Ballarat Grammar boarders get more adult supervision after strapping scandal

The private school at the centre of a “strapping” abuse scandal will separate its year 7 and 8 students from more senior boys, as the government considers whether to revoke its boarding licence.

Ballarat Grammar has also agreed to have adult supervision in the residential boarding halls on weekday afternoons. The school already has adults on site overnight.

The prestigious school is reviewing its culture after Victoria’s education regulator announced it was considering withdrawing Ballarat Grammar’s registration as a residential facility.

Adults will now supervise boarders at Ballarat Grammar after its residential facilities were being investigated over alleged abuse. Credit: Joe Armao

Two senior students were expelled, and Ballarat police continue to investigate assaults alleged to have been committed at its Dart House boarding facility in 2023 and 2024.

A group of senior students who were removed from the boarding halls after the alleged abuse of younger pupils have been allowed to return to the residential facility, prompting one family to remove their son from the school immediately.

The upmarket private school shared recommendations made by an independent expert with its community on Thursday afternoon.

“This review will guide us in preventing repetition of unacceptable behaviours both in our boarding houses and more broadly across our school community,” board chair Sarah Lia and headmaster Adam Heath wrote in the email.

The school plans to immediately introduce new supervision roles at boarding houses, establish clear procedures to investigate serious incidents and increase support as well as training for boarding house staff.

“We are now in a much better position to do everything necessary to ensure that our boarding environment is safe, and our boarding students can trust that they will enjoy a positive experience when they are away from home and their loved ones,” the school management said.

In the email, the school said important aspects about “school culture more broadly have surfaced” during conversations with families.

“We know that this has been a very difficult time for our community, and we apologise for this,” the school told its community in the email.

The school will bring in a house manager or matron at two boys’ boarding houses for weekday afternoons for a trial starting in term 3, and plans to expand it to other halls from next year.

The school also plans to upgrade Dart House, the residential facility at the centre of the allegations, and intends to create a dedicated junior boarding house for years 7 to 8. No date has been suggested for these changes.

There would also be “greater integration” between boarders and day students, and Grammar intends to introduce an “online whistleblower facility” at the end of this term.

Headmaster Adam Heath said in a statement to The Age the leadership had accepted 31 of the 32 recommendations and has plans to engage architects to update Dart House.

He said the review had identified clear and important opportunities to strengthen student safety, wellbeing and culture within the boarding facilities.

“We want to assure you that we are listening, and we are committed to restoring trust through decisive and considered action,” he said.

A former parent, who withdrew their son from the school after he experienced bullying, welcomed Grammar’s attempts to address its issues.

“I think it is a bit late because what’s happened caused a lot of damage over a long period of time,” she told The Age.

She was also concerned that a “Mother Hubbard” figure to monitor boarders in the afternoon wouldn’t make a significant practical difference.

“She can’t have eyes on everybody … it sounds good, but it’s not going to make a lot of difference,” the mum of the former day student said.

However, she welcomed the cultural review, saying it was long overdue.

“I think it’s been convenient for them to overlook it until they’ve been called out for what’s been going on.

“For the current students, I’m very happy they’re doing something.”

Another parent said the changes fell short of dealing with the issues.

“It feels insulting to the school community to expect people to just trust the system again without real consequences or transparency,” she said.

“They’ve suggested some change to the structure, but not addressed the culture or leadership that allowed this to happen.”

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