The Geelong College

The Geelong College is a Uniting Church coeducational day and boarding school with approximately 1,400 students aged three to eighteen, including 100 boarders. The College is situated on two campuses in central Geelong, southwest of Melbourne, and has strong links to the beautiful surrounding coastal and rural areas.

The Geelong College aims to provide an inspiring education where all students can learn how to learn, flourish, be innovative and aspire to futures that harness their many skills and abilities. We aim for our students to be respectful and to confidently develop their academic, emotional, physical, social and spiritual potential.

The Geelong College also seeks to provide learning experiences that shape personal development in ways that prepare students to positively contribute to society.

Sic itur ad astra which comes from Virgil’s “Aeneid” Book IX,. 641. The full quote is “macte nova virtute, puer! (blessing on your new bravery, boy!) sic itur ad astra” (this is the way to the stars). The youthful God Apollo is addressing young Iulus (the son of Aeneas), who has just shot his bow for the first time in battle and been blessed by Jupiter with a victory. He means to instruct him that this is the way to further success and to his destiny.

From this we take Be of Courage. Our students have the courage to try, to speak out, to help others, to discover and to learn from the past. They develop a good work ethic and values through a broad range of learning experiences that prepare them for a happy and successful life.

We inspire students to learn how to learn, to choose innovation and to flourish in a future where their skills and abilities can be truly harnessed by the world. For this is the way to the stars.

The quartered shield depicts an open book representing learning, the Burning Bush symbolising the Reformed Church faith, a claymore signifying the College's Scottish heritage and the Southern Cross for Australia. The coronet at the top is the symbol of the British Commonwealth.

At the base of the shield is the Motto and at the top of the crest is the mythical Pegasus, taken from the Clan Morrison representing the founders of the school.

The College is a special place and has played a role in the development of thousands of students and their families since 1861. We aim to inspire students to learn how to learn, to flourish, be innovative and aspire to futures that harness their many skills and abilities. But it is not just the students who are learning, staff and parents seek challenges and development here at the College.

Our students learn to be respectful and courageous, as they develop their academic, emotional, physical, social and spiritual potential and prepare to be positive contributors to society through a broad range of learning experiences. The Reggio Emilia approach to education in the Junior School is a thread in our Vision for Learning for all students from Early Learning to Year 12. Consequently, a truly liberal education that values experiences across Performing and Creative Arts, Science, Humanities, learning outdoors, sports and a wide range of co-curricular activities is a feature of College.

We believe passionately in coeducation. The world is actively inclusive and diverse, just like College. Ours is a place where children thrive - girls and boys together in learning, living, growing, working collaboratively, exchanging ideas and learning from each other to develop a greater understanding of self and others. Through this our students have a strong sense of belonging.

The College is associated with the Uniting Church. We seek to prepare young men and women to be leaders in their communities, who are able to connect the Christian faith, their personal spirituality and their planned contribution to our world. While we are a Christian school, we value freedom and choice by respecting the rights of all people to live by other faith traditions. We engage in conversations as we learn together to accept the individual beliefs of others which shape their convictions and commitments.