Shelford Girls’ Grammar students defend ‘supportive’ culture amid rumoured ‘VCE bullying’

Students have clapped back at accusations the Caulfield school has a “VCE bullying culture” peddled by parents, with one student describing the school as “supportive and friendly”.

Melbourne's Shelford Girls’ Grammar is fighting to attract and keep students.

SHELFORD students have defended their school as “supportive” and “friendly” amid claims of a bullying culture and declining enrolments.

One current VCE student, who didn’t want to be named, struck back at suggestions that the school pressured girls into getting at least 95 per cent in year 12.

“The environment that I experience every day at Shelford is supportive and friendly; my teachers are dedicated and responsive and I enjoy going to school,” she said.

“The messaging that we receive at Shelford about VCE is inspiring and helpful rather than intense and extreme. We students have regular wellbeing sessions with a psychology-qualified staff member about managing VCE stress, giving ourselves breaks and on how to be the best version of ourselves rather than achieving a certain score,” the student told the Herald Sun.

“My peers and I are not ‘afraid to say where we go to school’. I will always proudly say that I am a student at Shelford Girls’ Grammar.”

In October last year, the 2022/2023 school co-captain Georgia Kent said she was “so excited to be stepping into year 12 surrounded by a community and year level that I love. I cannot wait for all the chances we’ll have to grow even closer in our final year, Ms Kent said.

Her co-captain Elena Langridge said she loved the “close-knit community”.”I am excited to spend the last period of time at Shelford with my friends and as a leader at the school,” she said.

A number of parents contacted the Herald Sun to express concerns about the leadership and culture of the school, including one who was quoted as talking about the lack of subject options, pressure to succeed in year 12 and exodus of more than 100 staff.

A parent of a student from the school spoke out about the alleged “VCE bullying culture”.

This comes after a Shelford Girls’ Grammar parent spoke out about the school’s “VCE bullying culture” and the departure of more than 100 staff in recent years.

After revelations on Wednesday that the school was struggling financially amid declining enrolment, several parents contacted the Herald Sun.

While surrounding schools post multimillion-dollar profits and have lengthy waiting lists, the historic girls’ school is fighting to attract and keep students.

In 2022, fewer than 450 students were spread over 13 year levels.

One parent said the historic Caulfield girls’ school was “in total disarray” with more senior girls considering switching schools.

“The girls are afraid to say where they go to school because everyone just says, ‘Is that going to even be there next year?’

“There is little subject choice and timetable issues which are dealt with by outsourcing to Virtual Schools Victoria.

“We have lost more than 100 staff, including some who have been there a long time,” she said.

The parent talked of the pressure placed on VCE students.

“They are told ‘you are either below the line or above the line and if you are below then you need to shape up or you’ll let the school down,” she said.

“They are told they have to get over 95 per cent.

“There are numerous parents within the school community who are disillusioned, scared and deeply troubled by the current state of the school.

“However, they believe they don’t have a platform in which to be effectively heard or affect change.

“ATAR and NAPLAN results do not equate to good culture, proud students, engaged and committed teachers, integrity, transparency or the like,” she said.

The Caulfield school posted a deficit of more than $1m in 2021, and an overall loss of $878,000.

In its latest public financial statement, Shelford Girls’ Grammar — an Anglican school with a 125-year history — posted a deficit of more than $1m in 2021 and an overall loss of $878,000.

The school has total equity of $12m, but this is a third of the funds at comparable colleges, such as Fintona Girls’ School.

It has places available for this year and an extensive range of scholarships starting in year 5.

The Shelford Girls’ Grammar principal has defended the school’s financial position, branding comments from one parent as “unsubstantiated” and “untrue”.

Katrina Brennan, who has held the post since 2019, said the school’s “financial fundamentals are strong and we are, and always have been, financially responsible in our operations”.

However, she admitted the historic Caulfield college was operating in a “highly competitive area and education market”.

In a letter sent to parents and the wider school community on Thursday, she said the school had “restructured our Junior School fees so that a Shelford education in these important foundational years represents a strong value proposition for those in the community”.

Ms Brennan said the enrolments were increasing but declined to offer figures. She did not address claims from one parent of “VCE bullying”. Instead she said the school “continues to achieve outstanding VCE and NAPLAN results and is one of Melbourne’s highest achieving schools. We are among the top performing girls’ schools in Victoria”.

“Shelford is a School that provides students with outstanding teachers, as we attract the highest calibre staff. In addition, exceptional extracurricular programs are available for our students,” Ms Brennan wrote.

“It is unfortunate that the newspaper concerned has chosen to publish anonymous, unsubstantiated, and untrue comments that seek to undermine the school. We are incredibly proud of our school, our students and our community.”

Shelford Girls Grammar’s annual report revealed the school had endured a signficant decline in enrolments from 2020 to 2022.

As far back as 2014, the school’s annual report notes a need to increase enrolments in the junior and senior school, actively investigate fundraising and reduce debt.

By 2021, increasing student numbers had become the school’s number one short and long-term priority.

“The school had a significant decline in enrolments from 2020 to 2021 and a further decline in 2022,” the annual report said.

In other steps taken to stabilise its financial position, the school has ended sibling discounts in the junior school and is re-establishing the Shelford Foundation.

Years of offering secret 50 per cent discounts to nearby Ripponlea Primary students, extensive cut-price scholarships and Caulfield Grammar taking in girls from 1993 have all taken their toll on the school.

One insider said Shelford was “under attack from other schools with strong enrolments.

“Once there’s a whiff that a school is on the nose, it’s hard to turn it around.

“It’s in a competitive area with Kilvington Grammar nearby and Grimwade House (Melbourne Grammar junior campus) around the corner,” she said.

The area also has a high number of high-quality Jewish schools.

My School website also shows Shelford has not managed to attract the children of new migrants, with only 23 per cent of students coming from non-English backgrounds compared to 65 per cent at other comparable schools.

The school also shut its early learning centre – a key source of ongoing students and at least $1.2m a year in revenue – at the end of 2020.

Principal Katrina Brennan said the school, which consistently tops VCE and NAPLAN results, is in a strong financial position and has a “bottom line surplus in 2022”.

“We have a healthy bank balance and we are, and always have been, financially responsible in our operations,” she told the Herald Sun.

“Our enrolments are increasing. Best practice transition programs and positive word of mouth, in addition to a vibrant marketing and communications plan, have increased our profile in the community and we now enjoy stronger brand awareness and increasing inquiries and enrolments, with a strong year 7 intake in 2023 and forecast for 2024, in addition to new enrolments in other year levels,” Ms Brennan said.