Prospectus
To inspire a love of life and learning…
Ski Resorts
Jindabyne Pony Club and SMGS Agistment Paddocks
Jindabyne Airfield Jindabyne Sport and Recreation
You Are Here
Snowy Mountains Grammar School is located in Jindabyne, New South Wales, in the heart of Australia’s alpine playground. The town is situated outside Kosciuszko National Park, at the base of the Thredbo Valley.
The School’s spectacular lakeside location, nestled in the foothills of the Snowy Mountains, guarantees a safe, clean and healthy environment for our students to grow and develop. Few schools can match the natural ‘playground’ that our students call home.
Perisher and Thredbo ski resorts: 30mins
Canberra: 2hrs 30mins
South Coast: 2hrs 30mins
Braidwood: 2hrs 30mins
Tumut: 2hrs 40mins
Wagga Wagga: 4hrs
Albury: 3hrs 45mins
SMGS Campus and Boarding House
Welcome
Equipping Young People for an Exceptional Future
Welcome, and thank you for your interest in our dynamic school located in the pristine Snowy Mountains region of New South Wales. Our mission to work with families to develop well-rounded individuals stems from our belief in a holistic education underpinned by strong Christian values and character-based education. Indeed, it does take a village to raise a child, and a strong sense of community is a core feature of Snowy Mountains Grammar School.
We are committed to ensuring all of our students are truly known, experience a strong sense of belonging and acceptance, and develop the courage and confidence to take risks within their learning environment to optimise their potential. Our moral imperative is to inspire the hearts and minds of those most precious in our community, where they, in turn, will make meaningful contributions to the wider community now and into the future.
We have a responsibility to educate our next generation of citizens and leaders to act ethically, be accepting of others, to dream big and ultimately learn how to make a real difference by striving for personal excellence in their chosen pathway in life. The chosen career paths of so many of our alumni are inspiring to us all.
Careers are a rapidly-evolving construct in society, with an appetite for disruption now firmly embedded in globally connected economies. Our attitude, as a provider of a modern education, is to remain open and agile, to innovate so as to improve the experience for students, and to prepare them for the world they are entering, not merely the one that we, as adults, experienced when we were at school.
Attitude is critical in life – our students have positive role models and mentors to learn from daily with our team of committed staff going above and beyond. Learning how to problem solve, think laterally, show determination and overcome adversity are all part of the experience and learning journey.
The earlier a student is immersed in such a learning environment, the greater the opportunity to develop a positive attitude, embed effective habits of learning and to embrace life and all it has to offer. As parents, and as educators, our gift to our children is to give them the best possible start in life. Our dedicated staff care deeply about our students and this makes all the difference.
Now is an exciting time to be part of Snowy Mountains Grammar School, with so many different opportunities being created in a wide range of academic and diverse learning areas as well as a wide range of co-curricular interests. A high-quality and well-rounded education is offered right here in the Snowy Mountains, where every student can find their own path in life – or create their own. Our learning environment, methodology, programs and physical spaces are constantly evolving to meet the needs of a variety of learner types and we do not subscribe to a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to learning.
Our website provides further insight into what we offer our students and we recommend you explore this and other avenues to learn more about our great School. A more effective way to learn more about us is to personally visit our campus and experience first-hand the ‘feel’ of who we are and what we offer your children for their future.
I am delighted to invite you to find out more and join us on our inspired journey of learning for all students and residential boarders in our care.
Dr Andrew Bell (B.Ed. Health & Physical Ed. First Class Hons.; Ed.D., MACE, MACEL) Principal
What Sets Us Apart
It’s not just what we do, it’s how we do it.
Snowy Mountains Grammar School celebrates 30 years of excellence this year. Our School’s focus has always been on supporting every aspect of your child’s development. We are committed to nurturing confident, capable young people who are world-ready and future-ready.
Our dedicated and caring staff support our students on their academic and personal journeys, empowering them to thrive intellectually, emotionally, socially, physically and ethically.
We prioritise developing students’ emotional skills, resilience and physical health alongside their academic achievement. This is because we know that when our students are well, they can excel in life and learning.
Innovative Education
Our experienced educators work closely with students and families, providing a tailored approach to ensure each child can achieve their best. Imagine your child learning through innovative and flexible approaches that cater to their learning preferences – a learning community where hands-on experience and the development of creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills are all valued. Add to this, learning which blends technology including robotics, coding, podcasting and digital art, equipping your child to thrive in our rapidly-evolving digital landscape.
Real-World Impact
Connecting learning to the real world is important to us. Through Service Learning, Wellbeing, academic curriculum and The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award programs, our students develop compassion and global awareness and the courage to make a positive difference. Emotional intelligence, effective communication and practical life skills are all fostered so that our students are empowered to be outstanding in our evolving, interconnected world.
Co-curricular Opportunities
Unique co-curricular opportunities ensure that each student can discover their passions and develop their talents. From our Aviation, Equestrian, Mountain Bike and Snowsports Academies to our wide range of Sports offerings, Arts opportunities, various clubs and more… every child has a chance to grow and thrive.
Inspiring Spaces
Our engaging, meaningful learning spaces inspire a love of life and learning each day. Whether our students are creatively expressing themselves in our Performance Precinct: The Snowy Shed, creating and experimenting in our state-of the-art Curiosity Centre, collaborating in vibrant courtyards or getting hands-on, practical learning in our Agricultural or Sports precincts, our students are becoming capable young people within our dynamic learning environment.
Surrounded by the awe-inspiring Lake Jindabyne and Snowy Mountains, with plenty of outdoor educational experiences on offer, our students learn eco-conscious and sustainable practices gaining a deep respect and responsibility for our natural environment.
Vibrant Community
Snowy Mountains Grammar School is proud of its inclusive, positive and vibrant culture. Our staff and students celebrate diversity and difference. Students –day and boarding – and staff foster a culture grounded in respect, equity and a mutual understanding. Our culture of belonging ensures that every individual feels valued and can thrive. This strong sense of community continues beyond graduation. The Snowy Mountains Grammar School experience is powerful, special and lifelong.
Challenge, Belong, Explore Our Vision, Mission, Values
and Motto
Vision Snowy Mountains Grammar School will be recognised as a premier day and boarding school community, offering a diverse range of opportunities, leading to the development of outstanding citizens equipped for an ever-changing world.
Mission
Our mission is to work with families to develop well-rounded young people with active and creative minds, who have an understanding of and compassion for others, a passion for life-long learning and the courage and confidence to act on their beliefs.
Values
Courage is acting with conviction. To face our challenges with determination and to accept responsibility for our actions.
Authenticity is about being a genuine presence. To live in the moment with integrity and represent one’s true nature or beliefs.
Respect is valuing every member of our community. We celebrate diversity and difference, and demonstrate these in our attitude, relationships and environment.
Empathy is the willingness to understand others. Empathetic people are curious and possess a desire to know and understand another person’s perspective or circumstance.
Motto Challenge Students and staff to achieve the best of their individual potential; students to take responsibility for their own actions.
Belong To the school and local community as a valued citizen; to a community that respects compassion, respect, honesty and integrity.
Explore How to be authentic and act with courage and conviction; how to develop life skills with flexible innovation and measured risk-taking; how to care for and learn from our natural environment.
07 Snowy Mountains Grammar School Prospectus
The Learning Journey Starts Here Living Our Values Every Day
The Snowy Mountains Grammar School journey is exceptional and inspired. With our holistic approach, we nurture our students’ wellbeing, academic excellence and passions every day. Discover how your child can thrive on this truly remarkable journey.
Nurturing Wellness
Wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do. We strive for every member of our community to be healthy and thriving so that they can excel in life and learning.
Guided by the Australian Student Wellbeing Framework, we focus on safety, wellbeing and positive relationships. Snowy Mountains Grammar School’s bespoke 4 Peaks Program also promotes positive behaviours aligned with our core values: Care, Authenticity, Respect and Empathy.
To optimise student wellbeing, we provide:
• Student voice
• Pastoral Care/ Tutor Group classes each day
• Co-curricular activities
• Service Learning
• Student support services
• Boarding wellbeing
• Professional teaching and learning framework
• Strong parent and community partnerships
• Chapels, assemblies and year level meetings
• House system
Junior School
Limitless Learning, Endless Opportunities
In the Junior School, we inspire students every day, inside and outside of the classroom. Modern and engaging classrooms, functional outdoor learning spaces and calm, spacious playgrounds and oval, create the perfect environment for learning and growing.
There are many chances for our students to connect to our pristine natural playground in the Snowy Mountains and our community throughout the learning journey too.
The approach in the Junior School:
• promotes respect within the classroom and school community where every child is valued
• puts students and their needs at the centre, recognising that each student learns differently
• offers the highest levels of opportunity and recognition through providing a diverse curriculum and co-curricular activities
• uses evidence-based contemporary learning practices including direct instruction, project-based and inquiry learning and practical experiences
• makes learning engaging, intellectually challenging and relevant for the 21st century
• offers students a chance to explore unique interests and to feel safe to use their creativity to invent, imagine and solve problems
• touches the heart as well as the mind, emphasising our School’s values of Courage, Authenticity, Respect and Empathy, Service Learning and global mindedness
• blends technology into lesson design
• offers learning support, classroom extension and enrichment
• continually uses data to inform best practice.
Our approach in the Junior School fosters confident, compassionate and well-rounded young learners who are growing in their independence and will be ready to confidently step into the Middle School.
09 Snowy Mountains Grammar School Prospectus
Middle School Inspiring Growth, Cultivating Confidence
We see Middle School as an opportunity for your child to discover their potential, build lasting confidence and grow into the best version of themselves.
Within these pivotal years, we create a supportive space where students can explore what excites them, embrace new challenges and grow academically and personally.
Our Middle School students are guided to be mature, curious and independent in their learning and aspirational in their endeavours. Our students are supported to understand the importance of intrinsic motivation, self-discipline and resilience. They learn to value not only their own efforts, but those of their peers. A strong sense of teamwork exists across each year level and class, reflecting our values and building each student up to reach their personal best.
The approach in the Middle School includes:
• Students as active participants in their learning
• Learning that is experiential, collaborative and allows for deep inquiry
• Learning that has a real-life purpose and develops character
• Fostering respect for every student where everyone feels seen, heard and valued
• Tailoring learning to meet individual learning needs so all students can thrive
• A broad mix of subjects plus exciting and diverse co-curricular activities
• Inspiring and challenging curriculum content that helps students think critically and creatively, stay globally aware and solve real-world problems
• Contemporary learning practices based on solid research that ensure students are learning the most effective way possible
• A focus on literacy and numeracy as essential skills that give students a strong foundation for the future
• A focus on the whole child – on their academic progress and on their heart, teaching values like Courage, Authenticity, Respect, Empathy as well as a global mindset and service-minded approach
• Incorporating the latest technology to make lessons engaging and relevant.
In the Middle School, we set our students up for learning in the Senior School and beyond, empowering them with the adaptability and capabilities they need for lifelong learning and fulfillment.
Senior School Foundations for the Future
Senior School at Snowy Mountains Grammar School is transformational. Our students gain more independence and are offered exciting opportunities to explore their interests and pursue their future purpose.
In an authentic team learning environment, our students and teachers collaborate and support one another to reach new heights in learning. From open airy spaces to meeting rooms to state-of-the art learning areas equipped with the latest technology, all reflective of contemporary workspaces, our students have access to everything they need so that they can produce their best and most innovative work.
Our Senior School focuses on shaping well-rounded young people who strive for academic excellence and also thrive within creative arts, sport and service learning opportunities.
At Snowy Mountains Grammar School, our Senior School focuses on academic achievement as well as self-development. Our approach equips students with the skills and understanding they need to be empowered for their future personal and professional lives. These include:
• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Creativity and innovation
• Social and emotional intelligence – skills like selfawareness, resilience, empathy and teamwork
• Cultural awareness and a deep understanding of the world around them
• A passion for lifelong learning.
Our Year 12 students graduate Snowy Mountains Grammar School with a strong understanding of themselves, a clear direction and meaningful connections with their peers and community.
In the Senior Years, our dedicated staff support each student to discover who they are and to take greater control of their learning.
Teamwork is at the heart of our academic culture with teachers and peers supporting each other to reach new heights in learning and achievement – this sets us apart.
The approach in the Senior School includes:
• Respect for every student, creating a positive and inclusive school community
• Recognising that each student learns differently and tailoring learning to meet student needs
• A wide range of subjects and unique and diverse co-curricular opportunities
• A comprehensive curriculum that helps students think critically, be creative, be globally aware and solve real-world problems
• Evidence-based instructional practices to ensure students learn in the most effective way
• Engaging, intellectually challenging content that prepares student for life in the 21st century
• A focus on literacy and numeracy as essential life skills
• Touching the heart as well as the mind, emphasising our School’s values of Courage, Authenticity, Respect and Empathy, Service Learning and global mindedness
• Blending cutting-edge technology into lesson design.
In the Senior School, we nurture individuals who are world ready and future ready.
Educational Support and Enrichment – K-12
Tailored Support and Opportunities
Our Educational Support team works closely with teachers to provided tailored support where needed for all students from Kindergarten to Year 12. Enrichment opportunities, beyond existing classroom extension, are available to all students.
Environment shapes experience. Our caring people create the perfect environment for learning and belonging. Our spaces do too.
Inspiring Futures in Innovative Spaces
State-of-the-Art Spaces
Snowy Mountains Grammar School, founded in 1996, is home to original maintenance buildings of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme, a hydroelectric project which operated from 1949 to 1974. The Scheme was one of the world’s most complex engineering projects and one of Australia’s largest engineering marvels that shaped the nation’s energy landscape.
The School Reception Building was the Headquarters of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme and original stonework has been preserved. ‘The Snowy Shed’, now a space for many of our community events and classes, houses the large yellow crane used to construct the Scheme as well as historical information.
By keeping heritage alive in our industrial-edge spaces, the legacy of the thousands of dedicated workers who transformed our local area, inspire our students and staff to stay determined, work together and innovate.
Curiosity Centre: Cutting-Edge Learning
Our state-of-the-art Curiosity Centre reflects our School’s commitment to innovation. Inside, you’ll see students:
• experimenting in our modern laboratories
• creating exceptional art works
• testing designs in the Design & Technology and Robotics rooms
• collaborating within meeting rooms or carefully focusing in a study space.
• The seamless flow from indoor to outdoor spaces inspires deeper learning and a deeper connection with nature as well as greater wellbeing for our students.
Sports Precinct: Elevating Wellness
Providing opportunities for our students to be fit and healthy is important to us. Our Sports Precinct looking out to beautiful Lake Jindabyne and the Snowy Mountains, includes two high-quality multi-purpose courts, cricket net and oval. A well-equipped commercial-quality gymnasium is also offered onsite to students and staff.
Beyond the School Gates: Spaces to Grow
Our spaces go beyond the school gates. Our pony agistment facilities are located nearby. Strong local partnerships also enable us to offer equestrian at the local pony club, aviation in airfields and snowsports at the ski resorts. We are fortunate to have a spectacular natural environment surrounding our campus. Our students can easily access Jindabyne Lake and local trails for sport and curriculum experiences.
Boarding A Place to Explore, Belong and Thrive
A warm and nurturing environment in an incredible natural setting few schools could match, Boarding at Snowy Mountains Grammar School is the perfect place for your child to thrive.
Boarding accommodates around sixty students from Years 7 to 12, creating a close-knit community that fosters friendships and growth. Each child receives the care and support they need to thrive academically, socially, physically and personally so that they can lead purposeful and fulfilling lives.
Boarding Options
We have options for full-time boarders who return home for holidays and designated weekends or weekly boarders who travel home each weekend. Winter boarders are welcomed in Term 3, subject to availability. With Thredbo and Perisher just 25 minutes away, students can enjoy a unique experience which blends academic learning and days on the snowfields.
Accommodation
With plenty of personal space and privacy and the very best of community living, our boarders enjoy a comfortable and vibrant environment. Our four residential houses are at the heart of our campus and feature modern, well-appointed rooms as well as welcoming common spaces where our boarders can socialise and relax.
Study
Our dedicated and caring Boarding House team empowers our boarders to grow in their confidence, explore their independence and reach their personal best. Our boarders also receive tailored support from our dedicated academic staff during structured study time regularly after school to help them reach their full potential.
15 Snowy Mountains Grammar School Prospectus
Activities
Weekly sports, diverse co-curricular opportunities, local community events and a variety of fun on and offcampus adventures such as walks, bike rides, shopping, laser tag, rock climbing, go-karting and snow-based experiences in Term 3 – to name just a few – keep our boarders active and engaged. Fresh, rotating menus offer tasty and nutritious options, catering to our boarders’ active lifestyles.
Our students come from diverse backgrounds including rural and metropolitan areas in NSW and the ACT, as well as interstate and international expatriate families. They make truly remarkable connections within Boarding, making unforgettable memories and friendships that last a lifetime.
Co-ed boarding has been a core aspect of Snowy Mountains Grammar School since its beginning. It allows our families to keep their children in one school and encourages young people to build strong social skills and healthy relationships that will benefit them in the future.
With a vibrant residential life, dynamic co-curricular opportunities and outstanding educational experience, Snowy Mountains Grammar School boarders become well-rounded young people while exploring our stunning alpine region.
Opportunities A World of Possibilities Beyond the Classroom
Unique co-curricular opportunities ensure that each student can discover their passions and develop their talents.
Academies
Exploring passions and aspiring for excellence within our exceptional Academies for Aviation, Equestrian, Mountain Bike and Snowsports
Our Academies – places where passion meets growth and excellence. Whether your child dreams of soaring through the skies in our Aviation Academy, honing their competitive riding skills in our Equestrian Academy, pushing beyond their limits in our Mountain Bike Academy, or carving a path to success in our Snowsports Academy, our Academy programs are designed to inspire them, empower them with confidence and discipline and nurture their lifelong passions.
The Right Experts, The Right Balance
Each of our Academies is led by passionate, experienced instructors who tailor learning to motivate, guide and drive growth.
We understand the importance of balancing athletic and academic development – our students learn tools and strategies to excel in both.
Our current students and alumni are now professionally flying, riding and racing within Australia and internationally with impressive success.
Snowy Mountains Grammar School
Arts
Exploring, expressing and empowering through Drama, Music & Visual Arts
The Arts program has the power to transform our young people. It inspires our students to critically think, creatively express and let their imaginations soar.
Engaging Drama, Music and Visual Arts learning programs from Kindergarten to Year 12 nurture our students’ creative and performing arts abilities. A wide range of cocurricular opportunities are also offered so they can build confidence and showcase skills. These include:
• School Productions
• Cre8ive Sessions, our annual celebration of creative and performing arts
• Live performances at weekly Assemblies and Chapels and public exhibitions
• Engaging workshops
• Clubs and
• Private lessons
Artists and performers also share insights about exciting Arts Industry careers and we equip students with key skills to open doors to these industries.
Outdoor Education
Empowering Confident Navigators
Our carefully designed Outdoor Education Program is a journey to self-discovery, personal growth and learning in the most authentic classroom of them all – the great outdoors.
Outdoor Education is offered through a range of opportunities:
Year Level Camps – These are compulsory camp programs that run each year from Kindergarten to Year 10
Outdoor Education Elective – Available to Years 9 and 10, this elective focuses on developing a broad range of outdoor skills including map and GPS navigation, risk awareness and management, group safety and First Aid, motivations for outdoor activities, bushcraft and conservation.
Leadership
Empowering Future Leaders
We empower all of our students to be authentic leaders. We encourage our young people to listen to and voice others’ perspectives on important issues, step up and make a difference and lead with their unique strengths, working together with everyone along the way.
Our Junior School and Secondary School Student Representative Councils, Junior School Leaders and Prefect Team are formal opportunities for our students to lead and inspire, especially in the areas Academics, Boarding, House, Media, Art and Design, Performing Arts, Service Learning, Sport and Peer Support.
Service
Fostering Positive Change Through Compassion
Nurturing people and our planet is important to Snowy Mountains Grammar School. Through Service Learning, our students develop a deep responsibility towards their neighbours and the Earth, while making meaningful change locally and globally.
Sport
Building skills, confidence and lifelong wellbeing
Sport is essential to the holistic experience offered at Snowy Mountains Grammar School. We want students to enjoy being active while boosting their self-confidence, teamwork and skills. We want to help our young people prioritise lifelong wellbeing.
Our Sport Program is unique, comprehensive and dynamic, offering over twenty-five sports. These include team and individual sports from social to elite levels. With a variety of sports offered each term, students can explore and participate in multiple disciplines throughout the year.
Snowy Mountains Grammar School is a member of formal sporting associations including: Heads of Independent Co-educational Schools (HICES – Junior School) and Independent Sporting Association (ISA –Senior School). Our School is also actively involved in various local club competitions throughout the year.
Snowy Mountains Grammar School has a strong track record of nurturing and producing state, national and international athletes, including several Olympians. We carefully support our elite level athletes to balance training and competition schedules as well as their academic learning.
The Sport Program at Snowy Mountains Grammar School is delivered through:
• Wednesday Sport Program (Years 5 to 11)
• Before and After-School Sport Opportunities (Kindergarten to Year 12)
• Sport Academies
• Gymnasium (Years 7 to 12)
• Representative Sport
• Local Sports Competitions
Wednesday Sport Options:
• Air bag – jumping and tricks on skis or snowboards
• Basketball
• Bouldering
• Canoeing/Kayaking
• Equestrian
• Fishing
• Fitness/Strength & Conditioning
• Frisbee Golf
• Golf
• Just Dance
• Lawn Bowls
• Mountain Bike
• Netball
• Pilates
• Sailing
• Self-defence
• Snowsports (Kindergarten to Year 11)
• Squash
• Stand-up Paddleboarding
• Tennis
• Trampoline
• Yoga
19 Snowy Mountains Grammar School Prospectus
Expanding Horizons with Endless Opportunities.
From a variety of engaging student clubs to exciting Duke of Edinburgh adventures and global tours, there are countless opportunities for your child to challenge themselves, explore their passions and create unforgettable experiences.
A Connected Community Shaping a Bright Future
Parents & Friends
Our Parents & Friends (P & F) Association is a special team of parents and carers that brings our community together and makes a positive impact. All parents and carers are welcome to join. The P & F organises fun and meaningful social events as well as fundraising initiatives that will benefit our students.
Alumni
The legacy of our Alumni continues to have an inspiring impact on our community and shapes our future. We are proud of the well-rounded people who have graduated from Snowy Mountains Grammar School, people who are now reaching new heights in many areas including: community service, business, education, finance, law, medicine, performing arts, sport (including multiple Olympians) and STEM, to name a few.
Steps to Enrolment
The First Easy Steps in the Journey
We are excited that you are considering being part of our vibrant and supportive Snowy Mountains Grammar School community. Applications for Kindergarten through to Year 12 are welcomed throughout the year.
If you are considering Snowy Mountains Grammar School for your child in the future, we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible –it is never too early to apply.
Steps to Enrolment
Scan the QR code to book a personal tour, attend an open day or complete an online enrolment application.
If you have any questions about applications or our School, please contact our Enrolment Officer: registrar@smgs.nsw.edu.au (02) 6457 1022