Great teachers, combined with the highest quality learning environment, give our students the confidence to achieve and the ability to reach their full potential. Excellent teaching and learning at Yarra Valley Grammar is supported by our unique setting and the outstanding array of educational facilities.
Our School is located on 30 hectares, providing students with the space they need to enjoy a range of activities. From competitive sport to drama productions, lunchtime play to quiet contemplation, students, staff and visitors alike appreciate Yarra Valley Grammar’s spacious and picturesque setting.
Our superior range of facilities includes the newly opened Science and Mathematics faculty featuring state-of-the-art learning spaces, a new kitchen and Food Technology classroom, dedicated Early Learning Centre and an Upper Primary Building, both specifically designed with flexible learning spaces. Our Year 7 Centre is dedicated to supporting students in their first year of secondary school, and the contemporary Senior Student Centre provides an independent learning space for Year 12 students. There are also state-of-the-art facilities for music, drama and dance within the School’s Performing Arts Centre and Music School as well as a wide range of sporting facilities.
We encourage you to learn more about what Yarra Valley Grammar has to offer.
On Friday 21 May, the Governor of Victoria, Her Excellency the Honourable Linda Dessau AC officially opened our new Fine Arts Building which sits prominently on Kalinda Road next to the Science and Mathematics Faculties. His Grace, Dr Philip Freier, Archbishop of Melbourne also joined us to Dedicate the building. The official opening ceremony held in the George Wood Performing Arts Centre and the Dedication was a great celebration as the new facility provides our community with many more opportunities. The visual arts are an important part of our school curriculum which values creativity and originality in student work.
Increasingly, education is about the student’s capacity for independent learning, and the new building provides both expansive classroom and work spaces as well as breakout areas where students can work singularly or in small groups. The ground floor of the three-storey building is dedicated to Design and Technology in the area of wood with workshops and machine rooms. There is a fine tradition of wood sculpture and furniture making in the School.
The new facility also provides a dedicated art gallery for the display of student and community works. This is consistent with the School’s philosophy that we are a community resource enjoyed at times by the wider community. The George Wood Performing Arts Centre, the John King Sports Complex, the indoor swim centre and the playing fields are all made available to community groups during the course of the year attesting to the fact that Yarra Valley Grammar is not just located in Ringwood but is also an important part of the local community.
At the moment we have a show which celebrates the work of our young artists from each of the Junior, Middle and Senior Schools. Their artistic skills are quite extraordinary, including a large piece produced by all Year 7 students working with our artist in residence.
I acknowledge and thank our choristers and musicians whose skills have been evidenced once again during the opening service. It is uplifting to spend the day surrounded by the energy, enthusiasm, skill and creativity of our visual and performing arts program.
Dr Mark Merry
Principal
Designed by Hayball
Video production by Hayball
Project link: https://www.hayball.com.au/projects/yarra-valley-grammar-arts-design-and-technology-building/
On Thursday, 3 July, Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Margaret Gardner AC, Governor of Victoria, officially opened our new Performing Arts and Media School. We were also honoured to be joined by the Right Reverend Dr Paul Barker, Bishop for the Jumbunna Episcopate, and the Right Reverend Kate Prowd, Bishop for the Monomeeth Episcopate, who led the Dedication of the building.
The official opening ceremony, held in the George Wood Performing Arts Centre, was a celebration of this significant milestone. The new facility marks an exciting chapter for our school community, offering expanded opportunities for creativity, collaboration, and learning in the performing arts and media.
During the opening, the Chair of the School Board, Mrs Carrie Edwards-Britt, proudly announced that the new Performing Arts and Media School will be named in honour of Dr Mark Merry, Principal, in recognition of his 16 years of outstanding leadership and dedicated service to the School.
The new facility features state-of-the-art dance and drama studios, individual music practice rooms, a sound stage and recording studio, a recital hall, and is also home to our Languages faculty.
We extend our sincere thanks to our talented choristers and musicians, whose exceptional performances enriched the opening service and once again showcased the strength of our performing arts program. It was truly uplifting to spend the day immersed in the energy, enthusiasm, creativity, and skill that define this vibrant part of our School community.
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Official opening and dedication of the Junior Primary Building
On Wednesday 25 October, the Archbishop of Melbourne, Dr Philip Freier officially opened our new Junior Primary Building.
The building was opened in the presence of Year 6 students, YVG staff, the School Board and distinguished guests including The Honourable Michael Sukkar Federal Member for Deakin, The Honourable David Hodgett, the Victorian Member for Croydon and Cr Rob Steane the Mayor of Maroondah.
Following the opening service there was a short tour of the building, visits to classrooms and Morning Tea with Guests and the Junior School Staff at recess.
The Junior Primary building which faces on to Kalinda Road will house classes from Prep to Year 2 and is a wonderful addition to our school.
I acknowledge and thank our Junior School musicians whose skills have been evidenced once again during the opening service.
Dr Mark Merry
Principal
The new Science and Mathematics building was officially opened on 18 February 2015 by Governor-General, Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC. This building has been designed to not only replace the facilities which were destroyed by fire in January 2012, but to enhance the functionality of both the Science and Mathematics Departments, as well as the learning experience for our students.
The building has been designed after extensive consultation with both staff members and students, to ensure it effectively meets the needs of the Science and Mathematics Departments and is a useable space for the wider School community. The building is split into two levels, with six science laboratories on the ground floor, as well as break-out open leaning spaces and preparatory labs. Level 1 will house six classrooms, a flexible learning hub and staff facilities. The building will feature a 150 seat multi-purpose auditorium which will be used by all year levels and study areas and is home to 300 of our Senior students.
The design provides opportunities for learning activities to be taken outdoors.There will be a large 'spill-out' learning and congregation space at the north eastern entry to the building as well as several sheltered and more intimate spill-out spaces across the eastern face. The main internal learning hub will look out onto a large timber deck and seating platform in which informal activities and outdoor teaching sessions can take place.
On Tuesday, 18 June we officially opened our new Research Centre and dedicated the new Chapel of the Holy Spirit which forms part of the facility. His Grace, Dr Philip Freier,
Archbishop of Melbourne and Primate of the Anglican Church of Australia was the principal guest on the day and he was joined by a number of visiting clergy and invited guests.
The official opening ceremony held in the George Wood Performing Arts Centre and the Dedication in the Chapel were both great celebrations as the new facility provides our community with many more opportunities. The new John Pascoe Library, classrooms and small study spaces and the Chapel along with the rooftop terrace garden provide us with a new community hub here at the School.
The title Research Centre is deliberately chosen. Increasingly, education is about the student’s ability to develop the capacity for independent learning. Additionally, we teachers undertake ongoing learning as part of our work. The new facility provides a venue where students and teachers will at times work side by side and at times together to further our aim for this to be the learning centre of the school. I can announce too that we are in discussion with two universities here in Melbourne and other groups to provide a venue where researchers may be based temporarily to further their work.
Whilst the chapel forms part of a brand new facility it is already taking on a personality of its own. We have included legacy furniture such as the altar, pews and Bishop’s Chair from the old chapel to honour and connect us with memories of the past. Our new pipe organ was made possible by the generosity of the Brighton Baptist Church, two of whose leaders joined us for the service. It was rebuilt and set in place by the skill of Australian Pipe Organs and their two organ builders Robert Heatley and Daniel Bittner were there to witness the reconditioned organ played in its new home for the first time.
James Simpson (YOG 2005) generously donated the clavinova played by William Gu in the Great Hall in the morning as guests entered the new building. These two instruments will accompany our new Chapel Choir to be based in this space. The Foundation and the Old Grammarians have both financially supported this new project as too have the Ogden Family whose generosity will allow us to acquire a new baptismal font for the chapel. The new lectern was designed and built by Dezy Fai, Captain of Art Design and Technology in 2018. He completed the lectern for his VCE Product Design (Wood) project. Dezi was an international student from Harbin in China and is now studying Design at RMIT University.
I acknowledge and thank our choristers and musicians whose skill in sacred music has been evidenced once again during both services. I acknowledge the work of the school chaplains, the Reverend Paul Joy and the Reverend Dianne Sharrock who minister to a diverse School community and engage its members in matters of religious education and faith. I thank too our students who approached both services with reverence and a sense of positive anticipation to begin using the new spaces.
Dr Mark Merry
Principal
The George Wood Performing Arts Centre is a unique on-site facility, allows the entire Senior School community to meet together to celebrate and acknowledge achievements as well as significant drama performances and music events.
The Performing Arts Centre boasts a seating capacity of 900 with modern sound and lighting systems. A flexible space called The Gallery complements the main Auditorium, which is regularly used for workshops, presentations and catered functions.
The Centre regularly plays host to performances by children's favourites such as ABC for Kids as well as concert performances by some of Australia’s best-known artists. In addition, the venue is used extensively for local school concerts and presentations, dance performances and various charity and community events.
The Centre is available for private hire and is widely enjoyed by the greater community. Limited parking is available and disabled clients are catered for with wheelchair access from the street to any location in the stalls.
The Early Learning Centre is a purpose built state-of-the-art facility for children 3 - 5 years old. Opened in 2010, the Centre is nestled amongst the shade of gum trees within the grounds of the Junior School, allowing for easy access to all school facilities.
A haven for play and learning, the centre’s superior architectural design and features provide an inspirational environment for young learners to embark upon their educational journey.
One of the most significant aspects of the Centre is an impressive curved feature wall which runs the length of the building. On one side, a spacious hallway accommodates waiting parents and families. With comfortable furnishings that help to create a homely nurturing feel, parents are encouraged to stay and interact. On the other side, large open play spaces and big windows offer clear connections between rooms and the outdoor environment. A wide decking and veranda area provides shelter and shade during outdoor play, as do sails over each of the sandpits and a large central gumtree.
Built with sustainability in mind, the natural environment offers rich educational opportunities and assists young children to connect with nature. The carefully designed open plan grounds are not dominated by large scale fixed equipment but offer natural play areas with moveable climbing pieces. A variety of sensory and ground surfaces promote sustained, complex and creative play and offer challenge for emerging physical skills.
Yarra Valley Grammar sports facilities incorporate extensive playing fields, a heated indoor swimming pool, a synthetic hockey pitch, tennis courts, Sports Complex and the Sports Pavilion.
The John King Sports Complex caters for basketball, netball, volleyball, dance, badminton, table tennis and other physical activities. In addition, it contains a fully equipped weights room, change room facilities and seating for up to 200 spectators.
All students are able to enjoy our new indoor 25-metre swimming pool built in conjunction with Paul Sadler Swimland. Squad training, inter-House and inter-School competitions are all catered for, as well as swimming lessons and training during the normal school-time Physical Education curriculum. A separate learners' pool greatly assists younger students with gaining water confidence, buoyancy and stroke development.
The Allen Crawley playing fields, Lyn Davies floodlit hockey pitch, eight tennis courts and two netball courts offer additional opportunities for students to excel outside the classroom.
The Brooke Nicholas Sports Pavilion, which opened in early 2012, is an impressive modern building that offers a great viewing platform and boasts a function room, kitchen, kiosk and change room facilities.
