Marco Li

About My Challenge

Christ Church Grammar School is a multi-campus independent Anglican single-sex early learning, primary and secondary day and boarding school for boys. Located in Perth, Western Australia, the school's main campus overlooks Freshwater Bay on the Swan River, in the suburb of Claremont.

The school is a member of the Public Schools' Association (PSA), Independent Primary School Heads of Australia (IPSHA),^[2] Association of Independent Schools in Western Australia (AISWA),^[3] Association of Headmasters of Independent Schools Australia (AHISA)^[4] and Australian Boarding Schools' Association (ABSA).^[5]

Christ Church Grammar School was founded in 1910 by W. J. McClemans. The school opened on 7 February 1910 as Christ Church Preparatory School with a single classroom and nine boys.^[a] In 1917, the school's status was raised from a preparatory school to university junior examination level and renamed Christ Church School.^[6]: 35 In 1931, it became known as Christ Church Grammar School.^[7]

A total of 1,650 boys, 110 of whom are boarders, are enrolled at Christ Church. More than 1,100 boys study in the senior school (Years 7 to 12) and over 500 attend the preparatory school (pre-kindergarten to Year 6).^[8]

As a non-selective school, Christ Church caters for a wide range of boys from those who are academically gifted through to students with learning challenges. It also offers places to overseas students.

Christ Church Grammar School opened on 7 February 1910 as the Christ Church Preparatory School.^[9] The founder, Canon William Joseph McClemans, was the rector of Christ Church Claremont. The School opened with a single classroom and an enrolment of nine day boys.^{[note a]}

In 1917, the school's status was raised from preparatory school to university junior examination level and it was renamed Christ Church School.^[10] During this year, the Old Boys' Association was established and legislation by Synod brought Christ Church and Guildford Grammar School under the control of one representative council. Christ Church did not have any representation on the council until 1920,^[11] and during this time, financial difficulties put the existence of the school into jeopardy and under threat of closure by the council.^[12]

From the 1920s through to the 1940s, the school continued to grow. However, financial hardship and uncertainty continued and led to the resignation of several headmasters. When Christ Church gained its own school council in 1950,^[13] it was considered a turning point in the history of the school.

In 1951, Peter Moyes became headmaster and throughout the post-war period, Christ Church boomed. Enrolments increased from 259 in 1951, to 853 in 1966.^[14] During this period, a large number of buildings and facilities were built and two houses were purchased. A block of land next to the Claremont campus, was acquired as well as 8 hectares (20 acres) in Mt Claremont for use as playing fields.^[15]

In 1956, the school was invited to join the Public Schools' Association (PSA);^[16] in 1957, the school was awarded its first General Exhibition;^[17] in 1958, the school won the Head of the River race for the first time;^[18] and in 1967, Peter Edwards became the school's first old boy to be awarded a Rhodes Scholarship.^[19]

Moyes retired in 1981 after serving for 31 years as headmaster and was succeeded by A. J. de V. Hill in 1982.^[20] The next five years included significant developments in the school curriculum and system of pastoral care. The outdoor education centre at Kooringal, near Dwellingup, was extensively redeveloped and its courses became an essential part of each student's education.^[21]

Financial support from parents and old boys enabled the school to spend over $2 million on new facilities in less than three years. A major appeal in 1984 yielded $800,000.^[22]

Hill was headmaster for six years, followed by J. J. S. Madin in January 1988. Madin managed the next major projects in the school's development. These included a new science block and the redevelopment of the Senior School – a $4 million project that commenced in June 1987.^[23]

Madin resigned at the end of 2000 and in 2001, Garth Wynne took over as headmaster. In his first year, the council introduced the school mission – "Boys educated to know, to do, to live with others and to be" (UNESCO 1996).^[6]: 329

At the end of 2015, Alan Jones was appointed to the position of principal of Christ Church.^{[citation needed]}

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Christ Church Grammar School has four campuses.

The main campus, known as the Claremont campus, is located on the corner of Stirling Highway and Queenslea Drive in Claremont approximately nine kilometres (six miles) from the Perth central business district. The Claremont campus is home to both the senior and preparatory schools. Its Swan River frontage provides for the school's water sports program, which includes rowing and sailing. Other facilities include the chapel, a visual arts, design and technology centre, a state-of-the-art information and technology centre, gymnasium precinct and a heated 50m swimming pool. The Claremont campus also houses the school's residential community which accommodates 110 boys from regional Western Australia, interstate and overseas.^[24]

The Mount Claremont sporting campus, located three kilometres (two miles) north of the Claremont campus, provides eight hectares (twenty acres) of playing fields for cricket, hockey, football, Cross Country and rugby.^[25]

Opened in May 2017 St John's Wood, located close to the existing playing fields at Mount Claremont, provides a further eight hectares (twenty acres) of playing fields.

The school's outdoor education program is centred at Kooringal, located on the Darling Scarp, 110 kilometres (68 mi) south east of Perth and 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from the mill town of Dwellingup. Kooringal, meaning "home by the water" in the Aboriginal dialect of the district, was established in 1972 as a staffed and self-contained outdoor education centre for Christ Church students in Years 5 to 11. Kooringal is an integral part of the school's education.^[26]

The Centre for Ethics resulted from the 1993 Strategic Plan. Officially opened in 1996 by Fiona Stanley, the centre offers a program of seminars, lectures, discussion groups and a newsletter. The centre brings people, who are seen as leaders in ethical issues, to the school.^[6]: 301 The aim of the program is to enable students to engage in the community's conversation on ethics and spirituality. The director and founder of the Centre for Ethics is Canon Frank Sheehan.

The Service in Action program replaced the Pilgrimage of Hope in 2013. The programis based on Christian values provides an opportunity to learn through service to others, particularly those in circumstances of disadvantage. Throughout the year students raise funds for the program and participate in humanitarian pilgrimages to remote Indigenous Australian communities and to schools and orphanages overseas.^[27]

The Midnite Youth Theatre Company is named after their first production, a work adapted from Randolf Stow's bushranger novel Midnite. The company was formed in 1987 with 40 actors and 16 musicians from Christ Church Grammar School and Methodist Ladies' College. In 1988, the company toured the United Kingdom, representing Australian youth for the bicentenary. Founded by Tony Howes, director of drama at Christ Church from 1986 to 2011, the Midnite Youth Theatre Company seeks to stretch its members with music theatre, opera, plays, experimental works, street theatre, group-devised pieces and commissions.^[28][29]

Since joining the Public Schools Association (PSA) in 1957, Christ Church has been named the "champion school" on the following occasions:^[30]

• Badminton (5) – 2002, 2003, 2022, 2023, 2024
• Basketball (3) – 1998, 1999, 2013
• Cricket (5) – 1977, 1990, 2017, 2022, 2023
• Cross Country (18) – 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024
• Football (3) – 1971, 1974, 1977, 2023 (James B Williams Memorial Cup)
• Golf (3) – 1999, 2002, 2008
• Hockey (13) – 1966, 1967, 1973, 1986, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2024
• Rowing (21) – 1958, 1959, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1967, 1979, 1981, 1986, 1992, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2019, 2022, 2025 (Challenge Cup), 2019, 2021, 2023 (Christopher Wallwork Memorial Cup)
• Rugby (5) – 1961, 1962, 1966, 2001, 2019
• Soccer (5) – 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2024
• Surfing (9) – 2005, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2020, 2021, 2022
• Swimming (17) – 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1995, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2025
• Tennis (13) – 1987, 1995, 1996, 2001, 2003, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
• Water Polo (8) – 2009, 2010, 2012, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2025^[31]

The Peter Moyes Centre (PMC – formerly the Christopher Wallwork Support Hub) was the initiative of former headmaster Peter Moyes, who from the beginning of his term as headmaster, believed that the school should provide for students of all abilities. In 1969, the school established a remedial centre for students with specific difficulties with literacy and numeracy.^[6]: 295 The centre now caters for students in the preparatory and senior schools who have a range of physical or intellectual disabilities. Each student has an individual program based on his educational needs and, where possible, students are integrated into mainstream classes. The focus of the program is the development of independence that will prepare the students for life after school.^[32]

Venture is a 10-day hike for Year 10 students, which places 14 groups on walk routes through the bushland and coastal setting of Walpole Nornalup National Park. A teacher and an outdoor education specialist accompany each group.^[33]

Venture was developed during 1989 and 1990 with the first camp in 1991. The aim of Venture is to give Year 10 students greater focus by presenting them with real challenges where they can practice goal setting and objectives, and develop problem-solving skills in a group situation.^[6]: 295

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Notable alumni of the school include: