Update from Chair of Council
Chair of the Geelong Grammar School (GGS) Council, Paddy Handbury (M’72), has provided an update on the progress of four important strategic initiatives for the School.
Junior School at Corio Campus
Mr Handbury confirmed that the School has progressed the design of a new, purpose-built Junior School at Corio and that construction of this project is anticipated to commence in Semester 2, 2024. “This is a significant strategic project for our School, a transformational ‘Timbertop moment’, and an exciting new chapter for our Bostock House community,” Paddy said. This project has experienced several delays as the School has navigated complex planning matters amidst a highly inflationary environment. Through collaboration with the project team of architects and builders, the School has reached an optimal design and cost solution for the project so that GGS can deliver an exceptional Junior School experience at Corio from 2026 and beyond.
Middle School at Toorak Campus (The Glamorgan Initiative)
Mr Handbury also announced that following a comprehensive review of the educational model at the Toorak Campus, GGS will be progressing with the design of a Middle School program, including the phased re-introduction of Years 7 and 8. The review included workshops and focus groups with staff and families, as well as an independent research project conducted by Roy Morgan to provide robust data and a clear market perspective. The new model will continue the record of Exceptional Education at the Toorak Campus. Known as The Glamorgan Initiative (TGI), it will include re-orientating and refreshing existing facilities to accommodate the introduction of Year 7 in 2027, followed by Year 8 in 2028. “We are confident there is a healthy appetite in Melbourne for our proposed co-educational Middle School model (Years 5-8), supported by dedicated Middle School staff and providing a direct pathway to Timbertop and beyond to Senior School at Corio,” Paddy said.
Corio and Timbertop Masterplans
Mr Handbury also confirmed that School Council renewed its commitment to progress other projects outlined in the Corio Campus Masterplan and endorsed a newly developed, comprehensive Masterplan for Timbertop. “At Corio, we have continued to advance designs to reconfigure and revitalise two Senior School boarding houses, Garnett and Perry,” he said. “As was the case at Corio, the Timbertop Masterplan is based on deep collaboration and consultation – I am grateful to our students, staff and broader community for their contributions to the process of developing a shared vision for our Timbertop campus.”
Mr Handbury explained that the delivery of the Masterplans will enable GGS to continue to provide an Exceptional Education well into the future. He said that the next step is to commence a philanthropic feasibility study to understand the support available to advance the School’s ambitions. “The level of community interest and philanthropic capacity will help us plan the logistics of where we start and create a map of works with estimated timelines” Paddy said. “Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through the complexity of these important capital works at each of our campuses.”