Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School enjoys a unique place in the independent schools of Western Australia. In 1967 a small group of spirited volunteers took the first steps to establish an Anglican, co-educational, day and boarding school in the diocese of Bunbury. It was a vision that became reality when Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School opened in 1972 with 78 students.

Today, BCGS is a thriving and widely respected School with over 800 students. Set on 33 hectares of natural bushland, the School has developed significantly from its foundation. It offers first class programmes and facilities to girls and boys from Kindergarten to Year 12. It has a proud academic history which has been built around strong and positive educational leadership, matched by excellence in teaching and pastoral care and supported by a wide range of co-curricular activities.

History

Brief History

In 1967, Bishop Ralph Hawkins decided that Bunbury was in need of an independent Anglican school. The first meeting in connection with the School's formation was held at the Bishop's Office. The National Fund Raising Council of Australia was appointed to direct and assist with fund raising. A construction company was selected to draw up plans and construction of the School began on a 72 acre site at Gelorup in May 1971. Towards the end of 1971 a Headmaster, Mr N E Speed, and staff were appointed. The first co-educational Anglican independent boarding school in the South-West was opened on Tuesday February 8, 1972. When the School first opened there were two staff residences, a boys' dormitory, a girls' dormitory, a classroom block with ablutions, a dining room with a kitchen which doubled as a hall, and an administration building. There were 11 staff members, and 78 students enrolled (41 in Primary, 37 in Years 8 and 9). Of these students, 14 were boarders, 9 boys and 5 girls. When Mr Tony Brooker took over as Headmaster in 1978, the School entered a period of rapid change. With increased building activity, the School took on its present appearance. Classrooms and laboratories were constructed; a separate primary block, boarding units, administration buildings, and a practical arts centre. The hardcourt areas were extended and the Richard Palmer Oval was established. Mr Simon Murray was Headmaster between 1990 - 1998, and he initiated the drive for the School to develop a Design and Technology Centre that would benefit both the School and the extended community. Local business and family support enabled this enterprise to be completed at the end of 1997. In 1998 Dr Bruce Matthews was appointed Headmaster of BCGS. Under his leadership, our exciting story continues.

The School Emblem

The Grammar School coat of arms consists of a shield with an ear of wheat on either side. Above the shield is a Bishop's mitre and surrounding all is the School's name 'Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School'. At the bottom is the School Motto 'Fide et Opere' (By Faith and Work). The shield is divided into three sections, the left section shows an old square sailing ship which represents the port of Bunbury. At the top right is an open book to represent the learning achieved at Bunbury Grammar, and on the bottom right is the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ. The ship is also a symbol of the Christian Church. The lamb and wheat stand for the two main rural industries of Western Australia. The Bishop's Mitre, which is above everything on the emblem, reminds all that this school has a strong religious foundation and is under the guidance of the Bishop of the Diocese.

Boarding

We have a beautiful setting here for our boarding facilities, with more than 30 hectares of magnificent bush and cultivated grounds. As well as having the outstanding facilities of the School available for our boarders to use, being only 10 kms from the City of Bunbury means that we have ready access to all of the infrastructure that a City provides.

Our boarding facilities are central to our School community and located right in the heart of our School grounds. Each boarding house has self-contained, cottage-style accommodation and each cottage can house up to nine boarders of varying ages. Students have bedrooms rather than dormitories and the senior students take some responsibility for the care of the younger members of their unit. Shower, toilet and laundry facilities are shared and each unit has a kitchen and an eating area where students meet over breakfast, afternoon tea and supper (lunch and the evening meal each day are provided by our superb chefs). This unique way of housing students helps to foster strong bonds of friendship across age groups.

Firm rules ensure that our co-educational boarding is a friendly and positive experience. Common rooms and significant indoor and outdoor recreation areas provide opportunities for relaxation, while the weights room is available for those who prefer a somewhat more strenuous form of social interaction. In Term 1 and Term 4, the beach is the destination for a pre-breakfast bus trip. This is extremely popular and the late miss out!

The Lishman Library, Design and Technology Centre, music and drama, sporting and other facilities are open for use after school hours and often on weekends. Sporting commitments and trips to Bunbury to participate in community leisure activities such as aerobics, jazz ballet, kick boxing, rowing and sailing can be undertaken in safety, and all transport is provided through School buses. Voluntary weekend excursions and afternoon beach trips are a regular feature of life in boarding. Early and late teas accommodate those who have after school commitments off the campus.

Most of the House Parents (who live adjacent to the boarders’ cottages) and Assistant House Parents are teachers at the School. Other members of the School teaching staff help with supervision in boarding. This ensures a close relationship between the boarding and day sections of the School.

To support the families of boarders, the School provides a bus at the start of term, mid-term and at the end of term to drive students to home locations between Bunbury and Gnowangerup/Esperance. Other buses serve the Newdegate/Hopetoun and the Margaret River areas.

Year 8 is our preferred entry point into boarding, with a number of students also entering at the Year 11 level.

We offer an experience for our boarders that aims to help them to find enjoyment and to grow during their time away from home. Our central aim is to provide a ‘home away from home’ experience that provides each boarder with unlimited opportunities to develop lifelong friendships, lifelong learning strategies and a degree of independence and interdependence that will serve them well in life beyond the Grammar School. It is the friendly spirit of co-operation between students, staff, parents and boarding families that makes this a very special place.

External Links

Bunbury Cathedral Grammar School Website