Redlands, Cremorne


Redlands, Sydney Church of England Co-educational Grammar School, is a multi-campus independent co-educational early learning, primary, and secondary day Christian school, in the Anglican tradition, located in Cremorne on the lower north shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Established in 1884, the non-selective school and caters for approximately 1,600 students from early learning and on to Year K to Year 12.
Redlands is a member of the Association of Independent Schools NSW, the Independent Schools Association, the Junior School Heads Association of Australia, and the Council of International Schools.

History

Established in 1884 as a school for girls and run by the Misses Liggins and Arnold until around 1910, Redlands later established an association with the Anglican Diocese of Sydney and became the Sydney Church of England Girls Grammar School, Redlands in 1945; abbreviated as SCEGGS. Redlands severed legal ties with the Anglican Diocese in 1976, and was re-constituted as a wholly independent school. SCEGGS, Redlands, SCEGGS Darlinghurst, SCEGGS Wollongong and SCEGGS Loquat Valley survived by re-constituting themselves as wholly independent entities, severing their legal ties with the Anglican diocese while retaining the Church of England title in their corporate names. SCEGGS, was unable to recover, and closed. Loquat Valley became a member of the Sydney Anglican Schools Corporation.
When the school became co-educational, its title changed to Sydney Church of England Co-educational Grammar School, Redlands; abbreviated as SCECGS Redlands.

Motto

The Latin school motto of Redlands, Luceat lux vestra, is taken from, translates "Let your light shine." It appears in the school song which was shared with the other SCEGGS schools:
After the collapse of the SCEGGS school network, and Redlands' admission of boys in 1978, the first line of the SCEGGS song was altered at Redlands to "Students of Redlands School, those old and new...."

School governance

Since the Sydney Anglican SCEGGS schools collapse, Redlands has been independently owned and operated by SCECGS Redlands Limited — a public company limited by guarantee.
The role of the Board is to oversee the management and business of the company, and in particular to:
Redlands offers the International Baccalaureate as well as the New South Wales Higher School Certificate. Redlands has offered the International Baccalaureate since 1989, longer than any other school in NSW. In 2016, eight students achieved an ATAR of 99 or more and one third of students achieved an ATAR of 95 or more.

Campus facilities

Redlands occupies two campuses in Sydney, including the former Cremorne Girls High School site on Murdoch Street, which it purchased from the Government of New South Wales in 1989. This site houses the Preschool, Preparatory and Junior School students. The Senior Campus on Military Road is for the Secondary School students.
The school operates Redlands Preschools at Cremorne and Balgowlah North, and also operates an experiential outdoor education site, the High Country Campus, in.
Peter J. Cornish was appointed Principal in 1981, and is credited with returning the school to financial security and academic respectability in the period 1980 to 2002. Cornish was formerly Deputy Headmaster of The Armidale School, and previously an English master at SCEGGS, both Anglican boys' schools. He emphasised academic achievement, as well as developing numerous sport and co-curricular opportunities. Cornish cultivated an association with several neighbouring Anglican parishes, including the immediately adjacent mainstream Anglican parish of St Peter's, Cremorne, and indeed the school continues use of the parish church as the Secondary School chapel. On Foundation Day 2007, the Governor Phillip Building was renamed the Peter Cornish Building, in recognition and honour of his achievements and progressions in the school. The Boys 1st IV Rowing boat was also named in his honour at a ceremony on 16 March 2008.
At the end of 2006, Christopher Daunt Watney, former Principal of Redlands, concluded 4 years at the School. Neil Tucker temporarily filled the role until the end of 2007. In July 2007 the Board announced the appointment of Dr Peter Lennox as the Principal of Redlands from early 2008.
In 2007, the school celebrated the completion of refurbishment of the Secondary School Science laboratories and renamed the building Roseby - in recognition of the school's longest serving Headmistress - G. A. Roseby. The board also announced the naming of The Adams Centre building on the southern side of Military Road.
In 2010 the school completed the Redlands Fitness Centre which is now used regularly by a majority of Redlands students for fitness training.
In 2010-11, a major development was undertaken on the Murdoch Street Campus as part of the Federal government BER program. The 1960s three-storey building was demolished to make way for the new home for the Margaret Roberts Preparatory School and an all purpose sports and assembly hall. The development now features a state of the art playground, larger oval and new enclosed ball games court for students to play on. The school is now divided into a Redlands House Early Childhood and K - 2 and 3-6 on the Murdoch Street Campus, called the Junior Campus; and a Years 7-12 on the Military Road Campus, named the Senior Campus.
In 2016, the school commenced redevelopment of the Senior Campus.
Dr Peter Lennox retired after 12 years of exemplary service to the School and Stephen Webber commenced as Principal in January 2020.

House system

Redlands has four houses. Each student wears a badge on their blazer. Each is named after a notable family or person linked with the school's history. School pride amongst students is most prominent at the school's yearly Swimming Carnival, Athletics Carnival and performing arts night - Gala Arts.

Sport

Redlands is a member of the Independent Schools Association, also competing against the Athletic Association of the Great Public Schools of New South Wales in some sports. The school offers both representative and non-representative sports, with students being required to compete in one representative sport a year. In the Senior School, many students participate in basketball and netball.
The school's rowing program is now situated at Mosman Rowing Club, Pearl Bay for on water training, after an arson attack destroyed the shed at Tambourine Bay in 2007.
Summer sports include basketball, swimming, tennis, touch football, indoor hockey, rowing, and sailing. Winter sports include AFL, athletics, cross country, soccer, hockey, netball, rugby, snowsports, tennis, and waterpolo.

Notable alumni