Caulfield Grammar School

Caulfield Grammar School is a coeducational independent school in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The school is a member of the Associated Public Schools of Victoria (APS), and is of Anglican denomination. It was founded in 1881 as a boys' school, and began admitting girls exactly one hundred years later.

History

Caulfield Grammar School was founded on April 25, 1881 by Joseph Henry Davies and began with just 9 pupils. Davies' aim for Caulfield was "that the School should be a thoroughly Christian one" that looked to render "Christian service". A year after it had opened, enrollment increased to 32 boys. Caulfield was built on a property near Sir Frederick Sargood's Rippon Lea Estate. The current site of the school was purchased in 1909 in what is now St Kilda East. The school's boarding house opened in 1912. By 1931, the school's 50th anniversary, total attendance had grown to 500 students but Caulfield was still considered a small school, compared to schools such as Xavier College and Melbourne Grammar School. In 1958 it became a member of the Associated Public Schools of Victoria, showing it to be by that time a well-regarded independent school, and entitling it to take part in the most competitive schoolboy sporting competitions in Victoria.

Related Topics:
April 25 - 1881 - Christian - Rippon Lea Estate - St Kilda East - Xavier College - Melbourne Grammar School - Associated Public Schools of Victoria

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In 1961 Caulfield Grammar became affiliated with Malvern Memorial Grammar School, located in Valentine's Mansion - a National Trust classified building, which became the school's Malvern Campus.

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The school's centenary year, 1981, marked the appearance of the first girls at Caulfield, as a second senior school campus opened at Wheelers Hill on April 26. Wheelers Hill began as a coeducational school for all year levels. Twelve years later in 1993 girls began attending the other campuses, making Caulfield one of only a handful of fully coeducational private schools in Melbourne. The number of girls attending Caulfield increased quickly after 1993, and currently girls make up around 45% of the student body.

Related Topics:
Wheelers Hill - April 26

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After Caulfield Campus' historic Memorial Hall, built in 1958, was burnt down in an electrical fire on November 14, 2000 ? a Melbourne Cup public holiday ? Caulfield Grammar School began to plan the construction of major halls at both Caulfield and Wheelers Hill campuses, naming the project "The Twin Halls". The hall at Wheelers Hill officially opened on July 28, 2005. The halls will each seat 650 people, and include a new chapel fitted with a multimedia centre and a music/art department at Wheelers Hill and Caulfield Campuses respectively.

Related Topics:
November 14 - 2000 - Melbourne Cup - July 28 - 2005

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Caulfield Grammar School now has over 2,500 students throughout its three day campuses. It is the only Melbourne-based school in the APS to provide boarding for both boys and girls, with nearly 100 boarding students from rural Australia, Melbourne and overseas. 2006 will mark the 125th anniversary of Caulfield's founding, and the School Council has commissioned author Helen Penrose to write a history of the school entitled Educational innovation: 125 years of Caulfield Grammar School. The book release is scheduled to coincide with the 2006 anniversary celebrations.{{ref|book}}

Related Topics:
Boarding - Helen Penrose

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Yarra Junction Campus

In 1947 a country centre opened at Yarra Junction on land donated by the Cuming family. Cuming House was the first rural campus in Australia, set in the Australian bush and close to the Yarra River. The Yarra Junction Campus today allows students to live in sustainable eco-cabins with rainwater tanks and solar power technology.{{ref|speech}} The Earth Studies Centre, Wadambawilam (Aboriginal term for 'learning place'), operates on wind and solar power, and uses many environmentally-sound practices to teach students about long-term environmental sustainability.{{ref|cabins}} Also on campus is a commercial dairy which produces over 1 million litres of milk annually.{{ref|LL}} On UN World Environment Day 2001 the Yarra Junction Campus won an award for Best School Based Environment Project for its energy-saving eco-cabins project.

Related Topics:
Yarra Junction - Yarra River - UN

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Nanjing Campus

The newest Caulfield campus is the Nanjing, China campus, opened in 1998. Caulfield focuses on Mandarin Chinese as its major Language Other Than English, and the establishment of a campus in Nanjing allowed the school to strengthen its ties with the region.{{ref|edu}} The Nanjing Campus was the first overseas campus for any Australian high school, and Caulfield was congratulated for its initiative by Australian Prime Minister John Howard and then-Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett.

Related Topics:
Nanjing - China - Mandarin Chinese - John Howard - Jeff Kennett

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At the Nanjing Campus Caulfield students study five key themes of Chinese culture during a five-week program: heritage, work, family, education and challenges. Students travel to the cities of Nanjing, Shanghai, Tongli, and Beijing, visiting such landmarks as the Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City and the Ming Dynasty Tombs, and also complete homestay visits with students from The Affiliated High School of Nanjing Normal University.

Related Topics:
Nanjing - Shanghai - Beijing - Great Wall of China - Forbidden City - Ming Dynasty Tombs - Nanjing Normal University

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Controversy arose in 2001 when a group of Caulfield students at the Great Wall of China were found to have graffitied a section of the Wall. The story made headlines in Melbourne, and was reported on the front page of the city's major newspapers, The Herald Sun and The Age. The issue was resolved between the school and the Chinese government, with the students responsible suspended from school and returned to Australia immediately.

Related Topics:
2001 - Great Wall of China - Graffiti - The Herald Sun - The Age - Chinese government

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