FROM THE PRINCIPAL
We are pleased to present this report on the 2025 academic year at The Hamilton and Alexandra College. The year was one of continued growth in activity and ambition, and one which saw many successes for Collegians, within and beyond the school.
Illustrative of the breadth and level of achievement in 2025 was a week In Term Three in which we received notifications of a series of achievements of four Year 10 students, one coming in after the other. One student had received a significant award from Equestrian Victoria, another was selected as one of just 11 Victorian students to travel to Gallipoli through the Premier’s Spirt of ANZAC Prize; a third was crowned state champion in the Australian History Competition; and the fourth was awarded an Endeavour Scholarship to become one of only five Australian students, from a pool of over 600, who will form Mission Team Australia and attend a NASA program in mid-2026.
Coming so quickly one after the other, these pleasing notifications gave a
sense of something special building and growing within that particular cohort – a desire to look outwards for opportunities that would stretch themselves beyond school, and a sense of momentum in achieving what they’d aimed for. These achievements show that they are seeking to envolve and challenging themselves in the areas that they have come to love. They are representative of the broader student body in that they are choosing to try for something hard and optional, and that is enormously pleasing.
In addition to cultural and academic momentum, there were also a variety of more tangible developments in 2025. The Wilma Hearn Arena was opened in December by the Governor of Victoria, Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Margaret Gardner AC. This full competition-sized undercover arena brings our equestrian facilities to the equal of any school in the country, and will be well-loved and well-used by College riders for many decades to come.
The Winter Cooke Garden and landscaping
in Middle Years was completed and opened, realising years of volunteer work and donations by the Parents’ and Friends’ Association, and is being appreciated by our Middle School students. The garden appropriately recognises the long and valued contribution of former Head of Middle Years, Julia Winter Cooke.
And, perhaps most excitingly, our vision for the College’s Mirranatwa property has taken a very firm form – both in design and intents. At a time when young people are craving the licence to develop real, human connections with one another, our new education facility at Mirranatwa will be our place, at the foot of Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park, to disconnect, slow down and reconnect with one another and the natural world. In 2025 designs were finalised for the educational facility that will be not just a building, but will manifest our belief that in the coming technological age, the abilities to think for oneself, to endure problems and difficulty, and to forge human connections will be the currencies of success. Mirranatwa will provide the place for College students to
EXEMPLARY
AND STAFF
TEACHERS
develop these critical skills. In 2025 we have made great progress towards this.
The VCE results in 2025 were the strongest of the past six years and continue a trend of growth in academic achievement. We had five scholars – students achieving an ATAR over 95 – the dux achieved an ATAR of 97.9, and improvements in the percentages of Study Scores over 40, ATARs over 90 and ATARs over 95. We are enormously proud of the efforts of the Class of 2025 who have received some excellent results. At The Hamilton and Alexandra College excellence is not measured by numbers alone, but by the contribution, character and ambition of each student as they leave the College. On all of these levels, the Class of 2025 have excelled.
Our co-curricular program thrived again in 2025, with strong student involvement and commitment across sports, enjoying particular success in hockey, rowing, and clay-target shooting. Our arts calendar featured a triumphant, sold-out run of the College musical, Mamma Mia!, as well as collaborations with the Australian String Quartet and the Australian Brandenberg Orchestra. Our Year 9 Experience cultural immersion and service trip to Vietnam clocked up its third highly successful year, our first post-COVID China Cultural Trip revisited many old friends, and an energetic group made a positive impact on their service program to Sri Lanka in the immediate aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah. International service programs continue
SUSTAINABLE RESOURCING
EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT FUTURES
INCOME 2025
to become an increasingly important part of the College’s program, reinforcing our emphasis on being in the world as well as just studying about it.
Our staff continued to serve the College and its students with exceptional dedication and diligence. Many sought to stretch and grow in their professional capacities, of note being two completing formal coaching qualifications, two completing their doctoral-level studies, and four being trained in instructional coaching. It was especially wonderful to stand alongside the Old Collegians’ Association this year in a new initiative of granting life membership to staff who have served the College for 10 years or more. In August we recognised over 30 staff with 10 years or more of service – over 20% of the total staff body – a striking statistic reinforcing our staff’s commitment to and love for the College.
In 2025, the College continued to confidently assert the value of our offering
RICH COMMUNITY OF SERVICE
across academic and co-curricular spheres. We understand the importance of what we offer – warmth of welcome and a deep understanding of each student; pastoral and character education through rich curricular and co-curricular programs; and the value in what lies in the academic hinterland beyond the edges of the prescribed curriculum. These are things that College does well. James Hanscombe, Executive Principal of Harris Westminster, wrote in one of his assembly addresses:
“…the strange privilege of success: the reward for working hard…is that you have the opportunity to work even harder.”
The momentum and achievements we saw at College in 2025 are not the end point for us. They simply provide the direction and pattern for further successes and the ongoing development and growth of our wonderful school. We commend this report to you as a snapshot of a school in full flight in 2025.
Dr Michael Horne Principal Rosemary Merrin Board Chair
COLLEGE BACKGROUND
This report relates to The Hamilton and Alexandra College 2025 year. It contains performance information for parents and stakeholders, as well as information that complies with the State and Federal reporting requirements.
STEEPED IN TRADITION, MODERN IN LEARNING
Since 1872, The Hamilton and Alexandra College has proudly nurtured academic opportunities for all students. The College is a non-selective, co-educational, independent day and boarding school, catering to around 470 students from our Early Learning Centre (ELC) to Year 12.
The College has a strong tradition of academic, sporting, music and performing arts excellence. Students access a vast range of subjects, inside and out of the classroom, allowing each child to discover their own study pathway, suited to their strengths and interests. The school environment
is supportive and delivers programs designed to encourage optimum individual achievement, nurtures character and personal development and ultimately fosters confident futures for all students.
We also promote a global approach to education, hosting an international student program. This was impacted significantly by the Covid-19 pandemic, however we have been working with international agents to rebuild our international boarding program and are seeing a strong uplift in international enrolments.
LOCATION AND ENVIRONMENT
The College is located in Hamilton, in Western Victoria, accessible from both Melbourne and Adelaide. The Middle/ Senior and Junior/Boarding campuses are set on two beautiful, spacious and safe locations in walking distance of each other.
STUDENT BODY
Traditionally, the College student population has been Anglo Celtic, reflecting the western Victoria demographic; however, our region is increasingly welcoming new families with varied origins, and we are proud that our school community is reflecting this diversity. In addition, our international students enrich us by introducing their cultural experiences. In 2025, 1% of the student population was indigenous and 3% was international. Whilst these cultural changes are noticeable within the school community, the vast majority of our students speak English at home, and most students come from families with a Christian faith background.
PROGRAMS
The College offers broad academic and co-curricular programs with a strong emphasis on individual attention and pastoral care. There is a wide range of opportunities in sport, equestrian, music, outdoor education, drama, leadership, hospitality, art, community service and public speaking.
For our Junior School students, we believe in building strong learning foundations across all programs and we seek to deliver a comprehensive and relevant curriculum in the formative early years. This begins with the play-based, hands-on program in the Early Learning Centre and continues through to a more structured learning model by Year 6. All students have leadership opportunities and access a service learning program through the SRC and KidsMatter groups.
At the Senior School, learning is transformational. Each student’s learning program is individualised and it is designed to give them agency and the opportunity to direct their own learning pathway as they participate in the Engage, Explore, Emerge curriculum programs.
Year 7s participate in Engage, which supports their transition to senior school and engagement with learning. Students build a solid foundation through a range of subjects whilst consolidating routines for effective learning and building character and knowledge.
Year 8 and 9 is called Explore because they access a wide choice of elective subjects and start to focus on their interest areas, character strengths and passions.
Years 10, 11 and 12 are in Emerge, they have highlighted their pathways and are concentrating on developing a strong and targeted program for their VCE.
We also offer several Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, such as Engineering, Agriculture, Hospitality, Equine, Building and Construction, and Beauty, working closely with registered organisations to deliver them, including our local partners Rural Industries Skills Training (RIST) and South West Tafe.
ACADEMIC RESULTS
Our academic results identify the College as the region’s top performer at VCE and other levels, and in the top regional schools nationally. In the past decade, our mean ATAR has been 74.
FACILITIES
Since 2004, we have spent close to $30 million on College infrastructure – completing the Wilma Hearn Indoor Equestrian Arena, outdoor play and learning space for the Middle Years campus, Year 12 Common Room, Year 12 Macdonald and Speirs Boarding House extensions and an onsite Director of Boarding residence, refurbished the Senior School library, constructed the Middle Years Positive Education Centre, the Kantor Family Music and Performing Arts Centre, the Visual Arts Centre, the Geoff Handbury Sports Centre, the Helen Handbury Science Centre, and the Neil MacLean Hockey Field. Our facilities provide best-in-class learning opportunities for our students, both in academia and cocurricular activities.
LOCALLY: MIRRANATWA CAMPUS
GLOBALLY: YEAR 9 VIETNAM
CONNECTED COMMUNITY AND SERVICE LEARNING
SCHOOL PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
STUDENT ATTENDANCE
We manage student absences proactively. Parents are contacted in the morning for any unannounced absences. Frequent absences are monitored and followed up by the Head of the relevant campus if necessary.
teaching days
Total additional staff days 7 (student-free)
STAFF NUMBERS AND QUALIFICATIONS
*Many staff members work across more than one area listed below.
Senior School Teaching Staff - 42
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
Professional Learning in 2025 continued to be a strategic priority, supporting high quality teaching, strong student outcomes, staff wellbeing, and organisational sustainability.
Throughout the year, professional learning was purposeful, role aligned, and strongly connected to both curriculum improvement and broader school priorities. This report outlines the professional learning undertaken by staff in 2025, identifies key patterns and trends, and summarises the overarching themes emerging across College.
Professional Learning Undertaken
In 2025, all staff participated in a wide range of professional learning activities. These included subject specific conferences, curriculum planning days, assessment and examination briefings, wellbeing training, leadership networks, and industry based meetings.
Cleaning staff – 9
A list of staff qualifications is on page 11. It is also published annually in The Collandrian (College magazine) which is provided to all current families.
A significant proportion of professional learning was undertaken by senior teaching staff, with a clear emphasis on VCE aligned professional learning. Staff engaged in conferences and workshops related to Food Studies, Biology, Geography, English, Psychology, Physical Education, Mathematics, Commerce, Music, Visual Communication Design, and the Arts. Many of these opportunities focused on new or revised study designs, assessment expectations, exam preparation, and insights from chief assessors and professional associations such as VCAA, VATE, STAV, MAV and GTAV.
Professional learning also included extensive whole school and faculty based sessions supporting the implementation of the new Learning Management System, Toddle. These sessions were delivered across ELC to Year 12 and were tailored to meet the differing needs of staff. Training focused on administrative processes, curriculum planning, assessment, reporting, and effective lesson delivery, ensuring staff were supported to use the platform confidently and consistently. The introduction of Toddle represents a significant foundation for improved curriculum coherence, documentation, and communication across the College.
Beyond classroom-based learning, staff involved in VET, careers education, boarding, learning enhancement, administration and leadership participated in targeted professional learning through sector networks and professional bodies. This included VET planning meetings, cluster and pathway forums, boarding conferences and symposia, registrars’ network meetings, and inclusion and learning enhancement forums.
Wellbeing-focused professional learning also formed an important part of the 2025 program, with training related to mental health, resilience, respectful relationships, and student wellbeing, reinforcing our commitment to safe, inclusive and supportive learning environments.
College continues to delivery an instructional coaching program. Staff are engaging in ongoing coaching conversations focused on reflective practice, instructional improvement, and professional dialogue. The initial implementation of classroom observations commenced as part of this coaching process, with a view to strengthening feedback cycles and supporting professional growth in a collegial and developmental manner, while also tailoring professional learning to individual teaching and learning goals.
Across all faculties and roles, professional learning was deliberately aligned to staff responsibilities and school priorities.
2025 Key Trends in Professional Learning
A strong focus on VCE and senior secondary quality
The most prominent trend was the sustained investment in VCE focused professional learning. Teachers attended subject specific conferences, assessor briefings, exam preparation sessions and marking training. These opportunities ensured that teaching practice remained closely aligned to current study designs and assessment standards, strengthening consistency, rigour and student outcomes across VCE subjects.
Growth of professional networks and external partnerships
Staff in learning enhancement, boarding, administration, careers and leadership engaged in regular network meetings that supported collaboration, shared problem solving and sector awareness.
Wellbeing and inclusion as whole College priorities
Wellbeing focused professional learning continued across multiple faculties and roles. Training in mental health, resilience, respectful relationships and student support reinforced whole school approaches to wellbeing and inclusion, supporting staff to respond effectively to student needs.
Increased emphasis on cost effective and flexible delivery
Many professional learning activities were delivered online or through hybrid models. Where possible, staff shared attendance at events, engaged in regional opportunities,
or attended one day conferences in metropolitan centres. This approach balanced budgetary responsibility with access to high quality learning, while also minimising time away from students.
Clear alignment with AITSL Professional Standards
Almost all professional learning aligned explicitly with the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers, particularly Standard 6 (Engage in professional learning) and Standard 7 (Engage professionally with colleagues, parents/carers and the community). Teaching focused PL frequently addressed Standards 2, 3 and 5, while wellbeing and leadership learning often supported Standard 4.
Professional learning in 2025 reflected a strong commitment to curriculum excellence, assessment integrity, and continuous improvement in teaching practice. The year was characterised by the strengthening of shared systems and processes through the introduction of Toddle, and the continued development of a reflective professional culture through instructional coaching. Alongside this, the College sustained a clear focus on staff wellbeing, inclusion, and leadership capability.
Throughout the year professional learning was purposeful, strategic and impact focused, reflecting our commitment to continuous improvement, professional excellence, and the ongoing development of its people in service of its students and community.
NAPLAN results from 2025 (2024, 2023):
NATIONAL BENCHMARKS VCE
All 2025 graduates successfully met the Victorian Certificate of Education requirements. Our ATAR results were strong, with 8% of Year 12 students achieving an ATAR above 95 and 19% scoring above 90%.
NAPLAN benchmarks and testing
NAPLAN testing was conducted for Year 3, 5, 7 and 9 students. This data has been included in student profiles and data analysis in the Learning Management System, providing additional feedback to staff on student progress in Literacy and Numeracy.
In 2025 our students demonstrated strong development, gaining results at or above the state mean in the majority of areas tested.
This was the sixth year that College completed NAPLAN using the online format and the IT team enabled the testing process to be seamless.
Our results remain sound across all strands tested with students achieving at or above the national benchmark in each area tested. The overall benchmark scores suggest that our students are performing strongly in comparison to the state wide results.
International Competitions and Assessments for Schools (ICAS) REACH testing
In Semester Two, our students in Years 2 to 6 participated in ICAS REACH Mathematics and ICAS Competition testing. This data collection enabled us to monitor growth and identify areas to target in internal teaching and learning.
Students were tested in English, Spelling and Mathematics assessments and students achieved an excellent set of results.
2025 ICAS REACH Mathematics Results
Results
• Outstanding – 3 students
• Commendable -9 students
2025
ICAS Competition Testing
Assessment
English
Spelling
Mathematics
Results
• High Distinction – 1 student
• Distinction – 2 students
• Credit – 4 students
• Merit – 3 students
• Credit – 4 students
• Merit – 3 students
• Distinction – 1 student
• Credit – 5 students
• Merit – 5 students
SENIOR SECONDARY OUTCOMES
Academic achievement information is based on results from the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA). Our 2025 results demonstrated the school’s commitment to academic excellence and working closely with students to achieve their personal best.
VCE results
In 2025, we had a cohort of 63 Year 12 students, 59 of whom completed a scored VCE Program, with four opting for an unscored pathway.
• Dux achieved an ATAR of 97.9
• 8% achieved an ATAR above 95%
• 19% achieved an ATAR above 90%
• 36% received an ATAR above 80%
• 6% achieved study scores above 40
Vocational Education and Training (VET)
In 2025, 27 students across Years 10-12 studied a VET course:
• 1x Cert III Screen and media – game design
• 8 x Cert II in engineering
• 2 x Cert II in beauty (salon)
• 1 X Cert II Building and construction
• 1 X Cert III Early education and care
• 8 X Cert II in Agriculture (RIST)
• 6 x Cert III in Agriculture (RIST)
Year 12 Tertiary Offers
• 94% of students applied for tertiary study
• 98% of these students received a university offer
• 81% received first or second round offers
Victorian tertiary applications:
• 73% applied to Victorian universities
• 100% received an offer
• 77% received a first or second round offer
Interstate tertiary applications:
• 15 interstate offers were received (all students who applied)
• 24% of students applied to South Australian universities 6 students accepted South Australian offers
• 4 students received offers for University of Tasmania
The greatest number of offers were accepted from Adelaide University, The University of Melbourne, Deakin University, Monash and RMIT University.
Most popular study areas:
• Engineering
• Science
• Psychology
• Business / Commerce
• Arts
• Law
Beyond tertiary education
Four students did not apply for tertiary study and have secured:
• On farm role in Agriculture
• Ongoing study in Early Childcare
• Apprenticeship in joinery
• Traineeship as a horse trainer
FEEDBACK SURVEYS AND FORUMS FOR PARENTS, STUDENTS AND STAFF
Each year, College provides a number of forums for members of the school community to provide input, ask questions and give feedback. The College culture is built on community involvement and therefore, students and families have a high level of accessibility to staff members.
FAMILIES
Families have a number of opportunities to meet face-to-face with staff and provide feedback. Annual onsite or online events in 2025 included:
- Meet the Mentor online (Term One)
- Parent / student / teacher interviews twice a year (Term Two and Four)
- Curriculum evenings (Term Three)
- Year 7 information evening (Term One)
- Careers and networking events
- Welcome drinks (Term One)
- Field days in Lucindale (Term One) and Hamilton (Term Three)
- Annual overseas trips to China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Vietnam.
- Dinners, hosted by Executive team and Board, Penola, Port Fairy and Portland.
All events listed above had very strong attendance rates, positive engagement and all feedback and questions were addressed in a timely manner. Our Parents’ and Friends’ Committee continue to operate with strong volunteer support for the College community, holding 1-3 fundraising events each term.
STUDENTS
- Student Representative Council (SRC) meets 3-4 times a term. Students are invited to provide feedback through their year level representatives or directly to the Chair.
- Time with their Mentors twice a week.
- Year 7 students have a Year 12 buddy for the year.
- Staff share Student Wellbeing information in the Monday morning briefing each week, and the Student Wellbeing Team meets twice a term.
Via the SRC, several new wellness initiatives were added to the annual Wellness Week with a focus on inclusion. Through the Staff Wellbeing team, individual student support plans were put in place for all relevant teachers and staff to action.
STAFF
- The Staff Wellbeing Committee meets once a term. Staff are invited to submit feedback/questions/concerns ahead of this meeting.
- The Learning and Teaching Executive team meets twice per term.
- Staff Professional Learning is held weekly – the schedule changes to provide time for faculty team planning and all staff together. This scheduled time provides an opportunity for feedback and questions.
Through the forums listed, feedback was escalated to the Management team as required and actions communicated back to the relevant group. Several reviews and revised processes were implemented via the Staff Wellbeing Committee, including communication timelines, co-curricular policy, position descriptions, and faculty planning time.
COLLEGE BOARD
The Hamilton and Alexandra College Board is responsible for overall governance of the College, and together with the Principal, setting the strategic direction. The Board includes three subcommittees; Strategic Planning, Governance, and Finance which contribute to overall school governance.
ROSEMARY MERRIN
BA (Hons), GAICD
Rosie is the Board Chair, she joined the Board in 2017. Rosie and her husband David run a beef cattle and fine wool merino business near Penshurst along with a large-scale conversation venture in NSW. Rosie has a keen interest in education and the arts, particularly the fields of music, history and literature. She has maintained this interest through board and other voluntary positions with a number of educational and cultural organisations. Rosie is an Old Collegian, her eldest William graduated in 2023, Sophie in 2025 and Rupert currently attends the College.
LUCY CUMMING
BA GradDip, EdPsych, DipEd, MAppPosPsych, MAICD)
Lucy joined the Board in 2025. Lucy is an accomplished educational leader with 25 years of experience in leading independent schools. She is currently the Head of Senior School (City) at Haileybury, one of Australia’s top-performing co-educational schools. Lucy’s previous role was Deputy Principal – Boarding and Community at Ravenswood School for Girls (Sydney), where she led the boarding program transformation into an award-winning, goldstandard model recognised nationally. Lucy held senior leadership roles at Xavier College (Melbourne) and pioneered curriculum innovation and immersive language programs. Dedicated to community-building and the holistic development of young people, Lucy provides experience in governance, wellbeing, and educational leadership support.
ROSLYN LAW
BA, DipEd Roslyn joined the Board in 2017. She has a degree in English and Politics from University of Melbourne and a Diploma in Education. Roslyn taught senior English and History in country Victoria, Melbourne and Sydney, and lived Perth for several years. In between teaching appointments, Roslyn worked in the airline and beef cattle industries and her family retains farming interests at Mortlake. Roslyn retired from the Board in May 2025.
SAM ROBERTS
BBus (Ag Comm), LLB
BILL HAMILL
BBus, MEd, DipVet, FAICD
Bill joined the Board 2012. He is currently the Deputy Chair, Chair of the Finance Committee and is the former Chair of the College Foundation. Bill is Chief Executive Officer of Rural Industries Skill Training (RIST), a leading national agricultural training organisation based in Hamilton. Bill grew up in rural Australia and has maintained this connection with the agricultural sector through senior management and board positions with a range of national organisations servicing country Australia. Bill and Kathryn’s three children, Calder (2008), Conrad (2010) and Anastasia (2012) all attended the College.
DAVID DYER
MPhil (Economics), BCom (Hons), LLB (Hons)
David joined the Board in 2021 and is Chair of the Strategic Planning Committee. Originally from Digby, David now lives in Melbourne. He worked at McKinsey & Company for 25 years and was a partner for over 13 years, leading the Melbourne Office and serving resources, finance and public sector clients in Australia and Asia. David has studied at both The University Melbourne and Oxford University in England and has expertise in strategy, organisation, reputation and sustainability. David has a strong interest in education and mental health and also serves on the Steering Committee for Beyond Blue’s ‘Be You’ mental health initiative for schools and early learning services. David is an Old Collegian (1992).
NEIL MACLEAN
BA, DipEd, MACE, MACEL
Neil joined the Board in May 2024. He is a retired teacher who commenced his teaching career at the College in 1978. In subsequent years, he had experience in a range of curricular and co-curricular roles a n d was Deputy to four Principals. At times, he was Acting Principal. Neil’s knowledge of the College community gained through these experiences and his care of the College Archives and authorship of the sesquicentenary history of the College give him a sound awareness of the opportunities for, and challenges and needs of, a school like the College. Neil’s two daughters are Old Collegians, Catherine (2009) and Annie (2012).
Sam joined the Board in 2017, he is a farmer in Harrow specialising in wool, sheepmeat and cropping. He is a member of the local CFA and has held the role of Secretary/Treasurer for over 20 years. Sam has a strong interest in local education, having served on the Harrow local school council for 10 years. He has also been involved in many roles in the local sporting clubs and associations, having a particular interest in cricket, playing at both College and Pigeon Ponds. Sam’s three children are Old Collegians, Lucy (2022), Fergus (2021) and Claudia (2018).
JAMES CASTLEY
BCom (Acc), BEc, Chartered Accountant CA, Fellow of the Taxation Institute of Australia (FTIA)
James joined the Board in June 2024 and is a Principal at Sinclair Wilson. James has worked as an Accountant, providing industry best standard Taxation and Business Advice, for more than 10 years. James’s role oversees teams in Hamilton, Mount Gambier, and Warrnambool and his passion is working with family businesses across a large range of industries. James lives in Port Fairy with his family, where he is active in the community, from a patrolling surf club member to a member of the Finance and Risk committee of the Port Fairy Community Bendigo Bank.
FREYA HAWKER
BSc, MSc(Ag)
Freya joined the Board in November 2024. Freya is involved in running a commercial sheep enterprise with her husband Richard on their farm near Apsley. Previously, Freya worked as an agricultural research scientist with the South Australian Research and Development Institute. Freya has a strong interest in education and served on their local school’s council where she was involved in implementing new programs. Freya and her husband Richard (Old Collegian 1994) have three children, Sidney an Old Collegian and Scarlett and Frederick at the College.
NIGEL PAULET
MPharm JP
Nigel joined the College Board in 2012 and is a member of the Governance and Finance Committees. With a background in retail pharmacy ownership and management, he is now a farmer with a commercial beef herd. His farming interests also include cropping and several conservation projects to provide habitat and retard degradation. Nigel’s two children are Old Collegians, Henry (2015) and Claire (2017). Nigel retired from the Board in December 2025.
ACADEMIC STAFF 2025
EXECUTIVE STAFF
Principal
Dr M Horne DEd, MEd, BA (Hons), GradDipEd, GAICD MACEL
Deputy Principal Wellbeing
Miss K Waldron MEd, BEd
Director of Learning and Teaching
Mrs A Robertson MEd, BEd
Head of the Junior School
Mr S Nelson BEd, DipEd
Director of Boarding/Head of Physical Education
Mr A Monk MEd
Business Manager
Mr J Bourke BCom
Director of Community Relations
Mrs A Brown BA (Public Relations)
COLLEGE TEACHING STAFF
Mrs L Addinsall GradDipEd, DipVisArts, Advanced DipBusMgt
Mrs P. Alexander BTch
Miss A Andrews BSc, BNur, GradDipEd
Miss S Baylis BSc, MTch (Sec) (Mathematics and Pysics)
Mrs J Bell BA (Hons), MTeach(Prim), MAPP
Mr J Bell BA Human Movement, GradDipEd, GradCert Outdoor Education
Ms V Bolton BA, GradDipI&T (Spanish), GradDipEd (Secondary) GradCertSpecialEd, Head of Learning Enhancement
Mrs R Bonnett BSc BEd, MEd in Research, Head of VCE Studies and Head of Science
Miss S Brabham BA, BTch
Mr H Burmeister MSc Biochemistry, PostGradeCertEd, Head of Young
Mrs P Callinan BAppSci (Planning), BTch (Hons)
Mrs A Cameron BHlthSci (Hons), MEd
Mrs B Cameron BEd
Mr T Cameron BEng (Elec) Hons, MTch
Mr P Carroll BSc (Hons) DipEd
Mr J Chen BSc, GradDipEd, MA
Mrs AK Christie BEd M Mus Adv Dip (Kodaly Institute of Music Pedagogy, Hungary)
Mrs D Davis BCom, DipEd, Head of Mathematics
Mrs K Dempsey BA, GradDipEd Head of Library
Mr S Dempsey BSc, DipEd
Miss E Dixon BExSc, MTch, Director of Sport
Mr J Guez BBus, GradDipEd
Mrs E Hausler BEd (Secondary Physical Education) Head of Year 9 Experience
Dr B Hawthorne PhD, MEd, BEd, BApp Sci (exercise and sport), Postgrad Cert Ed Research Head of Middle Years
Mr T Hawthorne BEd (Primary), BA
Mrs H Henry BA, BEd, Head of English
Mr B Hiscock BMus, GradDipEd, Director of Music
Mrs E James BEdVisArts, Head of Art
Miss E Johnson BA (Literature and History) and MTch (Secondary)
Mrs S Kelly DipEd, GradDip SpecEd-Integration
Miss A Kenna BA, MTch Head of Drama
Miss K Krstonosic BBus, BA
Miss T Li MTch (Sec), B Media and Comm (Public Relations)
Ms S MacLeod GDipAppL, BA Politics & Policy Studies
Mrs S Malseed B Man, DipEd
Mrs M McDonald DipHosp & Mgt, AdvDipAgri, Cert IV Training & Assessment
Mrs S McMullen B Science, DipEd, Head of Laidlaw House
Mrs B Milich BEd, B Arts Ed Head of Lower Primary
Mr V Naidu BSc (Hons), MTch
Mrs B Nichols BA, DipEd, Head of Learmonth
Mrs J Ogle BA, BEd, TOPS, Head of History and Humanities
Mrs L Patterson BEd
Ms J Porter BEd
Mrs N Prosser BA BT MEd, Head of Berry, Director of Horsemanship (Term 1, 2 & 3)
Miss H Reiher MEd (Student Wellbeing) BEd, Head of Senior Years and Head of Careers
Miss P See BPsych (Hons), MTch (parental leave)
Mr B Singh BMus GradDip (Instr Perf) MMus (Music Studies), MTch(Sec)
Mr P Steer BSc, DipEd, MEd, MCSE, CCNA, CCAI
Mrs L Williams BEd
Miss T Winstanley BECE (Prim)
Mrs K Winter Cooke BEcon, GradDipEd, Daily Organiser (parental leave)
Ms Q Wu BEd
FOUNDATION BOARD
Penny Adamson (President)
Graeme Linke (Vice President)
Natalie Bawden
James Callinan
Adam Dickson
Jen Hutton
Hugh Macdonald
Alex Robinson
Marcus Winter Cooke
OLD COLLEGIANS’ ASSOCIATION
Hugh Koch (President)
Kristabel Lewis (Secretary)
Jane Young (Treasurer)
PARENTS’ AND FRIENDS’ ASSOCIATION
Narelle Hill (President)
Zoe Price (Vice President)
Stacey Balkin (outgoing Treasurer) / Kate Wall (incoming Treasurer)
Phoebe Giles (Secretary)
