Arden Anglican School is an independent school located in Beecroft and Epping, suburbs on the North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is a co-educational early learning, primary and secondary day school.

The school was established in 1922 as a preparatory feeder school for the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney,

Initially, from 1922 to 1933, Arden functioned solely as a girls' school. The school became co-educational in 1933. Some of the noteworthy organisations with which Arden Anglican School is associated include the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA), the Independent Primary School Heads of Australia (IPSHAA) and Junior School Heads Association of Australia, the Association of Independent Co-Educational Schools,

Houses

Arden has three houses:

  • Jenolan (yellow) - named after the indigenous word, meaning 'high place'.
  • Birnam (red) - named after the Birnam Oak.
  • Sherwood (blue) - named after the Sherwood Forest.

Heads Of

{| class="wikitable"

|+ Arden Heads of Departments

|-

! Name !! Position !! Campus

|-

| Justin Beckett

| Principal

| rowspan='6'|Both

|-

| Graham Thomas

| Chaplain

|-

| Joshua Harnwell

| Deputy Principal

|-

| Craig Murray

| Director of IT

|-

| Catherine Gray

| Business Manager

|-

| Rachel Marchetto

| Director of Community Engagement

|-

| David Watkins

| Head of Junior Campus

| rowspan='4' |Junior Campus, Beecroft

|-

| Lucy Koorey

| Head of Upper Primary

|-

| Jo Graham

| Head of Lower Primary

|-

| Linda Bialous

| Preschool Director

|-

| Laura Anderson

| Director of Teaching and Learning

| rowspan='12'|Secondary Campus, Epping

|-

| Matthew Mallison

| Head of Middle School

|-

| Simon Pryzdacz

| Head of Senior School

|-

| Ruth Middleton

| Head of Mathematics

|-

| Mora Soliman

| Head of Science

|-

| Rodney Henderson

| Head of HSIE

|-

| Karen Moss

| Head of Geography

|-

| Nicole Morris

| Head of English

|-

| rowspan='2' | Sam Hwang

| Head of Christian Studies

|-

| Assistant Chaplain

|-

| rowspan='2' | Samantha Allen

| Head of Music

|-

| Head of Drama

|-

| Philippa Wood

| Head of Co-Curricular Music

| rowspan='2' | Both

|-

| Janet Lawrence

| Head of Co-Curricular Sport

|-

| Rob Riley

| Head of Visual Arts

| rowspan='6' | Secondary Campus, Epping

|-

| Adelie Badman

| Head of Languages

|-

| Melissa Collins

| Head of PDHPE

|-

| Elizabeth Seares

| Head of TAS

|-

| Lyn Pellizzon

| Head of Information Services

|-

| Jo Webb

| Head of Learning Support

|-

| Carlene Ryder

| Head of Counselling Services

| Both

|}

History

Arden Anglican College began as a preparatory school of the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney (PLC Sydney).

Council gave the committee power to open a preparatory school in the Beecroft Church Hall, to appoint a teacher-in-charge and to make any other arrangements necessary. By the April 1922 council meeting, it was reported that the school had been opened at Beecroft with 13 female pupils, and with Eleanor Linck in charge. This school was named the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Beecroft and was to serve as an all-girls, primary feeder school for the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Croydon. The school flourished under her leadership. In 2018, the Principal Graham Anderson signed a petition with the Anglican Diocese of Sydney to retain s38(3) in the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 which allows private religious schools to discriminate against staff and students based on sexual orientation. In the petition it was argued that "a more general right" to religious freedom should exist, and the existing statutory 'exemptions should remain.

Curriculum

The primary school follows a curriculum mandated by the NSW Board of Studies, and where required is tailored to meet the needs of individual students. Specialist teachers are used for subjects such as Physical Education (PE), Music, Art, French language, Science, Library, Computer and Problem Solving.

The secondary school also follows the Board of Studies curriculum. In 2008, the first year 12 class completed the NSW Higher School Certificate.

Co-curriculum

Sport

Arden offers sport to all year levels, and students may partake in house and inter school competitions.

Through Arden's membership of the Junior School Heads Association of Australia, Primary students may represent the school in sports such as athletics, swimming, cross-country, gymnastics, T-ball, softball, minkey (mini hockey), hockey, netball, basketball, rugby, and women's soccer.

Every year there are various sporting events where the three houses (Birnam, Sherwood and Jenolan) compete. These events include the swimming carnival, cross-country and athletics carnival.

Arden has been recently recognized as a leading sports school in the Hillzone sports for 2012.

Arts

Arden offers a wide range of performing arts opportunities, including but not limited to band, wind ensemble, orchestra, secondary vocal ensemble, and chamber choir. There are a multitude of clubs ranging from robotics to philosophy. The Arden Creative Arts Centre (TACAC) has a purpose-built theatre that regularly hosts Theatresports and Drama class performances.

See also

  • List of non-government schools in New South Wales

References

  • Arden Anglican School website