Yarra Valley Grammar is a co-educational school in the Anglican tradition in Melbourne. We believe every child’s journey is unique. From Early Learning through to Year 12, our comprehensive and stimulating curriculum nurtures curiosity, builds independence and inspires a love of learning to give students confidence to achieve their very best.
Established in Ringwood in 1966 and set on a spacious 30-hectare single campus, Yarra Valley Grammar overlooks the picturesque Dandenong Ranges. Our students excel under the guidance of great teachers who love what they do and seek to inspire them to strive for excellence. The School offers an extensive range of contemporary opportunities and sets high standards of performance, encouraging all students to achieve their personal best.
Great teachers are able to communicate complex concepts in simple ways. They can vary the way they teach to suit the way each student learns. This takes patience, flexibility and the ability to see things from the students’ perspective. Yarra Valley Grammar’s team of teachers know their material, love their subjects and love to teach. They have a genuine interest in getting to know their students, so they can teach them effectively, encourage them to achieve their best, identify issues or problems, and care for their welfare. Our teachers are also role models for our students, promoting the School’s core values such as respect, concern and action for others, and treating others as they wish to be treated.
Curriculum
Yarra Valley Grammar’s broad curriculum is responsive to individual student needs, with extra opportunities for enrichment and support. Key Learning Areas include English, Science, Humanities, ICT, Languages, Mathematics, Art and Design, Business Studies, Design Technology, Physical Education and Outdoor Education. Students study a common curriculum until the mid secondary years but beyond this, many electives are available from which students may choose. The School also enjoys exchange programs with schools in France, Japan and China.
At Yarra Valley Grammar, we believe true growth happens when academic excellence meets enriching experiences and vibrant co-curricular opportunities.
Co-Curricular
Yarra Valley Grammar students enjoy a diverse range of extra-curricular opportunities, including academic, sporting and special interest clubs, debating, drama productions, private tuition in singing and musical instruments, band, orchestra and ensembles, the Community Links Program, participation in state and national academic competitions, and specialist enrichment and support programs.
Sport
Involvement in sport is expected and is typically held on Saturday mornings during the school term for Secondary School and mid-week for Junior School. The School is a member of the Associated Grammar Schools of Victoria (AGSV).
A broad range of sports offered include athletics, badminton, basketball, canoeing, cross-country, cricket, football, golf, hockey, netball, softball, skiing, snowboarding, soccer, swimming, table tennis, tennis and volleyball. There is an extensive inter-house and inter-school sports program and a comprehensive Outdoor Education program.
Academic Excellence
On behalf of all of us here at Yarra, we congratulate our Class of 2025 on their success in the VCE this year.
We are delighted to announce that all students achieved their VCE and the results this year were among the strongest in the history of VCE at the School. Some important statistics include:
The Dux of the School was Jeremy Lin who achieved an ATAR of 99.85.
We are delighted with the academic efforts of the Class of 2025. These very strong academic results were achieved by students who participated fully in the co-curricular life of the School throughout their time with us. They also showed great modelling and leadership in their final year as seniors. The combination of supportive parents, effective schoolwide initiatives to improve teaching and learning, committed and skilful staff, a strong culture of excellence and aspirational and hardworking students has all contributed to these very pleasing results.
Our students come to us with their own gifts, skills and abilities and we encourage all to attempt Year 12. The emphasis in the VCE at our School has always been on achieving personal best and we are delighted with our VCE results this year and we wish the Class of 2025 all the best with their future endeavours.
Student Wellbeing
The Head of Student Wellbeing, along with the School Chaplain, oversees the School’s pastoral care program. Students are encouraged to accept responsibility, leadership opportunities and a sense of community through a School-wide program called Community Links. Students are encouraged to become involved in fundraising for various charities throughout the school year as well as hands-on involvement in local community projects such as Refugee Toast and Tutoring helping new immigrants with English and Mathematics at a local primary school before school. The objective is to ensure our students are well-prepared for life after school and understand the importance of contributing to society in a meaningful way. The School has recently implemented a wellbeing framework across all levels in conjunction with The Resilience Project to develop our students sense of wellbeing, confidence and resilience.
Facilities
Great teachers, combined with the highest quality learning environment, give our students the confidence to achieve and the ability to reach their full potential. Excellent teaching and learning at Yarra Valley Grammar is supported by our unique setting and the outstanding array of educational facilities.
Our School is located on 30 hectares, providing students with the space they need to enjoy a range of activities. From competitive sport to drama productions, lunchtime play to quiet contemplation, students, staff and visitors alike appreciate Yarra Valley Grammar’s spacious and picturesque setting.
Our superior range of facilities includes the newly opened Science and Mathematics faculty featuring state-of-the-art learning spaces, a new kitchen and Food Technology classroom, dedicated Early Learning Centre and an Upper Primary Building, both specifically designed with flexible learning spaces. Our Year 7 Centre is dedicated to supporting students in their first year of secondary school, and the contemporary Senior Student Centre provides an independent learning space for Year 12 students. There are also state-of-the-art facilities for music, drama and dance within the Performing Arts and Media School, the School’s Performing Arts Centre, and Music School as well as a wide range of sporting facilities.
Early Learning
Children are learning from the time they enter the world and, from the time our youngest students enter Yarra Valley Grammar. Our educators build close relationships with families, acknowledging each child’s personality, experiences and abilities. We know the early years matter deeply, and we prioritise emotional wellbeing, connection and confidence from the very start.
Each child has an individual learning program tailored to their strengths, needs and interests. Our play-based experiences are highly intentional and carefully planned to ensure children are engaged, challenged and safe.
Specific attention is given to developing strong foundations in literacy and numeracy, while learning experiences also incorporate diversity, inclusion, wellbeing and sustainability. Children’s growth is documented in individual portfolios and shared regularly with families through reports and parent-teacher interviews.
Kindergarten programs are available for both three and four year olds as follows:
All ELC sessions run from 8.45am to 3.00pm.
Before and after school care is available.
Our Early Learning Centre also makes for a seamless transition to primary school when you choose to continue your child’s education at Yarra Valley Grammar’s Junior School. The development of school readiness skills commences from their time of commencement whilst a more formal program begins towards the end of the Pre-Prep program, building the foundation for school. Inclusion in many School events throughout the year ensures our children feel a part of the wider School community.
Junior School
The primary years are a time of skill acquisition, equipping our students with the capabilities they will need to become effective lifelong learners. In small classes with exceptional teachers, students develop the confidence to become independent learners, willing to ask questions, listen to others and absorb new learning. Our students enjoy all the benefits of a separate, small primary school, while at the same time having full access to the outstanding facilities and opportunities offered as part of a whole-school approach to continuous learning.
The Junior School curriculum focuses on establishing strong skills in the key areas of literacy and numeracy, complemented by a diverse specialist program. E-learning also plays a prominent role in the curriculum, with a mixture of personal and shared devices provided for students. Planning for different rates and styles of learning is a key feature of our curriculum and our teachers are experts at adapting their lessons to include multiple delivery methods.
The Junior School co-curricular program is designed to challenge our students, while developing team-building skills and expanding their interests. It includes participation in a range of activities, camps and sporting programs.
Starting Prep is an exciting milestone for children and their families. At Yarra Valley Grammar, our Prep program helps children feel safe, supported and confident as they begin their formal school journey within our Junior School in Ringwood.
We welcome children from a wide range of early learning settings, including our own Early Learning Centre, and recognise that every child begins school with their own experiences, strengths and interests. Our experienced Prep teachers work closely with families, kindergarten educators and the broader Junior School team to create a warm, positive and nurturing start to school life.
The Junior School’s pastoral care program includes regular opportunities to monitor and discuss each child’s welfare, with formal programs such as buddy activities, leadership opportunities and transition programs supporting the wellbeing of students. Programs such as MPower Girls, which discusses what happens in friendship groups and how this affects them, and Revved Up Boys, which helps boys understand feelings of anger or frustration, are just one of a range of strategies we use to help our students establish and maintain positive relationships. The comprehensive transition to a secondary school program commences mid way through Year 6 with a series of visits, and linkages with students in Middle School.
The relationship between home and school is very important and, in partnership with parents, the School fosters an environment of respect, connectedness and wellbeing. There are many opportunities for parents to be involved, including reading activities, excursions, incursions, or via various parent groups. Parents are encouraged to speak with their child’s teacher should any questions or concerns arise.
Middle School
Years 7 to 9 are a period of transition for students, as they cross the bridge between primary learning and their Senior School years.
Our Middle School is a caring, secure and welcoming place where students develop the confidence they need to successfully learn and grow. Recognising that students in this age group are experiencing a period of self-discovery, our Middle School program is structured and supportive, while at the same time catering to students’ increasingly individual interests.
A comprehensive 12-step transition program begins in Year 6 and tutors are in regular communication with families throughout the settling-in period. Our Year 7 students have their own dedicated home in the Year 7 Centre and meet daily with their tutor, who is the main carer during their first year of secondary school. They also attend pastoral and Outdoor Education camps early in the year, helping to establish positive relationships with their peers and teachers.
Our Middle School philosophy and practice is to ensure that every Middle School student is engaged in their learning. This means they are actively listening, watching, reading, thinking, making, speaking, performing and writing in a manner that indicates they are focused on, and interested in, their studies. The learning program is relevant, engaging and inspiring. Our curriculum is designed specifically to capture the interest and imagination of students at this stage in their learning journey, and it’s taught by dedicated teachers with a passion for the middle years.
We set high expectations with regard to academic rigour and encourage our students to think of themselves as learners and thinkers. Strong teacher-student relationships mean our students feel comfortable seeking assistance, and understand why they are learning specific content, concepts and skills. Our teachers also seek feedback from students, with our Year 7 students challenged to answer the question about what they would do if they were Principal for a day.
The Middle School Enhancement Program takes our Middle School students beyond the four walls of their classroom to reinforce their learning and to challenge their thinking. The traditional, classroom-based delivery of the curriculum is complemented and enhanced by the Inquiry Model of learning. Together, these two educational approaches encourage and empower our students to think independently and to develop a large range of skills needed for independent learning, which is so important beyond Year 9.
Our rich and varied Middle School curriculum enhances traditional academic subjects with relevant real-life studies such as personal finance and social entrepreneurship. We take students beyond the classroom and into the community through experiential learning and co-curricular activities catering for all interests and strengths, such as Community Links, Performing Arts and Saturday Sport.
Our focus in Years 7 to 9 is enabling each student to become the best version of themselves at home, school and in the community, while laying strong academic foundations for their senior years. The result is engaged and connected young people who grow in confidence as they take more control of their learning, encouraged by exceptional teachers and support staff.
Senior School
Students in the Senior School are completing their final, important years of secondary education, and making significant choices about future study and career paths.
This specific focus on academic rigour in the senior years starts at Year 10, where a uniquely designed pre-VCE curriculum is offered to prepare students for their final two years. Each Year 10 subject incorporates a theoretical component equivalent to its VCE counterpart, building our students’ capacity to tackle increasingly complex concepts. Our Year 11 and 12 students can then approach their studies with confidence and preparedness. Senior School students have access to valuable careers information and guidance, and are provided with assistance in their subject selection to ensure they meet relevant tertiary qualification requirements. Yarra Valley Grammar’s broad VCE curriculum allows students to choose from more than 40 different subject units, ensuring they will find a match for their skills and interests. Students are guided through this process by teachers and staff to ensure their subjects align with their future goals.
The relationship between teachers and students in Senior School is one of mutual respect. Our teachers are passionate about their teaching and are specialists in their subject areas. They know their students well and guide them in their studies to ensure they are focused on achieving their individual goals. The positive learning atmosphere at our School, fostered in the early years, means our students want to do well and there is an atmosphere of encouragement and excitement at achievement between the students. Communication with parents regarding academic progress is regular, and parents may contact tutors at any time with concerns.
We also understand the intellectual, emotional and social needs of students during what can be a very demanding time. The support we provide them at this level, and our deliberate encouragement of a school-life balance, enables them to manage priorities. Our purpose-built Senior Student Centre provides a dedicated environment for our senior students, including classrooms and working spaces for VCE subjects, as well as open spaces that reflect the tertiary study environment.
Senior School is also a time of increasing responsibility and our senior students proudly take on leadership responsibilities, acting as role models for the entire student body. Our goal is to prepare young people with the skills, confidence and independence they will need to lead fulfilling lives as active and contributing members of the community.
The Senior School experience is rounded out by an array of co-curricular activities including sport, camps, music and drama performances, academic competitions, debating, art programs, community service and social activities, and international tours and exchanges. This comprehensive program and our focus on academic rigour in the senior years provide the ideal environment for our students to achieve their very best.