On Wednesday morning, I and a number of others, had the pleasure of celebrating the formal opening of the Year 1/2 Centre at the Donnybrook campus. In attendance and officiating at the ceremony was Mr Rob Mitchell MP the Federal Member for McEwen, a great friend of Hume Anglican Grammar.

Building C, or the Year 1/2 Centre was part of Stage 3 of the Donnybrook campus masterplan, built in 2020 and opened in 2021. We were grateful that after a number of postponements, we could officially celebrate its opening.

In my address, I said…

“Today, we gather inside a building that marked a significant stage in the growth of the Donnybrook campus, and one that has for nearly two years had a significant impact upon a flourishing school community.

Holding opening ceremonies such as these are not uncommon for Hume Anglican Grammar, indeed every year we welcome additional construction projects to one of the School’s three campuses, and I am pleased to say that a good number are fortunate enough to have received contributions through either State or Commonwealth grants programs – the Year 1/2 Centre being one. So, growth is typical at Hume Anglican Grammar, and in my 10 years at the School I have been blessed to oversee 11 major infrastructure developments – 5 at Mt Ridley, 5 here at Donnybrook, and 1 at the Kalkallo campus with another in the planning stage.

Our growth matches that which is occurring all around us – in the suburbs of Donnybrook, Kalkallo, Mickleham, Craigieburn and more. The School feels a great sense of accomplishment in achieving its goal in “offering our local communities affordable, high-quality, independent education, in a caring and inclusive Christian environment.” We strive to fulfil the mission of the Melbourne Anglican Diocesan Schools Commission, to which the School belongs, “to promote the Kingdom of God by establishing and nurturing affordable-fee Anglican schools in the growth corridors of Melbourne.”

Whilst the development of our physical surrounds is important, and contemporary facilities such as these are crucial - it’s what goes on inside the buildings where the essence of Hume Anglican Grammar is truly realised. It is the engagement of students with their learning, it is in the relationships they build with each other and their teachers, it is about how each child grows in confidence and pride, it is in the innovative educational programs, it’s through immersive and relevant teaching methodologies, and it’s in the growth of the whole person as they march through their school years.  

This building will be home to some 168 Year 1s and 2s, along with 10 staff. It was encouraging to hear from Ms Keshia Mitchell, the Head of Student Wellbeing P-2 who provided a personal insight to what this building means to her, her colleagues and of course the children. The Year 1/2 Centre plays an important part in the Primary school at Donnybrook. 

Our Preps, having spent their first year of their school journey in their own dedicated Prep building, aptly named the Prep Centre, make an important step as they take their first significant in-school transition and become truly part of something bigger.

Having the Year 1 and 2 students together is important, and you will see this replicated in other buildings, the Year 3/4 Centre and the recently opened Year 5/6 Centre. It allows the more senior year level to work alongside the more junior one. In this building the Year 2s will be offered the opportunity to use their emerging leadership skills and be role models. As they have already had one year in the building, they will ‘know the ropes’, and with pride act as guides to support the new cohort taking up residence. All these good habits, and hopefully not any bad ones, will then be passed on to the next year, and so on, and so on. They will create a positive culture, with their own identity with a sense of belonging.

So we make buildings such as this one, and fill them with young minds seeking inspiration, bursting with personality, overflowing with eagerness and with potential wanting to be realised. And we complete the recipe by adding dedicated, passionate and expert staff who don’t just teach but motivate, tutor and role-model as mentors more than instructors.  We are indeed to be fortunate to have committed and skilled staff, both teaching and non-teaching who admirably practise their craft.

The picture is complete – a wonderful facility, proud children, passionate staff – resonating within these walls.”

Bill Sweeney - Principal