‘We do not trust the executive nor do we believe that they are acting in the school’s best interest’: Letter from 2020 states

Sixty staff at the elite Shelford Girls’ Grammar wrote a letter in 2020 expressing “serious concern for the school’s future” and it’s feared little has been done to act on the warning.

Current enrolments at Shelford Girls' Grammar are 425 – down from 600 a decade ago.

The Shelford Girls’ Grammar board was warned by more than 60 staff of the “toxic culture”

at the elite school three years ago, but little was done, a former teacher says.

The fallout from revelations the 125-year-old Anglican school has declining enrolments, an

unstable financial position and high staff turnover is continuing.

It comes as the prep and year one enrolments are now in single figures and current enrolments are 425 – down from 600 a decade ago and 447 in 2022.

Multiple teachers, parents, students, as well as the chair of the school council and principal Katrina Brennan, contacted the Herald Sun to express support for the school, labelling it “outstanding”, “positive” and “inclusive”.

Shelford Girls' Grammar has declining enrolments, an unstable financial position and high staff turnover.

Other parents have expressed concern about the “withering” culture of the school with “tragic” ongoing teacher departures.

One parent said his family feels “trapped” because of longstanding legal contracts stating fee rebates of up to 50 per cent could have to be repaid if the student leaves before year 12.

The anonymous letter from 61 staff was written to the then-chair of the board, Zena Helman, in 2020. The letter, obtained by the Herald Sun, expresses “serious concerns for the future of Shelford”.

We do not trust the executive nor do we believe that they are acting in the school’s best

interest,” the letter said.

“Staff morale is at an all-time low … We feel despair watching our school fall apart in front of

our eyes,” it said.

The 2020 letter came as 56 staff had left by the end of that year, either through redundancy or resignation. The total number of staff who have left is now more than 100.

Concerns raised by the staff include a lack of transparency in decision making, the

“demolition” of the learning support department, and a lack of library and music programs.

Another staff member who left the school in 2022 wrote an exit letter to the board, containing similar concerns, which she said continued.

The teacher, who is now employed at another school, said the school’s handling of issues such as pastoral care, mental health and support for educators continued to be an issue.

Jan Bottcher, past student and long-term board member at the school, said Shelford “was in a very secure financial position in 2019 when the past principal left the school”.

“It had money in the bank and the principal and staff worked hard to pull Shelford up,” Ms Bottcher said.

Current chair of the board Pam Russell said Shelford “remains committed to a respectful learning and work environment for our staff and students, where all voices are heard”.

Principal Katrina Brennan said: “Like all schools, we have had some staff changes in recent years, however, our retention rates are now in alignment with other independent schools.

“I remain committed to ensuring staff are consulted and supported, and have introduced a

number of initiatives in the last two years for this purpose.”

She denied reduction in learning support, library or music programs and said teacher numbers and enrolments had increased.

The Shelford Parents’ Association refuted claims of a “bullying VCE culture”, instead calling it “genuine” and “nurturing”.