Wesley College, Perth
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| Wesley College | |
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| Audendo Atque Agendo (Latin:"By Daring & By Doing")[1] |
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| Established | 1923[2] |
| School Type | Independent, Single-sex, Day & Boarding |
| Denomination | Uniting Church |
| Key People | Mr. David Gee (Headmaster) Mr. Peter Shack (Chairman) |
| School Fees | AUD$9,603 - AUD$15,037 p.a (Day) AUD$27,800 - AUD$30,502 p.a (Boarding)[3] |
| Location | South Perth, WA, Australia  |
| Coordinates | Coordinates: |
| Enrolment | 1,300 (K-12)[4] |
| Employees | ~110[5] |
| Revenue | AUD$ 18 million |
| Colours | Black, Green & Gold |
| Homepage | www.wesley.wa.edu.au |
Wesley College, informally known as Wesley, is an independent, day and boarding school for boys, situated in South Perth, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia.
The college is a Uniting Church school, which traces its origins back to 1923 when it was established by members of the Methodist Church which was founded by John Wesley.
Since its foundation, the college has been located on a 19 hectare riverside property, near the banks of the Swan River. The campus consists of a Junior School (Manning House) for Kindergarten to Year 4, a Middle School (Years 5 to 8) and a Senior School (Years 9 to 12), performing arts, sporting grounds and boarding facilities for 150 students.
Wesley College is affiliated with the Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA),[6] the Australian Boarding Schools' Association (ABSA),[7] the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA),[8] the Association of Independent Schools of Western Australia (AISWA),[2] and has been a member of the Public Schools Association (PSA) since 1952.[4]
Wesley's sister school is Penrhos College located in Como.
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[edit] History
The foundation stone was laid by the Premier of Western Australia, Sir James Mitchell on November 11, 1922. This stone is still visible at the south-west corner of the original building, now known as the JF Ward Wing in honour of the school’s first headmaster.
The College began operation in February the following year, with an initial enrolment of 39 boys, and grew steadily in both size and reputation. This evolution can be traced through the campus architecture which was first extended in 1925 with the construction of a general classroom block, now the site of the RE Kefford Wing. A second storey was added to the original building in 1926, along with various verandahs and a weatherboard library, which have since been demolished.
In 1930, Mr JF Ward was succeeded as Headmaster by JL Rossiter. Under Dr Rossiter’s guidance, Wesley consolidated its academic reputation and continued its expansion program. A number of new buildings were constructed in the 1930s, including the Headmaster’s Residence (now JS Maloney House), a dining hall (now the staff common room), extra classrooms and a gymnasium (now the Hamer Wing). The College also joined the Public Schools’ Association in 1952.
Dr Rossiter was succeeded as Headmaster, in 1953, by Mr Norman Roy Collins. During Mr Collins' 11 years' tenure, construction of the Lych Gate, Memorial Chapel (1960-61), the boat shed, the science block (1956, 1959), additional classrooms (1955, 1963) and the swimming pool (1963) were completed.
A new Headmaster, Mr Clive Hamer, was appointed in 1965 and served Wesley until 1983. During this period, Wesley took a lead role in the introduction of the Achievement Certificate in Western Australia (1969-71), celebrated some great academic successes, and built the boarding houses of Cygnet and Tranby (1968-70), the HR Trenaman Library (1971), classrooms and balconies around the Jenkins Quadrangle (1972), the Collins Oval (1970) and the Joseph Green Centre (1973-78).
In 1977, Wesley came under the auspices of the Uniting Church which resulted from a joining of the Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational Churches. The first female students were enrolled in 1978 with the opening of a new Junior School, on land acquired north of Swan Street.
Mr Roderic Kefford served as the fifth Headmaster from 1984 to 1996 and continued the extensive curriculum changes associated with a broadening of upper secondary programs beyond university entry and the establishment of Wesley’s lower secondary structure. The RE Blanckensee Physical Education Centre was opened in 1987 and the original gymnasium was renovated to become the Hamer Wing classrooms. An overhaul of the house system in 1990, saw Cygnet and Tranby become distinct houses and the new houses of Grove and Jenkins being added to the existing houses of Dickson (1968) and Hardey, Mofflin and Walton (1924). The Preparatory School was also extended towards Mill Point Road in 1994.
A site development plan was initiated by Mr John Bednall who was Headmaster from October 1996 to July 2002. This resulted in the refurbishment of the Kefford Wing, the Ward Wing and the Science block, the opening of the Junior School (Manning House) (1999), and of the Middle School (2000).
In August 2003, Mr David Gee was appointed Wesley’s seventh Headmaster. During this time a masterplan was developed to guide a future building program based upon the educational objectives and priorities of the College. In 2005, the Design, Technology and Visual Arts Centre was opened at a cost of $AUD 4.5 million. In 2006, the Boarding House was refurbished at a cost of $2 million with bigger rooms and a new security link building.
In 2007, construction commenced on the school's biggest project - the $AUD 13 million refurbishment of the Joseph Green Centre. It was officially opened on the 9th May, 2008 during the school's 85th anniversary year.
[edit] Bednall controversy
During 2002 headmaster John Bednall was sacked by the school amid allegations that he had accessed child pornography on the internet. Criminal charges were laid against him but later withdrawn[9] and Bednall subsequently sued Wesley for wrongful termination with this claim later being struck out.[10]
[edit] Campus
The School is based primarily on its nineteen hectare campus on Coode Street in South Perth. The campus of the school is such that it is divided into three sections, each housing the Junior, Middle and Senior School respectively. The Junior School (Manning House) is located on the northern side of the campus, on the foreshore of the Swan River and boasts panoramic views of the River and City Skyline.
The Middle School campus is located directly in the middle of the campus along Coode Street. The Senior School is located at the Southern side of the campus, fronting on Angelo Street. This is the highest point of the College campus and boasts views of the City and River. The Senior School is the most historical area of the school, housing buildings nearly 90 years old. The traditional architecture of the buildings in the Senior School reinforce the history of the school.
[edit] Building Developments
Stage One of the school's Masterplan 2005-2015 was the $13 million refurbishment of the Joseph Green Centre as a first-class performing arts and function facility, which was completed in May 2008.
Stage Two of the Masterplan sees the Ward and Kefford Wings of the Senior School refurbished at a cost of $2 million, and the refurbishment of the School's Old Boys' Memorial Chapel at a cost of $1.5 million.
There are also plans to extend the Middle School building in order to deal with the changes to the entry year in 2010.
[edit] Uniform
Wesley's current uniform was introduced in 1999. The school broke with its own tradition as well as that of other major private schools when it decided to move away from the customary grey uniform commonplace among other colleges. The new summer uniform with green shorts and black, yellow and green pinstriped shirts was far more recognisable than previously and generally well accepted, although there was some vocal opposition.
In 2005 the school began to consider the relatively expensive procedure of replacing the entire sports uniform (including all sport specific apparel) at the same time. A contract was agreed upon with a firm from the eastern states and has been implemented since the beginning of 2007. Unlike previously where the uniforms had been sought out separately for each sport and often resulted in different shades of colours (particularly green) as well as differing themes, the new uniforms will have common colours and themes for each sport and will ensure that Wesley is easily recognisable at all sporting events.
[edit] Student Life
On 29th March 2007, Wesley's Student Representative Council launched the first issue of The Wesley Inquirer, a student newspaper made on behalf of the student body.
Wesley College offers a range of academic and music scholarships on the basis of academic merit and a personal interview with the headmaster.
The Old Wesley Collegians Association offers a scholarship to a year 11 student, who has a father or grandfather who attended the college, the scholarship is based on sporting, academic and citizenship areas, both within Wesley and the wider community.
The college offers three scholarships a year to indigenous students from rural and regional areas of Western Australia. The scholarships are provided to encourage indigenous students to study at the college.
[edit] Traditions
Wesley College has many traditions, formed from the very early days of the school some 85 years ago. Many of these traditions still exist today.
- Wesley War Cry
Wesley College is one of the few schools to have their own war cry. It is used for College victories in PSA games, and other College events such as Valedictory or Assemblies.
- Traditional Wesley Send-off
Particularly for major PSA events such as the Interschool Swimming, or the Head of the River Regatta, the school holds a special assembly to 'send-off' the students involved usually the day before the race. Students would come into the hall one by one as their name is called and when they are all together, the School would 'send-off' the students by stomping their feet on the wooden floor of the Joseph Green Centre and the students would make their way out of the hall.
- Guard of Honour
When a well-respected or prominent Wesley teacher retires from the School, a Guard of Honour will be made for that teacher on the Jenkins Quad. After the staff say goodbye to the teacher in the Common Room, the Senior School students will line up from the door, and continue along the hallway out onto the Jenkins Quad. The departing teacher would walk through and say their final goodbyes to the students as they walk through the Guard of Honour.
[edit] House System
Wesley College has an eight house system in the senior school, and a six house system in the junior school. Each house is named in honour of individuals who have had an association with the school, including; A H Dickinson, one of the founders of the school and Joseph Hardy, one of the first Methodists to settle in Western Australia.
Each house has one tutor group for each year, from 8 to 12. Each tutor group is overseen by a house tutor and head of house. The members of each house are led by the house captain.
The eight houses compete against each other in events such as Athletics, Cross country, Swimming, Badminton and Soccer and points are awarded which go towards the Klem Cup.
The Klem Cup is named in honour of the first student enrolled at the college; C H Klem. The cup comprises a range of sporting and cultural activities that set in opposition house against house for points towards the Cup.
[edit] Sport
Wesley has been a member of Western Australia's elite boys school association, the Public Schools Association (PSA) since 1952, within which it competes in interschool sports. Recent successes include the winning of the interschool swimming for three consecutive years, rowing's Head of River in 2001 and more recently, cricket's Darlot Cup in 2006.
In 2003, Matt Barber, an athletics coach at the college resigned amid concerns that he had given year 12 students performance enhancing drugs.[11]
In 2006 Wesley won its third successive PSA interschool swimming carnival after winning in 2004, 2005 and coming runner up in 2003. Prior to this, previous headmaster Mr John Bednall was quoted as saying that Wesley would "never win the Inters Swimming if nothing changed."
[edit] Wesley Sports Club
Wesley's sporting facilities on the South Perth Campus can be used by members of the Wesley Sports Club and the general public. Formed for members of the local South Perth Community, and the College's students, The Club maintains and runs the PE Centre, from swimming classes, to weights training, yoga and various other program in the Sporting Facilities at Wesley.
[edit] Notable alumni
- Rhodes Scholars
- Roger Rossiter (1935);
- Geoffrey Rossiter (1946);
- Matthew Crockett (1994)
- Sporting
Several alumni of the school have become professional sportsmen. The R.E. Blanckensee Physical Education Centre contains a Hall of Fame showcasing over 160 of Wesley's finest sporting old boys. These include:
- Scott Spalding, AFL,Carlton;
- Earl Spalding, AFL,Carlton, Cricket, Western Australia;
- Ben Cousins, Australian Football League, West Coast Eagles;
- Michael Gardiner, AFL, West Coast Eagles, St. Kilda;
- Andrew McDougall, AFL, West Coast Eagles, Western Bulldogs;
- Jarrad Schofield, AFL, West Coast Eagles, Fremantle Football Club, Port Adelaide;
- Mark Coughlan, AFL, Richmond Tigers;
- Phil Read, AFL, West Coast Eagles, Melbourne Demons;
- Scott Stevens, AFL, Adelaide Crows;
- Lance Franklin, AFL, Hawthorn Hawks;
- Murray Vernon, Cricket, Western Australia;
- Jamie Stewart, Cricket, Western Australia, NSW;
- Chris Rogers, Cricket, Western Warriors, Australia A, Australia;
- Shaun Marsh, Cricket, Western Warriors, Australia A;
- Scott Meuleman, Cricket, Western Warriors;
- Ben Hollioake, Cricket, England Cricket Team;
- Stephen Oxbrow, Baseball, Australia 1973;
- Lyall Barwick, Baseball, Perth Heat, USA Minor Leagues;
- Mark Ettles, Baseball, Perth Heat, San Diego Padres MLB 1993;
- James Harvey, Basketball, West Sydney Razorbacks;
- John Ryan, Olympic Swimming, Bronze Medal Tokyo 1964;
- Dean Evans, Hockey, Australia 1985-92, Olympic Silver Medal Barcelona 1992;
- Clayton Fredericks, Olympic Equestrian Atlanta 1996;
- Glenn Loftus, Rowing, Silver Medal Athens 2004;
- Adam Wallace-Harrison, Rugby Union, Super 14, ACT Brumbies;
- Arthur Marshall, Tennis, Davis Cup;
- Clive Wilderspin, Tennis, Wimbledon 1953
- Bruce Robinson, Tennis, Wimbledon 1954
- Lyndsay Stephen, Golf, Australia
- Mark Sheen, Mountaineering, Everest 2007;
- Courtney Carter, Cross Country, Represented Australia in the Worlds Cross Country Championships
- Politicians
- Sir Crawford Nalder - WA MLA for Wagin (1947-74)
- Sir Ross Hutchinson, DFC - WA MLA for Cottesloe (1950-77)
- Mel Bungey - MHR for Canning (1974-83)
- Ross McLean - MHR for Perth (1975-83)
- Peter Shack - MHR for Tangney (1977-83, 1984-93)
- Barry MacKinnon - MLA for Murdoch (1977-93)
- Campbell Nalder - MLA for Narrogin (1986-?)
- George Strickland, AM - MLA for Scarborough (1989-94), Member for Innaloo (1996-2001)
- Arthur Marshall, OAM - MLA for Murray (1993-94), Member for Dawesville (1996-2005)
- Dexter Davies - MLC (1998-2001)
- Kim Chance - WA MLC (1992 - present)
- David Johnston (politician) - Senator (2001-Present), Minister for Justice 2007
- Brendon Grylls - MLA for Merredin (2001-present)
- Academic Leaders
- Emeritus Professor Peter Boyce, AO Vice-Chancellor Murdoch University 1986-96
- Emeritus Professor Geoffrey Bolton, AO Chancellor Murdoch University 2002-2006
- Arts/Media
- Alan Fletcher, Actor
- Jeremy Sims, Actor
- Steven Heathcote AM, Ballet
- Michael Holmes (broadcaster), CNN reporter
- Peter Cowan AM, Author
- Matt Jodrell, Jazz Musician
- Joel Creasey, Comedian
 Cricket at Ward Oval |
 The Old Boys' Memorial Chapel and Rose Garden |
[edit] References
- ^ Vision and Values. About Wesley. Wesley College. Retrieved on 2007-12-27.
- ^ a b Wesley College. Search for School. Association of Independent Schools of Western Australia. Retrieved on 2007-12-27.
- ^ Business Arrangements 2008 (PDF). Fees & Scholarships. Wesley College. Retrieved on 2008-01-25.
- ^ a b Introduction. About Wesley. Wesley College. Retrieved on 2007-12-26.
- ^ Employment Opportunities. About Wesley. Wesley College. Retrieved on 2007-12-27.
- ^ JSHAA Western Australia Directory of Members. Western Australia Branch (2007). Retrieved on 2007-12-27.
- ^ Wesley College. Schools. Australian Boarding Schools' Association (2007). Retrieved on 2007-12-27.
- ^ AHISA Schools. Western Australia. Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (November 2007). Retrieved on 2007-12-27.
- ^ The Age, Friday April 2, 2004
- ^ Supreme Court of Western Australia - Judgement 24 May 2005
- ^ Coach quits in school tablet storm
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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