Tara Anglican School for Girls

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Tara Anglican School for Girls
Established	1897
School Type	Independent, Single-sex, Day and Boarding
Denomination	Anglican
Slogan	"A school of opportunities"
Key People	Mrs. Carol Bowern (Principal) Ms. Joan Waugh (Founder) Rt Rev Bishop Ivan Lee, Bishop of Western Sydney (Chairman) Mr. Martin Telfer (Chaplain)
School Fees	AU$11,537–18,060 p.a (Day) AU$29,350–33,988 p.a (Boarding)[1]
Location	North Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates	33°47′22″S 151°0′57″E / -33.78944, 151.01583Coordinates: 33°47′22″S 151°0′57″E / -33.78944, 151.01583
Enrolment	~1,000 (K–12)[2]
Employees	~109[3]
Colours	Navy Blue and White
Homepage	www.tara.nsw.edu.au

Tara Anglican School for Girls (commonly referred to as Tara) is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school for girls, located in North Parramatta, a western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Established in 1897, Tara has a non-selective enrolment policy and currently caters for approximately 1,000 students from Kindergarten to Year 12, including 50 boarders from Years 5 to 12.^[2]

The school is affiliated with the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA),^[4] the Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA),^[5] the Australian Boarding Schools' Association,^[2] the Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia,^[6] and is a member of the Association of Heads of Independent Girls' Schools (AHIGS).^[7]

In the 2007 Higher School Certificate, the Sydney Morning Herald named Tara the best performing independent school in Sydney’s North-West.^[8]

Contents 1 History 2 Principals 3 Fees 4 House system 5 Notable alumni 6 References 7 Further reading 8 See also 9 External links

[edit] History

Tara trace's its origins back to 1897, where it is thought to have started with the opening of St. Ronan's School, a christian, co-educational, primary day school in George Street, Parramatta, by Mary Elizabeth (Joan) Waugh. In 1898, Waugh moved St. Ronan's to an already existing school, The Cedars, at Western Road, Parramatta, in partnership with its incumbent Principal, Mrs Bond. From here, in keeping with Waugh's Anglican vision, the partnership with Bond was dissolved, and the school moved to St. John's Parish Hall, Parramatta in 1902.^[9]

When Waugh's father, Dr Isaac Waugh died in 1912, the school moved to the family home, "Tara", in George Street, Parramatta (demolished in 1963).^[9] The name of this property had been chosen years earlier by the Waugh family who, being of Irish background, named it after the Hill of Tara, in Ireland.^[10] When Joan Waugh's mother died in 1926, the Tara home was sold, and Tara opened in larger premises at Hassall Street, Parramatta. This was to be Tara's home for the next twenty years, and the final move for Joan Waugh. When she died in 1946, the school came under the protection of the Church of England. All Saints' Church Hall was to be Tara's next home. It is here that it is said that without the help of Reverend Paddy Walker, and the active participation of a group of parents, the school would not have survived.^[9]

On 6 February 1952, 142 junior school boys and girls moved from All Saints', and began school at "Ellangowan", at 153 George Street, Parramatta. In 1953, the school commenced classes for senior school pupils. At this site, Tara grew rapidly and thus it was determined that another larger premises was required.^[9] In Term 3 of 1958, 103 senior school girls commenced at the schools current site at Masons Drive, with a new Headmistress, Helen Claridge. This site had previously been The Smith Family Hospital for Children with Rheumatic Fever.^[10] A new Science Block was added in 1959; a library in 1962, and the swimming pool in 1965. Construction of the Tara Junior School, and the first floor extension to the main block commenced in 1969. The girls from the Junior School moved to the Masons Drive buildings late in 1970. Ellangowan was sold in 1969 to fund the construction.^[9]

[edit] Principals

Period	Details[7]
1897 – 1946	Miss Joan Waugh
1946 – 1950	Mrs Jessie (Joy) Hall Young
1950	Mrs Olga Phelps Wilson
1950 – 1959	Mrs Nancy (Katharine) Buck
1959 – 1971	Miss Helen Claridge
1971 – 1973	Miss Margaret Macdonald
1974 – 1979	Mrs Joy Park
1980 – May 1999	Dr Ruth Shatford
May – December 1999	Acting Principal – Miss Norma Boston
2000 – 2008	Mrs Carol Bowern

[edit] Fees

As with most Australian independent schools, Tara is not a full fee paying institution, due to it receiving some government funding; full fees only apply to international students, who are not subsidised by any government funding. For non-international students, 2008 fees range from AUD$11,537 to AUD$18,060 per annum, and in excess of AUD$29,000 per annum for boarding students.^[1]

Tara offers scholarships and bursaries that provide full or part remission of tuition fees. Academic scholarships are offered in Years 5, 7 and 9, and are based on the results of the ACER Scholarship Examination. In addition to those awarded for academic performance, Tara also offers music scholarships in Year 7 based on an audition. From 2008, the school will also offer a Scholarship Program for Aboriginal Girls.^[11]

[edit] House system

Tara currently has four Houses and all students and staff take part in a variety of house activities including academic challenges, debating, drama, team sports, choir, service to others, outdoor education and leadership.^[3] The Houses are named after women and men who have made a significant contribution to the life of the school.

• Crawford

Rev Doug Crawford, Rector of All Saints, Parramatta, Chaplain at Tara, former member of School Council, instrumental in relocating Tara to Mason's Drive.

• Hake

Mrs Elizabeth Hake, wife of the Headmaster at The King’s School, former member of School Council, instrumental in relocating Tara to Mason's Drive.

• Walker

Rev Paddy Walker, Rector of All Saints, Parramatta, former member of the School Council, welcomed Tara to use his church Hall when no other accommodation was available.

• Waugh

Miss (Joan) Mary Elizabeth Waugh, long regarded as Tara’s founder, who lived with her family at their home 'Tara' in Parramatta. Dr Isaac (Paddy) Waugh, father of Joan, was a great encourager of his daughter’s School.^[3]

[edit] Notable alumni

Alumnae of Tara are known as Old Girls and may elect to join the schools alumni association, the Tara Old Girls' Association Inc.^[12] Some notable Tara Old Girls include:

Academic

• Kate Brennan – 2007 Rhodes Scholar (also attended MLC School and Fort Street High School)^[13]

Business

• Jennifer Morawska-Ahearn – Managing Director of The Morawska Group; Formerly General Manager of Westpac, General Manager of the Department of Finance and Administration, Deputy CEO of the Department of Ind. Sc. and Resources, Director of Ernst & Young, Executive Director of Price Waterhouse (also attended Ascham School)^[14]

Media, entertainment and the arts

• Kaylee Harris – Former 2WS breakfast host, now working at 2GB as a producer and fill in presenter

Medicine and science

• Robyn Stretton Napier – Director and Medical Secretary of the Australian Medical Association (AMA) (NSW); General Practitioner^[15]

[edit] References

[edit] Further reading

• Hubbard, B. 1997. Tara: A Telling of The Tapestry. Tara Anglican School, North Parramatta. ISBN 1-8645901-8-1.

[edit] See also

• List of non-government schools in New South Wales
• List of boarding schools

[edit] External links

• Tara School Website

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