Latest news with #NewingtonCollege
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Selective schools are a NSW educational experiment that needs a revamp
Attempting to change entrenched ideas about education can be Herculean and sometimes thankless task. Consider Newington College's plan to gradually admit girls to the 162-year-old institution and the legal pushback by Old Boys who believe going co-educational is a betrayal of school tradition. Now the Herald 's chief reporter Jordan Baker has shone the spotlight on iniquities posed by NSW's selective public schools as government hangs on to a system that has grown into one potentially damaging children's development by locking them in to excessive tutoring. The madness and sadness of subjecting children to such institutionalised stress was exposed once and for all earlier this month when riot police were called to quell crowds at the 2025 selective schools test conducted in non-conducive mega testing centres around Sydney where the bulk of the state's 17,559 year 6s vied for 4200 places. The resultant omnishambles also forced the cancellation of the exams for some students. The selective school mania is a NSW speciality. Victoria has four, Western Australia has one, but NSW boasts 42 (some fully, some partially). A recent policy change reserves 20 per cent of places for Indigenous and disadvantaged students, and those with a disability, but not all places are filled because the students do not meet the minimum academic threshhold. In the 1980s, NSW had seven selective schools but both Coalition and Labor governments pushed the selective system to win votes and halt the flight of middle-class families to private schools that ironically partly came courtesy of Commonwealth and state governments' funding polices. They failed on both accounts, even as research found children attending academically selective schools gained no advantage and the Gonski Report alerted Australia to huge inequities in education years ago. By taking top-performing students out of comprehensive public schools and turning selective schools into a prize, governments created what parents now perceive as a two-tier system of premium and second-rate public schooling. That said, until recently, the selective public school system had served our state well over the years. But public disquiet had been mounting amid the sometimes-exploitative coaching industry cashing in on parental aspirations. Now even former Coalition education ministers Adrian Piccoli and his successor, Rob Stokes, believe the time has come to rethink the state's selective school system. 'It's a bit like we've created an addiction to create specialist schools, and once we started we never weaned ourselves off,' Stokes said. Politicians must have the courage to dismantle the selective system and provide the kind of quality replacement education that meets the expectations and aspirations of all parents.
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- General
- The Advertiser
'Youth' spat paves way for elite school's co-ed plans
Turning an elite private boys' school co-educational remains on foot after a court agreed a word written in a 150-year-old document was gender-neutral. Newington College in Sydney's inner west announced its intention to shift to co-education across its kindergarten-to-year 12 program in late 2023. The school, which charges fees of up to $42,200 a year, has exclusively taught boys since it was founded in 1863. While a group of parents launched street protests in January 2024, some backed a legal attack in the NSW Supreme Court. That lawsuit hit a major defeat on Wednesday with Justice Guy Parker ruling that the school's 152-year-old trust deed did not prevent girls from being admitted. "The object of such school shall be to provide an efficient course of education for youth," the trust deed reads. The parents argued that the word "youth" in this document, while ambiguous, referred solely to boys because of circumstances at the time. This stopped girls from being enrolled on the school's Stanmore land which it had acquired in 1873 months after the deed was finalised. The school's council, on the other hand, said the term was gender-neutral. Justice Parker agreed. While the original Newington School was boys-only, and the church and government at the time had only considered single-sex schools, this did not mean the term "youth" excluded girls, he said. "I have concluded that the word 'youth' in the 1873 Trust Deed was used in a gender-neutral sense, and does not mandate male-only enrolment at the College," he wrote in his judgment. "The claim for a declaration to the contrary ... fails and must be dismissed." Newington's principal welcomed the court's decision. "We have been steadfast in our position throughout these proceedings and we remain excited to build on our rich history and traditions by taking Newington into our next era," Michael Parker wrote in a letter sent to the school's community. "We look forward now to uniting around our future vision for Newington College as a respected, modern and dynamic school for boys, girls, young men and young women from next year and into the future." The court case may not be over yet, however. Justice Parker will later hear whether the parents will press claims that a male-only limitation applies to other property held by the school's council, including later-acquired lands. Newington's co-ed plans come as the NSW government adjusts public school boundaries to ensure all students have guaranteed access to a co-educational school by 2027. More than 150,000 girls and more than 130,000 boys attend single-sex schools across Australia, according to a 2023 Catholic schools discussion paper. About five-in-six of those students are in non-government schools, like Newington. Turning an elite private boys' school co-educational remains on foot after a court agreed a word written in a 150-year-old document was gender-neutral. Newington College in Sydney's inner west announced its intention to shift to co-education across its kindergarten-to-year 12 program in late 2023. The school, which charges fees of up to $42,200 a year, has exclusively taught boys since it was founded in 1863. While a group of parents launched street protests in January 2024, some backed a legal attack in the NSW Supreme Court. That lawsuit hit a major defeat on Wednesday with Justice Guy Parker ruling that the school's 152-year-old trust deed did not prevent girls from being admitted. "The object of such school shall be to provide an efficient course of education for youth," the trust deed reads. The parents argued that the word "youth" in this document, while ambiguous, referred solely to boys because of circumstances at the time. This stopped girls from being enrolled on the school's Stanmore land which it had acquired in 1873 months after the deed was finalised. The school's council, on the other hand, said the term was gender-neutral. Justice Parker agreed. While the original Newington School was boys-only, and the church and government at the time had only considered single-sex schools, this did not mean the term "youth" excluded girls, he said. "I have concluded that the word 'youth' in the 1873 Trust Deed was used in a gender-neutral sense, and does not mandate male-only enrolment at the College," he wrote in his judgment. "The claim for a declaration to the contrary ... fails and must be dismissed." Newington's principal welcomed the court's decision. "We have been steadfast in our position throughout these proceedings and we remain excited to build on our rich history and traditions by taking Newington into our next era," Michael Parker wrote in a letter sent to the school's community. "We look forward now to uniting around our future vision for Newington College as a respected, modern and dynamic school for boys, girls, young men and young women from next year and into the future." The court case may not be over yet, however. Justice Parker will later hear whether the parents will press claims that a male-only limitation applies to other property held by the school's council, including later-acquired lands. Newington's co-ed plans come as the NSW government adjusts public school boundaries to ensure all students have guaranteed access to a co-educational school by 2027. More than 150,000 girls and more than 130,000 boys attend single-sex schools across Australia, according to a 2023 Catholic schools discussion paper. About five-in-six of those students are in non-government schools, like Newington. Turning an elite private boys' school co-educational remains on foot after a court agreed a word written in a 150-year-old document was gender-neutral. Newington College in Sydney's inner west announced its intention to shift to co-education across its kindergarten-to-year 12 program in late 2023. The school, which charges fees of up to $42,200 a year, has exclusively taught boys since it was founded in 1863. While a group of parents launched street protests in January 2024, some backed a legal attack in the NSW Supreme Court. That lawsuit hit a major defeat on Wednesday with Justice Guy Parker ruling that the school's 152-year-old trust deed did not prevent girls from being admitted. "The object of such school shall be to provide an efficient course of education for youth," the trust deed reads. The parents argued that the word "youth" in this document, while ambiguous, referred solely to boys because of circumstances at the time. This stopped girls from being enrolled on the school's Stanmore land which it had acquired in 1873 months after the deed was finalised. The school's council, on the other hand, said the term was gender-neutral. Justice Parker agreed. While the original Newington School was boys-only, and the church and government at the time had only considered single-sex schools, this did not mean the term "youth" excluded girls, he said. "I have concluded that the word 'youth' in the 1873 Trust Deed was used in a gender-neutral sense, and does not mandate male-only enrolment at the College," he wrote in his judgment. "The claim for a declaration to the contrary ... fails and must be dismissed." Newington's principal welcomed the court's decision. "We have been steadfast in our position throughout these proceedings and we remain excited to build on our rich history and traditions by taking Newington into our next era," Michael Parker wrote in a letter sent to the school's community. "We look forward now to uniting around our future vision for Newington College as a respected, modern and dynamic school for boys, girls, young men and young women from next year and into the future." The court case may not be over yet, however. Justice Parker will later hear whether the parents will press claims that a male-only limitation applies to other property held by the school's council, including later-acquired lands. Newington's co-ed plans come as the NSW government adjusts public school boundaries to ensure all students have guaranteed access to a co-educational school by 2027. More than 150,000 girls and more than 130,000 boys attend single-sex schools across Australia, according to a 2023 Catholic schools discussion paper. About five-in-six of those students are in non-government schools, like Newington. Turning an elite private boys' school co-educational remains on foot after a court agreed a word written in a 150-year-old document was gender-neutral. Newington College in Sydney's inner west announced its intention to shift to co-education across its kindergarten-to-year 12 program in late 2023. The school, which charges fees of up to $42,200 a year, has exclusively taught boys since it was founded in 1863. While a group of parents launched street protests in January 2024, some backed a legal attack in the NSW Supreme Court. That lawsuit hit a major defeat on Wednesday with Justice Guy Parker ruling that the school's 152-year-old trust deed did not prevent girls from being admitted. "The object of such school shall be to provide an efficient course of education for youth," the trust deed reads. The parents argued that the word "youth" in this document, while ambiguous, referred solely to boys because of circumstances at the time. This stopped girls from being enrolled on the school's Stanmore land which it had acquired in 1873 months after the deed was finalised. The school's council, on the other hand, said the term was gender-neutral. Justice Parker agreed. While the original Newington School was boys-only, and the church and government at the time had only considered single-sex schools, this did not mean the term "youth" excluded girls, he said. "I have concluded that the word 'youth' in the 1873 Trust Deed was used in a gender-neutral sense, and does not mandate male-only enrolment at the College," he wrote in his judgment. "The claim for a declaration to the contrary ... fails and must be dismissed." Newington's principal welcomed the court's decision. "We have been steadfast in our position throughout these proceedings and we remain excited to build on our rich history and traditions by taking Newington into our next era," Michael Parker wrote in a letter sent to the school's community. "We look forward now to uniting around our future vision for Newington College as a respected, modern and dynamic school for boys, girls, young men and young women from next year and into the future." The court case may not be over yet, however. Justice Parker will later hear whether the parents will press claims that a male-only limitation applies to other property held by the school's council, including later-acquired lands. Newington's co-ed plans come as the NSW government adjusts public school boundaries to ensure all students have guaranteed access to a co-educational school by 2027. More than 150,000 girls and more than 130,000 boys attend single-sex schools across Australia, according to a 2023 Catholic schools discussion paper. About five-in-six of those students are in non-government schools, like Newington.
News.com.au
3 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
Newington College student loses bid to challenge the elite school's move to coeducation
A student of a prestigious Sydney school has lost his bid to challenge the school's controversial move to coeducation. Newington College in Sydney's inner west announced in 2023 the school would accept both boys and girls over a staged move from 2026 onwards. The school, which boasts yearly tuition fees of up to more than $45,000, will accept girls to kindergarten and year 5 from next year, while the senior campus will accept girls in year 7 and year 11 from 2028. The decision immediately sparked controversy among the school's community, prompting a current student to take the matter to Sydney's Supreme Court. The student, who can only be known as Student A, filed a lawsuit in December 2024. The case hinged on the terminology in the school's 1873 Deed of Indenture, with the statement of claim arguing the words 'an efficient course of education for youth' is 'limited to the advancement of education of boys and young men'. Justice Guy Parker handed down his final judgment on Tuesday afternoon, finding that the terminology was used 'in a gender neutral sense'. '(I have) concluded that the word youth … was used in a gender neutral sense and does not mandate male-only enrolment at the College,' Justice Parker told the court. The statement of claim also argued the use of the College's property 'for coeducation would be a breach of (Newington's) trust', which Judge Parker ordered be dismissed. Student A was ordered to pay the legal costs. Tuition for the elite school spans up to $45,369 for those in years 11 and 12, with the fees for those in years 5 and 6 reaching $35,487. The decision to move to a co-ed model was reached after consulting with members of the school community, the judgment states. However, it 'remained controversial among some parents and alumni'. 'In particular, it was claimed that assurances had been given in the course of fundraising that the college would remain a single-sex school,' the judgment states. 'Those particular allegations are not relevant for the purpose of these proceedings. The litigation before the court is concerned only with the council's power to introduce coeducation, and not with the merits of that decision.' Newington's headmaster said the school 'remain excited to build on our rich history and traditions by taking Newington into our next era' in a statement released on Tuesday afternoon. 'We are optimistic that today's determination will now pave the way for our community to move forward together,' the statement read. 'We thank our staff, students, and families for their ongoing support and faith in our direction and leadership. 'We look forward now to uniting around our future vision for Newington College as a respected, modern and dynamic school for boys, girls, young men and young women from next year and into the future.'
ABC News
4 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Supreme Court clears the way for Newington College to accept female students
The Supreme Court has shot down a legal bid to stop a 162-year-old school for male students in Sydney's inner west from accepting females next year onwards. Newington College, an affluent private school with more than 2,000 male students in Stanmore, announced plans to become co-educational in late 2023. But some students, parents and alumni — commonly called 'old boys' — were outraged by the decision, circulating a petition before launching a court action in the Supreme Court of NSW. The case was brought by Student A — who attended the school and had their identity suppressed by the court to protect their privacy — as he was against the Newington College Council and 25 other defendants. Lawyers for Student A claimed the school was formed to teach males, pointing to a trust deed from 1873 that described Newington College as "an efficient college for youth", arguing "the term 'youth' is limited to the advancement of education of boys and young men". Justice Guy Parker dismissed the argument in Wednesday's ruling. "I have concluded that the word 'youth' in the 1873 trust deed was used in a gender-neutral sense, and does not mandate male-only enrolment at the college," he said. The Save Newington College group issued a statement mere minutes after the ruling, expressing their disappointment. "Today's decision, while respected, is at odds with the understanding held by generations of Old Boys, parents, staff, and community members — that Newington was founded, funded and entrusted as a school for boys, consistent with the original deeds," the statement read. "The campaign by Student A to protect Newington's heritage has never been about resisting change. The Newington College Council can now forge ahead with accepting enrolments in the school, where tuition ranges from $26,217 for kindergarten to $45,369 for years 11 and 12. Female students can join the primary school in 2026 and the secondary school from 2028, with the institution to become completely coeducational by 2030.
7NEWS
4 days ago
- General
- 7NEWS
'Youth' spat paves way for Newington College's co-ed plans
Turning an elite private boys' school co-educational remains on foot after a court agreed a word written in a 150-year-old document was gender-neutral. Newington College in Sydney 's inner west announced its intention to shift to co-education across its kindergarten-to-year 12 program in late 2023. The school, which charges fees of up to $42,200 a year, has exclusively taught boys since it was founded in 1863. While a group of parents launched street protests in January 2024, some backed a legal attack in the NSW Supreme Court. That lawsuit hit a major defeat on Wednesday with Justice Guy Parker ruling that the school's 152-year-old trust deed did not prevent girls from being admitted. 'The object of such school shall be to provide an efficient course of education for youth,' the trust deed reads. The parents argued that the word 'youth' in this document, while ambiguous, referred solely to boys because of circumstances at the time. This stopped girls from being enrolled on the school's Stanmore land which it had acquired in 1873 months after the deed was finalised. The school's council, on the other hand, said the term was gender-neutral. Justice Parker agreed. While the original Newington School was boys-only, and the church and government at the time had only considered single-sex schools, this did not mean the term 'youth' excluded girls, he said. 'I have concluded that the word 'youth' in the 1873 Trust Deed was used in a gender-neutral sense, and does not mandate male-only enrolment at the College,' he wrote in his judgment. 'The claim for a declaration to the contrary ... fails and must be dismissed.' 'Rich history' and 'next era' Newington's principal welcomed the court's decision. 'We have been steadfast in our position throughout these proceedings and we remain excited to build on our rich history and traditions by taking Newington into our next era,' Michael Parker wrote in a letter sent to the school's community. 'We look forward now to uniting around our future vision for Newington College as a respected, modern and dynamic school for boys, girls, young men and young women from next year and into the future.' The court case may not be over yet, however. Justice Parker will later hear whether the parents will press claims that a male-only limitation applies to other property held by the school's council, including later-acquired lands. Newington's co-ed plans come as the NSW government adjusts public school boundaries to ensure all students have guaranteed access to a co-educational school by 2027. More than 150,000 girls and more than 130,000 boys attend single-sex schools across Australia, according to a 2023 Catholic schools discussion paper. About five-in-six of those students are in non-government schools, like Newington.
