Yarra Valley Grammar Explained

Yarra Valley Grammar School
Seal Image:File:Yarra Valley Grammar seal.jpg
Seal Size:150px
Motto:Latin: Levavi Oculos
Motto Translation:I lift up my eyes
Country:Australia
Coordinates:-37.7836°N 145.26°W
Type:Independent, co-educational
Principal:Dr. Mark Merry
Chair Label:Chairman
Chair:Carrie Edwards-Britt
Chaplain:Rev. Paul Joy
Colours:Red, gold & black
Slogan:Confidence to Achieve
Campus Size:30 Hectares
Gender:Co-educational
Enrolment:1636[1]
Grades:K–12
Houses: Annells
Arnott
Hughes
Plummer
Newspaper:Valley Voice
The Link
Yearbook:Levavi
Endowment:$80 million[2]
Tuition:$28,593[3]
Affiliation:Associated Grammar Schools of Victoria
Alumni:Yarra Old Grammarians

Yarra Valley Grammar School (YVG) is a private co-educational Anglican grammar school, located in Ringwood, a north-eastern suburb of Melbourne, Australia. Yarra Valley was founded as an Anglican day school for boys in 1966, before transitioning to a co-educational model in 1978. The school is a member of AGSV (Associated Grammar Schools of Victoria), and has been periodically ranked amongst the top 50 schools in the state according to VCE and ATAR results,[4] being placed 25th in Victoria in 2023.[5]

Yarra Valley Grammar has also produced notable alumni in the areas of sport, politics and academia, including seventeen professional AFL players, four olympians and two Victorian supreme court judges.

History

The idea of a new school for boys in Melbourne's outer eastern suburbs was conceived in 1963 by a group of locals who recognised the need for a school closer to home for their sons. One of these locals was Robin Clarke who noticed that the nearest preparatory school that would accept his son was in Kew. This prompted Clarke to establish the School Formative Committee with 16 local businessmen and community leaders to outline the idea and premise for a new school in the east.

The school was officially established in 1966 as the Yarra Valley Church of England School for boys. John Pascoe was the first headmaster and John Harper became the first president of the new Yarra Valley Anglican School Council. The first assembly took place with 135 boys in attendance.

In 1970, the school was invited to become a member of the Associated Grammar Schools of Victoria. In 1972, Yarra Valley Anglican School established the first hearing unit for profoundly deaf students in Victoria.[6] Girls were admitted to the two senior levels in 1978, and the school progressively became fully co-educational from 1993 through 1995.

In 1999, the school officially changed its name to Yarra Valley Grammar. In 2009, Mark Merry became principal, taking over from Neville Lyngcoln. In the same year, a new early learning centre was opened.

In 2011, the foundation hall and a new upper primary building were opened. In 2012, an electrical fire destroyed the science, mathematics and laboratory buildings. In 2015, a new science and mathematics building was opened. In 2017, the school's outdoor pool was demolished and replaced with an expanded drama facilities, including a new classroom and three music rooms. In later 2017 a new indoor aquatic centre was opened in partnership with Paul Sadler Swimland. In 2019, a new research centre, library and chapel were also built. In 2021, a new fine arts building was opened. And in 2023, a new Junior Primary Building was opened.

In May 2024, several male students were suspended from the school after creating a tier list that classified female students as "wifeys", "cuties", "mid", "object", "get out" or "unrapable".[7] A complaint was made to Victoria Police over the incident, and two of the students were expelled from the school.[8] [9]

Curriculum

Compulsory core subjects exist from years 7 to 10 with electives being offered to students from year 9. The school also offers select Vocational Education and Training subjects, as well as VCE.

The school offers co-curriculum programs outside of the standard curriculum, including:

Houses

Yarra Valley Grammar has four coloured school houses allocated by the school to each student upon entry. These houses compete at school athletics as well as during performing arts week and in music and science.

HouseColourDetails
AnnellsLight blueAnnells House is named after Don Annells, a founding member of Yarra Valley Grammar and an original board member.
Arnott MaroonArnott House is named after Richard Arnott, a founding member of a Yarra Valley Grammar.
HughesGoldHughes House is named after Dale Hughes, a founding member of Yarra Valley Grammar.
PlummerPlummer House is named after Tom Plummer, a founding member of Yarra Valley Grammar.

Sport

Yarra Valley Grammar is a member of the Associated Grammar Schools of Victoria (AGSV) and competes professionally and at the amateur level with other associated member schools. Yarra Valley also conducts physical education classes, health and fitness and body wellbeing classes throughout years 7–10. The school also offers skiing and snowboarding opportunities as a part of the YVG Snow Sports Team, as well as canoeing, kayaking, equestrian and golf.

AGSV and AGSV/APS premierships

Yarra Valley Grammar has won the following AGSV and AGSV/APS premierships.[10]

Boys:

Girls:

Notable alumni

Sport

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Archived copy . 6 May 2024 . 7 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240507044301/https://myschool.edu.au/school-search?FormPosted=True&SchoolSearchQuery=yarra+valley+grammar&SchoolSector=&SchoolType=&State= . live .
  2. Web site: Charity Register | ACNC . 20 March 2021 . 10 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230510173653/https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/4763b83819dee2581739645261e2af38 . live .
  3. Web site: Yarra Valley Grammar | Good Schools Guide . 5 November 2020 . 20 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210120110252/https://goodschools.com.au/compare-schools/in-Ringwood-3134/yarra-valley-grammar/fees . live .
  4. Web site: VCE School Ranking - 2021 . 26 October 2020 . 28 October 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201028210408/https://bettereducation.com.au/results/vce.aspx . live .
  5. Web site: Victoria High School Ranking [2024]

    Which is the Best? ]

    . 2024-05-11 . School Informer . en-US.
  6. News: Evans. Kathy. Hearing unit shows power of integration and technology. 6 December 2015. The Sydney Morning Herald. 17 August 2017. 17 August 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170817121958/http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/hearing-unit-shows-triumph-of-integration-and-technology-20151129-glaqxn.html. live.
  7. News: Kolovos . Benita . 2024-05-06 . Students suspended at Melbourne private school over ‘disgraceful’ spreadsheet rating female classmates . 2024-05-07 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077 . 6 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240506085535/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/may/06/yarra-valley-grammar-students-suspended-spreadsheet-rating-female-classmates . live .
  8. News: Wind . Emily . 2024-05-07 . Australia news live: RBA interest rates held at 4.35% for fourth consecutive meeting . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240507013308/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2024/may/07/australia-news-live-rba-interest-rates-cost-of-living-labor-budget-debt-chalmers-politics-social-media-online-age-verification . 7 May 2024 . 2024-05-07 . The Guardian . en-AU . 0261-3077.
  9. News: 2024-05-07 . Two boys expelled from Melbourne private school over offensive spreadsheet ranking female students . 2024-05-08 . ABC News . en-AU.
  10. Web site: Associated Grammar Schools. 2021-01-25. www.agsvsport.com.au. 30 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210130122432/http://www.agsvsport.com.au/content.aspx?file=36296%7C27145k. dead.