Formation | September 1952 |
---|---|
Membership | 380 member schools |
Executive Officer | Paul Clegg |
National President | Martin Lubrano |
National Secretary | Rebecca Lennon |
Website | www |
The Independent Primary School Heads of Australia (IPSHA) formerly Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA), is an incorporated body representing the heads of independent primary schools in Australia. Officially established in September 1952, the Association is broken into state branches, with six offices across Australia. The organisation currently has a membership of nearly 380 Full Members, 60 Associate and Life Members and 23 Overseas Members. Combined, the member schools employ around 6,000 people, and are responsible for educating about 100,000 primary aged children.
The IPSHA evolved largely from informal gatherings of New South Wales headmasters, which called itself the Junior Schools' Conference. The Organisation was established in 1952, when a conference was held at Cranbrook School, Sydney, where a constitution was agreed upon for the establishment of the Junior Schools' Conference of Australia.
The organisation holds biennial conferences, which alternate between states. At the biennial Conference in Perth in 1984, the Constitution was amended and the Heads of Independent Girls' Schools became eligible for membership of the IPSHA. Along with this change, came eligibility for heads of co-educational junior schools to join, which provided a significant boost in membership.
The IPSHA Board has regular termly meetings that looks at the strategic, decision making, reporting and operational matters. The Board consists of an Executive Officer, National Board Members and State Directors. is made up of has branches in each of Australia's six states, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia. Each state has an elected representative.
The State Directors listed below also are members of teh IPSHA Board of Directors:
With over 120 members from city, suburban and regional primary and middle schools, the New South Wales Branch of IPSHA has a wide diversity of schools represented. Member schools range from stand alone primary schools to K–12 campuses in both single sex and coeducational settings. All are independent and many reflect a variety of faith based and philosophical missions.
Its term meetings are held at a variety of schools and include relevant professional development through keynote speakers, discussion groups and workshops.
Students in member schools have access to a range of events. Performing Arts Festivals, Debating, Social Issues Expos, Travelling Art Exhibitions, and a wide range of Saturday Sport activities.
The Queensland branch of the IPSHA now has 80 members from independent schools across the state including single-sex, coeducational, denominational, nondenominational, metropolitan and regional schools.
Members meet once per term at one of the member schools, for the purpose of Professional Development, a Branch Meeting and opportunities for networking. Over the last few years, annual State Branch Refresher weekends have been held, with the majority of them in North Queensland.
The South Australian Branch comprises a range of schools in diverse settings in both metropolitan and rural areas. The SA Branch Executive is charged with ensuring the operations of the Branch are maintained throughout each year. One Branch meeting a term is scheduled, and these are usually held at a school.
Twelve members representing schools from both the north and south of the State make up the current membership. This includes both Primary and Middle School Heads and all are part of K-12 schools. Both coeducational and single sex schools are represented.
The Tasmanian Branch of IPSHA meets each term, alternating between Hobart and Launceston. Meetings include a professional learning topic or issue, together with an opportunity for sharing learning and leadership practices and for general collegiality
The Victorian Branch of IPSHA consists of over one hundred members from Independent schools across Victoria, including single sex, co-educational, denominational, non-denominational, metropolitan and rural schools. Many of its members' Schools are part of a K-12 structure, while some are stand alone Primary Schools.
The main goal of the branch is to maintain the Independent Primary School Heads of Australia as a significant influence in primary education, by fostering the cause of primary education and maintaining links with other associations and official bodies involved in primary education. Providing collegial support for its colleagues and the staff at its schools, is also a priority. By coming to its four Branch meetings annually and attending IPSHA events, members can take advantage of opportunities to network, develop leadership and recognise members' contributions to the wider educational community. The culture of the Victorian Branch of IPSHA is one of professionalism, learning, sharing, mutual support and friendship.
The Western Australian Branch of the IPSHA was formed in 1954 (as the WA Branch of the JSHAA), by Jeffrey G Hart, of Guildford Grammar School. The first formal gathering of Junior School Heads for the purpose of forming an Association was at Guildford Grammar School in 1954. The first formal meeting of the West Australian Branch was held at Christ Church Grammar School in May 1968, at the meeting a sub-committee was appointed for the purpose of drawing up a proposed constitution. The founding members of the organisation were:
The Constitution was adopted on 5 July 1968, at the second meeting at Hale School in Perth. Currently, the WA branch features 54 member schools, most of which are located in the Perth Metropolitan area.
Students gather in a rotated school hall annually (usually in May), where schools may send a set number of students from middle to upper primary. It was previously held in St. Georges Cathedral, Perth.
Every second year school groups are invited to perform in front of the IPSHA in the Perth Concert Hall. The concert runs for three evenings and one day (the day being especially for children).
One member school hosts an Art and Craft Festival on alternate years to the Performing Arts concert. Art may come from a range of year levels.
Every year a chess day is held at a member school. IPSHA schools are invited to send a team of four to compete. This event alternates between two set member schools.
The Southport School (TSS) is an independent Anglican early learning, primary and secondary day and boarding school for boys, located in Southport, a suburb on the Gold Coast of Queensland, Australia.
Waverley College is a dual-campus independent Catholic early learning, primary and secondary day school for boys, located on Birrell and Henrietta Street in Waverley, in the eastern suburbs of Sydney, Australia. The school was founded by the Congregation of Christian Brothers in 1903 and is operated in the tradition of Blessed Edmund Rice through its membership of Edmund Rice Education Australia.
Ipswich Grammar School is an independent, non-denominational, day and boarding school for boys, located in Ipswich, a local government region of Brisbane situated on the Bremer River in South East Queensland, Australia. The school is sited on the eponymous historical Grammar School Hill, with its original buildings occupying the crown of the hill. Some of the Ipswich Grammar School Buildings are listed on the Queensland Heritage Register.
Guildford Grammar School, informally known as Guildford Grammar, Guildford or GGS, is an independent Anglican coeducational primary and secondary day and boarding school, located in Guildford, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia.
Established in 1905 the Public Schools Association, or the PSA, is an association of seven independent boys schools in Perth, Western Australia. The term "public school" references the historical usage of the term and the model of the British public school. The schools compete against each other in athletic competition throughout the year. There are three main events held annually; the Head of the River rowing regatta, the Interschool Athletics Carnival, and the Interschool Swimming Carnival.
International Grammar School (IGS) is a dual campus independent secular coeducational early learning, primary, and secondary day school, located in Ultimo, an inner city suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
The Presbyterian Ladies' College, is an independent, day and boarding school predominantly for girls, situated in Peppermint Grove, a western suburb of Perth, Western Australia.
Clayfield College is an independent, Uniting Church and Presbyterian, day and boarding school, located in Clayfield, an inner-northern suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The College is owned and governed by the Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association.
Somerset College is an independent, non-denominational Christian day school located in Mudgeeraba, Queensland, Australia. Established in 1983, the college has a non-selective enrolment policy and caters for approximately 1480 students from Pre-Prep to Year 12. Originally constructed in rural farmland in the Gold Coast hinterland, the countryside surrounding the campus has undergone significant urban development since the school's foundation.
Fairholme College is an independent, day and boarding school for girls, located in Toowoomba, one of Australia's largest provincial cities, in South East Queensland, Australia.
Ruyton Girls' School, commonly referred to simply as Ruyton, is a non-denominational and independent day school for girls, located on Selbourne Road, Kew, an inner-eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
The Hills Grammar School is an independent nonsectarian co-educational early learning, primary and secondary day school, located in Kenthurst, a suburb in the Hills district of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Hunter Valley Grammar School is an independent secular co-educational early learning, primary, and secondary day school, located in Ashtonfield, a suburb of Maitland, New South Wales, Australia. It is named after the Hunter Valley, in which it is located.
Perth College is an Australian independent Anglican day and boarding school for girls located in Mount Lawley, an inner northern suburb of Perth, Western Australia. The school maintains a non-selective enrolment policy and currently has approximately 1,000 students from Kindergarten to Year 12, including 110 boarders from Year 7 onwards.
Lowther Hall Anglican Grammar School, most often referred to simply as Lowther Hall, is a private, comprehensive single-sex primary and secondary day school for girls, located in Essendon, an inner suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Penrhos College is an independent Uniting Church single-sex primary and secondary day and boarding school for girls, located in Como, a southern suburb of Perth, Western Australia.
St Hilda's Anglican School for Girls is an Australian independent non-selective Anglican single-sex primary and secondary day and boarding school for girls, located in Mosman Park, a western suburb of Perth, Western Australia. In addition, the school provides co-educational early learning education to both girls and boys.
Annesley Junior School, formerly known as Methodist Ladies' College and Annesley College, is an independent day school for girls and boys from two years old to year 6. It is located in Wayville, a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It has a co-educational early learning centre for children between the ages of two and five, and a primary school for reception to year 6. It is affiliated with the Association of Independent Schools of South Australia, and the Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA).
Toowoomba Grammar School is an independent, non-denominational, day and boarding grammar school for boys, in East Toowoomba, Toowoomba, Toowoomba Region, Queensland, Australia.
The Whitsunday Anglican School (WAS) is an independent Anglican co-educational early learning, primary and secondary day and boarding school, located in Beaconsfield, a suburb in Mackay, Queensland, Australia.