Tara Anglican School for Girls
| Tara Anglican School for Girls | |
|---|---|
Suburban | |
| Colour(s) | Tara navy, inspire blue and white |
| Athletics | Independent Girls' Schools Sporting Association |
| Affiliations |
|
| Website | tara |
 | |
Tara Anglican School for Girls (commonly referred to as Tara) is an
Established in 1897, Tara has a non-selective enrolment policy and currently caters for approximately 800 students from early learning, through
The school is affiliated with the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA),[3] the Association of Heads of Independent Girls' Schools (IGSSA),[4] the Independent Primary School Heads of Australia (IPSHA),[5] the Australian Boarding Schools' Association,[6] the Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia,[7] and is a member of the Association of Heads of Independent Girls' Schools (AHIGS).[8]
Tara's 2010 HSC results ranked the school the number one non-selective school in Sydney's west. In the 2007
History
The school traces its origins back to 1897, where it is thought to have started with the opening of St. Ronan's School, a
When Waugh's father, Isaac Waugh, died in 1912, the school moved to the family home, "Tara", in George Street, Parramatta (demolished in 1963).[10] The name of this property had been chosen years earlier by the Waugh family who, being of Irish background, named it after the Hill of Tara, in Ireland.[11] When Joan Waugh's mother died in 1926, the Tara home was sold, and Tara opened in larger premises at Hassall Street, Parramatta. This was to be Tara's home for the next twenty years and the final move for Joan Waugh. When she died in 1946, the school came under the protection of the Church of England in Australia. All Saints' Church Hall was to be Tara's next home. It is here that it is said that without the help of Paddy Walker and the active participation of a group of parents, the school would not have survived.[10]
On 6 February 1952, 142 junior school boys and girls moved from All Saints', and began school at "Ellangowan", at 153 George Street, Parramatta. In 1953, the school commenced classes for senior school pupils. At this site, Tara grew rapidly, and thus it was determined that another larger premises was required.
Major building construction has occurred almost every year; Science and Technology facilities, a Gymnasium and Music Block, Boarding facilities, Cafeteria and Function Area, Senior Learning Centre, a new Junior School Library and Technology Centre, and in 2023, a new Aquatic Centre and Sports Precinct. The school also runs a Telescope, given to Tara by Katherine Blundell, a professor at the University of Oxford. A team called the Space Odyssey Team is run in conjunction with the telescope, bringing girls and boys all over Sydney to join the team and participate in the program.
Principals
| Period | Details[8] |
|---|---|
| 1897–1946 | Joan Waugh |
| 1946–1950 | Jessie "Joy" Hall Young |
| 1950 | Olga Phelps Wilson |
| 1950–1959 | Nancy "Katharine" Buck |
| 1959–1971 | Helen Claridge |
| 1971–1973 | Margaret Macdonald |
| 1974–1979 | Joy Parker |
| 1980 – May 1999 | Ruth Shatford |
| May – December 1999 | Norma Boston (acting) |
| 2000–2008 | Carol Bowern |
| 2009–2023 | Susan Middlebrook |
| 2024–present | Adele Ramsay |
House system
Tara currently has four houses and all students and staff take part in a variety of house activities including academic challenges, debating, drama, team sports, choir, service to others, outdoor education and leadership.[12] The Houses are named after women and men who have made a significant contribution to the life of the school.
- Crawford
- The Reverend Doug Crawford, rector of All Saints' Parramatta, chaplain at Tara, former member of the school council, instrumental in relocating Tara to Mason's Drive. This house is traditionally symbolised by the colour purple.
- Hake
- Elizabeth Hake, wife of the headmaster at The King’s School, former member of the school council, instrumental in relocating Tara to Mason's Drive. This house is traditionally symbolised by the colour yellow.
- Walker
- The Reverend Paddy Walker, rector of All Saints' Parramatta, former member of the school council, welcomed Tara to use his church hall when no other accommodation was available. This house is traditionally symbolised by the colour green.
- Waugh
- Mary Elizabeth "Joan" Waugh, long regarded as Tara’s founder, who lived with her family at their home, "Tara", in Parramatta.[12] The house is traditionally symbolized by the colour red.
Notable alumni
 | This article's list of alumni may not follow Wikipedia's verifiability policy. (May 2019) |
The
- Law
- Jane Needham SC – Barrister,[14] President of the NSW Bar Association 2014–2015, Woman Barrister of the Year (Australia) 2015
- Media, entertainment and the arts
- Jenna McDougall – lead singer of Sydney pop punk band Tonight Alive
- Rebel Wilson – actress, writer and stand-up comedian known for her roles in the television series Pizza and Bogan Pride and the films Bridesmaids, Bachelorette and Pitch Perfect
- Sport
- Kate Bates – a track cyclist; world champion (also attended Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney)
- 2012 Paralympics
See also
References
- ^ "Schools and College". About us. Sydney Anglicans. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
- ^ "Data" (PDF). www.tara.nsw.edu.au. 2012.
- ^ "AHISA Schools". New South Wales. Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia. November 2007. Archived from the original on 2 November 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-17.
- ^ "Association of Heads of Independent Girls Schools (AHIGS) > IGSSA > What is IGSSA?". ahigs.nsw.edu.au.
- ^ "ipsha". www.ipsha.org.au.
- ^ "Tara Anglican School for Girls". Schools. Australian Boarding Schools' Association. 2007. Archived from the original on 17 November 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-17.
- ^ Butler, Jan (2006). "Member Schools". Members. The Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia. Retrieved 17 December 2007.
- ^ a b "Heads of New South Wales Independent Girls' Schools". About AHIGS. Association of Heads of Independent Girls Schools. Archived from the original on 27 September 2008. Retrieved 2007-11-28.
- ^ "HSC Results". Excellence in Learning. Tara Anglican School for Girls. Archived from the original on 30 January 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-18.
- ^ ISBN 1-86459-018-1.
- ^ a b "History". About Tara. Tara Anglican School for Girls. Archived from the original on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 8 August 2007.
- ^ a b "Annual Report 2006" (PDF). Publications. Tara Anglican School for Girls. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 8 August 2007.
- ^ "Tara Old Girls Association Inc". Community. Tara Anglican School for Girls. Archived from the original on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 17 December 2007.
- ^ "One Plus One: Jane Needham". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 8 November 2019.
Further reading
- Hubbard, B. 1997. Tara: A Telling of The Tapestry. Tara Anglican School, North Parramatta. ISBN 1-86459-018-1.
