Fintona Girls' School is a small, independent, non-denominational, day school for girls, located in Balwyn, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Fintona Girls' School
Location
Map
,
Australia
Coordinates37°48′51″S 145°4′48″E / 37.81417°S 145.08000°E / -37.81417; 145.08000
Information
TypeIndependent, girls' school, Christian, day school
MottoAge Quod Agis (Latin)
(Do what you are doing)
DenominationNon-denominational
Established1896
ChairmanJackie Besley
PrincipalRachael Falloon
Staff~120[1]
Years offeredELC–12
GenderGirls
Enrolment~600 (K–12)[1]
Colour(s)Navy blue and gold   
SloganDo what you do well
AffiliationGirls Sport Victoria
Websitewww.fintona.vic.edu.au

Established in 1896, Fintona is a non-selective school and currently caters for approximately 600 students from the Early Learning Centre (ELC) to Year 12.

Fintona is a member of Girls Sport Victoria (GSV),[2] the Alliance of Girls Schools Australia (AGSA),[3] the Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA),[4] and the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA).[5]

History edit

Fintona was established as a Presbyterian, day and boarding school for girls, in 1896. The school was founded by Annie Hughston and was originally located in the Melbourne suburb of Camberwell.

The school occupies 'Balwyn', the historic home and vineyard built by early settler Andrew Murray, from which the suburb of Balwyn takes its name.[6]

Principals edit

Period Details Notes
1896–1921 Annie Hughston [7]
1922–1926 Isobel Macdonald
1927–1929 Majory Black
1930–1934 Jeanie McCowan
1935–1962 Margaret Cunningham
1963–1991 Elizabeth Butt
1992–2000 Deborah Seifert
2001–2005 Karen Starr
2006–2017 Suzy Chandler
2018–present Rachael Falloon [8]

Curriculum edit

Fintona Girls' School is divided into 4 teaching sections:

  • The Early Learning Centre (ELC)
  • Junior School, catering for Prep to Year 4
  • Middle School, catering for Years 5 to Year 8
  • Senior School, catering for Years 9 to 12[9]

The school's ELC curriculum is based on the Reggio Emilia approach to education. From Prep to Year 6, students are involved in the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program which covers the subject areas of language, social studies, mathematics, science and technology, arts, and personal, social and physical education.[9]

Fintona offers three languages, Latin, French and Japanese.[9]

Houses edit

The three Junior School (P–4) houses of Fintona are Bedggood, Menzies and Reid. The six Middle and Senior School (years 5–12) houses of Fintona are Boyne (after school benefactors), Clarke (after first Fintona boarder and matriculant), Hughston (after first headmistress), Murdoch (after Patrick John Murdoch of Trinity Church, Camberwell, where many boarders attended), Maxwell (after father of one of Fintona's first prefects), Ower (after member of staff 1900–1930).

Sport edit

Fintona is a member of Girls Sport Victoria (GSV).

GSV premierships edit

Fintona has won the following GSV premiership.[10]

  • Basketball – 2001

Notable alumnae edit

 
Old Fintonians Association logo

Ex-students of Fintona Girls' School are known as 'Old Fintonians' and may elect to join the 'Old Fintonians Association'.[11] Some notable 'Old Fintonians' include:

Media, entertainment and the arts
Medicine and science
Sport

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b Fintona Girls' School: From the Principal Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine (accessed:15-08-2007)
  2. ^ Girls Sport Victoria: Member Schools Archived 2006-08-20 at the Wayback Machine (accessed:10-08-2007)
  3. ^ The Alliance of Girls Schools Australasia: Member Schools Archived 2008-07-19 at the Wayback Machine (accessed:10-08-2007)
  4. ^ JSHAA Victoria: Directory of Members Archived February 13, 2008, at the Wayback Machine (accessed:10-08-2007)
  5. ^ Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia Archived August 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine (accessed:10-08-2007)
  6. ^ Travelmate: Balwyn Victoria (accessed:10-08-2007)
  7. ^ "Our History". Fintona Girls' School.
  8. ^ "Our Principal".
  9. ^ a b c Fintona Girls' School: Curriculum Archived 9 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine (accessed:10-08-2007)
  10. ^ "Archives » Girls Sport Victoria". Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  11. ^ Fintona Girls' School: Old Fintonians Archived 29 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine (accessed:10-08-2007)
  12. ^ "Photograph - Norma Bull portrait - Victorian Collections". victoriancollections.net.au. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
  13. ^ Australian Dictionary of Biography: Lush, Dora Mary (1910 - 1943) (accessed:23-03-2007)
  14. ^ ABR Radio National-Bid Ideas, 24/4/05: "Wisdom Interviews: Dame Beryl Beaurepaire" (accessed:23-03-2007)
  15. ^ Green, Jonathan (30 March 2005). "Famous alumni on Latham's hit list". Politics. Crikey. Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 6 August 2007.
  16. ^ Parliament of Victoria: Coote, Andrea (accessed:26-08-2007)
  17. ^ Australian Women Biographical Entry: Menzies, Pattie Mae (accessed:23-03-2007)

Further reading edit

  • Chilvers, B.J. 1946. The History of Fintona 1896-1946. Fintona Girls' School, Melbourne.
  • Reichl, P. 1986. Fintona 1896 - 1986: The Story in Pictures. Fintona Girls' School, Melbourne.

External links edit