Pulteney Grammar School review attracts 650 survey responses

A review into the top Adelaide school has heard from hundreds of parents, staff and students.

Hundreds of people have responded to a review into one of Adelaide’s top private schools, launched in the wake of concerns raised in an online petition.

Pulteney Grammar School brought in advisory firm VUCA late last month to conduct an independent review of its leadership and operations after the anonymous petition emerged online.

Comments submitted to the school’s Board from parents, former staff and old scholars have also described a “toxic culture” they claim is driving away teachers and families.

In an update released on Wednesday the Pulteney Board said a survey of the school community had closed after attracting more than 650 responses.

Another 155 written submissions were received and VUCA staff have conducted interviews and fielded feedback through phone calls.

Pulteney parent Mark Perkins has started a petition in support of the school. Picture: change.org

It comes as an alternative petition by Pulteney Grammar parent Mark Perkins was launched on Monday in support of the school.

The Change.org petition, with more than 150 signatures, implores potential supporters to “please stand with the majority of parents and support the principal, executive team and staff”.

“We are on a journey and whilst there are bumps in the road the future is bright,” writes Mr Perkins, whose two children attend the school.

“I am looking forward to what is in store based on what I have seen in recent years.”

Pulteney Grammar School on South Tce in the Adelaide CBD. Picture: Dean Martin

An earlier petition launched on the GoPetition website, by anonymous “members of the Pulteney community”, raised concerns about the school’s leadership, the departure of teachers and changes to the school’s educational model.

It attracted about 100 signatures.

Pulteney Grammar School, on South Tce in Adelaide’s CBD, has up to 1000 students.

In its update to parents this week the Board said it “intends to progress the review quickly and provide a response that will allow us to move forward constructively”.

“We wish to reassure you that our decision to conduct an independent review was not taken lightly,” it said.

“It was initiated so that we could better understand feedback received from a range of school community groups, rather than simply a consequence of the widely publicised petition.

“The process to date has provided VUCA with a variety of perspectives and greater depth of insights that will help us to understand concerns that have been raised and ensure a full range of perspectives is heard, understood and integrated into Pulteney’s future planning.”

The Board said staff were “doing a remarkable job as we work through this process”.

“We respectfully ask that they be allowed to remain focused on their duties and the education, care and wellbeing of our students,” the update said.

Pulteney Grammar School principal Cameron Bachelor. Picture supplied / website

Pulteney principal Cameron Bacholer was appointed in 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic, and was previously Deputy Principal at The Knox School in Melbourne.

Pulteney charges tuition fees of between $17,000 for Reception and $28,000 for Year 12.

In a letter sent to the school community in late August, Chair of Pulteney’s Board David Reynolds – who is also the chief executive of SA’s Department for Trade and Investment – said the review was expected to be complete by mid-October.

Mr Reynolds wrote that the board “will not express a position on matters that have been raised, to ensure we do not prejudice the review’s findings”.