Ravenswood School for Girls

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Motto	Semper Ad Meliora Always Towards Better Things
Established	1901
Type	Private/Independent
Affiliations	Uniting Church, AHIGS, IB
Principal	Ms Vicki Steer
Founder	Miss Mabel Fidler
Chairman	Rev Niall Reid
Location	1B Cecil Street Gordon, 2072 NSW, Australia
Region	Ku-ring-gai, Sydney
Enrollment	1150 students
Grades	Kindergarten to Year 12
School song	'Kindle The Flame'
Website	www.ravenswood.nsw.edu.au

The Ravenswood School for Girls is a Uniting Church, independent, day and boarding School for girls, established in 1901 by Mabel Fidler (1871-1960) [2], for students from Kindergarten to Year 12. Its campus is situated in Gordon, on Sydney's Upper North Shore, New South Wales, Australia. Its motto, Semper Ad Meliora, means "Always Towards Better Things".

Ravenswood is a member of the Alliance of Girls’ Schools (Australasia), which includes memberships of independent and public, day and boarding schools across Australia and New Zealand with affiliates in the United States of America. The school is also a member of the Association of Heads of Independent Girls' Schools.

There are currently 2 students in Kindergarten to Year 6 and 830 students in Years 7 to 12, of which 1 is a boarders (boarding to be phased out in the next 6 to 8 years).

Ravenswood School is currently ranked within the top 200 schools of NSW, attaining consistent academic results in the Higher School Certificate.

In its Centenary Year in 2001, the school celebrated with the official opening of The Centenary Centre. His Excellency the Honourable Sir William Deane, AC, KBE, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia (1996 - 2001) was in attendance.

The current principal is Ms Vicki Steer.

1 History
- 1.1 Principals
2 Curriculum
3 Community
4 Notable alumnae
5 Notes
6 References
7 See also
8 External link

[edit] History

Ravenswood was established with 8 students on the 28th of January 1901, by the first Headmistress Miss Mabel Fidler, as a day school for girls with preparatory classes for boys. The first classes commenced in a schoolroom erected on the block adjacent to Miss Fidler's home, ‘Ravenswood’, in Henry Street, Gordon. The school remains on this site.

In 1925 the school was purchased by the Methodist Ladies' College, Burwood, thus becoming a school of the Methodist Church. Subsequently, the school name was changed to Ravenswood Methodist Ladies' College.

In 1935, Ravenswood became a day and boarding school with the enrolment of the first two boarders.

In the 1970's, as the Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational Churches came together to form the 'Uniting Church', the school name changed to its current form, Ravenswood School for Girls.^[1]

[edit] Principals

Ms Vicki Steer 2005-

Mrs Lorraine Smith 1993-2004

Miss Coral Dixon 1987-1992

Miss Phyllis Evans 1962-1986

Miss Kathleen Crago 1932-1961

Miss Francis Craig 1928-1931

Miss Clarice Ashworth 1927-1928

Miss Ethelwyn Potts 1926

Miss Mabel Fidler 1901-1925 (Founder)

[edit] Curriculum

[edit] Academic

In Years 11 and 12 students may choose to take either the Higher School Certificate course or the International Baccalaureate Diploma Course (IB). Ravenswood is one of the few schools in Sydney to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma programme.

[edit] Sports

A comprehensive program of sports and extra-curricular activities include:
Basketball, Cricket, Cross Country, Diving, Equestrian, Gymnastics, Hockey, Netball, Rowing, Rhythmics, Skiing, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Track and Field, Trampolining and Water Polo.

[edit] Co-Curricular

For Kindergarten to Year 6 students, they are encouraged to participate in these activities:

Debating
Prep School Concert, Musicals and Stage Productions
Primary School Concert Band and String Orchestra
Vocal Ensemble

Activities for Year 7 to Year 12 students include:

Astronomy Club
Bond Moot
Chess Club
Choir and Vocal Ensembles
Community Involvement
Crusaders - Christian group
Dance Festival
Debating
Double Helix Club and CREST - conducted jointly with the CSIRO
Duke of Edinburgh
Interhouse Gymnastics
Mock Trial
Music Festival - annual House competition
Orchestras, Concert and Jazz Band
Theatre Tech Team
Theatre Sports Team

Currently phasing out boarding

[edit] Community

The school has been noted for its significant contributions towards equality for women. In 2001, Ravenswood was the only school in Australia to be short listed for the Most Innovative Practice for the Advancement of Women Award. Also, it is one of only a small number of companies to be awarded an Employer of Choice for Women classification by the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA). Ravenswood has maintained this status in 2002 and 2003.

The School has also been named as one of the top 10 Leading Organisations for the Advancement of Women; chosen from 2500 companies throughout the country.

[edit] Notable alumnae

Julia Baird - SMH columnist and daughter of Bruce Baird, Federal Liberal MP
Jillian Broadbent - Reserve Bank of Australia director
Merideth Hellicar - James Hardie Chairman and former Alan Bond media consultant
Melanie Howard - PM John Howard's daughter
Gretel Killeen - Author and Host of Big Brother
Tammin Sursok - Dani from Home and Away

[edit] Notes

^ History of Ravenswood (2007). [1].

[edit] References

[edit] See also

List of Non-Government schools in New South Wales

Association of Heads of Independent Girls' Schools Schools

Uniting Church in Australia Schools

[edit] External link

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