Arden Anglican School - History

History

Arden Anglican School began as a preparatory school of the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney (P.L.C). The idea of a P.L.C preparatory school on the northern railway line, had first been suggested circa 1915, however nothing came of these ideas then. On 23 February 1922, the P.L.C Council received a request from the Beecroft Presbyterian Congregation, that a primary school be established at Cheltenham. Subsequently, a sub-committee of the Council was formed to investigate its viability, and inspect a number of sites in Beecroft and Pennant Hills. Arden has been recently recognised as a leading sports school in the Hillzone sports for 2012.

Council gave the committee power to open a preparatory school in the Beecroft Church Hall, to appoint a teacher-in-charge and to make any other arrangements necessary. By the April 1922 Council meeting, it was reported that the school had been opened at Beecroft with 13 female pupils, and with Eleanor Linck in charge. This school was named the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Beecroft and was to serve as an all-girls, primary feeder school for the Presbyterian Ladies' College at Croydon.

Over the next few years enrolments grew and an assistant teacher was appointed. However, P.L.C Beecroft was not a financial success and Council enthusiasm began to wane. Linck tried her best to expand the school, suggesting that "Romana House" on Beecroft Road be purchased to allow for further enrolments, and that the house next door to the Church Hall be purchased so that boarders could be accommodated. Despite the school's strong number of enrolment application's, these requests were all declined.

In 1925, an additional teacher was appointed to teach kindergarten and sport. It was reported that the local community was taking an interest in the new P.L.C, as that year two prizes had been presented to the school by the Beecroft School of Arts for library proficiency, and the Beecroft Presbyterian Women's Guild presented a prize for Scripture. In 1926, Mrs Linck resigned to take up a position at the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Melbourne, and Mrs Lucy I. Ritter was appointed head. Later that year, two council members suggested that a house be purchased to expand the school and widen its tuition scope, however again nothing came of this. Council now appeared to be uninterested in the Beecroft school.

Ritter, in the Assembly report for 1927, complained that "Beecroft deserves more support from Presbyterians on the Hornsby line." The school continued to make losses and so on 19 June 1929, Council decided that it was to be closed. Ritter, and the assistant teacher Ms Gurney, resigned in December of that year. In 1930, Gurney reopened the school in the Church Hall, which she named "Arden" after the Shakespearean Forest of Peace in As You Like It. The school flourished under her leadership.

Arden came under the control of the Anglican Diocesan Schools in 1946, and subsequently moved to St John’s Beecroft Church Hall where it was named Arden Anglican School. The school moved again in 1952 to a house in Wongala Crescent, and in 1962, property was purchased on Beecroft Rd.

In 2000, due to demand from the local community, preliminary plans for a secondary school at Arden began. The school purchased the former site of the Australian American International School at Oxford St, Epping in 2001, and in 2003, the first year 7 class commenced at the new senior campus. Yearly expansion has continued since then, and concluded with the first Year 12 class graduating in 2008.

2008 also saw the opening of the Senior Studies Centre. Located directly opposite the secondary campus, it facilitates learning for year 11 and 12 (Preliminary and HSC) students in a "corporate-style" environment.