Great Southern Grammar
Great Southern Grammar is an independent non-denominational Christian co-educational primary and secondary day and boarding school, located in the Great Southern regional town of Albany, Western Australia between the King River and the Kalgan River. The school is situated approximately 16 kilometres (10 mi) East of Albany, a regional centre 390 kilometres (242 mi)[2] south-southeast of Perth.
| Great Southern Grammar | |
|---|---|
 GSG School gathered to celebrate 25 Years of Foundation. | |
| Location | |
Australia | |
| Coordinates | 34°56′51″S 117°58′10″E |
| Information | |
| Type | Independent co-educational primary and secondary day and boarding school |
| Motto | Wisdom and Knowledge |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Non-denominational Christianity |
| Established | 1999 |
| Educational authority | WA Department of Education |
| Chair | Mrs Fran Leary AM[1] |
| Principal | Mark Sawle |
| Chaplain | Naomi Cooper |
| 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 and Clan Colquhoun tartan |
| Slogan | Embark on a Journey of Discovery |
| Song | School of the Sea |
| Publication | The Semaphore |
| School Hymn | The Servant King |
| Website | gsg |
The campus has a total area of 144 acres (58 hectares) 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. The school is known colloquially as "the School of the Sea".[3]
In 2009 the school was ranked at number 10 in Western Australia, based on results of its Year 12 students.[4]
History
Foundation
Great Southern Grammar was founded in 1998 by a development committee of those interested in forming an independent school in the Great Southern region of Western Australia.[5] After opening in rented premises at Mount Melville in 1999 with 36 students, the school relocated to the Lower Kalgan campus in 2000. The school catered for Year 8 to 10 students when it first opened.
In his address at the opening of the school, local Noongar elder, Aiden Eades stated, "The school grounds are of special significance to local Noongars, with the Kalgan and the King rivers meeting close by. Never forget that this is Noongar land but you are welcome to use it, especially for something like education."
Growth
In 2002 the Junior School opened which catered for students from Kindergarten to Year 6. The Middle School continued to operate for students in Year 7 to Year 9 and the Senior 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.[6]
The new Middle School building, including new classrooms, music facilities and science laboratory was opened in 2009. The building was awarded as the best commercial building for the Great Southern Region in 2009.[7]
Liz Constable, the Minister of Education, visited the school in 2010 in recognition of the school's strong performance in the TEE examinations in 2009 where the school ranked in the top ten of the state.[8]
The new senior boarding wing, Michaelmas House, named after the island of same name in King George Sound, was opened at the commencement of Term One in 2010.
The new multi-purpose sports facility, partially funded by the Building the Education Revolution program, featuring two basketball courts and a synthetic surface, was completed and opened in June 2010 during the school's Foundation Day ceremony.[9]
The school won the Best School Grounds category for the region in the Keep Australia Beautiful Council's awards for 2010.[10]
Opening the new music building in April 2011, the school had new spaces for music lessons, a recording 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 the Pratten Centre after Peter Pratten, one of the School founders and chair of the School council.
25 Years of Foundation
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.
Principals
The founding headmaster of the school was Reverend Stephen Lee who accepted the position in 1999. He left the school in 2003 to become the principal of Methodist Ladies College.[11] The second headmaster was Peter Welch who managed the school from 2004 to 2007.[12] Stuart Marquardt joined the school from Sunshine Coast Grammar School in 2007 as the school's third headmaster.[13] Marquardt left the school in 2016 to take up a position as the principal of Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School, in New South Wales.[14]
Upon Marquardt's departure in 2016, the school changed the title of the leadership position from 'headmaster' to 'principal'. The current principal is Mark Sawle, who joined the school in 2016 from Aquinas College.[15][16]
| Period | Details |
|---|---|
| 1999–2003 | Rev. Stephen Lee, BA (Theol), MEd |
| 2004–2007 | Peter Welch |
| 2008–2016 | Stuart Marquardt, BEd, DipT, MACE, MACEL, GAICD |
| 2016 | Acting Principal - Richard Baird, BEd, MBA, ASAM, MACE, MACEL |
| 2016– | Mark Sawle, BEd, MEd |
Affiliations and associations
The school is affiliated with the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA),[17] the Australian Boarding Schools' Association (ABSA),[18] Independent Primary School Heads of Australia (IPSHA),[19] and the Association of Independent Schools in Western Australia (AISWA).[20]
Academics
The school appears regularly in the top 50 schools for the Western Australian Certificate of Education. Ranked as the top school in the Great 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[lower-roman 1] | State ranking[lower-roman 2] | % +65 in WACE[lower-roman 3] | State ranking | % graduation[lower-roman 4] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 16.36 | 22 | 41.09 | 30 | 100[21] |
| 2011 | 19.00 | 23 | 41.00 | 46 | 98.4[22] |
| 2010 | 11.01 | 47 | 45.81 | 41 | 100[23] |
| 2009 | 18 | 10 | 100[24] | ||
- Based on the number of Stage 3 course enrolments in the school where a WACE course score of 75 or above was achieved
- Ranking of school compared to other schools in the state
- Based on the number of Stage 3 course enrolments in the school where a WACE course score of 65 or above was achieved
- Percentage of Year 12 cohort that graduated with a WACE certificate
House system
The house system is a support system for the pastoral care of students. The School is divided into four different houses: Baudin, Camfield, Mokare and Wilson. The four houses compete in interhouse competitions including swimming, athletics and cross 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 |
Expedition program
The school have a greater association and dedication to outdoor education with providing school camps, Outward Bound, Leeuwin and many other expeditions. Ranging locations, year groups and activities, GSG has many opportunities for students to engage with the environment around the Great Southern and beyond.
Sport
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-grade hockey and boys' C-grade soccer.
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-grade hockey, girls' A-grade hockey and girls' A-grade soccer. By 2009 the school team was composed of the same sports as in 2008, with shields being won in boys' A-grade hockey and boys' B-grade soccer. 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-grade hockey for the fourth year in a row and also in girls' A-grade netball and by the speech 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-grade soccer. The school also came runner-up in the meritorious shield to Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School.
In 2012 the school fielded its first Australian 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.
Great Southern Griffins
The Great Southern Griffins sporting club offers a diverse range of sporting programs, catering to the interests and abilities of students across different age groups. From traditional sports such as soccer, basketball, and cricket to more niche disciplines like rowing, netball, and swimming, the club encourages students to explore their athletic potential and discover their passions. Through regular training sessions, inter-school competitions, and participation in regional and state tournaments, the Great Southern Griffins help students develop their skills and gain valuable experiences in a competitive sporting environment.
The Great Southern Griffins sporting club serves as a unifying force within the school community, fostering a strong sense of the schools spirit. Students proudly represent Great Southern Grammar in their respective sports, wearing the Griffin emblem with pride. The club's success is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the athletes, coaches, and support staff who contribute to its achievements year after year.
References
- "GSG Governance". Retrieved 1 June 2023.
- "Great Circle Distance between Albany and Perth". Geosciences Australia website. Commonwealth of Australia. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
- "Great Southern Grammar School". Albany Gateway. 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
- "Year 12 Student Achievement Data" (PDF). Government of Western Australia. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 March 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2013.
- "GSG History: Tradition in the Making". Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- "Wauters Enterprises Awards". 2008. Archived from the original on 17 February 2011. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
- "Master Builders Great Southern Spring 09 newslwetter" (PDF). 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
- "Minister touts Albany schools' performance". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2010. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
- "Nation Building - Economic Stimulus Plan". Government of Australia. 2010. Archived from the original on 25 February 2011. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
- "Anchor Newsletter" (PDF). 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 February 2011. Retrieved 18 February 2011.
- "New MLC Principal known for commitment to excellence". 2009. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
- "The Bulletin" (PDF). No. 48. Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia. July 2007. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- "Sunshine Coast Grammar School Reflections 2007". 2007. Archived from the original on 4 March 2011. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
- "Great Southern Grammar principal moves on". The West Australian. 5 April 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- "Principal position in Sawle's move south". Business News. 3 May 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- "Principal Mark Sawle joins Great Southern Grammar in Term 4". The West Australian. 12 May 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2017.
- "AHISA Schools". Western Australia. Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia. 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
- "Great Southern Grammar". Schools. Australian Boarding Schools' Association. 2013. Archived from the original on 30 January 2016. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
- "Independent Primary School Heads of Australia". Retrieved 22 August 2013.
- "Association of Independent Schools of Western Australia". Retrieved 22 August 2013.
- "Year 12 Student Achievement Data" (PDF). Government of Western Australia. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
- "Year 12 Student Achievement Data" (PDF). Government of Western Australia. 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
- "Year 12 Student Achievement Data" (PDF). Government of Western Australia. 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 August 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2013.
- "Year 12 Student Achievement Data" (PDF). Government of Western Australia. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 March 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2013.