Community is a publication of Hunter Valley Grammar School and provides parents, staff and the broader HVGS community an update on the actions and achievements of the School’s annual development goals against the School’s Strategic Plan, Future Directions
This document should be read in conjunction with the HVGS Strategic Plan, Future Directions which can be viewed by scanning the QR code below.
Acknowledgment of Country from the HVGS RAP
The students, staff and greater community of Hunter Valley Grammar School would like to acknowledge that we learn on the Land of and in collaboration with, the Wonnarua people. We acknowledge that this always was and always will be Aboriginal Land and value the thousands of years of teaching and learning that has happened on and around our School site prior to the School’s foundation.
We also acknowledge and value the continuation of knowledge sharing which is taking place.
At Hunter Valley Grammar School we work with the environment, not against it. We are surrounded by green spaces that offer protection to the many animals that call this place home, we hear the calling of the birds and the wedge tailed eagle that circles above looking over us. We also hear the vibrancy of the dedicated students and passionate staff who bring with them the gift of their own cultures from around the globe, and who help guide us along our journey.
As you walk the lands on which Hunter Valley Grammar School resides, we encourage you to walk gently, listen deeply, show compassion and be respectful.
We would like to pay our respect to Elders past and present and acknowledge their continuing contributions and guidance that enrich our education and life at Hunter Valley Grammar School.
Priority Area 1
8
Connected and Flourishing Community
Priority Area 2
12
Human-centred and Sustainable Systems
Priority Area 4
10
Inclusion and Belonging
Priority Area 3
Mission
Hunter Valley Grammar School promotes the values for life education for each student which embraces their intellectual and emotional development, encourages the pursuit of excellence in all areas, and develops in students the desire to become lifelong learners with a desire to grasp life’s opportunities.
We do this within a learning community that lives its values and provides each student with a range of quality educational and developmental experiences.
Our Values for Life
• Responsibility
• Citizenship
• Optimism
• Integrity
• Courage
• Gratitude
• Respect
• Compassion
Our Aspiration
In 2028 Hunter Valley Grammar School will be known as the school of choice where students achieve excellence because they feel safe, secure and a strong sense of belonging within the community. Students will have the competencies that enable them to be agents of change, and diverse pathways to excellence from which to choose.
At HVGS students will thrive because staff are flourishing in a school that is human-centred and sustainable by design. HVGS students will be known as outwardly focused global citizens who are actively engaged in their local community and prepared for the challenges and opportunities the future holds.
From the Principal
2024 was a busy and rewarding year! Our students excelled in various endeavours—academically, in the arts and sports, and through leadership and service to the community, both within and beyond HVGS. Our dedicated staff also achieved a great deal, working tirelessly to enhance learning experiences, strengthen community connections, and drive key initiatives forward. As you move through the pages of Community 2024, you will see what we accomplished throughout 2024 and what is to come in 2025.
In 2024:
• We achieved authorisation to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme – we are now a four programme IB school and the only one in Australia. Alongside this our amazing teachers are being recognised as leaders in IB education.
• We published our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) – a collaborative effort involving students and staff, and as part of this process we have deepened our ties with the Maitland Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG).
• Our teachers have been rewriting their curriculum programs in line with new NESA syllabi, with more of that to come in 2025.
• We have completed the first year of our partnership with Real Schools, an organisation that is helping us build a restorative culture across the School where students have the tools to acknowledge when they have caused harm and strategies for making amends.
• We have fostered student voice through having students involved in the recruitment process for major roles in the school including Head of Co-Curricular Sports, Head of Curriculum (7-10) and the Deputy Principal/Head of Senior School role.
• The Grammar Grapevine student-led podcast was launched.
• Students, parents and staff were involved in a review of our School uniform, with more to come in 2025.
• Work on the Cameron Centre roof began, with a new floor and LCD screens installed as well.
• New outdoor learning spaces were designed and developed, including the Treehouse Playground in the Junior School and the Riverbed in the Junior School COA. Additionally, an exciting new outdoor learning space outside the Kindergarten classrooms commenced.
• We also launched the HVGS App.
This is but a snapshot of the many goals we achieved in 2024 – some of which were planned and some of which grew from our focus on the four pillars of our Strategic Plan (Excellence in Holistic Learning, Connected and Flourishing Community, Inclusion and Belonging and Human-Centred and Sustainable Systems).
In terms of being a “Connected and Flourishing Community” there is one last goal that we must highlight in its own right: the formation of an Interim Parents and Carers’ Association (IPCA). We are well on the way to having a fully-fledged Parents and Carers’ Association (PCA) at HVGS. I would like to extend my thanks to the interim PCA who is working hard to support our transition programs, community events and the development of a formal PCA in 2025.
2025 marks the School’s 35th birthday and the third year of our Strategic Plan - we have achieved a lot already. I look forward to continuing to work with students, staff and parents to ensure HVGS remains a school that is preparing our students for their future.
Warm regards
Rebecca Butterworth Principal
Excellence in Holistic Education
ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2024
• HVGS officially received authorisation to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP), making us the only school in Australia to offer all four IB programmes. The authorisation report from the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) was outstanding—an exceptional achievement.
• The Principles of Teaching and Learning, developed in 2023 form the basis of a new Professional Growth Cycle for staff. This was piloted in 2024 and uses mastery frameworks to support staff goal setting and professional growth.
• Key staff completed training in data literacy to enhance our ability to use data and evidence effectively, strengthening decision-making processes across the School. This work will continue into 2025.
• Preparation began to support teams in managing the International Baccalaureate
(IB) self-study process. Self-study committees were established, and the initial collection of documents for preliminary review commenced. The full implementation of the self-study process will begin in 2025.
• Work commenced on embedding the principles of Intercultural Development across the curriculum. Teachers completed the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), setting team-based goals informed by their results. Whole-school data was also reviewed to inform broader intercultural development goals. Staff began refining the curriculum to align with these goals.
• A review of the Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) commenced to ensure authentic embedding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives in the curriculum. This work will expand into HVGS Cocurricular programs.
• The Early Learning Centre (ELC) team completed their work on the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) curriculum changes and updated their curriculum, as well as their teaching and learning resources. This will now be monitored on an ongoing basis.
• Updates to the NESA curriculum were developed, and new curriculum changes were launched in 2024.
• A Vision Statement for the HVGS Experiential Learning Program was developed which also encompassed the Camp Program. This work saw the articulation and development of the 2025 Endeavour Program for our Year 10 and 11 students.
Science Week in the Junior School
STRATEGIC FOCUS AREAS FOR 2025
• Implement the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) and an enhanced International Baccalaureate Careerrelated Programme (IBCP).
• Complete the collaborative IB programme self-study process that supports improvements in learning and teaching and deep, reflective thinking amongst staff.
• Embed principles of intercultural development across the curriculum and develop culturally responsive teaching programs to support this work.
• Develop a data map to identify the data we have, its location, and how it is utilised.
• Implement new NESA curriculum in ways that are collaborative, align with the Principles of Learning and Teaching, and that support innovation at HVGS.
• Implement the Endeavour Program and conduct a review of trips in preparation for 2026 and 2027.
• Develop criteria for highquality overseas trips and tours that are aligned with the HVGS definition of Experiential Learning, the HVGS Motto and the HVGS Values for Life.
Jack Ryan Year 10 MYP Personal Project
A strong focus on differentiated pathways to excellence, mastery frameworks, agency in learning, and effective structures for student inquiry, enables students to find their passions, pursue them and know what excellence looks like across all dimensions of learning.
Leading the way in IB Education
With the addition of the IB Diploma Programme, HVGS has become the only four IB Programme school in Australia.
Scan the QR code and read more about the IBDP at HVGS.
Connected and Flourishing Community
ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2024
• Our third staff cohort commenced Cognitive Coaching with Grift Education. The skills staff have obtained through Cognitive Coaching will be leveraged through the Professional Growth Cycle (refer to the Excellence in Holistic Education Focus Area in this document), coaching conversations with students and during collaborative meetings with staff and parents.
• Partnerships with Maitland City Council were strengthened, with the HVGS Head of Operations appointed as the liaison to address traffic management around the School. Following a traffic study conducted by HVGS, minor adjustments to Drop-Off Zone protocols and signage were implemented.
• Our focus on developing a parent engagement strategy to suit the needs of parents and the School saw the development of the HVGS Interim Parents and Carers’ Association. Volunteers from the group have supported the School at Year 7 and Kindergarten orientation events and the Community Picnic. The IPCA also developed a PCA Charter in collaboration with the Principal.
• The Head of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education is now a full member of the Maitland AECG, and HVGS has taken student delegates to a meeting. Our hope is to increase the attendance of student delegates, fostering more student voice and promoting networking opportunities across schools.
• In November 2024, the Head of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education attended the Maitland AECG
Wanay KuwayKuway Awards, where one staff member and nine students received awards.
• A review of co-curricular offerings in the Junior School was conducted, resulting in an expanded range of activities through partnerships with external organisations, providing more oncampus options for students. This will be monitored on an ongoing basis.
Community Picnic (2024)
STRATEGIC FOCUS AREAS FOR 2025
• Develop a structure and Terms of Reference for the Parents and Carers’ Association that reflects the School’s Values for Life, Mission and Motto.
• Finalise the Parents and Carer’s Association (PCA) Charter and implement the PCA at HVGS.
• Continue to build a strong culture of collaboration by embedding Cognitive Coaching, ongoing reflection on intercultural competencies and restorative practices into our “ways of working” at HVGS.
• Implement a communications strategy to support current and future parent and student understanding of the learning programs at HVGS.
• Review the co-curricular sports program to ensure it aligns with the Principles of Learning and Teaching, HVGS Motto, Mission and Values for Life.
A connected, compassionate and caring community means greater opportunities for student learning within and beyond the classroom, and alignment with a shared purpose and sense of responsibility for learning.
Interim Parent and Carers’ Association welcome our new HVGS families
Our Interim Parent and Carers’ Association (IPCA) have been out in force supporting new families as they transition to the School.
You’ll hear more about the PCA at HVGS during 2025.
Mr McKensey helps out in Pick Up and Drop Off Zone
Inclusion and Belonging
ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2024
• The first year of the Real Schools Partnership has been successfully implemented.
Regular updates for staff and parents are shared on a bi-weekly basis and a team of ‘Real School Champions’ has been established. Face-to-face workshops are being provided to the community by the facilitator, along with expert advice for addressing complex behaviour issues as needed.
• A K-12 Gifted and Talented (GAT) Action Plan was created, embedding multiple models of differentiation across the curriculum to support gifted students. Interventions and opportunity programs are in place, with success measured through student testing, external competitions, and internal assessments. This data is being analysed to track student progress and evaluate program effectiveness.
• In the Junior School, a summary of GAT offerings was developed to enhance communication with parents, providing a
clear roadmap that incorporates student voice.
• A review of the HVGS Uniform Policy was conducted with staff, students, and parents. The review included four student workshops, two parent workshops, a student presentation to the Board, a staff survey, and one staff workshop. Data from these activities identified key themes and priorities. These will be further explored in 2025.
• The K-12 Child Safe Standards were embedded across the community.
• HVGS reviewed how student achievement is celebrated and recognised across the School. As a result, the ‘Success through Endeavour’ Award was introduced in the Junior School to recognise daily personal excellence, effort, and growth. Additionally, a new commendation structure was implemented, focusing on effort, improvement, and leadership, ensuring a more positive and targeted approach to acknowledging student achievements.
• HVGS continued to expand opportunities for student voice and agency. Students participated in recruitment panels for leadership roles within the School, launched the student-led podcast The GrammarGrapevine, and presented to Executive and Board members on various topics. In the Senior School, Prefects were assigned Student Council portfolios, while in the Junior School, student-led environmental and service groups thrived.
• A Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) was published and an Action Plan developed.
• Throughout 2024, the Head of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education actively worked with families to build strong, trusting relationships. As a result, more families are sharing their Indigenous heritage, and an increasing number of students are seeking visible leadership opportunities.
Junior School students celebrate Harmony Day in 2024
STRATEGIC FOCUS AREAS FOR 2025
• Develop a roadmap for Inclusion and Belonging at HVGS that takes into account current and future needs and the resourcing required to realise HVGS’ vision of inclusion.
• Review behaviour management practices and behaviour levels in line with positive behaviour and restorative principles, guided by the Real Schools Project implementation.
• Refine the HVGS Uniform Policy and implement recommended changes within a timeline that is sustainable and supportive.
When staff and students feel like they belong, have a sense of agency at school and feel that their perspectives are valued, learning happens for everyone.
Restorative Practice at HVGS
Restorative Practice is a whole-school teaching and learning framework that prioritises supportive, respectful behaviour.
Scan the QR code and read more about Restorative Practice at HVGS.
HVGS staff celebrate Harmony Day
Human-centred and Sustainable Systems
ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2024
Facilities
• Work commenced on the restoration of the Cameron Centre roof. A new floor and new LED screens were also included as part of the project scope.
• Preparation began for land elevation to support the construction of the new farmhouse on the HVGS Farm with building set to commence in 2025.
• A number of outdoor learning spaces were enhanced including the Junior School Treehouse Playground and the Junior School Riverbed near the COA. The design and construction of the Stage 1 Outdoor Learning Space commenced.
Communications and Advancement
• The new Parent App was launched to the community and is now embedded as an important parent platform.
• A robust strategy to attract students to the IB programmes has been developed
and appropriate marketing strategies and tactics were applied to promote the School’s IB Programmes.
• A review of the School’s Terms and Conditions of Enrolment was undertaken with plans of future implementation.
• A new school website commenced development and will launch in Semester 2, 2025.
Information and Communications Technology
• A Cybersecurity Plan was developed and approved by the School Board. The Roadmap was initiated in 2024 and will continue in 2025.
• To ensure effective controls are in place to mitigate vulnerabilities, penetration testing was undertaken. A regular schedule of testing has been developed.
• A Cybersecurity Critical Incident Response Plan was included in the
• HVGS committed to implementing ISO27001, with the Board agreeing to pursue MLA2 certification.
Our People. Our Staff
• A new appraisal system to support ongoing professional growth and foster a culture of coaching and collaboration was piloted.
• HVGS worked collaboratively with AISNSW and the IEU to develop a new Cooperative Multi Enterprise Agreement (CMEA) that is sustainable and supports the recruitment and retention of highquality staff.
Junior School opens the new Treehouse Playground
STRATEGIC FOCUS AREAS FOR 2025
Our Staff. Our People
• Develop and implement a Staff Consultative Committee with clear Terms of Reference.
• Develop a Flexible Work Policy in consultation with staff.
• Implement the Professional Growth Cycle with all staff.
• Create and implement a three-year evaluation process for all staff.
Facilities
• Finalise designs for Junior School GLAs and prepare for the first stage of implementation.
• Complete the rebuild of the farmhouse on the HVGS farm in line with flood mitigation strategies.
• Investigate opportunities for external Facility Hire of HVGS Facilities.
Information
and Communication Technology
• Implement the Cybersecurity Strategy and Roadmap
• Deliver a robust Cybersecurity Critical Incident Response process that is well-understood by School Leaders.
Advancement and Community Engagement
• Review CRICOS
Accreditation in terms of the Enrolment Strategy.
• Increase enrolments to target numbers by Census while ensuring a strong pipeline for future growth.
Risk and Compliance
• Implement a roadmap to address recommendations from the Information Management Project.
• Refine and further develop a compulsory training program for middle level and senior leaders in child safe practices, crisis management and emergency procedures.
When systems place at their centre, the experience of people and seek to be sustainable into the future, schools are less prone to change and can provide stability to focus their energy on student learning.
One of our biggest projects in 2024 was the restoration of the Cameron Centre!
The restoration of the Cameron Centre roof, flooring, LED screens and other general areas was completed. We are excited to see the Cameron Centre become alive again with sport, events and assemblies in 2025.
