About Us
We are a Pre-Kindy to Year 12 Independent Anglican College situated on 60 beautiful acres in the Bega Valley, NSW
Principal’s Welcome
Every opportunity, every child, every day
There are very few things more important to you as a parent than your child’s education. We are privileged to play a pivotal role in shaping who your child becomes and how they live their life. We thank you for considering Sapphire Coast Anglican College.
A child’s education is a joint effort between parents, school and the greater community and we welcome a relationship with every parent who entrusts their child’s education to us. Our goal is to extend every opportunity to every child, every day.
Sapphire Coast Anglican College provides a high-quality Anglican education from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12, situated on a 24-hectare site with sweeping views of the picturesque Bega Valley Shire and countryside. As a school rich in faith, we work tirelessly to foster a culture of service to others, through good times and times of challenge and hardship.
We cater for parents who want their children to be educated in an environment that will extend and challenge. Our school suits those students who want to be part of something bigger than themselves, who aspire to being the best they can possibly be and who are willing to work hard for that discovery.
We believe a school is more than just rote learning, more than just exams and passing grades. It is the biggest gift a child will ever receive; the dual gift of knowledge and knowing who they are. We believe it is our job to help your child discover how to become a discerning learner, to ask questions, to listen to the answers, to interpret and problem solve, to uncover their passion and develop the courage to follow that path.
If this sounds like a community you would feel at home in, I warmly invite you to visit our school to learn more. It would be my privilege to lead a personal tour and show you all that Sapphire Coast Anglican School has to offer your family.
David Proudlove
Principal
Belonging - Faith
Mastery - Knowledge
Independence - Wisdom
Generosity - Service
History
Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn
In September 1992, a group of Christian parents held a public meeting in Bega to gauge community interest in starting a Christian school. The goal was to establish a school in which every aspect of philosophy, policy and practice would reflect a Christian worldview, and create a learning community in which students would have the opportunity to explore how Christian faith permeates throughout one's life. Within fourteen months of incorporation, Bega Valley Christian College opened in 1994 as a Christian Parent-Controlled School on the current premises. The site was originally built to be an export abattoir in the early 1970's. The school was managed by an association of parents and governed by a College Board of local Christian parents, committed to building a college that would both nurture and challenge young men and women in the Bega Valley. The motto of the College, at that time, was 'Knowledge - Wisdom - Service'. This encapsulated the idea that the knowledge students acquire would develop wisdom that would lead to constructive service in the community.
The governance of Bega Valley Christian College was transferred to the Anglican Diocesan Schools Council of Canberra-Goulburn in 2007. During this period of change the majority of staff remained at the school providing a sense of continuity with the heritage of Bega Valley Christian College. In 2009, the South Coast Anglican Schools Group was created to allow the Anglican Diocesan Schools Council to manage two Colleges simultaneously under one governing board, Sapphire Coast Anglican College at Bega and St. Peter's Anglican College at Broulee. Mr Tony Horsley (2009-2013) was appointed as Executive Principal over the two Colleges, at this time Mr David Price was head of Sapphire Coast Anglican College.
It is such a privilege to be the Principal of Sapphire Coast Anglican College. With a rich past and an exciting future we pride ourselves on quality education and care. We encourage you to visit our school and experience a country education through a Christian approach.
I love working with young people and educators and believe that education should be a
joyful proposition providing quality teaching
and learning, within a safe and nurturing environment. We should be fostering an environment where students want to be at school and have hope for their futures. I would like to extend a very warm welcome to the community and welcome you to visit Sapphire Coast Anglican College. Whether you are already part of our community or new to Sapphire Coast Anglican College, I would love to meet you and show you around our wonderful College.
Sapphire Coast Anglican College provides a high quality Christian education from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12, situated on 60 picturesque acres.
Students are given opportunities to develop their skills across a range of areas: academic, spiritual, cultural, sporting and service. What makes our college truly special is our dedicated staff, who go above and beyond, providing not only quality teaching, but also demonstrating a genuine
care for each student, celebrating their unique gifts. I have been so impressed with the quality of teachers, support staff who show above
and beyond care for the students and families. We also know that students flourish when the relationship between home and school is strong and we pride ourselves on the wonderful partnership we have with families. Many of the current school parents were students of the college themselves.
My vision has been shaped from many years in education and through work completed during my Master of Education and is based on developing the whole child. It focuses on four pillars; Belonging - every child, staff member and carer wants to feel they belong to something.
Mastery - every child, staff member and carer wants to feel they are competent and can contribute positively to society.
Independence - every child, staff member and carer wants to be able to make decisions for themselves and their futures.
Generosity - every child, staff member and carer needs to know that we can make a difference in the lives of others. Service and developing generosity provides so many benefits for everyone in our community and broader afield.
These pillars complement our college values of knowledge, wisdom, faith and service.
Sapphire Coast Anglican College inspires
our young people to be the best versions of themselves through daily demonstration of; Compassion, Honesty, Respect, Integrity, Service and Thankfulness.
I personally invite you to come and experience Sapphire Coast Anglican College for yourself. I would be delighted to give you an opportunity to meet the staff and students, hear about the exceptional learning programs and experience the joy across our community. I am particularly looking forward to getting to know the region and the wonderful community that I already see and how your children flourish at Sapphire Coast Anglican College.
College Board
Meet the Board
Dr Jill Ireland, Board Chair, PhD, MLitt, BA (Hons l), AMusA, MCEPA
Jill Ireland chaired the first Board of Bega Valley Christian College, which became Sapphire Coast Anglican College in 2007. Her education included a Master of Letters in English literature from Oxford University, and a PhD in Education from Macquarie University. Jill spent two decades as an academic staff member at the University of Wollongong’s Bega and Bateman’s Bay campuses, teaching English literature. She is a senior lecturer in the Master’s program at the National Institute for Christian Education, and has edited several books on Christian education. With her engineer husband, Stephen, Jill spent a number of years living in outback mining locations before they established a rural merchandising business in Bega and Bemboka. Their five children went through to Year 12 at Sapphire Coast Anglican College, and now work in science-related fields. Jill is pleased to have grandchildren who are part of the Christian educational community at Sapphire Coast Anglican College.
Tim McGhie spent his early years in Tasmania and moved to the ACT in 1973. He has been an active member of the Anglican Church in the Canberra/Goulburn Diocese for a number of years. He is currently chair of the Diocesan Finance Committee and a member of Bishop-in-Council. He worships at St Matthew’s Anglican Church in Wanniassa in the ACT. Prior to retiring in 2012, he worked in the private and public sectors in Canberra.
Bruce Kennedy CPA
Bruce graduated from the UNSW with a Commerce Degree. He then commenced his career as a finance trainee at Amoco Australia in North Sydney, an oil refiner and retailer (now part of BP). Due to a strong interest in mining plus a desire to travel, Bruce headed to Perth and there commenced a 27-year mining career in finance and management roles. Overseas secondments to Fiji, Sweden, Russia and Indonesia occurred plus domestic residential roles in Mt Magnet, Three Springs, Kalgoorlie, Perth, Newcastle and Cobar. Bruce met his wife whilst travelling in Africa and has three children, one who is currently at St Peter’s and two who have recently finished there. Bruce is currently employed in a project capacity assisting Eurobodalla Shire Council to implement an integrated business system.
Heather Walsh has been involved with the South Coast Anglican Schools Board since September 2013. Heather is the Director School Operations of the Canberra/Goulburn Diocese, a role she has undertaken since June 2015. Prior to her current role, Heather worked at the Chief Operating Office of Canberra Girls Grammar. Heather has worked in international education and the not for profit sector. Heather has a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and CPA Australia.
After over 40 years teaching and boarding school duties Garry, with wife Vere, retired to Malua Bay, only to begin another decade of teaching in the Eurobodalla area. Garry’s initial training was at the Australian School of Pacific Administration in Sydney where he prepared to teach in Papua New Guinea. Following four years in PNG he returned to Australia to teach at Sydney Grammar Preparatory School, St Ives, for almost 20 years in various roles – classroom teacher, sports master and Assistant to the Headmaster. Leadership roles followed, as Head of Junior School, firstly at Pulteney Grammar School in Adelaide and then Gippsland Grammar in Sale. Garry holds a Bachelor of Arts (Macquarie University), Certificate in Education (ASOPA) and Certificate in School Management (University of NSW).
After studies in clarinet performance, Steve Clarke has had a varied career spanning music performance, teaching, chaplaincy, Christian pastoral ministry, lecturing, consultancy, research, and writing. He is an Anglican priest who currently serves as Rector of the Anglican parish of Bega, and Archdeacon for the Coast. His undergraduate and postgraduate studies were in music, theology and education, and he is a doctoral candidate at Charles Sturt University.
After teaching ESL, English, French and Spanish, and holding school management roles, Belinda Moss served in the Commonwealth Department of Defence, the office of the Attorney General, and the Department of Regional Australia. Belinda has served the Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn in many roles, including Bishop-in-Council and the Anglican Investment and Development Fund. She has served as director and chair of the board of Canberra Girls Grammar School, and director of the board of Canberra Grammar School. Belinda holds a Bachelor of Arts with honours, graduate diplomas in both education and management, and a Master of Arts in strategic studies.
Cathie Haynes holds a Diploma in Primary Teaching from Armidale CAE and a Bachelor of Special Education from Flinders University.
Cathie taught in public schools for many years in country NSW. From 1995 until mid-2003 she was the Kindergarten teacher at Scone Grammar School, where she also coached hockey teams and hosted the weekly parent prayer group. From 2004-2009 Cathie was Co-ordinator of the Southern Campus of Bega Valley Christian College, which became Sapphire Coast Anglican College.
Upon retiring, Cathie studied Clinical Pastoral Care and spent many years visiting in Pambula Hospital, and co-ordinating pastoral care and phone care for Sapphire Coast Anglican Parish, where she is Parish Council secretary. Cathie and her husband Jeff have three sons and eight grandchildren.
