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Sydney Church of England Grammar School

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Coordinates: 33°50′22″S 151°12′19″E / 33.83944°S 151.20528°E / -33.83944; 151.20528
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Sydney Church of England Grammar School
The Shore School, c. 2017
Location
Map
North Sydney and Northbridge, Lower North Shore, Sydney, New South Wales

Australia
Coordinates33°50′22″S 151°12′19″E / 33.83944°S 151.20528°E / -33.83944; 151.20528
Information
Other names
  • SHORE
  • Shore School
TypeIndependent single-sex and co-educational early learning, primary and secondary day and boarding school
MottoLatin: Vitai Lampada Tradunt
(Lucretius, De Rerum Natura)
(They hand on the torch of life[1])
Religious affiliation(s)Anglican Diocese of Sydney
DenominationAnglicanism
Established1889; 135 years ago (1889)[2]
FounderThe Rev. Alfred Barry
Sister schoolSCEGGS Darlinghurst
Educational authorityNew South Wales Education Standards Authority
ChairmanB J E Warburton
HeadmasterDr John Collier
ChaplainAnthony Benn[3]
YearsEarly learning and K–12
Gender
Enrolment~1,600 (K–12)[4]
Education systemHigher School Certificate
Campuses
Campus type
Colour(s)Navy blue and white   
AthleticsAthletic Association of the Great Public Schools of New South Wales
Affiliations
AlumniShore Old Boys
Websitewww.shore.nsw.edu.au
Map

The Sydney Church of England Grammar School (commonly known as Shore or Shore School) is an independent Anglican school for boys located on Sydney's Lower North Shore, New South Wales, Australia. The school operates across two campuses, offering early learning, primary, and secondary education, with both day and boarding options.

Established in 1889 by the Church of England,[1] Shore has a non-selective enrolment policy and serves approximately 1,600 students from preschool to Year 12, including 200 boarders from Year 6 onward.[4] A separate campus in Northbridge provides co-educational classes from preschool to Year 2.[2]

Shore is a member of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA),[5] the Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA),[6] the Australian Boarding Schools' Association (ABSA),[4] the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC),[7] and is a founding member of the Athletic Association of the Great Public Schools of New South Wales (AAGPS).[8]

History

The Sydney Church of England Grammar School was founded on 4 May 1889, and was the initiative of Bishop Alfred Barry of the Sydney Diocese of the Church of England, after the closing of the St James School in 1886.[9] The site of the school was chosen by the first Headmaster to be the Victorian mansion of the famed gold prospector Bernhardt Holtermann, a German migrant who discovered the Holtermann Nugget in the Australian gold fields. He used his newfound wealth to build a magnificent home in North Sydney, which is now a boarding house of Shore. His sons were among the first students enrolled at Shore.

The St. James' School Compensation Trust Act (1886) provided for the foundation of:[10]

A school of the highest type, including departments of education for all classes of the community, in which the teaching shall be throughout in accordance with the principles of the Church of England, and which shall be placed under the direction of a governing body of clergy and laity to be elected by the Synod, the Bishop of the Diocese being the ex-officio president.

The school’s colours and diagonal stripes are drawn from Christ’s College, Cambridge, where the founding Headmaster studied. The school crest features symbols representing its values and affiliations: the Bible and the Southern Cross appear on the top row, alongside a shell, symbolising a connection to St. James' School, and a torch. The school motto is displayed beneath these elements. Moreover, the boater, a piece of uniform which has become closely associated with the school, was first encouraged to be worn in 1912, before becoming compulsory in 1924.[11]

The school has two official names: the Sydney Church of England Grammar School and the Shore School, although it is more commonly known as the latter. The name 'Shore' was formally adopted in the early 1990s to distinguish it from other institutions. This change was partially driven by the difficulty of chanting 'Grammar' at sports events, as Sydney Grammar School students were already using the term, and to avoid confusion with SCEGGS (Sydney Church of England Girls' Grammar School), Shore's sister school. The name 'Shore' also reflects the school’s location in Sydney’s North Shore region.

Campuses

The Sydney Church of England Grammar School is situated on two campuses:

  • North Sydney [including land formerly belonging to "Graythwaite"] (8 ha)
  • Northbridge (9 ha) – ELC to Year 2 and sports grounds

North Sydney

In the senior school, in addition to the administrative centres and classroom blocks there are:

  • War Memorial Chapel (1915)
  • The War Memorial Hall (1953)
  • Ken and Joan Smith Auditorium (1994)
  • BH Travers Centre, including the Boer War Memorial Library and Basketball Courts (2000)
  • The Benefactors Building, including the Bob Gowing Museum incorporating the school archives, mainly of the accomplishments of previous headmasters to school academic and extra-curricula achievement.
  • The Centenary Building, including the art department
  • Sporting facilities, including one oval, cricket nets, tennis courts, In 2016, the school announced plans for an updated gym, squash courts, basketball court, an indoor/outdoor 50 metre pool and new classrooms as a part of the Shore Physical Education Centre (SPEC).[12] Construction began early 2018, and has completed.

The Preparatory School, originally constructed in 1926, was completely renovated in March 2006.

Northbridge

An Early Learning Centre (ELC) for boys and girls in the two years prior to starting Kindergarten, as well as a Kindergarten to Year 2 learning facility for boys and girls, was opened at the Northbridge campus in 2003. With Long Day Care facilities, the ELC is open 48 weeks per year.

The school's main sports facility is also at Northbridge, on land bought in 1916. The school was given a choice of either buying the neighbouring "Graythwaite" property (the former home of Thomas Allwright Dibbs), or the land at Northbridge. The school chose the land at Northbridge as playing fields, of which the school was in desperate need. This campus now features six full-sized ovals, tennis courts, pavilions and dressing rooms. The grounds were opened in 1919 as a memorial to the 880 old boys who served, and the 122 who died in the Great War.

Northbridge has been redeveloped as the previous grandstands had become severely dilapidated. The $9 million redevelopment includes a new grandstand and changerooms, and was officially opened on 11 November 2008.

Houses

Name Colour 1 Colour 2 Year founded Type
Anderson Cy   Ye   2002 Day
Barry Bl   Re   1939 Boarding
Burrell Bk   Cy   2002 Day
Burns Bl   Ye   2002 Day
Colebrook Gn   Re   2002 Day
Dixon Ye   Gn   2002 Day
Eldershaw Ye   Bl   2002 Day
Emery Re   Ye   2002 Day
Gilmour Bk   Bl   2002 Day
Gillespie Wh   Bl   2002 Day
Hodges Bk   Ye   1939 Boarding
Mathers Bl   Wh   2002 Day
Pascoe Bl   Gn   2002 Day
Robson Gn   Wh   1926 Boarding
Sawkins Re   Wh   2002 Day
School Cy   Re   1889 Boarding
Tiley Re   Wh   2002 Day
Whight Wh   Ye   2002 Day

Curriculum

Subjects

Shore offers a wide variety of subjects. Traditionally the school is most successful in Business Studies and Economics, producing 6 state rankings in the past 4 years including first in Business Studies in 2020. Shore has also produced strong performances in Mathematics - producing eighth in 2021, fifth in 2018 and third in 2017 in the Extension 1 course, and second and sixth in 2022 and first in 2017 in the Extension 2 course, in addition to Latin, where the school has produced 6 state rankings since 2016.[13]

Rankings

Year Rank Proportion of Band 6 results Highest ATAR Proportion of ATARs above 90
2011 35 30% 99.95 42%
2012 19 37.4% 99.95 59%
2013 26 33.3% 99.95 (2) 53%
2014 27 34.5% 99.85 48%
2015 34 30.6% 99.85 (2) 45%
2016 26 35.3% 99.95 51%
2017 34 31.5% 99.95 (2) 49%
2018 22 35.9% 99.90 55%
2019 37 30.5% 99.95 90.10 median (exact % not given)
2020 40 28.8% 99.95 89.05 median (exact % not given)
2021 54 25.4% 99.90 88.05 median (exact % not given)
2022 37 29.0% 99.95 53% (90.35 median)
2023 24 37.4% 99.90 (3) 56% (91.90 median)
2024 26 39.3% 99.95 (2) 50% (91.80 median)

Co-curriculum

Sport

Shore students may participate in a variety of sports, mainly within the GPS competition. Sports include rugby union, soccer, cricket, tennis, taekwondo, basketball, rowing, cross country running, athletics, shooting, surf lifesaving, and snowsports. Furthermore, the school is currently trialing new sports such as Australian rules football and hockey.

Until the arrival of Headmaster R.A.I. Grant (1984–2002), the choice of sports available to students was very limited. For example, during the winter months, there was only rugby union unless a medical exemption was available. That changed after 1984, with sports such as tennis and soccer being made available to all students.

The school's boatshed and pontoon for its rowing club is at Gladesville on the north shore of Sydney's Parramatta River. Shore was the third Sydney school to take to the water (after Grammar and Riverview) and has been rowing in the GPS competition since the late 1890s, to great result.

Performing arts

Shore has a comprehensive performing arts program, including Music Ensembles and Drama productions. Music ensembles include two concert bands, two stage bands, an orchestra, three string groups and the Shore Chapel Choir, as well as a number of other smaller ensembles. The Shore Performing Arts Centre features a proscenium arch theatre with 500 seats as well as a hydroluic[clarification needed] orchestra pit, counterweight fly system and a state of the art[citation needed] lighting and audio control booth, and a multi-configurable black box theatre with seating arrangements ranging from 25 to 150 seats. The centre also boasts[citation needed] a wide range of orchestral rooms for both performance and rehearsals.

Recent musical productions include Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Oliver!, West Side Story, Anything Goes, A Peculiar People (World Premier), Les Misérables, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Recent dramatic productions include Our Town, Lord of the Flies and The Cherry Orchard.

Publications

The school has a weekly publication, The Shore Weekly Record, which, along with informing boys and parents of upcoming happenings and sporting fixtures and results, gives certain boys the opportunity to express their writing and artistic talents in their own section, usually the inner part of the publication. Over the years this variously-named "inside section" has fostered the satirical talents of Chris Taylor from The Chaser, and provided a unique[citation needed] perspective on the school and the wider world.

Other publications are the Shore Reports (quarterly) and the Torch Bearer (yearly).

  • Shore building in 1930, built by Bernhardt Holtermann in
    Shore building in 1930, built by Bernhardt Holtermann in
  • View from the North Sydney campus, 1931
    View from the North Sydney campus, 1931
  • Shore eight-oar crew, 1932
    Shore eight-oar crew, 1932

Headmasters

After the 2022 decision to dismiss Dr Timothy Peterson seeking renewed leadership, the school has appointed Dr John Collier as interim headmaster.

The school is also governed by a council jointly appointed by the Old Boys' Union and the Anglican Diocese of Sydney. The school appointed four different deputy headmasters: MJ Leeds as deputy of academics, Dr AN Mansfield as deputy of operations, RG Dudgeon as deputy of pastoral care and Dr LK Gilmour as deputy of co-curricular activities, replacing the previous deputy headmaster, Rod Morrison.[14]

The following individuals have served as headmaster of the school:

Ordinal Officeholder Term start Term end Time in office Notes
Headmaster Qualifications Previous positions held
1 E. I. Robson BA (Cantab.), MA (Melb.) Classics tutor at Ormond College, University of Melbourne 1889 1900 10–11 years [1]
2 C. H. Hodges MA (Oxon) Headmaster, Townsville Grammar 1900 1910 9–10 years
3 W. A. Purves MA (Oxon) Headmaster, Toowoomba Grammar 1910 1922 11–12 years
4 L. C. Robson CBE, MC MA (Oxon), BSc (Sydney) Senior mathematics master, Geelong Grammar 1923 1958 34–35 years
5 B. H. Travers AM, OBE MA BLitt (Oxon), BA (Sydney) FACE Headmaster, Launceston Church Grammar 1959 1984 24–25 years
6 R. A. I. Grant AM BEc (Sydney), DipEd (UNE), BEd (Melb.), MACE Deputy headmaster, Canberra Grammar 1984 2002 17–18 years
7 T. A. Wright PhD, DipEd, BSc (Hons), FACE, MRACI, CChem Headmaster, All Saints, Bathurst
Second Master, Trinity Grammar, Sydney		 2003 2019 15–16 years
8 T. A. Petterson PhD, MBA, BSc (Hons), GradDipEd, DipBS Principal, St Philip's Christian College, Port Stephens
Boarding Housemaster, The King's School		 2020 2022 1–2 years [15]
9 Dr. John Collier BA, DipEd, DipBiblSt, EdD, FACE, FACEL Principal, Saint Andrews Cathedral School 2022* Incumbent

* denotes interim

Notable alumni

Main article: List of Old Boys of Shore

Shore alumni are commonly referred to as 'Old Boys', and may elect to join the school's alumni association, the Shore Old Boys Union (OBU).[16] Shore is notable for its strong connections in banking and finance, having produced the current CEO of Challenger Ltd and Chairman of Magellan Financial Group, in addition to CEOs and Chairmen of the Bank of New South Wales[17] (now Westpac), the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney[18] (now NAB), IAG,[19] MLC,[20] Perpetual Limited,[21] and Rothschild Australia. However, some of Shore's most notable old boys have come from other walks of life, including:

In 2001, the school was ranked seventh in the Who's Who of boys' school rankings in Australia, and second in New South Wales based on the number of alumni mentioned in Who's Who in Australia.[41]

Controversies

Fights

Two students at Shore were suspended in May 2023, after a video surfaced displaying a student throwing a table to physically attack a classmate. In a letter sent to parents, the headmaster John Collier stated that the school had taken "decisive action" after the incident took place, and that the police would work with the school to "educate students" about the inappropriateness of violent behaviour. It also stated that it was “utterly unacceptable and goes against the core values" instilled in students”. The fight wasn't a spontaneous act of aggression, but rather a "carefully orchestrated event" staged for voyeuristic purposes.[42]

Scavenger Hunt

A "Year 12" challenge run by a student labelled the "Triwizard Shorenament" (referencing the Triwizard Tournament from Harry Potter) emerged in September 2020, which included a range of inappropriate sexual challenges, racist, harmful and illegal activities (such as spitting on a homeless man). The headmaster at the time, Dr Timothy Petterson, stated that it was "extremely disappointing to all of us that their thoughtless actions have cast a shadow, not only over the considerable achievements of their classmates, but the reputation of our school generally which strives to be a respectful, inclusive and caring environment for all.” [43]

TikTok Videos

In September 2020, students filmed a TikTok video showing off the campus’ luxury facilities, including a “recovery pool”, a “harbour view library” and a “$50 mill gym". After going viral, the school demanded that it was deleted.[43]

The same month, a TikToker who goes by the name of "Fonzie Gomez" interviewed students from Shore. The boys were asked to name the worst suburbs in Sydney, which arose controversy over the mocking of some of the poorest suburbs in Sydney. One responded "Blacktown", and another student added "Yeah, druggos". One claimed there were "Too many eshays" in the suburb. Another student stated that the worst suburb was "Mosman" because of the "Rich Kids" living there. The school didn't respond for comment, and the video was deleted.[44]

Antisemitism

In 2017, an "end of year" photo was taken of a group of year 12 students in the school, with the past Deputy Headmaster Rod Morrison, holding a Nazi flag and holding up the Nazi Salute. Morrison, after realising what had happened, confiscated the flag off those responsible and called for the photo to be deleted, however it still circulated. The former headmaster Timothy Wright dismissed it as an "“ill-conceived prank and a display of very poor judgment by those caught up in the euphoria of the end of school”.[43][45]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "General Information". The School. Sydney Church of England Grammar School. Archived from the original on 13 May 2009. Retrieved 19 October 2007.
  2. ^ a b "Shore School". New South Wales. School Choice. 2007. Retrieved 19 October 2007.
  3. ^ "Message from the Chaplain - Sydney Church of England Grammar School". www.shore.nsw.edu.au. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  4. ^ a b c "Shore School (Sydney Church of England Grammar)". New South Wales Schools. Australian Boarding Schools' Association. 2005. Archived from the original on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 19 October 2007.
  5. ^ "AHISA Schools: New South Wales". Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia. April 2007. Archived from the original on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 19 October 2007.
  6. ^ "JSHAA New South Wales Directory of Members". Junior School Heads' Association of Australia. 2007. Archived from the original on 18 December 2007. Retrieved 19 October 2007.
  7. ^ "International Members". HMC Schools. The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. Archived from the original on 15 March 2008. Retrieved 11 March 2008.
  8. ^ "AAGPS History". Info. Athletic Association of the Great Public Schools of New South Wales. 2007. Archived from the original on 1 May 2008. Retrieved 19 October 2007.
  9. ^ "Alfred Barry (1826–1910)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
  10. ^ "St James' School Compensation Trust Bill 1886". Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  11. ^ "Shore history and war publications. - Sydney Church of England Grammar School". www.shore.nsw.edu.au. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  12. ^ "Exclusive school's $55m makeover". 19 August 2016.
  13. ^ "SHORE - Sydney Church of England Grammar School HSC Results (Honour Roll) | HSCninja". www.hscninja.com. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  14. ^ "Academic Staff - Sydney Church of England Grammar School". www.shore.nsw.edu.au. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  15. ^ Baker, Jordan (15 July 2022). "Shore School principal dismissed amid divisions over leadership". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  16. ^ "Welcome to the Shore Old Boys Union". Home. Shore Old Boys Union. 2007. Retrieved 19 October 2007.
  17. ^ "BANK'S NEW PRESIDENT". Biz. 14 October 1959. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  18. ^ Rutledge, Martha, "Kater, Sir Norman William (1874–1965)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 23 June 2022
  19. ^ "Mr Michael Hawker AM - Ducere Global Business School". ducere.education. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  20. ^ Walsh, G. P., "Ashton, James Hay (Jim) (1899–1973)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 23 June 2022
  21. ^ Walsh, G. P., "Playfair, Thomas Alfred John (Jack) (1890–1966)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 23 June 2022
  22. ^ "Notable Old Boys - Rhodes Scholars | Shore Old Boys' Union". 21 March 2012. Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  23. ^ Bryden, William, "Flynn, Errol Leslie (1909–1959)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 23 June 2022
  24. ^ Haskell, Dennis, "Slessor, Kenneth Adolf (1901–1971)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 23 June 2022
  25. ^ Starck, Nigel, "Braddon, Russell Reading (1921–1995)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 23 June 2022
  26. ^ Griffen-Foley, Bridget, "Packer, Sir Douglas Frank (1906–1974)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 23 June 2022
  27. ^ Moolenschot, Catherine (2019). Jim's book : the surprising story of Jim Penman, Australia's backyard millionaire. Queensland: Milton, QLD : John Wiley and Sons Australia, Ltd, 2019. pp. 6–9. ISBN 9780730368151.
  28. ^ The Interview - Robert Hamilton AM, Founder, Mirvac, July 2021, retrieved 23 June 2022
  29. ^ Abbott, G. J., "Christmas, Harold Percival (Percy) (1884–1947)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 23 June 2022
  30. ^ Derriman, Philip (23 June 2007). "Staying up late with John or Jack keeps us relevant in SW19". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  31. ^ "Philip Robert Waugh | Rugby Union | Player | Classic Wallabies". classicwallabies.com.au. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  32. ^ "David Codey | Rugby Union | Player | Classic Wallabies". classicwallabies.com.au. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  33. ^ Weeks, Phillipa, "Owen, Sir William Francis (1899–1972)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 18 October 2022
  34. ^ Fricke, Graham; Sheller, Simon, "Williams, Sir Dudley (1889–1963)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 18 October 2022
  35. ^ "Inside the strange world of ex-judge Dyson Heydon". Australian Financial Review. 25 June 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  36. ^ Greenwood, John, "Mansfield, Sir Alan James (1902–1980)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 18 October 2022
  37. ^ Edwards, John, "Phillips, Sir John Grant (Jock) (1911–1986)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 18 October 2022
  38. ^ "Obituary - Sir Leslie Galfreid Melville – Obituaries Australia". oa.anu.edu.au. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  39. ^ "Obituary - Sir Gordon Freeth - Obituaries Australia". oa.anu.edu.au. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  40. ^ "Gentleman John fell on his sword". The Sydney Morning Herald. 21 May 2002. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  41. ^ "School Rankings". bettereducation.com.au. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  42. ^ Carroll, Lucy (21 May 2023). "Students suspended from Shore School over classroom fight". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  43. ^ a b c Alexis, Carey (28 September 2020). "Shore School's disgusting past revealed amid muck-up day list scandal".
  44. ^ Foster, Ally (24 September 2020). "Elite private school students filmed naming 'worst' Sydney suburbs".
  45. ^ "Nazi scandal rocks private school".
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