Territory Business Woman of the Year, along with many more. Other past recipients include the President of the National Farmers’ Federation, Fiona Simson.

“I was lucky enough to enter PLC Armidale on an academic scholarship in Year 7,” Mrs Simson says. “I had no idea just how much the skills I learned during my secondary schooling would influence my current career.”

For more information, visit plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au

A NEW ERA

Great things are ahead for Melbourne’s Scotch College.

SCOTCH COLLEGE MELBOURNE commenced a new era this year with the installation of Dr Scott Marsh as the 10th principal of the school at a service held in the college’s Memorial Hall. Paying tribute to previous principals and acknowledging the strength of the Scotch family, Dr Marsh highlighted the importance of community and relationships in overcoming the modern challenges of mental health and individualism.

Dr Marsh has developed a vision for education that encourages innovation, independent thought, excellence and a sense of service, along with inclusivity and respect for all members of the community.

The Scotch College boarding precinct, or The Hill, as it is affectionately known, will unveil a number of exciting new facilities this year as well, with the opening of its new senior wing — comprising McMeckan and School houses — which will provide modern single-room accommodation for Year 11 and 12 boarding students.

In addition to this, Scotch boarding parents will be delighted with the unveiling of the Parents’ Retreat, an innovative and inviting hub for parents to relax, mingle and enjoy their time visiting their sons when in Melbourne. Both facilities are due to be opened in the first half of the year.

These major building projects highlight the commitment the college has made to its boarding community, as well as its heritage as the oldest and largest boys’ boarding school in Melbourne. Located in leafy Hawthorn, on the fringe of the

city, the school sits on 27 hectares, giving country boys the sense of space they often miss when attending a city school.

A boarding school since its inception in 1851, Scotch College has been educating boys for over 170 years. The school is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church of Victoria. Every effort is made to develop Christian ideals of citizenship and character within a Christian environment for learning.

Scotch College Melbourne is home to 170 boarding boys, primarily from rural Victoria. “Our boys on The Hill have busy, active lives with plenty of study, sport and socialising — an amazing lifestyle,” says Tim Byrnes, Dean of Boarding at Scotch.

The boys achieve outstanding success in those things society likes to measure, while valuing a full school life that sets the same expectations when pursuing academic goals, pulling on a football jumper, tuning a cello, learning lines for a play or heading off to camp.

The Scotch ethos is about establishing sound foundations while lighting the fires for future growth. Strong traditions breed values of integrity, tolerance and service, while high quality teaching enables each boy to achieve their individual best. The priority is to enable and encourage each boy to value their time at the school. It is a journey based on Christian principles; one full of energy and diversity; one that unearths interests and talents; and one that leaves its boys in great shape for the next leg in a challenging, exciting world. For more information visit scotch.vic.edu.au

The new Senior Boarding Wing, scheduled for opening later in 2023.

Boarding at Scotch College

LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS FOR THEIR FUTURE

Boarders at Scotch College enjoy quality accommodation in a secure, familial environment. Based on Christian principles, with a strong academic focus, residential tutors, outstanding facilities and an expansive inner city campus, our students excel in a wide range of activities including music, drama, sport and outdoor education. Come and visit our campus and boarding houses by contacting either: Judy Duffy judy.duffy@scotch.vic.edu.au 0428 714 060 or our Admissions Office admissions@scotch.vic.edu.au

www.scotch.vic.edu.au

Scotch College’s new principal, Dr Scott Marsh, mingles with the school community following his installation ceremony.