Learning to Thrive Engaged in the World Ballarat and Queen’s Anglican Ex officio Director of Finance, Head of Senior School Grammar School Audit & Governance Committee Annual Report 2015 Dr Damian Powell (Chair) Mr Ewen Nevett (Deputy Chair) This is the forty-third Annual Report of the School and Hon Rob Knowles AO the twenty-first and final report of Mr Stephen Higgs as Mrs Sarah Lia Headmaster. Dr Maryann Brown Dr David Mackay The School is a company limited by guarantee, with the Bishop of Ballarat, The Right Reverend Garry Weatherill, as Co-opted Member President, and twenty-four other Members drawn from different constituencies within the Grammar community. Mr Matthew Tol Board of Directors Ex officio The governing body of the School is a board of twelve Director of Finance Directors. The Board meets eight times per year, as does the Finance Committee. Each of the other ongoing Committees Planning Committee meets at least once per term – Planning, Nominations and Mr Geoff Ryan (Chair) Audit and Governance. Mrs Sarah Lia (Deputy Chair) Dr Shantini Deutscher We have much cause to be grateful for Directors’ generous Assoc Prof Robyn Pierce commitment of time, and also for the expertise which they Dr Maryann Brown bring. The Very Reverend Chris Chataway Dr David Mackay We have a full complement on the Board of Directors over Mr Michael Unwin 2015 and membership of the Board is as follows: Ex officio Chairman of the Board Director of Admissions, Head of Senior School Hon Robert I Knowles AO Responsibilities of the Board Ex officio Now operating a learning enterprise for over fourteen hundred The Very Reverend Chris Chataway students, and two hundred staff, and managing a business (Archdeacon of Ballarat) with an annual turnover exceeding $29 million, the Board has significant responsibility. It has been fortunate to have The Headmaster and the Business Manager, Mr Peter Hunt, specialist expertise from different corporate and professional attend meetings of the Board and each of the following sectors, and experience of governance in a range of entities. committees: Finance Committee Mr Tim Hovey (Chairman) Dr Shantini Deutscher (Deputy Chair) Mr Geoff Ryan Assoc Prof Robyn Pierce Mr Michael Unwin Co-opted Members Mr Lindsay Evans Mr Colin McIntosh Mr Matthew Tol Ballarat Grammar Annual Report 2014 1 Major Capital Projects comply or be advanced in the process of compliance with the new Child Safe legislation. The implementation of this legislation has been progressing well with a working group • The new All Weather Sports Surface was completed and is of Senior staff dedicated to this and significant changes to being appreciated by students, staff and the wider Ballarat policies and practices are required for the School as both the sporting community. The majority of this funding for this Board and Head are accountable for this legislation being surface was provided by the Beckworth Trust. implemented. • The JE Miller Science Wing has seen two laboratories being • Total School enrolment currently stands at around 1,492 refurbished and a new laboratory was created to be as with over one third of these students receiving some form of flexible as possible for current and future learning needs. scholarship, bursary or rebate. In addition, redevelopment in the Beckworth Centre has converted a small lecture theatre and staff room into a very • We continue to host indigenous students from Kalumburu functional workshop for Systems Technology. (WA) and Timber Creek (NT) along with a steady number of students from refugee communities. All of our indigenous The generous support of the Beckworth Trust in the capital students are contributing to the life of Grammar in different development of Grammar (and in the provision of fees support) and valuable ways. is gratefully acknowledged. • Our boarding community continues to thrive in a warm Similarly, we acknowledge the invaluable contribution made to aspirational environment under the leadership of our the development of Grammar and the provision of scholarships Director of Boarding and our dedicated Heads of House. and bursaries by the Grammar Foundation. 214 young people, coming from all States in Australia and a small number from overseas, live on campus and take full Significant Features of the Year advantage of their home away from home. • In April 2015, the retirement of the Headmaster, Mr Stephen • Just over 200 candidates sitting for scholarship testing in Higgs, was announced. Following 21 years of dedicated 2015 and future enrolments remaining strong at each year service, Mr Higgs retired at the end of 2015. Mr Higgs and level. his wife, Susan, were farewelled with an Evensong Service and our Annual Board Dinner, as well as various other • City Cite, headed by Mr Harry Leather, continues to run functions over the end of the year. programs for thirty schools, both Melbourne and regional. Our occupancy rates over the year have again increased. • The Chairman announced that the naming of our Agricultural and Environmental Learning Centre at Mount Rowan would • City Cite has also been used as a base for our professional be named the Stephen and Sue Higgs Centre in their honour development for all teaching staff and in smaller and this will be opened and dedicated in 2016. departmental groups at other times of the year and hosted various members of staff in November. • In August 2015, Mr Adam Heath was announced as the successor to Mr Higgs. • The Junior School was authorised as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. After 2 ½ years as a • Our VCE results for 2015 for our Year 12s had five students candidate school, we are now authorised to deliver the IB’s achieving ATARs over 99 and six “perfect scores” of 50 were Primary Years Programme. recorded. • The Round Square Committee organised a very effective Our student’s top ATARs was 99.75 and four students “Hunger Lunch”, feeding about 1,200 staff and students on achieved ATARs over 99. the Tunbridge Oval. The message about food distribution in the world hit home, and the event raised over $1,000 for A significant measure of success is the proportion of ATARs Oxfam. above 80 and above 70. • Other community-based initiatives include Can the Chapel 65% of Grammar students achieved ATARs above 70 for Anglicare, Bina Day, Mighty Boot Muster, providing soccer 44% of Grammar students achieved ATARs above 80. and football boots for indigenous students, Altitude Shift, fund-raising for Timor Leste, Live Below the Line, the Winter • The exciting future ahead for all our students reflects the way Woollies Drive, and the Kurt Hahn Sleep-out. in which all Grammar students develop individual capacity across a breadth of academic studies and in their larger view • Staff and students journeyed to Timor Leste to provide of community – locally, regionally and internationally. further support for the teaching program and to visit local hospitals in Ainaro and Dili. • Across many different year levels and many different areas, staff have encouraged and supported students in their • Our strong connection with Anglicare continues with student learning, and the broad success of our students reflects involvement on the Anglicare Committee and student the professionalism of the environment in which they have designs featured on the Anglicare Christmas card. grown. • Remarkable performances in Senior School musical Little • On 1 August 2016, all Victorian Schools are required to Shop of Horrors, Grammar in Concert and a variety of 2 Ballarat Grammar Annual Report 2014 other concerts throughout the year involving both Junior Current Life Governors and Senior School students, including the Junior School production, #Game of Wonder. (listed in order of appointment) • Our Careers Expo has grown into the largest in the region Mrs Dawn Macdonald and is highly successful. Mrs Alison Rucco Mr Barry Smith OAM • Premier’s VCE Awards were presented to six students in 2014 Mrs Lorraine Bell studies of Chemistry, English Language and VCE - English Mr John Miller Language, Chemistry and Mathematical Methods, Systems Ms Jo Watson Technology, Visual Communication and Agriculture & Mr Bob Bath Horticulture Studies. Mr Alf Hancock • Our students continue to be represented in the Top Acts, Top Designs and Top Arts. Their works were featured at the Melbourne Museum and Art Gallery of Ballarat, and as part Deceased Life Governors of the VCE Season of Excellence. Mr Geoffrey Petch • Following national success, we were represented a Year 12 Mr Norman Must student at the English Speaking Union International Public Mr Geoffrey Richards Speaking Competition in the UK. The Hon WH (Bill) Borthwick AM Mrs JM (Jessie) Scott MBE • As well as usual attendance at regional and interstate Miss CE (Kit) Williamson conferences, students and staff attended the International Round Square Conference held at UWCSEA in Singapore in Mr WH (Peter) Heinz OAM October. With a theme of Act Today, Change Tomorrow; this Mr Wallace Cochran was preceded by a pre-service component in Thailand. Mr Norman Stevens • Our Senior Girls’ Footballers were again Premiers in the BAS competition, going on to the State Grand Final for the Herald Sun Shield played at Etihad Stadium. • On one of the biggest stages for competitive athletics, the 2015 Women’s Stawell Gift Winner was one of our Year 10 students, Grace O’Dwyer, coached by our Director of Finance, her father, Mr Peter O’Dwyer. • Our busy outdoor education program, overseen by the Outdoor Education Group, challenges young people in different environments across the State. The culmination of this is a week spent camping in the snow and cross-country skiing across the Bogong High Plains. Ballarat Grammar Annual Report 2014 3 4 Ballarat Grammar Annual Report 2014 School Performance Information for year ending 31 December 2015 BALLARAT GRAMMAR Learning to Thrive; Engaged in the World Our regional Anglican school fosters: • academic aspiration • trust • opportunity and engagement • optimism and resilience • social and environmental justice within the search for faith and meaning.