Celebrating 175 years

Handover of the Macquarie Street site (1965) (A Stephenson) JR Buckland 1846-74

Junior School students and staff 1892 Whole school at Hutchins following amalgamation in 1907

Dr Rob McEwan, Headmaster | The Hutchins School, TAS Named after Archdeacon William Hutchins, a man of ‘high-character’, The Hutchins School was founded on the development of character in boys moulded by faith, learning and service to others.

William Hutchins believed that schools and churches were the way to establish a community built on social responsibility and Christian values. He put kindness before rules and regulation. He gave generously to the building of churches and was described as a good man; the very qualities the first Headmaster, Reverend John Richard Buckland said he wanted to remain at the forefront of all boys who attended Hutchins. 175 years later, kindness remains a core value and the development of character remains central to the School’s purpose.

As a pioneering school in Australia, being one of the oldest in this country since the very first day of operation, Hutchins has remained at the forefront of boys’ education throughout its long history. Hutchins was the first to introduce an Outdoor Education program 74 years ago. Hutchins was also one of the first schools to introduce a Middle School, a concept that continues to develop with the opening of a new building to accommodate Year 6 students into the Middle School at our 175th anniversary on 3 August this year. Significantly, the new building was named after another man of good character, long-serving former staff member, Chris Rae.

The Hutchins School continues to lead with initiatives such as the Power of 9, a Dance Troupe with over 120 boys, a Sailing Academy and an explicit Character Development Program, to name a few.

2021 was a time for us all to celebrate and give thanks for the opportunities given to so many generations of students and staff over 175 years of operation. This year is also a time to look to the future with great optimism and enthusiasm as we continue to build on the founding vision of this school. To be a school that nurtures character in every student and provides an inspirational education where each student strives to achieve their personal best and is willing to serve their community.