Abbotsleigh

Infobox Aust school private
name = Abbotsleigh School for Girls


motto = " _la. Tempus Celerius Radio Fugit"
(Latin:"Time Flies Faster than a Weaver's Shuttle")
established = 1885
type = Independent, Single-sex, Day and Boarding
denomination = Anglican
slogan =
key_people = Mrs.Judith Poole (Principal)
Miss Marian Clarke (Founder)
Mr. Philip W Bell (Chairman)
fees = AU$11,564–19,326 p.a (2007)cite web |url=http://www.sydneyschild.com.au/index.php?option=com_mtree&task=viewlink&link_id=65&Itemid=38 |title=Abbotsleigh|accessdate=2007-10-29 |work=Directory |publisher=Sydney's Child]
city = Wahroonga
state = New South Wales
country = Australia flagicon|Australia
coordinates = coord|33|43|13|S|151|6|47|E|display=inline,title
enrolment = ~1,370 (K–12)
num_employ = ~148 [http://www.abbotsleigh.nsw.edu.au/files/upload/dynamic/Annual%20Report.pdf Abbotsleigh Annual Report 2006] (accessed:11-08-2007)]
revenue =
colours = Black and Gold color box|#000000color box|#FFCC00
homepage = [http://www.abbotsleigh.nsw.edu.au/ www.abbotsleigh.nsw.edu.au]

Abbotsleigh School for Girls (commonly referred to as Abbotsleigh) is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school for girls, located in Wahroonga, on the upper North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Established in 1885 at North Sydney, the school has a non-selective enrolment policy and currently caters for approximately 1,370 students from Kindergarten to Year 12, including 155 boarders from Years 7 to 12.

Abbotsleigh is a member of the Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia (AGSA),cite web|url = http://www.agsa.org.au/members.php?PageID=11&Alpha=A|title = Member Schools|accessdate = 2007-12-17 |last = Butler|first = Jan|year = 2006|work = Members|publisher = The Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia] 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 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 Australian Boarding Schools' Association (ABSA),cite web |url=http://www.boarding.org.au/site/school_detail.cfm?schID=9 |title=Abbotsleigh |accessdate=2007-12-17 |year =2007 |work=Schools|publisher=Australian Boarding Schools' Association] and a founding member of the Association of Heads of Independent Girls' Schools (AHIGS).cite web |url=http://www.ahigs.nsw.edu.au/DeskTopDefault.aspx?tabid=1 |title=Heads of New South Wales Independent Girls' Schools |accessdate=2007-08-06 |year =2007 |work=AHIGS|publisher=The Association of Heads of Independent Girls' Schools]

History

Abbotsleigh was founded in 1885 in a small terrace house in North Sydney. The school then moved to Parramatta, first to Honiton House, and then to more spacious premises at the corner of Church and Marsden streets, a site now covered by a car park. The school proved successful in Parramatta, and in 1895 Miss Marian Clarke left 80 pupils behind to set out for a year in England for family reasons. The school declined during her absence, and on her return only a small number of boarders remained.cite web |url=http://www.abbotsleigh.nsw.edu.au/index.cfm?page_id=D0D194D7-3474-DCCC-88C5A2B05BEA34E2 |title=History of Abbotsleigh since 1885 |accessdate=2008-03-02 |work=History |publisher=Abbotsleigh]

Abbotsleigh's final move was to its current location at Wahroonga in 1898, where the school's founder, Miss Marian Clarke, purchased land and built her new school. It is here that Abbotsleigh became the first girls' school in Sydney to have a sports field.

Headmistresses

Campus

The senior and junior schools cater for 1300 students in total from Kindergarten to Year 12 (Higher School Certificate). In the senior school, there is a Design and Technology Centre, a Music Centre, a Science Centre, a gymnasium, and an indoor swimming pool, and two sporting fields. [ [http://www.abbotsleigh.nsw.edu.au/index.cfm?page_id=EAA8A65C-3474-DCCC-8F882030E43D4F31 Facilities] ] A new library named the Abbotsleigh Research Centre (ARC) was built and officially opened on April 2 2006. The ARC contains the Library Teaching Room (LTR) – a computer room, laptops that can be used on tables around the ARC, and three seminar rooms. There are over 40,000 books, over 4,000 videos and DVDs and approximately 70 Periodical titles. The ARC has won awards for its unique interior design. [ [http://www.architecture.com.au/i-cms?page=10707 The website of the Australian Institute of Architects] ]

Motto and crest

The Abbotsleigh motto, "Tempus Celerius Radio Fugit", may be translated from Latin as "Time Flies Faster than the Weaver's Shuttle". As the shuttle flies a pattern is woven; the shuttle of time also weaves a pattern of which the threads are people, buildings and events. The motto was given to the school by Miss Marian Clarke, whose family crest was a weaver's shuttle surrounded by the motto, "Tempus fugit radio celerit". The school used this form until 1924, when it decided that the ungrammatical Latin should be changed to the present word order, which has been used ever since.

The 1934 edition of "The Weaver" explains the symbolism of the school crest: "the lion for the strength in God, lillies for purity and fish as the symbol of Christianity through baptism." [http://www.abbotsleigh.nsw.edu.au/index.cfm?page_id=EA4906D3-3474-DCCC-8064CC8E0D72C1A9 Abbotsleigh School: School identity] (accessed:13-06-2007)]

Curriculum

Abbotsleigh offers a range of subjects. In Year 8, students choose broad subjects to study for Years 9 and 10. Students must study Maths, English, Science, PDHPE, and Christian studies. They may then choose elective subjects from: Commerce, History, Geography, Design and Technology, Music, Drama, Art, Japanese, French, German, and Latin.

In the upper school, students have a wider range of subjects to choose from, which tend to be more specific. In Year 11 these include: chemistry, biology, physics, standard English, advanced English, extension English (1 unit), general mathematics, mathematics (2 unit course), extension mathematics (1 unit), economics, modern history, ancient history, music 1, music 2, Latin, French, Japanese, German, PDHPE and design and technology. In Year 12, students may pick up extra units such as extension 2 English/maths, and extension language subjects. It is compulsory to complete twelve units for the Higher School Certificate (HSC) at Abbotsleigh, even if students have already completed units due to accelerated courses. Furthermore, students may not do more than fourteen units in Years 11 and 12.

Co-curriculum

The school conducts a number of extracurricular activities, including the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme, drama and musical performances, chess, debating, mock trials, public speaking, skiing, jewellery making, sports, dress making, film club, charity groups, equestrian, and cattle breeding for competition in the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

port

The school competes in many Independent Girls' Schools Sporting Association (IGSSA) sports including, softball, tennis, swimming, basketball, soccer, athletics, cross country, hockey, netball, waterpolo, touch football, and cricket.

Music

With its close neighbour Knox Grammar School, Abbotsleigh has an orchestra named KAYO (Knox/Abbotsleigh Youth Orchestra). Through KAYO, students may choose to participate in musical tours around the world.

House system

The House System was introduced by Miss Everett. The "Weaver" for May 1931 explains: "Points are awarded for work, conduct and sport and a shield will be presented annually to the winning House. "The "Malloch Shield", given the following year by Mr A Malloch, was won for the first time by Sturt.

In the Junior School there are five houses:
*Blaxland Named after Gregory Blaxland (1778–1853), an Australian explorer. Colour: Blue.
*Lawson Named after William Lawson (1774–1850), an Australian explorer. Colour: Green.
*Macquarie Named after Lachlan Macquarie (1771–1824), the Governor of New South Wales from 1810 to 1821. Colour: Red.
*Sturt Named after Charles Sturt (1795–1869), an Australian explorer. Colour: Yellow.
*Wentworth Named after William Wentworth (1790–1872), an Australian explorer, statesman and lawyer. Colour: Purple.

In the Senior School there are eight houses:
*Chisholm Named after Caroline Chisholm (1808–1877), an Australian pioneer. Colour: Dark Blue
*Franklin Named after Miles Franklin (1879–1954), an Australian writer. Colour: Green.
*Gilmore Named after Mary Gilmore (1865–1962), an Australian poet and writer. Colour: Brown until 1982, now Pink.
*Melba Named after Dame Nellie Melba (1861–1931), an Australian Opera legend. Colour: Light Blue.
*Prichard Named after Katherine Susannah Prichard (1884–1969), an Australian writer. Colour: Black until 1990, now Purple.
*Richardson Named after Ethel Florence Lindesay Richardson (1870–1946), an Australian novelist. Colour: Orange.
*Tennant Named after Kylie Tennant (1912–1988), an Australian World War II and Great Depression novelist. Colour: Yellow.
*Wright Named after Judith Wright (1915–2000), an Australian poet. Colour: Red.

The House System has been modified over time to reflect the changing needs of the School, and its increased enrolment. One of the most significant changes occurred in the late 1960s under then Headmistress Betty Archdale. Senior School Houses had previously been named after well-known male Australian poets, and Archdale introduced new house names recognising accomplished Australian women. This was the basis for the Senior School Houses in use today. Houses now compete for the House Choir banner and the Spirit Cup.

Boarding

Abbotsleigh has offered boarding since its establishment, and currently caters for boarding students from the greater metropolitan area, rural New South Wales and overseas. The school currently has five boarding houses:
*Hirst Opened in 1980 and 1985. Catering for Year 12 boarders. Now replaced by the newly opened Wheeldon House.
*Lynton Opened in 1969. Catering for Year 7 boarders.
*McCredie Opened in 1990. Catering for Year 9 to 10 boarders.
*Vindin Opened in 1931. Catetring for Year 8 to 9 boarders.
*Wheeldon Opened in 2008. Catering for Year 11 to 12 boarders

There are currently approximately 155 boarders at Abbotsleigh from Years 7 to 12. Boarders make up about one-sixth of the senior school population.

Notable alumni

;Academic
*Ingrid Clare Barnsley – Rhodes Scholar 2002 [http://www.usyd.edu.au/registrar/rhodes/previous.shtml "NSW Rhodes Scholars"] — University of Sydney list, (retrieved 23 July 2007)]
*Kathleen McCredie – Educator; Former principal of Abbotsleigh
*Merrilee Roberts – Educator, former principal of Newcastle Girls' Grammar School and Ascham School
*Elizabeth Ward – Educator; Former principal of the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Melbourne
* 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] Sister of former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam; Former principal of the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney (also attended Canberra Girls' Grammar School)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
*Erica Baxter – Singer and model; wife of James Packer
*Nell Campbell – Actor; played Colombia in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show"
*Jill Ker Conway – Authorcite web |url=http://www.schoolchoice.com.au/find_a_school?cid=12348&pid=2701591 |title=Abbotsleigh |accessdate=2007-08-11 |work=New South Wales |publisher=School Choice]
*Georgie Parker – Actress
*Jennifer Oswin Rowe – Children's book author under pen name Emily Rodda
*Helen de Guerry Simpson – Novelist (also attended Kincoppal-Rose Bay)cite encyclopedia| last = Roberts| first = Alan| encyclopedia =Australian Dictionary of Biography| title = Simpson, Helen de Guerry (1897 - 1940)| url = http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A110627b.htm?hilite=rose%3Bbay%3Bconvent| accessdate = 2007-08-11| edition = Online| year = 1988| publisher =Melbourne University Press | volume =11| location = Melbourne, Vic.| pages = pp.611-612]
*Grace Cossington Smith – Artist
*Francesca Willis – Australian model (also attended Barker College)
*Jennifer Rowe – a.k.a. Emily Rodda - author

;Medicine and science
*Agnes Elizabeth Lloyd Bennett – Pioneering medical practitioner and scientist (also attended Cheltenham Ladies' College, Dulwich Girls' High School and Sydney Girls High School)cite encyclopedia| last = Curthoys| first = Ann | encyclopedia =Australian Dictionary of Biography| title = Bennett, Agnes Elizabeth Lloyd (1872 - 1960)| url = http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A070265b.htm?hilite=abbotsleigh| accessdate = 2008-01-17| edition = Online| year = 1979| publisher = Melbourne University Press| volume =7| location = Melbourne| pages = pp.265-266]
*Cindy Pan – Doctor, dancer, television personality

;Politics, public service and the law
*Beatrice Miles – Bohemian rebel and political activistcite encyclopedia| last = Allen| first = Judith | encyclopedia =Australian Dictionary of Biography| title = Miles, Beatrice (Bea) (1902 - 1973)| url = http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A100486b.htm?hilite=abbotsleigh| accessdate = 2008-01-17| edition = Online| year = 1986| publisher = Melbourne University Press| volume =10| location = Melbourne| pages = pp.499-500]

;Sport
*Sue Fear – First Australian woman to climb Mount Everest (also attended Barker College)
*Margaret Elizabeth Maynard Peden – Cricketer; former captain of the Australian women's cricket team (1934)cite encyclopedia| last = Stell| first = Marion K.| encyclopedia =Australian Dictionary of Biography| title = Peden, Margaret Elizabeth Maynard (1905 - 1981)| url = http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A110196b.htm| accessdate = 2007-08-11| edition = Online| year = 1988| publisher =Melbourne University Press | volume =11| location = Melbourne, Vic.| pages = pp.192-193]
*Liz Ellis – Australian national netball player

References

See also

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

External links

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