Rudderless
Ron Walden (29)
It’s also probably due to the fact the Newington is close geographically to Meriden, PLC and MLC .. All 3 are some of the best performing academic private schools in the state .. and a lot of the brothers go to Newington …
that should tell u something .
GS and AtA(For the Newington school council) It might be worth reading the newsletter that the then retiring Meriden principal circulated last year. It was staunchly in favour of a girls only school and shared substantial data supporting the position. Meriden is closest to Trinity whose own principal published an oped in the smh in recent weeks …… some schools won’t give into fashion, and stick to the sticking place.
You both make very relevant points.
As a New OB (Prep and Senior school) I was shocked when I saw the announcement but not surprised.
There has been talk about this move since 2021, just 2 years after Michael Parker took over the reins as Headmaster in 2019. The previous Headmaster Dr David Mulford guided the school from 2008 to 2018.
Newington's focus on utilizing its limited Stanmore footprint whilst expanding infrastructure for its boys in Years 7 to 12 many years ago resulted in the Prep School (Wyvern K-6) being relocated streets away from the Main Campus, the Boarding House was watered down to a maximum of 50 (and limited to Years 9 to 12, some who are Sydney boys who only frequent the house Mon to Fri) which also was relocated streets away.
The question is why now ?
It's not because of low enrolment numbers, it's not because they are suffering financially, and I don't believe the argument it will somehow make them better human beings in society. If that was the case (and has been mentioned previously..........why aren't Girls-Only Schools converting to Co-ed ???).
The Council has trumpeted about the sudden interest in enrolment applications, might it be more convenient for a family to have siblings at the same school or are they on long waiting lists at PLC MLC and Meriden and this is Plan B ?
My son has just completed Year 12 at the Kings School as a full boarder (since Year 7). As a regional family the lack of boarder numbers at New and a start date in Year 9 was a joke.
Maybe this social compass the Headmaster and Council are jawboning about to make Newington's 'boys to men' better citizen's, maybe some of this coin they have allocated to spend on transitioning the school would be better spent bringing Boarding back on-site with healthy numbers (250+).
The interaction of my son with his 'Sydney' mates has both shaped each other for the better. He gets invited to Sydney family home's, in the holidays he reciprocates at our property 3 hours away.
In regard to interacting with girls his age, I can't keep up with the number of girls he knows, meets, celebrates parties with. This BS about Boys-Only schools living in a social cocoon is rubbish. Yes he's an extravert but for a kid living at a school 7 days a week in Parramatta for the last 6 years, goodness he sure has a lot of female friends.
Finally, if this decision does go thru, New's rugby results will suffer. They can either replicate the Barker College playbook or expect to see the 1st XV line up with Syd Boys High and Grammar in the 3rds.
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