| Great Southern Grammar | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Multi purpose sport facility | |
| Location | |
 | |
Australia | |
| Coordinates | 34°56′49″S117°58′13″E / 34.946977°S 117.97024°E /-34.946977; 117.97024 |
| Information | |
| Type | Independentco-educationalprimary andsecondaryday andboarding school |
| Motto | Wisdom and Knowledge |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Non-denominationalChristianity |
| Established | 1999; 26 years ago (1999) |
| Educational authority | WA Department of Education |
| Chair | Ian Clarke[1] |
| Principal | Mathew Irving |
| Chaplain | Mathew Irving |
| Employees | ~170 |
| Years | K–12 |
| Enrolment | c. 800 (2017) |
| Campus size | 58 hectares (144 acres) |
| Campus type | Regional |
| Houses | Baudin, Camfield, Mokare, Wilson |
| Colour(s) | Blue, white, red, green andClan Colquhoun tartan |
| Slogan | Embark on a Journey of Discovery |
| Song | School of the Sea |
| Publication | The Semaphore |
| School Hymn | The Servant King |
| Website | www |
Great Southern Grammar is anindependentnon-denominational Christianco-educationalprimary andsecondaryday andboarding school, located in theGreat Southern regional town ofKalgan, Western Australia between theKing River and theKalgan River. The school is situated approximately 16 kilometres (10 mi) East ofAlbany, a regional centre 390 kilometres (242 mi)[2] south-southeast ofPerth.
The campus has a total area of 58 hectares (144 acres)[3] bordered by Nanarup Road to the north,Oyster Harbour to the south, Johnston Creek to the west and the Kalgan River to the east.
The school is non-selective, and caters for boys and girls from age four (Kindergarten) through to age eighteen (Year 12). Students attend the school predominantly from Albany and the Great Southern, but also from other parts of Australia and internationally, with a current boarding population of ~140.
In 2009 the school was ranked at number 10 in Western Australia, based on results of its Year 12 students.[4]
Great Southern Grammar was founded in 1996 by a development committee of those interested in forming an independent school in the Great Southern region of Western Australia.[5] A foundation ceremony was conducted in 1998.[6] After opening in rented premises atMount Melville in 1999 with 36 students, the school relocated to the Lower Kalgancampus in 2000. The school catered for Year 8 to 10 students when it first opened.
In his address at the opening of the school, localNoongar elder, Aiden Eades stated, "The school grounds are of special significance to local Noongars, with theKalgan and theKing rivers meeting close by. Never forget that this is Noongar land but you are welcome to use it, especially for something like education."[6]
In 2002 theJunior School opened which catered for students fromKindergarten to Year 6. TheMiddle School continued to operate for students in Year 7 to Year 9 and theSenior School continued to cater for students from Year 10 to Year 12.
The Senior School building was extended to include an extra six classrooms in 2004. The construction company, Wauters Enterprises, won a construction excellence award from the Master Builders Association.[7]
The newMiddle School building, including newclassrooms, music facilities andscience laboratory was opened in 2009. The building was awarded as the best commercial building for theGreat Southern Region in 2009.[8]
Liz Constable, the Minister of Education, visited the school in 2010 in recognition of the school's strong performance in theTEE examinations in 2009 where the school ranked in the top ten of the state.[9]
The new seniorboarding wing,Michaelmas House, named after the island ofsame name inKing George Sound, was opened at the commencement of Term One in 2010.
The newmulti-purpose sports facility, partially funded by theBuilding the Education Revolution program, featuring twobasketball courts and a synthetic surface, was completed and opened in June 2010 during the school's Foundation Day ceremony.[10]
The school won the Best School Grounds category for the region in theKeep Australia Beautiful Council's awards for 2010.[11]
Opening the new music building in April 2011, the school had new spaces for music lessons, arecording studio, storage for equipment and a direct connection to the existing hall that is used for drama lessons and performances.
A new senior school building was opened in 2012 with additional classrooms and undercover areas, the new building was named thePratten Centre after Peter Pratten, one of the School founders and chair of the School council.
In 2023, Great Southern Grammar celebrates its 25th anniversary of foundation from 1998. GSG Foundation Day occurs on 7 June with the Foundation Assembly occurred on Friday 9 June 2023.
The celebration of Great Southern Grammar's foundation is taken as a greater milestone within GSG and the GSG community with previous students, staff, principals and current students, staff and families with the support of special guests who make an impact on Great Southern Grammar and its development.
The founding headmaster of the school wasReverend Stephen Lee who accepted the position in 1999. He left the school in 2003 to become the principal ofMethodist Ladies College.[12]The second headmaster was Peter Welch who managed the school from 2004 to 2007.[13]Stuart Marquardt joined the school fromSunshine Coast Grammar School in 2007 as the school's third headmaster.[14] Marquardt left the school in 2016 to take up a position as the principal ofLindisfarne Anglican Grammar School, inNew South Wales.[15]
Upon Marquardt's departure in 2016, the school changed the title of the leadership position from 'headmaster' to 'principal'. Mark Sawle joined the school in 2016 fromAquinas College[16][17] and retired at the end of 2023. Mathew Irving then joined the school coming fromWesley College.[18]
| Period | Details |
|---|---|
| 1999–2003 | Rev. Stephen Lee |
| 2004–2007 | Peter Welch |
| 2008–2016 | Stuart Marquardt |
| 2016–2023 | Mark Sawle[16] |
| 2024– | Mathew Irving[18] |
The school is affiliated with the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA),[19] the Australian Boarding Schools' Association (ABSA),[20]Independent Primary School Heads of Australia (IPSHA),[21] and the Association of Independent Schools in Western Australia (AISWA).[22]
The school appears regularly in the top 50 schools for theWestern Australian Certificate of Education. Ranked as the top school in theGreat Southern region in 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008 and 2007. In 2009 the school was also ranked as the top regional school in the state.
| Year | % +75 in WACE[i] | State ranking[ii] | % +65 in WACE[iii] | State ranking | % graduation[iv] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 16.36 | 22 | 41.09 | 30 | 100[23] |
| 2011 | 19.00 | 23 | 41.00 | 46 | 98.4[24] |
| 2010 | 11.01 | 47 | 45.81 | 41 | 100[25] |
| 2009 | 18 | 10 | 100[26] |
The house system is a support system for the pastoral care of students. The School is divided into four different houses:Baudin,Camfield,Mokare andWilson. The four houses compete in interhouse competitions includingswimming,athletics andcross country. Other competitions such as debating and tug of wars are also held.
| House | Baudin | Camfield | Mokare | Wilson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colour | Blue | White | Green | Red |
| Named after | Nicholas Baudin | Anne Camfield | Mokare | Thomas Wilson |
| Mascot | Sea Horse | Owl | Gecko | Serpent |
The school has a long association withOutward Bound[27] and have conducted compulsory expeditions in all levels of the Middle school and Year Ten in the Senior School. Commencing in 2009 the school only Year 9 and Year 10 students have attended compulsory Outward Bound expeditions with an optional program being available for Year 11 students. The expeditions are conducted in theD'Entrecasteaux National Park andWalpole-Nornalup National Park with students being accompanied by a staff member and an outward bound instructor.The school have a greater association to outdoor education with providing school camps,Leeuwin and many other expeditions. Ranging locations, year groups and activities, The school has many opportunities for students to engage with the environment around the Great Southern and beyond.
The school participates in many sports in the local leagues including soccer, netball, hockey and basketball.The sporting uniform is navy blue and red, usually in horizontal stripes, although the design has changed through the years.Football teams are entered into the Belt Up Cup carnival and the Smarter than Smoking carnivals and have achieved a good deal of success in their endeavour including winning the regional title in 2007 and 2008 for the Belt Up Cup.
Country Week
Country Week teams have been sent from the school since 2004 when the school sent 2 teams: boys'basketball and girls'netball. The teams were composed of Year 12 students only and a total of 19 students and 3 teachers attended the carnival.
More teams participated in the 2005 carnival with teams, again made up of Year 12 students only, for boys'hockey and boys'volleyball and girls'netball attending.
By 2006 teams were sent to represent the school in boys'hockey, boys'basketball and girls'netball. This was the first year that the school sent students from both Year 11 and Year 12.
The 2007 school team consisted of Year 10, 11 and 12 students and sports represented included boys' and girls'hockey, boys'basketball, boys'soccer and girls'netball. The school won two division shields in girls' A-gradehockey and boys' C-gradesoccer.
The 2008 carnival saw the school represented in the same sports as the previous year with the inclusion of a girls'basketball and a speech and debating team. The school won shields in boys' A-gradehockey, girls' A-gradehockey and girls' A-gradesoccer.By 2009 the school team was composed of the same sports as in 2008, with shields being won in boys' A-gradehockey and boys' B-gradesoccer. The school also came runner-up in the meritorious shield to Bunbury Cathedral Grammar.
2010 proved to be the school's most successful year at the tournament with teams representing all the sports taken in 2009 with the further addition of boys' and girls'volleyball teams as well as a dance team. Shields were won in boys' A-gradehockey for the fourth year in a row and also in girls' A-gradenetball and by thespeech and debate team. The school also won the meritorious shield award for the first time.
The school sent the same teams as for 2010 with the exception of dance but included a mixed touch rugby team to compete in the 2011 carnival. The speech and debate team was again successful as was boys' B-gradesoccer. The school also came runner-up in the meritorious shield toBunbury Cathedral Grammar School.
In 2012 the school fielded its firstAustralian Rules Football team in the competition, overall the school once again were runners up in the meritorious shield to the Western Australian college of Agriculture – Narrogin.
In 2013 the boys' Volleyball team won the A-grade trophy and the girls' hockey team also won the A-grade title, overall the school came third in the meritorious shield.
Equestrian
The school has competed in the Western Australian InterschoolEquestrian Championships since 2007.
The team has been awarded Champion Secondary Dressage School in 2012, Reserve Champion Secondary Dressage Team in 2010, 2011, Champion Secondary Evening Team 2012 and Champion Secondary Showjumping Team in 2012.
The equestrian team from the school has been awarded Champion Secondary Rural School in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 with many members of the team being have been invited to represent Western Australia at the National Championships in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011,[28] 2012[29] and 2013.[30]
