Ascham School

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For the English preparatory school at Eastbourne, see Ascham St Vincent's School
Ascham School
Ascham School crest. Source: www.ascham.nsw.edu.au (Ascham School website)
Vi Et Animo
(Latin:"With Heart and Soul")
Established 1886
School Type Independent, Single-sex, Day & Boarding
Denomination Non-denominational
Key People Mrs Louise Robert-Smith(Headmistress)
Miss. Marie Wallis (Founder)
Hon. Justice Margaret Stone (Chairman)
School Fees up to AU$21,500 p.a (Day school)[1]
Location Edgecliff, New South Wales, Australia
Enrolment 1000 (K-12)[2]
Colours Navy Blue, Red & Khaki             
Homepage www.ascham.nsw.edu.au
Ascham Girls' School; the sandstone building in the center is Fiona, built in 1864 and now on the National Estate
Ascham Girls' School; the sandstone building in the center is Fiona, built in 1864 and now on the National Estate
Ascham School
Ascham School
Ascham School
Ascham School
Ascham School gates
Ascham School gates

Ascham School is an independent, non-denominational, day and boarding school for girls', located in Edgecliff, an Eastern Suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Established in 1886, the school has a non-selective enrolment policy and currently caters for approximately 1000 students from kindergarten to year 12, including 110 boarders from years 6 to 12.[3]

Ascham is one of the few schools worldwide to follow the 'Dalton Plan', an educational philosophy created by Helen Parkhurst in 1916. The 'Dalton Plan' aims to produce independent and confident leaders.[4]

Ascham is a member of the Alliance of Girls’ Schools (Australasia),[5] the Junior School Heads Association of Australia[6] the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA),[7] the Australian Boarding Schools' Association,[8] and the prestigious Association of Heads of Independent Girls' Schools (AHIGS).[9]

Contents

[edit] History

Ascham school was established in 1886 by Miss Marie Wallis, as a private, day and boarding school for girls, in a terrace house in Darling Point. The school was named after Roger Ascham, tutor to Queen Elizabeth I.

The school adopted the 'Dalton Plan' as its method of teaching in 1922.

[edit] Headmistresses / Headmasters

  • Mrs Louise Robert-Smith 2006 -
  • Ms Frances Booth (Acting) 2005
  • Miss Susan Preedy 2004 - 2004
  • Mrs Rowena Danziger 1973 - 2003
  • Miss Merrilee Roberts 1962 - 1972
  • Miss Dorothy Whitehead 1949 - 1961
  • Dr Hilda Rayward 1947 - 1948
  • Miss Margaret Ann Montgomery Bailey 1914 - 1946
  • Mr Herbert J. Carter 1902 - 1914
  • Miss Marie Wallis (Founder) 1886 - 1902[9]

[edit] School crest

The Ascham school crest was developed in 1911 by Ascham art teacher, Mr Albert Collins. Symbols on the crest were explained in the school's Charivari magazine in December 1911: the dolphins symbolise energy, persistence and the ability to swim against, as well as with, the tide; the wings suggest aspiration and ambition; the lamp and book represent learning; and the combination of the acorn and eucalyptus seed mark the historical union of Britain and Australia.[10]

[edit] Exchange programme

Ascham has a series of exchange programmes with the following girls schools; St Paul's Girls' School London, Havergal College Toronto, Nightingale-Bamford School New York.

[edit] Rowena Danziger resignation row

In 2005, a row erupted over the resignation of then headmistress Susan Preedy, who had succeeded Rowena Danziger on her retirement. After Preedy resigned, Danziger stepped back into her old role - only to be met with a row that included parents threatening to sue should she not resign immediately. After several weeks of controversy, chronicled in the local press, Danziger resigned shortly before a meeting of parents was due to censure the Board of Governors for its handling of the matter.

[edit] Notable alumni

The Ascham Old Girls' Union ("AOGU") was founded in 1899 by former students of the school. It now has a membership of close to 4,000. Some notable 'Old Girls' of the school include:

Academic
  • Associate Professor Janet McCredie - Radiologist - discoverer of the mechanism by which thalidomide affects embryos
  • Associate Professor Ronnie Harding - formerly Director of the Institute of Environmental Studies at the University of New South Wales
  • Lisa Giddy - Egyptologist
  • Professor Jocelyn Hackforth-Jones - Art History
  • Helen Temple - Archaeologist (Deputy Director Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales
Business
Entertainment, Media and the Arts
Law
  • Justice Hilary Penfold - ACT Supreme Court, formerly head of the Department of Parliamentary Services, and Chief Parliamentary Counsel
  • Caroline Needham - SC Barrister

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Edwards, Hannah. "Costly lessons: private school fees soar again", Education, The Sun-Herald, 2006-12-17, p. 10. Retrieved on 2007-09-11. 
  2. ^ Ascham Annual Report 2005 (accessed:25-05-2007)
  3. ^ School Choice New South Wales: Ascham School (accessed:11-08-2007)
  4. ^ Ascham School: Dalton Plan (accessed:11-08-2007)
  5. ^ The Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia: Member Schools (accessed:11-08-2007)
  6. ^ JSHAA New South Wales Directory of Members (accessed:11-08-2007)
  7. ^ Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (accessed:19-06-2007)
  8. ^ Australian Boarding Schools' Association: Ascham School (accessed:11-08-2007)
  9. ^ a b The Association of Heads of Independent Girls' Schools: About AHIGS (accessed:11-08-2007)
  10. ^ Ascham School: Tradition (accessed:25-05-2007)

[edit] References


[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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Members of the Association of Heads of Independent Girls' Schools, New South Wales, Australia