Toowoomba Anglican School

The Toowoomba Anglican School (formerly Toowoomba Anglican College and Preparatory School) is an independent Anglican co-educational primary and secondary day and boarding school located in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. The school is a member of the Anglican Diocese of Brisbane and is affiliated with the Junior School Heads Association of Australia.

Toowoomba Anglican School
Location
Toowoomba, Queensland

Australia
Coordinates27°33′28″S 151°58′37″E
Information
Former names
  • The Toowoomba Grammar Preparatory School
  • The Church of England Preparatory School
  • The Church of England Boys School
  • The Toowoomba Preparatory School
  • Toowoomba Anglican College and Preparatory School
TypeIndependent co-educational primary and secondary day and boarding school
MottoLatin: Sola Nobilitas Virtus
Religious affiliation(s)Anglican Diocese of Brisbane
DenominationAnglican
Established1911 (1911)
Head of SchoolSimon Lees
Enrolment650
Campus size5-hectare (12-acre)
Campus typeRegional
Colour(s)Gold, navy and maroon    
AffiliationJunior School Heads Association of Australia
Websitetaschool.qld.edu.au

The school has a small village atmosphere at its 5-hectare (12-acre) campus[1] on the edge of the Dividing Range, and has developed a variety of facilities on its East Toowoomba location. These include three sporting ovals, an outdoor 25 metres (82 ft) swimming pool, a multipurpose court, and the St Aidans School Chapel. It also has a large multi-purpose venue with bleacher seating called the Millennium Centre, where assemblies and other sporting events are held such as volleyball, basketball and netball.

History

The school was founded in 1911 as The Toowoomba Grammar Preparatory School. Original enrolment comprised 17 boys. The school was founded and grew with a boarding focus to service the geographically isolated areas of Southern and Western Queensland. The focus on boarding has remained through the school's history.

In 1927 the campus was expanded with the purchase of the adjacent Stoneleigh House, which was used for boarding students. In 1942–43 the School grounds were commandeered by the Army as a result of World War II, and the school was evacuated to Southport on the Gold Coast. In 1972 the enrolment was expanded to become co-educational. In 1986 Stoneleigh House was demolished to make room for sporting facilities. The turret (known as the Bell Tower) was salvaged through the efforts of the Past Students Association, and to this day is sited between the sporting ovals that replaced Stoneleigh.

In 2011 the school's board was subject of a civil case, S v Corporation of the Synod of the Diocese of Brisbane [2001] QSC 473,[2] involving sexual offending by a housemaster in the 1990s.[3] The events later formed the basis of the 2017 film Don't Tell.

Heads of School
OrdinalOfficeholderTitleSchool nameTerm startTerm endTime in officeNotes
1Ernest Albert GillThe Toowoomba Grammar Preparatory School
The Church of England Preparatory School		1911192614–15 years
2Aldington HuntThe Church of England Boys School192719280–1 years
3Norman "Boss" Connal1929195828–29 years
4Edgar "Blue" White1959197313–14 years
5Robert "Bob" Smith197319795–6 years
6Robert BrewsterThe Toowoomba Preparatory School1979199212–13 years
7Tim Waley199319951–2 years
8Bruce Howden1995200913–14 years
9Sandra Hawken201020132–3 years[4]
10Simon LeesHead of SchoolToowoomba Anglican College and Preparatory School
Toowoomba Anglican School		2014present6–7 years

Houses

The school has a day house system for internal competition, and a different house system for boarding.

There are three-day houses: Gill (maroon), Connal (gold) and Fairfax (navy).

Sports

Sports offered at the school include AFL, athletics, basketball, cricket, cross country, soccer, rugby union, rugby league, hockey, netball, softball, swimming, tennis, touch football, and volleyball.

Sporting facilities at the school include three junior sized ovals, four tennis and netball courts, an outdoor pool and a gymnasium.

Music

TAS has an extensive music program. The program includes a music exposure system where all students undertake activities using musical instruments such as violin. The result is extensive participation in small music ensembles through all age groups. TAS enters the annual Toowoomba Eisteddfod amongst other regional competitions, and typically enjoys significant success. The Chapel Choir is noted for its consistently high performance standard.

The school also encourages participation in musical productions. The annual Preparatory Years musical is a large production with participation of all students from Years 3 to 6 in all aspects from staging, music and management. The College Musical and College Play take place in alternate years.

Notable alumni

All previous students are able to join the Past Students Association. Notable alumni include:

  • Aeneas McDonnell, an international art critic; recoverer of stolen artwork in post World War II Nazi Germany (1911–16)
  • Air Vice Marshal Don Bennett CB, CBE, DSO, (1919–20)
  • Charles Copeman AM, Rhodes Scholar 1953; mining industrialist (1941–42)
  • Steve Haddan, a sports journalist (1964–70)
  • Frank Haly AO, businessman in finance (1944–47)
  • Sally Kehoe, an Olympic rower (1992–98)[5]
  • Bernie Pramberg, a rugby league referee and sports journalist (1952–60)
  • Pippa Savage, a national rower (1988–93)
  • Alex Smith, a TV reporter and journalist (1972–73)
  • Jon Stephenson, a geologist, Antarctic explorer, and academic (1943)[6]
  • Dr Stuart Bruce Thorp Academic and Documentary maker (1966-73)

See also

References
  1. http://www.tacaps.qld.edu.au Archived 24 August 2006 at the Wayback Machine
  2. "S v Corporation of the Synod of the Diocese of Brisbane [2001] QSC 473". State of Queesland (Supreme Court of Queensland). Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  3. Gunders, Peter (17 May 2017). "Don't Tell: 'Australia's Spotlight' shines on a dark chapter of institutional cover up of child sexual abuse". ABC Online. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  4. The Toowoomba Preparatory School Centenary 1911–2011. 2011. ISBN 978-0-646-54782-4
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 29 May 2014. Retrieved 17 September 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 6 July 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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