Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar School
Encyclopedia
Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar School, most often referred to simply as Lowther Hall, is an independent, Anglican, day school
for girls, located in Essendon
, an inner suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Established in 1920 through the amalgamation of Blinkbonnie's Ladies' College and Winstow Girls' School, the school has a non-selective enrolment policy and currently caters for 800 students from Kindergarten
to Year 12.
Lowther Hall is affiliated with the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA), the Junior School Heads Association of Australia
(JSHAA), the Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia (AGSA), the Association of Independent Schools of Victoria (AISV), and is a founding member of Girls Sport Victoria
(GSV).
Earlsbrae Hall was designed by renowned architect, R.A. Lawson. The exterior of the mansion is described as a Greco-Roman temple with Corinthian
columns. Inside the mansion, one can find carved woodwork and an extensive use of stained glass windows
. 'The Mansion' houses the drawing room
, as well as the administration
wing of the school, music classrooms and the Principal's office.
Earlsbrae Hall was sold for £6500 to the Church of England
Trusts Co-operative for the Diocese of Melbourne
to be used for educational purposes. The school was named after Archbishop Henry Lowther Clarke
who directed the purchase of the building.
Blinkbonnie's Ladies' College in Moonee Ponds
and Winstow Girls' School merged in 1920 to become Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar School.
, which has a gymnasium, numerous tennis, netball
and basketball courts and an oval. There is also a hall, named the Joan M Garde Cultural Centre, which houses dance and drama classrooms, private music rooms, a lecture
theatre, changerooms, a stage, and sports offices. On 28 January 2011, the new science building, the Noelene Horton Centre, had its grand opening.
at Lowther Hall, all named after Anglican Archbishop
s, are Booth (orange), Clarke (green), Hindley (red), Lees (blue), Moorhouse (yellow) and Perry (purple). Each year, the houses compete in events such as athletics, swimming and House Performing Arts, and each year, the house cup is awarded to the house with the highest total of points from the year's events.
. The years Preparatory to 6 are housed in the Junior School
.
Sampford House houses students from Years 7 to 9. It consists of two stories, and is currently undergoing major renovations. On ground level in the already refurbished portion of Sampford House, there is a multi-purpose area, food technology kitchen and tutor room – as well as classrooms. Sampford House was named after a principal, Evelyn. E. Sampford. Each homegroup in years seven to nine ends with the suffix S, M or P – letters drawn from the word 'S a M Pford'. Years 10, 11 and 12 form Grant House and each Year 10 homegroup ends in G N or T, from the word Grant. Year 11 and 12 homerooms are in houses: Booth, Clarke, Hindley, Moorhouse, Lees and Perry.
and hip-hop dance sport areas, with teams in state and national finals. The school has also had successful rowing seasons.
Lowther Hall has several esteemed choir
s and orchestras. All students must join an ensemble
as well as an instrument
from year three to year eight, however those in senior school do not need to be in an ensemble. The choirs take out prizes almost every year at the Geelong Eisteddfod among numerous other choral competitions, and have sung at major events such as the 100th anniversary of the 1901 Federation.
. Term Three is designated as a fundraising
term where various activities are organised in order to raise money for charities.
Day school
A day school—as opposed to a boarding school—is an institution where children are given educational instruction during the day and after which children/teens return to their homes...
for girls, located in Essendon
Essendon, Victoria
Essendon is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 10 km north-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Moonee Valley...
, an inner suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Established in 1920 through the amalgamation of Blinkbonnie's Ladies' College and Winstow Girls' School, the school has a non-selective enrolment policy and currently caters for 800 students from Kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
to Year 12.
Lowther Hall is affiliated with the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA), the Junior School Heads Association of Australia
Junior School Heads Association of Australia
The Independent Primary School Heads of Australia formerly Junior School Heads Association of Australia , is an incorporated body representing the heads of independent primary schools in Australia....
(JSHAA), the Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia (AGSA), the Association of Independent Schools of Victoria (AISV), and is a founding member of Girls Sport Victoria
Girls Sport Victoria
Girls' Sport Victoria was established in 2001, and is one of the largest independent school sporting association in Victoria, with 24 member schools from around Melbourne....
(GSV).
History
Lowther Hall comprises numerous buildings, each varying in age. At the centre of the school is 'Earlsbrae Hall', commonly referred to as 'The Mansion' by students, parents and staff alike, which Coiler McCracken constructed in 1890.Corinthian order
The Corinthian order is one of the three principal classical orders of ancient Greek and Roman architecture. The other two are the Doric and Ionic. When classical architecture was revived during the Renaissance, two more orders were added to the canon, the Tuscan order and the Composite order...
columns. Inside the mansion, one can find carved woodwork and an extensive use of stained glass windows
Stained Glass Windows
Stained Glass Windows was an early broadcast television program, broadcast on early Sunday evenings on the ABC network. The program was a religious broadcast, hosted by the Reverend Everett Parker....
. 'The Mansion' houses the drawing room
Drawing room
A drawing room is a room in a house where visitors may be entertained. The name is derived from the sixteenth-century terms "withdrawing room" and "withdrawing chamber", which remained in use through the seventeenth century, and made its first written appearance in 1642...
, as well as the administration
Academic administration
An academic administration is a branch of university or college employees responsible for the maintenance and supervision of the institution and separate from the faculty or academics, although some personnel may have joint responsibilities...
wing of the school, music classrooms and the Principal's office.
Earlsbrae Hall was sold for £6500 to the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
Trusts Co-operative for the Diocese of Melbourne
Anglican Diocese of Melbourne
The Anglican Diocese of Melbourne is the metropolitan diocese of the Province of Victoria in the Anglican Church of Australia. The diocese includes the urban cities of Melbourne and Geelong and also some more rural areas. The cathedral church is St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne...
to be used for educational purposes. The school was named after Archbishop Henry Lowther Clarke
Henry Lowther Clarke
Henry Lowther Clarke was the fourth Anglican bishop and first archbishop of Melbourne, Australia.-Early life:...
who directed the purchase of the building.
Blinkbonnie's Ladies' College in Moonee Ponds
Moonee Ponds, Victoria
Moonee Ponds is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 7 km north-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Moonee Valley.It is home to Queens Park and the Moonee Valley Racecourse...
and Winstow Girls' School merged in 1920 to become Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar School.
Campus
Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar consists of two campuses: one campus on Leslie Road in Essendon, which is situated close to amenities such as Essendon Station, and a 13-hectare sporting campus on Overnewton Road in KeilorKeilor, Victoria
Keilor is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 18 km north-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area are the Cities of Brimbank and Hume...
, which has a gymnasium, numerous tennis, netball
Netball
Netball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...
and basketball courts and an oval. There is also a hall, named the Joan M Garde Cultural Centre, which houses dance and drama classrooms, private music rooms, a lecture
Lecture
thumb|A lecture on [[linear algebra]] at the [[Helsinki University of Technology]]A lecture is an oral presentation intended to present information or teach people about a particular subject, for example by a university or college teacher. Lectures are used to convey critical information, history,...
theatre, changerooms, a stage, and sports offices. On 28 January 2011, the new science building, the Noelene Horton Centre, had its grand opening.
Houses
The housesHouse system
The house system is a traditional feature of British schools, and schools in the Commonwealth. Historically, it was associated with established public schools, where a 'house' refers to a boarding house or dormitory of a boarding school...
at Lowther Hall, all named after Anglican Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
s, are Booth (orange), Clarke (green), Hindley (red), Lees (blue), Moorhouse (yellow) and Perry (purple). Each year, the houses compete in events such as athletics, swimming and House Performing Arts, and each year, the house cup is awarded to the house with the highest total of points from the year's events.
School structure
The student body is arranged in four sections. The Early Learning Centre is for KindergartenKindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
. The years Preparatory to 6 are housed in the Junior School
Junior school
A junior school is a type of school which caters for children, often between the ages of 7 and 11.-Australia:In Australia, a junior school is usually a part of a private school that educates children between the ages of 5 and 12....
.
Sampford House houses students from Years 7 to 9. It consists of two stories, and is currently undergoing major renovations. On ground level in the already refurbished portion of Sampford House, there is a multi-purpose area, food technology kitchen and tutor room – as well as classrooms. Sampford House was named after a principal, Evelyn. E. Sampford. Each homegroup in years seven to nine ends with the suffix S, M or P – letters drawn from the word 'S a M Pford'. Years 10, 11 and 12 form Grant House and each Year 10 homegroup ends in G N or T, from the word Grant. Year 11 and 12 homerooms are in houses: Booth, Clarke, Hindley, Moorhouse, Lees and Perry.
Sport
Lowther Hall is a member of Girls Sport Victoria (GSV). Twenty-four girl's schools participate in GSV alongside Lowther. Lowther has gained a reputation in the aerobicsAerobics
Aerobics is a form of physical exercise that combines rhythmic aerobic exercise with stretching and strength training routines with the goal of improving all elements of fitness...
and hip-hop dance sport areas, with teams in state and national finals. The school has also had successful rowing seasons.
Music
It has an annual music "day camp", where all the girls involved in music ensembles gather to hone their creative as well as performance skills, and prepare for the annual Spring Concert.Lowther Hall has several esteemed choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
s and orchestras. All students must join an ensemble
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
as well as an instrument
Musical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
from year three to year eight, however those in senior school do not need to be in an ensemble. The choirs take out prizes almost every year at the Geelong Eisteddfod among numerous other choral competitions, and have sung at major events such as the 100th anniversary of the 1901 Federation.
Charity
The school currently supports various charities, as well as a school in BangladeshBangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. Term Three is designated as a fundraising
Fundraising
Fundraising or fund raising is the process of soliciting and gathering voluntary contributions as money or other resources, by requesting donations from individuals, businesses, charitable foundations, or governmental agencies...
term where various activities are organised in order to raise money for charities.