Canberra Girls' Grammar School

Infobox Aust school private
name = Canberra Girls' Grammar School


motto = _la. Iuventuti Nil Arduum
("To the young nothing is difficult")cite web|url = http://www.cggs.act.edu.au/pages/page230.asp|title = Welcome from the Principal|accessdate = 2007-11-28|year = 2007|work = About CGGS |publisher = Canberra Girls' Grammar School]
established = 1926
type = Independent, Single-sex, Day and Boarding
denomination = Anglican
slogan = "A future built on opportunities"
key_people = Miss. Susan Just (Principal)
Mr. David W. Holmesby (Chairman)
Rev. Paul Harris (Chaplain)
fees = AU$9,610–15,175 p.a (Day)
AU$32,415–33,725 p.a (Boarding)cite web|url = http://www.cggs.act.edu.au/pages/images/Scale%20of%20Fees_2008%20web.pdf|title = Scale of Fees - 2008|accessdate = 2007-11-28|year = 2007|format = PDF|work = Enrolment|publisher = Canberra Girls' Grammar School]
city = Deakin
state = Australian Capital Territory
country = Australia flagicon|Australia
coordinates = coord|35|18|59|S|149|6|53|E|display=inline,title
enrolment = ~1,450 (ELC–12)cite web|url = http://www.schoolchoice.com.au/find_a_school?cid=12344&pid=2702773|title = Canberra Girls' Grammar School|accessdate = 2007-11-28 |year = 2007|work = Canberra|publisher = School Choice]
num_employ = ~205
revenue = $23,830,611 (2006)
colours = Red, Green, Navy Blue and White color box|#FF0000color box|#009900color box|#0000FFcolor box|#FFFFFF
homepage = [http://www.cggs.act.edu.au www.cggs.act.edu.au]

Canberra Girls' Grammar School (C.G.G.S) is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school predominantly for girls, located in Deakin, a suburb of Canberra, the capital of Australia.

Established in 1926cite web|url = http://www.cggs.act.edu.au/pages/page237.asp|title = History|accessdate = 2007-11-28|year = 2007|work = About CGGS|publisher = Canberra Girls' Grammar School] as St Gabriel's School, by the Church of England religious order, the Community of the Sisters of the Church, Canberra Girls' Grammar is the oldest private day and boarding school in Canberra.cite web|url = http://www.seek.com.au/advhomes/Canberra_Girls'_Grammar_School/17375167_1.htm|title = Canberra Girls' Grammar School|accessdate = 2007-11-28|year = 2007|work = Seek Home|publisher = Seek] It has a non-selective enrolment policy and caters for approximately 1,450 students, with co-education from Pre-school to Year 2, and girls only from Years 3 to Year 12. Boarding facilities are available on the Senior Campus for up to 90 students in Years 7 to 12.

Canberra Girls' Grammar is affiliated with the Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia (AGSA),cite web|url = http://www.agsa.org.au/members.php?PageID=11&Alpha=C|title = Member Schools|accessdate = 2007-08-16|last = Butler|first = Jan|year = 2006|work = Members|publisher = The Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia] the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA),cite web|url = http://www.ahisa.com.au/Display.aspx?tabid=2229|title = Australian Capital Territory|accessdate = 2007-11-28|year = 2007|month = November|work = AHISA Schools|publisher = Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia] the Australian Boarding Schools' Association (ABSA),cite web|url = http://www.boarding.org.au/site/school_detail.cfm?schID=75|title = Canberra Girls' Grammar School|accessdate = 2007-11-28|year = 2005|work = Schools|publisher = Australian Boarding Schools' Association] and is a member of the Association of Heads of Independent Girls' Schools (AHIGS).

History

St Gabriel's School was established with nine students in 1926, as a day and boarding school for girls, by the Church of England religious order, the Community of the Sisters of the Church (the Kilburn Sisters). It catered for the small but growing community in what was designated as the new Federal capital. From 1926 to early 1928, the Old Rectory of St John the Baptist Church, Reid, was leased from the Government by the Kilburn Sisters. The rectory was known as Glebe House, and was close to the city. In May 1927, the day before the opening of Parliament House, the foundation stone of the current site on Melbourne Avenue at Deakin, was laid by Dr Radford, Bishop of the then Diocese of Goulburn. The school officially moved into its new site in 1928. In 1933, the school was renamed Canberra Church of England Girls' Grammar School (CCEGGS).

CCEGGS was nearly closed down during the Great Depression, and sold some of its land in order to remain solvent. A boom period in the 1970s saw the school expand, with the Junior School moving to a new Campus in Grey Street, Deakin, to cater for a surge in enrolments. Today the junior school remains on a separate campus within the suburb. In 2001, the school name changed again, this time to its current form Canberra Girls' Grammar School (CGGS).

Principals

Campus

Canberra Girls' Grammar School is located over two campuses (Primary and Secondary) in the inner Canberra suburb of Deakin, within view of Australia's Parliament House.cite web|url = http://www.canberragoulburn.anglican.org/html/publications/SYNOD/2006/CanberraGirlsGrammarSchoolSynodReport2006.pdf|title = Report to Synod|accessdate = 2007-11-28 |year = 2006|format = PDF|work = Canberra Girls' Grammar School|publisher = Canberra Goulburn Synod] Combined, the campuses are convert|10|ha|acre|0 in size, and include an indoor heated swimming centre, gymnasiums, sports courts, playing fields, an aquatic centre on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin, and buildings catering for the performing arts, art and textiles.cite web|url = http://www.cggs.act.edu.au/pages/page618.asp|title = A Quick Glance|accessdate = 2007-11-28 |year = 2007|work = About CGGS|publisher = Canberra Girls' Grammar School]

The School's most recent additions include a music centre, and adjoining 1,000 seat hall. 2006 saw improvements made to the junior school with the opening of six new classrooms, two music rooms and practise rooms.

Fees

As with most Australian independent schools, Canberra Girls' Grammar School 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$9,610 to AUD$15,175 per annum, and in excess of AUD$32,000 per annum for boarding students.

CGGS offers scholarships that provide part remission of tuition fees to students. There are two scholarship programs - the Gabriel Boarding Scholarship and the Vivien Gough Memorial Performing Arts Scholarship. Each year the school awards a limited number of Gabriel Boarding Scholarships, which provide up to 50% remission of boarding fees until the completion of Year 12. The Vivien Gough Memorial Performing Arts Scholarship provides 33% remission of tuition fees, and is awarded on the basis of interview, resume, audition and ability to contribute to Dance, Drama or Music within the School.cite web |url=http://www.cggs.act.edu.au/pages/page140.asp |title=Scholarships |accessdate=2008-02-18 |work=Enrolments |publisher=Canberra Girls' Grammar School]

Curriculum

Junior school

The junior school curriculum is based upon the New South Wales Department of Education Board of Studies syllabus.cite web|url = http://www.cggs.act.edu.au/pages/page145.asp|title = Curriculum |accessdate = 2007-11-28 |year = 2007|work = Junior School|publisher = Canberra Girls' Grammar School]

enior school

Students in the senior school (Years 7 to 12) are prepared for the ACT Year 10 High School Certificate and the ACT Year 12 Certificate, as mandated by the Department of Education and Board of Senior Secondary Studies respectively.cite web|url = http://www.cggs.act.edu.au/pages/page150.asp|title = Academic Curriculum |accessdate = 2007-11-28 |year = 2007|work = Senior School|publisher = Canberra Girls' Grammar School]

A high percentage of students who graduate with a Year 12 Certificate also obtain a UAI and go on to study at university. In 2007, of the 150 students awarded a Year 12 certificate, 91% were awarded Tertiary Education Statements. Also that year, the median UAI gained by students was 86 compared with the average of students from all across ACT colleges of 79. Students from Canberra Girls' Grammar and Merici College had the second highest median UAI of the ACT colleges (students from Radford College had the highest median with 92). 92% of students from the school who were awarded Tertiary Education Statements in 2007 scored over 65 for their UAI compared with 79% of all ACT students.cite web | year = 2007 | url = http://www.bsss.act.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/59456/Overview1_2007.pdf | title = Overview - 2007: Year 12 Certificates and Tertiary Entrance Statements awarded | format = pdf | work = | publisher = ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies | accessdate = 2007-12-21] 11 students were awarded a vocational certificate in 2007 and 4 students were awarded a vocational statement of attainment.cite web | year = 2007 | url = http://www.bsss.act.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/59458/Overview2_2007.pdf | title = Overview - 2007: Year 12 Certificates and Vocational Certificates awarded | format = pdf | work = | publisher = ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies | accessdate = 2007-12-21]

House system

As with most Australian schools, Canberra Girls' Grammar utilises a house system for activities and competitions. The system forms the basis of its pastoral care programme.cite web|url = http://www.cggs.act.edu.au/pages/images/2007%20Student%20Handbook%20061215.pdf|title = Student Handbook|accessdate = 2007-08-16|year = 2007|format = PDF|work = About CGGS|publisher = Canberra Girls' Grammar School|pages = PP.18-25] Students in the senior school are divided into six houses:
*Burgmann, named after the Right Reverend E H Burgmann, bishop of Canberra and Goulburn from 1950 to 1960
*Deakin, named after the suburb in which the school is situated and former prime minister Alfred Deakin
*Glebe, named after the building in which the school was first established
*Kilburn, named after the suburb in London where the Mother House of the Order of Sisters of the Church was located
*Robertson, named after Archdeacon C W Robertson
*Waverley, named after the Sydney suburb of Waverley where the Mother House of the Order of Sisters of the Church in Australia was located.

Notable alumnae

Alumnae of Canberra Girls' Grammar School are known as Old Grammarians and can join the schools alumni association, the Old Grammarian' Association (OGA). The OGA was formed as the Old Girls' Union in 1931 and has branches around Australia and overseas.cite web|url = http://www.cggs.act.edu.au/pages/page166.asp|title = The Old Grammarians' Association|accessdate = 2007-08-16|year = 2007|work = Community|publisher = Canberra Girls' Grammar School] Some notable Old Grammarians include:

;Academic
* Chloë Amy Flutter - 1999 Rhodes Scholar [http://www.usyd.edu.au/registrar/rhodes/previous.shtml "NSW Rhodes Scholars"] — University of Sydney list, (retrieved 23 July 2007)]
* Freda Whitlam AM - Lay Preacher of the Uniting Church;cite encyclopedia| editor = Suzannah Pearce| encyclopedia = Who's Who in Australia Live!| title = WHITLAM Freda Leslie| accessdate = 2007-09-26| date = 2006-11-17| year = 2007| publisher = Crown Content Pty Ltd| location = North Melbourne, Vic] Moderator of the NSW Synod Uniting Church of Australia (1985-86); Sister of former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam; Former Principal of the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney (1958–76) (also attended Abbotsleigh)cite book | author=McFarlane, John | title=The Golden Hope: Presbyterian Ladies' College, 1888-1988 | publisher=P.L.C Council, Presbyterian Ladies' College Sydney, (Croydon) | year=1988 | id= ISBN 0-9597340-1-5]

;Entertainment, media and the arts
* Sibylla Budd - Australian actress
* Kate Fischer - model, Pru Goward's daughter and formerly engaged to James Packer
* Sarah Turnbull - Australian authorfact|date=April 2008

;Politics, public service and the law
*Tupou Draunidalo - Fijian lawyer, Vice-President of the Fiji Law Society and daughter of former Deputy Prime Minister of Fiji, Kuini Speed
*Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt - British politician; Labour Member of Parliament (MP) for Leicester West; Former Secretary of State for Healthcite web|url = http://archive.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/e-envoy/esummit-speakers/$file/hewitt.htm|title = Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt MP |accessdate = 2007-11-28|year = 2007|work = Speaker Biographies|publisher = Cabinet Office]
*Katrina Hodgkinson - Australian politician and member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly

References

See also

* List of schools in the Australian Capital Territory
*List of boarding schools
* Head of the River (New South Wales)

External links

* [http://www.cggs.act.edu.au/ School website]
* [http://www.ahigs.nsw.edu.au/ The Association of Heads of Independent Girls' Schools]
* [http://www.anglican.org.au/ Anglican Church of Australia]