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 has approximately 1000 students from Kindergarten to Year 12, including 100 boarders from Years 6 to 12.
Ascham follows the 'Dalton Plan', an educational philosophy created by Helen Parkhurst in 1916. The 'Dalton Plan' aims to produce independent and confident leaders.
Ascham is a member of the Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia (AGSA), the Junior School Heads Association of Australia the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA), the Australian Boarding Schools' Association, and the Association of Heads of Independent Girls' Schools (AHIGS).
Ascham is operated as a not-for-profit company. All funds must be used to benefit the school. This function is administered by the school's Council of Governors who are elected by the school's members.
History Ascham school was established in 1886 by Marie Wallis, as a private, day and boarding school for girls, in a terrace house in Darling Point. The school moved to its current site following the acquisition of Glenrock estate in 1911. The school was named after Roger Ascham, tutor to Queen Elizabeth I.
In 1914 Kathleen Gilman Jones (1880–1942) came from South Africa to be a joint head mistress at the school. She went on to lead Melbourne Church of England Girls' Grammar School.
The school adopted the 'Dalton Plan' as its method of teaching in 1922.
Ascham became a company, Ascham School Limited, in 1937 under the direction of Headmistress Margaret Bailey. This transferred ownership of the school from herself to ensure the long-term succession of the school. The next head who served the school for some time was Dorothy Whitehead. She had served in the war rising to the rank of temporary Major. She continued with the Dalton Plan, before she left in 1961 to lead Firbank Girls' Grammar School.
School crest The Ascham school crest was developed in 1911 by Ascham art teacher, 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.
Campus Ascham is composed of three school areas designed to accommodate for the different stages of the students' educational development.
Infant School The youngest students, from Preparatory to Year 2, are taught in the Hillingdon building which has its own hall, library, classrooms and recreation area. The students at Hillingdon are taught according to the Spalding Method.
Junior School Students from Years 3 to 6 live in the Fiona building. Junior School students have access to a broad range of school subjects and co-curricular activities.
Senior School The senior school is for students from Year 7 to Year 12. They are taught according to the Dalton Plan. This method gives the older students increased flexibility while placing on them the responsibility to learn and participate in the school's numerous academic and cultural opportunities. The campus hosts the Packer Theatre, a studio theatre, an indoor heated pool, a gymnasium, tennis courts, playing fields, IT facilities, art rooms, science laboratories and three libraries.
Exchange programme Ascham has exchange programmes with the following girls schools: St Mary's Calne, UK; City of London School for Girls in London; Havergal College in Toronto; Nightingale-Bamford School in New York; Northlands School in Buenos Aires; Durban Girls' College in Durban; Institut de la Tour in Paris, St. George's School, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Heads The following individuals have served as Head of School, or preceding title: Ordinal Name Title Start date End date Time in office Notes Marie Wallis Founding Principal 1886 1902 years Herbert J. Carter Principal 1902 1914 years Kathleen Gilman Jones Co-Principal 1914 1916 years Margaret Bailey Headmistress 1916 1946 years Hilda Rayward Headmistress 1947 1948 years Dorothy Whitehead Headmistress 1949 1961 years Merrilee Roberts Headmistress 1962 1972 years Rowena Danziger Headmistress 1973 2003 years Susan Preedy Headmistress 2004 2005 years Rowena Danziger Acting Headmistress 2005 2005 years Frances Booth Acting Headmistress 2005 2005 years Louise Robert-Smith Headmistress 2006 2012 years Helen Wright Headmistress 2013 2014 years Andrew Powell Head of School 2014 incumbent years
Former students Old Girls' Union The Ascham Old Girls' Union (AOGU) was founded in 1899 by former students of the school. It now has a membership of over 4,000 alumnae. The AOGU encourages involvement of all past students in the Ascham community and helps alumnae remain in contact with their classmates. The AOGU also funds bursaries for the daughters and granddaughters of past students. The recipients of bursaries are means-tested and reviewed annually, and also carry an obligation to uphold the ideals and values of Ascham. The AOGU released three publications per year to its members.
Notable alumnae
Arts Creative arts Beatrice Bligh (1916–1973), gardener Penny Meagher (1935–1995), a painter Yvonne Audette (1930–), abstract artist
Literary arts Marguerite Dale (1883–1963), playwright and feminist Mia Freedman (1971– ), journalist Sheridan Jobbins (1960– ), journalist, presenter and screenwriter Jill Kitson (1939–2013), literary journalist and broadcaster Sharri Markson (1984– ), journalist Saturday Rosenberg (1952–1998), screenwriter and comedian Debbie Whitmont, journalist
Performing arts Sylvia Breamer (1897–1943), actress Marta Dusseldorp (1973– ), actress Joanna McCallum (1950– ), actress Poppy Montgomery (1972– ), actress Lesley Piddington (1925–2016) Wendy Playfair (1926– ), actress Lynn Rainbow (1942– ), actress Ann Richards (1917–2006), actress and author Leila Waddell (1880–1932), violinist and magician Arkie Whiteley (1964–2001), actress Betty Who (1991– ), singer and songwriter Constance Worth (1911–1963), actressSydney Morning Herald, 27 June 1934
Business Belinda Hutchinson (1953– ), businessperson and philanthropist Lisa Messenger (1971– ), entrepreneur and author Gretel Packer (– ), investor and philanthropist Lady Primrose Potter (1931– ), philanthropist Allegra Spender (1978– ), businessperson and politician Shemara Wikramanayake (1962– ), CEO of Macquarie Group.
Education Joan Bernard (1918–2012), the founding principal of Trevelyan College, University of Durham
Medicine and the sciences Nan Waddy (1915–2015), psychiatrist and mental health advocate
Sport Nikki Bishop (1973– ), equestrian event rider who competed in the 1996 Summer Olympics Gillian Campbell (1960– ), rower who competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics Paige Campbell (1996– ), steeplechase athlete Lavinia Chrystal (1989– ), skier who competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics Christine Davy (1934– ), skier who competed at the 1956 and 1960 Winter Olympics Kitty Mackay Hodgson (1915–1974), swimmer who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics Vicki Roycroft (1953– ), equestrian rider who competed at the 1984, 1988, and 1996 Summer Olympics
See also List of non-government schools in New South Wales List of boarding schools
References
Further reading
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