Tara Anglican School for Girls

Infobox Aust school private
name = Tara Anglican School for Girls


motto =
established = 1897
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)
fees = AU$11,537–18,060 p.a (Day)
AU$29,350–33,988 p.a (Boarding)
city = North Parramatta
state = New South Wales
country = Australia flagicon|Australia
coordinates = coord|33|47|22|S|151|0|57|E|display=inline,title
enrolment = ~1,000 (K–12)
num_employ = ~109
revenue =
colours = Navy Blue and White color box|#000080color box|#FFFFFF
homepage = [http://www.tara.nsw.edu.au 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.

The school is affiliated with the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA),cite web |url=http://www.ahisa.com.au/Display.aspx?tabid=2230 |title=AHISA Schools|accessdate=2007-12-17 |year =2007 |month =November |work=New South Wales|publisher=Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia] the Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA),cite web |url=http://www.jshaa.asn.au/nsw/directory/index.asp |title=JSHAA New South Wales Directory of Members |accessdate=2007-12-17 |year =2007 |work=New South Wales Branch|publisher=Junior School Heads' Association of Australia] the Australian Boarding Schools' Association,cite web |url=http://www.boarding.org.au/site/school_detail.cfm?schID=26 |title=Tara Anglican School for Girls |accessdate=2007-12-17 |year =2007 |work=Schools|publisher=Australian Boarding Schools' Association] the Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia,cite web|url = http://www.agsa.org.au/members.php?PageID=11&Alpha=T|title = Member Schools|accessdate = 2007-12-17 |last = Butler|first = Jan|year = 2006|work = Members|publisher = The Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia] and is a member of the Association of Heads of Independent Girls' Schools (AHIGS).

In the 2007 Higher School Certificate, the "Sydney Morning Herald" named Tara the best performing independent school in Sydney’s North-West.cite web |url=http://www.tara.nsw.edu.au/Excellence-in-Learning/hsc.htm |title=HSC Results |accessdate=2008-02-18 |work=Excellence in Learning |publisher=Tara Anglican School for Girls]

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.

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). 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.cite web |url=http://www.tara.nsw.edu.au/About-Tara/history.htm |title=History |accessdate=2007-08-08 |work=About Tara |publisher=Tara Anglican School for Girls] 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.

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. 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. 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.cite book | author=Hubbard, Bronwyn | title=Tara: A Telling of The Tapestry | publisher=Tara Anglican School North Parramatta | year=1997 | id= ISBN 1-8645901-8-1]

Principals

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.cite web |url=http://www.tara.nsw.edu.au/Enrolment/fees.htm |title=School Fees 2008 |accessdate=2008-01-16 |work=Enrolment |publisher=Tara Anglican School for Girls]

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.cite web |url=http://www.tara.nsw.edu.au/Enrolment/scholar.htm |title=Scholarships |accessdate=2008-02-18 |work=Enrolment |publisher=Tara Anglican School for Girls]

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.cite web |url=http://www.tara.nsw.edu.au/Publications/TARA_AR%202006.pdf |title=Annual Report 2006 |accessdate=2007-08-08 |year =2007 |format=PDF |work=Publications |publisher=Tara Anglican School for Girls] The Houses are named after women and men who have made a significant contribution to the life of the school.
*CrawfordRev 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.
*WalkerRev Paddy Walker, Rector of All Saints, Parramatta, former memberof the School Council, welcomed Tara to use his church Hall whenno other accommodation was available.
*WaughMiss (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.

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.cite web |url=http://www.tara.nsw.edu.au/Community/oga_member.htm |title=Tara Old Girls Association Inc. |accessdate=2007-12-17 |work= Community |publisher=Tara Anglican School for Girls] Some notable Tara Old Girls include: ;Academic
* Kate Brennan – 2007 Rhodes Scholar (also attended MLC School and Fort Street High School) cite web|url = http://www.usyd.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=1396|title = Sydney student wins NSW Rhodes Scholarship|accessdate = 2007-09-24|last = O'Shaughnessy|first = Jake |date = 2006-10-19|work = News|publisher = The University of Sydney]

;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)cite encyclopedia| editor = Suzannah Pearce| encyclopedia = Who's Who in Business Live!| title = MORAWSKA-AHEARN (Jenny) Jennifer Madeleine Alice| accessdate = 2007-11-28| date = 2006-11-17| year = 2007| publisher = Crown Content Pty Ltd| location = North Melbourne, Vic]

;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 Practitionercite encyclopedia| editor = Suzannah Pearce| encyclopedia = Who's Who in Business Live!| title = NAPIER Robyn Stretton| accessdate = 2007-11-28| date = 2006-11-17| year = 2007| publisher = Crown Content Pty Ltd| location = North Melbourne, Vic]

;Sport
* Kate Bates – World Champion and Commonwealth Games Track Cyclist (also attended Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney)

References

Further reading

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

See also

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

External links

* [http://www.tara.nsw.edu.au/ Tara School Website]