Ballarat Clarendon College

Ballarat Clarendon College is a school where learning comes first. It is a coeducational school associated with the Uniting Church in Australia, enrolling students from Early Learning to Year 12. Clarendon has a Junior (ELC to Year 4) campus in Mair Street, Ballarat, a Years 5 to 12 campus in Sturt Street, Ballarat and a third campus on King Island where Year 9 students spend one term each year.

Most students live in Ballarat and surrounding districts and attend as day students. However, there are 150 boarding places which are filled by students mainly from regional Victoria and southern New South Wales, supplemented by a small number from overseas.

As a school, we are focussed on learning, in all contexts. Students are provided with a comprehensive range of learning experiences, both in and out of the classroom.

The school has achieved a fine academic record over the last ten years and based on VCE exam results and NAPLAN data we have been consistently the highest-performing regional school in Victoria and at a national level.

Our programs, teaching and policy frameworks support the principles of Australian democracy, including:

• Elected government
• The rule of law
• Equal rights for all before the law
• Freedom of religion
• Freedom of speech and association
• The values of openness and tolerance

Reverend William Henderson opened Ballarat College on Wednesday 6 July 1864 when two seven-year-old cousins presented themselves at his church, St Andrew’s Presbyterian. On the following Monday morning they were joined by three other boys to become the first students of the school.

Elizabeth Kennedy, the wife of another Presbyterian minister, came to Ballarat to live and in 1876 she began a cottage school for her children and the daughters of family friends. This was the beginning of what became known as Mrs Kennedy’s School for Girls, later to become Clarendon Presbyterian Ladies College.

In 1974 Ballarat College and Clarendon Presbyterian Ladies College formally joined together to become Ballarat & Clarendon College, now associated with the Uniting Church in Australia.

In 2014, as the fifth oldest private school in Victoria, we proudly celebrated 150 years of providing high quality education. Whilst much has changed in this time, the vision and values of Reverend Henderson and Mrs Kennedy remain. Students, 150 years later, in another age, still acknowledge the guidance, support and inspiration they receive from being members of the Ballarat Clarendon College community.

The school history from 1864 to 2004 has been documented in Golden Heritage, by Phil Roberts.  Phil has written a second volume, to complete the story of the first 150 years.

Our students’ awareness, concern and contribution to their local and global community saw them reading, swimming, walking, skipping, donating, handballing, dancing, building and raising awareness. Junior School students raised $15,000 for Jump Rope for Heart and gave generously through their Kids Supporting Community initiative, presenting big cheques to the Ballarat Animal Shelter, Very Special Kids and Child and Family Services. And across the school students volunteered at Pinarc Disability Support and Nazareth House; donated much needed blood at the Red Cross Blood Service; raised money for struggling farmers in the Walk a Country Mile Walkathon; our Players for Pink football match continues to support the Breast Cancer Network Australia; the annual Girls Boarding House concert raised money for MND Victoria, while the Boys Boarding House White Ribbon dinner dance raised awareness, seeking to end violence against women in our community; our Cambodia Expedition saw students working in local communities to ensure access to clear water, undertaking reforestation projects and teaching English in the local primary schools. And so much more. We – our students, parents and staff – are a caring community bound together by a common set of values and aspirations.

There were a record number of alumni events in 2018 and we celebrated the opening of the David H Haymes rowing tank in August. It is particularly fitting to name the rowing tank after an Old Collegian who has achieved and invested so much in the sport as a rower and coach, and who has contributed so much to our school over decades. We are proud to have the Haymes’ family name etched into our school’s history.

At this time of year, it would be remiss of me not to acknowledge the achievements and efforts of our VCE students, particularly the Class of 2018.

We celebrate the successes of our 159-strong Year 12 cohort, 101 of whom achieved a university entrance score over 80 putting them in the top 20% of the country and 36 of these students achieved an ATAR over 95, placing them in the top 5%. Our Dux is Jack Tuohey with an ATAR of 99.75. As ever, the context of these amazing results is our school focus to maximise a student’s competence, skills and capacity so that, at the end of their time at school, when they stand on the threshold of their future, they can choose their heart’s desire.

And each of these young adults stands on the threshold of their future, their next steps will see them move closer to their heart’s desire – whatever their personal goals or dreams may be. Within our diverse group of Year 12 students we have aspiring engineers, industrial designers, health professionals, architects, marine biologists, dancers, military personnel, fashion designers, singers, educators, make-up artists, software developers and musicians.

These students have cause to celebrate. The Class of 2018 has achieved results that reflect their determination and their effort. The outcomes also reflect the commitment of the team involved in supporting, guiding and caring for them. Congratulations to all our students, their families and staff.

Excellence is not an inconvenience and striving for excellence, being ambitious and wanting to achieve, should be embraced. In the words of Franklin D Roosevelt, ‘Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.’ And our Year 12 students have much to be happy about.