Arden Anglican School

Infobox Aust school private
name = Arden Anglican School


motto = "In God My Joy"
established = 1922
type = Independent, Co-educational, Day school
denomination = Anglican
slogan =
key_people = Mr. Colin May (Principal)
Mr. Gregory Hammond (Chairman)
Rev. Mark Rundle (Chaplain)
fees = AU$7,800–11,492 p.acite web |url=http://www.arden.nsw.edu.au/about/FeeSchedule2007.pdf |title=Fees Schedule 2007 |accessdate=2007-08-23 |format=PDF |work=Arden Anglican School ]
city = Beecroft and Epping
state = New South Wales
country = Australia flagicon|Australia
coordinates = coord|33|46|13|S|151|5|2|E|display=inline,title
enrolment = ~640 (P–11)
num_employ = ~63cite web |url=http://www.arden.nsw.edu.au/pdfs/AnnualReport2006.pdf |title=Annual Report 2006 |accessdate=2007-08-23 |format=PDF |work=Arden Anglican School ]
revenue =
colours = Green and White color box|#008000color box|#FFFFFF
homepage = [http://www.arden.nsw.edu.au www.arden.nsw.edu.au]

Arden Anglican School is an independent, Anglican, co-educational day school, located in Beecroft and Epping, both north-western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Established in 1922 as a preparatory, feeder school for the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney, the school now caters for approximately 640 students from Pre-school to Year 12. Arden's first Year 12 class commenced in 2008.

Arden Anglican School is a member of 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: New South Wales |accessdate=2007-09-11 |year =2007 |month =April |work=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=2007-09-11 |year =2007 |work=Junior School Heads' Association of Australia] the Association of Independent Co-Educational Schools, and the Association of Independent Schools of New South Wales.cite web |url=http://portals.studentnet.edu.au/studentnet/DeskTopDefault.aspx?tabid=98 |title=NSW Independent Schools by Region |accessdate=2007-09-11 |year =2007 |work=Association of Independent Schools of New South Wales]

History

Arden Anglican School began as a preparatory school of the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney (P.L.C). The idea of a P.L.C preparatory school on the northern line, had first been suggested circa 1915, however nothing came of these ideas then. On 23 February 1922, the P.L.C Council received a request from the Beecroft Presbyterian Congregation, that a primary school be established at Cheltenham. Subsequently, a sub-committee of the Council was formed to investigate its viability, and inspect a number of sites in Beecroft and Pennant Hills. Mr Robert Vicars, a P.L.C council member, offered a £1,500 interest free loan to help towards the purchase of a suitable property.cite book| last = McFarlane| first = John| title = The Golden Hope: Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney 1888-1988| year = 1988| publisher = P.L.C Council, Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney| location = Croydon, NSW|isbn = 0-9597340-1-5| pages = pp. 58-62| chapter = Reform Rejected 1920-1929]

Council gave the committee power to open a preparatory school in the Beecroft Church Hall, to appoint a teacher-in-charge and to make any other arrangements necessary. By the April 1922 Council meeting, it was reported that the school had been opened at Beecroft with 13 female pupils, and with Mrs Eleanor Linck in charge. This school was named the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Beecroft and was to serve as an all-girls, primary feeder school for the Presbyterian Ladies' College at Croydon.

Over the next few years enrolments grew and an assistant teacher was appointed. However, P.L.C Beecroft was not a financial success and Council enthusiasm began to wane. Linck tried her best to expand the school, suggesting that "Romana House" on Beecroft Road be purchased to allow for further enrolments, and that the house next door to the Church Hall be purchased so that boarders could be accommodated. Despite the school's strong number of enrolment application's, these requests were all declined.

In 1925, an additional teacher was appointed to teach kindergarten and sport. It was reported that the local community was taking an interest in the new P.L.C, as that year two prizes had been presented to the school by the Beecroft School of Arts for Library proficiency, and the Beecroft Presbyterian Women's Guild presented a prize for Scripture. In 1926, Mrs Linck resigned to take up a position at the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Melbourne, and Mrs Lucy I. Ritter was appointed head. Later that year, two council members suggested that a house be purchased to expand the school and widen its tuition scope, however again nothing came of this. Council now appeared to be uninterested in the Beecroft school.

Ritter, in the Assembly report for 1927, complained that "Beecroft deserves more support from Presbyterians on the Hornsby line." The school continued to make losses and so on 19 June 1929, Council decided that it was to be closed. Ritter, and the assistant teacher Ms Gurney, resigned in December of that year. In 1930, Gurney reopened the school in the Church Hall, which she named "Arden" after the Shakespearean Forest of Peace in "As You Like It".cite web|url=http://www.arden.nsw.edu.au/about/history.html |title=History |accessdate=2007-09-11 |work=Arden Anglican School] The school flourished under her leadership.

Arden came under the control of the Anglican Diocesan Schools in 1946, and subsequently moved to St John’s Beecroft Church Hall where it was named Arden Anglican School. The school moved again in 1952 to a house in Wongala Cresent, and in 1962, property was purchased on Beecroft Rd.

In 2000, due to demand from the local community, preliminary plans for a Secondary school at Arden began. The school purchased the former site of the "Australian American International School" at Oxford St, Epping in 2001, and in 2003, the first year 7 class commenced at the new senior campus. Yearly expansion has continued since then, and will conclude with the first Year 12 class graduating in 2008.

Campus

Arden Anglican School is located on two campuses in the north-western suburbs of Sydney. The pre-school and primary School are situated in a bushland setting in Beecroft, while the secondary school is located 200m from Epping railway station, in the suburb of Epping.cite web|url=http://www.northshoreschools.nsw.edu.au/schools/arden.html |title=Participating schools: Arden Anglican School|accessdate=2007-09-11|work=North Shore Independent Schools' Expo]

Curriculum

The Primary school follows a curriculum mandated by the NSW Board of Studies, and where required is tailored to meet the needs of individual students. Specialist teachers are utilised for subjects such as Physical Education (PE), Music, Art, French, Science, Library, Computer and Problem Solving.cite web|url=http://www.arden.nsw.edu.au/primary/primary.html |title=Primary School |accessdate=2007-09-11 |work=Arden Anglican School]

The Secondary school also follows the Board of Studies Curriculum, preparing year 10 students for the School Certificate. In 2008, the first year 12 class will complete the NSW Higher School Certificate.cite web|url=http://www.arden.nsw.edu.au/secondary/secondary.html |title=Secondary School |accessdate=2007-09-11 |work=Arden Anglican School]

Co-curriculum

port

Arden offers sport to all year levels, and students may partake in House and Inter school Competitions.cite web|url=http://www.arden.nsw.edu.au/about/sport.html |title=Sport|accessdate=2007-09-11|work=Arden Anglican School]

Through Arden's membership of the Junior School Heads Association of Australia, Primary students may represent the school in sports such as athletics, swimming, cross-country, gymnastics, T-ball, softball, minkey (mini hockey), hockey, netball, basketball, rugby and soccer.

Secondary students may represent Arden in cricket, basketball, soccer (indoor/outdoor), rugby, netball, athletics, cross-country, softball, hockey, and HZSA (Hills Zone Sports Association).cite web|url=http://www.aices.com.au/ |title=Member Associations and Colours|accessdate=2007-09-11|work=Association of Independent Co-Educational Schools]

As part of the Secondary sports program, a tour of New Zealand is held every two years, for up to 45 students, competing in a variety of sports. Visits by New Zealand Schools are also common.

Tours

In alternation with the New Zealand tour, the school takes a group of students to Europe as a cultural experience. The group traditionally tours through Italy, France and Southern England.

References

See also

* List of non-government schools in New South Wales

External links

* [http://www.arden.nsw.edu.au/ Arden Anglican School website]