Sydney Church of England Grammar School

Welcome to Shore Boarding, thank you for considering Shore. Today the School has approximately 200 boarders with enrolments remaining strong. A breakdown of the Shore boarding demographic shows that 60% of the School’s boarders reside in Rural/Regional NSW, 15% from overseas with the remaining 25% being weekly boarders

There are four boarding houses at Shore. School House is the largest of the houses with 75 students ranging from Years 7-12. Of these 75 students, 30 of these are our new Year 7 students. The other three boarding Houses are Robson House, Barry House and Hodges House which all contain about 45 students each ranging from Years 8-12. One of the key strengths of having a vertical House structure at Shore is that all the boarders from their first day at Shore get to see and experience senior role models on a day to day basis. This is extremely important as they understand the expectations and responsibilities that come with boarding but they also get to see good behaviour and servant leadership modelled and lived out by the senior students.

School House was opened in 1889 when Shore began and has had boarders from the very beginning. Robson House was the second boarding house opened in 1926 and was named after the first Headmaster of the School, Ernest I. Robson who was Headmaster from 1889 until 1900. Barry House was opened in 1939 and was named after Bishop Barry who was the Bishop of Sydney and the Primate of Australia at the time of the foundation of the school. Hodges House was opened in 1939 and was named after the School’s second Headmaster Charles Hodges who was Headmaster from 1900 until 1910.

The unity and diversity of the four Houses which are each a place where boys from all backgrounds and those who care for them can thrive within distinct positive households founded on respect, common sense and a growing understanding of themselves and the world in which they live. The coming together in the Chapel to worship God, hear His Word and learn of the redemption and salvation of humanity through Jesus Christ. Sharing of meals three times a day as a single, safe and happy community in the Dining Hall. Transformational community engagement programmes such as Rough Edges and the CANA Homeless Men’s Shelter.
Boarding is a gateway to Shore and the world beyond offering boys from diverse traditions and backgrounds the occasion to learn and live at and to contribute to one of the nation’s finest schools. At the same time, the wider Shore community is the beneficiary of boarding as day boys, their families, masters and support staff witness boarding’s social, educational and traditional diversity lived out in an accessible and trusting context. Boarders live, learn and grow into manhood while having a permeating influence over the wider life of the School. Traditionally boarders contribute disproportionately and positively to the full life of Shore and this has furthermore and more recently been reflected in their academic results.

Each boarding house is an extension of each boy’s learning opportunities and experience of living and relating to one another. The Houses are staffed by men and women who understand, live out and enjoy the essence of boarding, with the vast majority of them being permanent teachers at Shore. They appreciate caring for the boarders both in their Houses and through their roles as schoolmasters and participants in the wider life of Shore

For further information about Shore boarding please contact either the Director of Boarding, Alistair Roland boarding@shore.nsw.edu.au or the Director of Enrolments, Vickii Scott vscott@shore.nsw.edu.au.

Boarding Philosophy
Sydney Church of England Grammar School – Shore has been a school which has welcomed and benefited from its boarding community since the first boys were enrolled in July 1889. Shore’s governing Councils and its Headmasters have embraced the significance of boarding as part of the essential, binding fabric of the life of the School. Boarding is a critical element of the School’s culture bringing to Shore a residential community of boys, masters, their families and support staff enunciating a true and living context to the School’s Christian foundation.

This Christian foundation has at its heart the relationship that people can have with God. A central part of this life together is one of service in the context of community; this will involve service to God as well as each other. Our boarding community promotes such virtues as generosity, kindness, self-sacrifice and humility. Shore is a school that seeks to teach its students not only about the Christian faith but also to give its students the opportunity to thrive and make the most of every opportunity, to feel safe and to, very importantly, have fun. Therefore, boarding at Shore gives the school a unique opportunity to model what living together and serving each other will look like in this broad Christian context.

Building a strong boarding community has always been a focus for Shore. Throughout the year, Shore holds many events, both in the country and overseas, to meet new and prospectus Shore families.

If you would like to book a Boarding School Tour please complete our Tour Registration Form