Canberra Grammar School (CGS) is an independent school for boys in the Red Hill suburb of Canberra, the capital of Australia. The school is affiliated with the Anglican Church of Australia and provides an education from pre-school to year 2 for boys and girls, and from year 3 to year 12 for boys only.
The school was founded in 1929, the foundation stone being laid on 5 December 1928 by Prime Minister of Australia Stanley Bruce. Initially it was attended by only 63 students, but has grown sharply since the early 1950s to a total of 1,571 students in attendance as of February 2006.
The current headmaster is Simon Murray; Alan Ball is head of the senior school and Jeff Symms is head of the primary school. Aaron Booth is the School Sergeant.
Curriculum
Unlike other schools in the Australian Capital Territory, Canberra Grammar School subscribes to the New South Wales Higher School Certificate (HSC) System. The curriculum in years 11 and 12 is thus based on New South Wales HSC courses. As such, English is the one course which is compulsory up to and including Year 12. Canberra Grammar School leans towards a focus on Academic courses (as opposed to Vocational courses). Mathematics and English can both be studied at Extension 2 (4-unit) level, and many other subjects are taught at 3-unit level. These include History.
Co-curriculum
The school offers many activities outside of school hours. These include sport, music and other activities.
- Junior School: Athletics, Ball games, Basketball, Chess, Cricket, Cross Country Running, Drama, European Handball, Gardening, Golf, Indoor Soccer, Mini Volleyball, Multimedia, Orienteering, Rugby, Art, Swimming, Tae Kwon Do, Tennis, Triathlon.
- Senior School: Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Chess, Community Service, Cricket, Cross Country, Debating, Dragon Boats, Drama, Duke of Edinburgh awards, Football (soccer), Golf, Hockey, Karting, Mountain Biking, Orienteering, Outdoor Education, Rowing, Rugby, Sailing, Snowsports, Squash, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tae Kwon Do, Tennis, Triathlon, Track Cycling, Venture Group, Water Polo.
- Junior School Music: Junior School Chorale, Junior Choir, Senior Choir, String Orchestra, Concert Band, canberra Grammar School Stage Band.
- Senior School Music: Canberra Grammar School Choir, Chapel Choir, Guitar Ensemble, Horn Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, Saxophone Ensemble.
- Combined Canberra Grammar School and Canberra Girls' Grammar School Ensembles: Clarinet Ensemble, Guitar Ensemble, Flute Ensemble, Lloyd (Elementary) Concert Band, Hultgren (Beginner) Concert Band, Stanhope (Intermediate) Concert band, Grainger (advanced) concert band, Junior Big Band, Senior Big Band, String Orchestra, Symphony orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Motet Choir, Senior Percussion Ensemble, Intermediate Percussion Enemble, Symphonic Wind Band
Houses
The school has eight houses. They are:
- Burgmann (Gold)
- Monaro (Green/Red)
- Blaxland
- Jones
- Garran (Purple)
- Garnsey (Sky Blue)
- Eddison (Dark Blue)
- Hay (Black)
- Sheaffe (White)
- Edwards (Maroon)
Also two year seven houses:
- Clements
- Burgess
After spending year seven in either of these two houses, boys then make the transition into their allocated senior houses (one of the eight mentioned above). The senior houses provide a nurturing environment, where life long friends and associates are made, as well as encouraging friendly competition between the houses. House competitions include the swimming carnival, the athletics carnival, the cross country carnival, and house music, consisting of house rock, house instrumental, the 'house shout' and the 4-20 voices section. There are also several, non-official house competitions organised by the boys, including house cricket, and house soccer and house basketball.
The Junior School also includes several sporting houses:
- Radford (Red)
- Garnsey (Blue)
- C.J. Shakespeare (Yellow)
- Edwards (Green)
Headmasters
Name | Term |
---|---|
Rev Canon W.J. Edwards | 1929-1946 |
Rev A.E. Gardner | 1947 |
Rev Canon D.A Garnsey | 1948-1958 |
Mr. P.J McKeown A.M | 1959-1985 |
Mr. T.C. Murray | 1986-1998 |
Mr A.S. Murray (no relation to above) | 1998-present |
Notable alumni
Academic
- Peter David Arthur Garnsey, Rhodes Scholar (1961).[1]
- Professor Malcolm Gillies, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the Australian National University
Business
- Kerry Packer, publishing, media and gaming tycoon.[2]
Journalism
- Richard Glover, author, journalist, ABC radio presenter
- Francis James, journalist
- James O'Loghlin, ABC Sydney presenter
- Jock Rankin, journalist
Politics and Law
- Larry Anthony, federal Member of Parliament (National Party)
- Andrew Constance, state Member of Parliament Liberal Member for Bega
- Wallace Clyde Fife, Liberal Party of Australia Representative, New South Wales
- Andrew Refshauge, deputy Premier of New South Wales 1995-2005
- Gough Whitlam, Dux (three years running), Prime Minister of Australia 1972-1975
Sport
- David Gallop, Chairman of the National Rugby League (NRL)
- Rod Kafer, Wallabies rugby union player
- Guy Shepardson, Wallabies rugby union player
- Michael Milton, one-legged skiier, won four gold medals at the 2002 Winter Paralympics
Other
- David Eastman, former Dux, convicted murderer
Notes
- ^ "NSW Rhodes Scholars" — University of Sydney list, (retrieved 16 April 2007)
- ^ "Chip off the old block". Fairfax Digital. December 31, 2005.