Ascham School is an independent, non-denominational, day and boarding school for girls’, located in Edgecliff, an Eastern Suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Established in 1886, the school has a non-selective enrolment policy and currently has approximately 1000 students from Kindergarten to Year 12, including 100 boarders from Years 6 to 12.[2]

Ascham is one of the few schools worldwide to follow the ‘Dalton Plan’, an educational philosophy created by Helen Parkhurst in 1916. The ‘Dalton Plan’ aims to produce independent and confident leaders.[3]

The basis of Dalton is an independent, self-directed, assignment-based learning. The aim is to facilitate independent thinking, the development of research skills and creativity. The individualised instruction considers the needs of the student and provides her with a structure to control the pace at which she progresses. Students receive weekly assignments and a proportion of lesson times is spent in ‘studies’ or conversations with each other about progress in the week’s work. It is the study which teaches the students to be responsible for their own learning , how to test ideas and ask questions in the language of that subject. Ascham’s Dalton Plan allows flexible timetabling so that any combination of subjects is possible.[3]

Ascham is a member of the Alliance of Girls’ Schools (Australasia),[4] the Junior School Heads Association of Australia[5] the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA),[6] the Australian Boarding Schools’ Association,[7] and the Association of Heads of Independent Girls’ Schools (AHIGS).[8]

Ascham is operated as a not-for-profit company. All funds must be used to benefit the school. This function is administered by the school’s Council of Governors who are elected by the school’s members.
Ascham school was established in 1886 by Miss Marie Wallis, as a private, day and boarding school for girls, in a terrace house in Darling Point.The school moved to its current site following the acquisition of Glenrock estate in 1911. The school was named after Roger Ascham, tutor to Queen Elizabeth I.

The school adopted the ‘Dalton Plan’ as its method of teaching in 1922.

Ascham became a company, Ascham School Limited, in 1937 under the direction of Headmistress Miss Margaret Bailey. This transferred ownership of the school from herself to ensure the long-term succession of the school.[9]
[edit] School crest

The Ascham school crest was developed in 1911 by Ascham art teacher, Mr Albert Collins. Symbols on the crest were explained in the school’s Charivari magazine in December 1911: the dolphins symbolise energy, persistence and the ability to swim against, as well as with, the tide; the wings suggest aspiration and ambition; the lamp and book represent learning; and the combination of the acorn and eucalyptus seed mark the historical union of Britain and Australia.[10]
[edit] Campus

Ascham is composed of three school areas designed to accommodate for the different stages of the students’ educational development.

Infant School

The youngest students, from Kindergarten to Year 2, at Ascham are taught in the Hillingdon building which has its own hall, library, classrooms and recreation area. The students at Hillingdon are taught according to the Spalding Method.

Junior School

Students from Years 3 to 6 are housed in the Fiona building. Junior School students have access to a broad range of school subjects and co-curricular activities.

Senior School

The senior school serves students from Year 7 to Year 12. They are taught according to the Dalton Plan. This method gives the older students increased flexibility whilst placing on them the responsibility to learn and participate in the school’s numerous academic and cultural opportunities. In all, the Campus hosts the state-of-the-art Packer Theatre, a studio theatre, an indoor heated pool, a gymnasium, tennis courts, playing fields, IT facilities, art rooms, science laboratories and three libraries.
[edit] Exchange programme

Ascham has exchange programmes with the following girls schools; St Paul’s Girls’ School in London; Havergal College in Toronto; Nightingale-Bamford School in New York; Northlands in Buenos Aires; Durban Girls’ College in Durban; Institut de la Tour in Paris, St. George’s School, Edinburgh, Scotland as well as with Xi’an University in China.
[edit] Old Girls’ Union

The Ascham Old Girls’ Union (“AOGU”) was founded in 1899 by former students of the school. It now has a membership of over 4,000. The AOGU encourages involvement of all past students in the Ascham community and helps alumnae remain in contact with their classmates.[11] The AOGU also funds bursaries for the daughters and grand-daughters of past students. The recipients of bursaries are means-tested and reviewed annually, and also carry an obligation to uphold the ideals and values of Ascham.[11] The AOGU released three publications per year to its members.[11]
[edit] Headmistresses / Headmasters

Miss Marie Wallis (founder) 1886 – 1902[8]
Mr Herbert J. Carter 1902 – 1914
Miss Margaret Ann Montgomery Bailey 1914 – 1946
Dr Hilda Rayward 1947 – 1948
Miss Dorothy Whitehead 1949 – 1961
Miss Merrilee Roberts 1962 – 1972
Mrs Rowena Danziger 1973 – 2003
Miss Susan Preedy 2004 – 2005 (resigned)[12]
Mrs Rowena Danziger 2005 (acting, resigned)[13]
Mrs Frances Booth (acting) 2005
Mrs Louise Robert-Smith 2006 -

[edit] Notable alumnae

Some notable ‘Old Girls’ of the school include:

Business

Mia Freedman – Editor-in-Chief at ACP for publications such as Dolly and Cosmopolitan magazines

Entertainment, media and the arts

Jocelyn Howarth – actress
Sheridan Jobbins – actress, journalist, television presenter and screenwriter (remembered for her role in Simon Townsend’s Wonder World)
Joanna McCallum – actress
Penny Meagher – painter
Poppy Montgomery – actress
Lesley Piddington – actress
Wendy Playfair – actress; including parts in Prisoner, East of Eden and Ride a Wild Pony
Shirley Ann Richards – actress
Margaret Vyner – model, film and stage actress, dramatist
Arkie Whiteley – actress and daughter of painter Brett Whiteley