Prestigious Ballarat Grammar banned from accepting new boarders amid child safety reports | Australian education

Ballarat Grammar has apologized after the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority banned the prestigious school from admitting new boarders until it can prove it meets child safety standards.

On Friday evening VRQA chief executive Stefanie Veal announced the regulator had imposed six temporary conditions on regional school boarding registration while it continues its review.

The conditions included that Ballarat Grammar would be prohibited from enrolling or accepting new boarders until the review was completed.

“Schools and school hostels must ensure that children are safe and feel safe,” Veal said.

As part of the conditions, the school must report any incident or complaint regarding child safety to VRQA within 24 hours of becoming aware of the incident.

_{Sign up: AÜ Breaking News email}

Ballarat Grammar previously announced changes to its school leadership team, followed by stronger boarding oversight. media reports The ABC and Nine Newspapers alleged the existence of a hazing culture in the school’s hostels, leading to investigations by police and regulatory bodies.

In June, ABC reported: a dozen families He claimed that his sons had been subjected to corporal punishment at the boarding school for the past three years or had been groomed as perpetrators by students.

Separately, at least 10 families They took legal action against the school over allegations of abuse dating back to the 1970s, ABC reports.

The board said in a statement Sunday that it recognized “the seriousness of the findings and their impact on students, families and the broader school community.”

“We recognize that this year’s events did not meet the expectations of our school community and we unreservedly apologize,” he said.

“The school will continue to go through a period of transformation as we take ongoing action to demonstrate that the school is addressing the findings of VRQA and, crucially, that students and families can continue to have full confidence in our commitment to safety, wellbeing and care.”

Since the allegations emerged, the school has announced new health leadership roles and residential parent roles, strengthened staff training and carried out a cultural review.

Approximately 270 students from Year 7 to Year 12 at Ballarat Grammar are accommodated in facilities located on the school’s main campus. In addition to tuition fees, boarding costs range from $12,620 to $23,400 annually.

“The board and leadership take full responsibility for ensuring that all of VRQA’s recommendations are addressed in a timely, comprehensive and transparent manner,” the board said in its statement.

“The board agreed to appoint a management expert to conduct a full review and provide training to all members.”