Fintona Girls' School is a small, independent, non-denominational, day school for girls, located in Balwyn, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Established in 1896, Fintona is a non-selective school and currently caters for approximately 600 students from the Early Learning Centre (ELC) to Year 12.
Fintona is a member of Girls Sport Victoria (GSV),Girls Sport Victoria: Member Schools (accessed:10-08-2007) the Alliance of Girls Schools Australia (AGSA),The Alliance of Girls Schools Australasia: Member Schools (accessed:10-08-2007) the Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA),JSHAA Victoria: Directory of Members (accessed:10-08-2007) and the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA).Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (accessed:10-08-2007)
History Fintona was established as a Presbyterian, day and boarding school for girls, in 1896. The school was founded by Annie Hughston and was originally located in the Melbourne suburb of Camberwell.
The school occupies 'Balwyn', the historic home and vineyard built by early settler Andrew Murray, from which the suburb of Balwyn takes its name.Travelmate: Balwyn Victoria (accessed:10-08-2007)
Principals PeriodDetailsNotes1896–1921Annie Hughston1922–1926Isobel Macdonald1927–1929Majory Black1930–1934Jeanie McCowan1935–1962Margaret Cunningham1963–1991Elizabeth Butt1992–2000Deborah Seifert2001–2005Karen Starr2006–2017Suzy Chandler2018–presentRachael Falloon<ref name=History
Curriculum Fintona Girls' School is divided into 4 teaching sections: The Early Learning Centre (ELC) Junior School, catering for Prep to Year 4 Middle School, catering for Years 5 to Year 8 Senior School, catering for Years 9 to 12Fintona Girls' School: Curriculum (accessed:10-08-2007)
The school's ELC curriculum is based on the Reggio Emilia approach to education. From Prep to Year 6, students are involved in the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program which covers the subject areas of language, social studies, mathematics, science and technology, arts, and personal, social and physical education.
Fintona offers three languages, Latin, French and Japanese.
Houses The three Junior School (P–4) houses of Fintona are Bedggood, Menzies and Reid. The six Middle and Senior School (years 5–12) houses of Fintona are Boyne (after school benefactors), Clarke (after first Fintona boarder and matriculant), Hughston (after first headmistress), Murdoch (after Patrick John Murdoch of Trinity Church, Camberwell, where many boarders attended), Maxwell (after father of one of Fintona's first prefects), Ower (after member of staff 1900–1930).
Sport Fintona is a member of Girls Sport Victoria (GSV).
GSV premierships Fintona has won the following GSV premiership.
Basketball – 2001
Notable alumnae
Ex-students of Fintona Girls' School are known as 'Old Fintonians' and may elect to join the 'Old Fintonians Association'.Fintona Girls' School: Old Fintonians (accessed:10-08-2007) Some notable 'Old Fintonians' include:
Media, entertainment and the arts Norma Bull – Australian painter
Medicine and science Dora Mary Lush – pioneer bacteriologistAustralian Dictionary of Biography: Lush, Dora Mary (1910 - 1943) (accessed:23-03-2007) Dame Beryl Beaurepaire AC, DBE (née Bedggood) – feminist, former chairwoman of the Federal Women's Committee of the Liberal Party of Australia, wife of Ian Beaurepaire (of Beaurepaire tyre's fame)ABR Radio National-Bid Ideas, 24/4/05: "Wisdom Interviews: Dame Beryl Beaurepaire" (accessed:23-03-2007) Helen Caldicott – environmentalist and anti-nuclear campaigner Andrea Coote – politician Pattie Maie Menzies (née Leckie) – wife of former prime minister Robert Menzies, appointed Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (Civil) for public duty in hospital workAustralian Women Biographical Entry: Menzies, Pattie Mae (accessed:23-03-2007)
Sport Louise Bawden – Olympic volleyball player Georgia Griffith – Tokyo 2020 Olympics middle-distance athlete
See also List of schools in Victoria Victorian Certificate of Education
References
Further reading Chilvers, B.J. 1946. The History of Fintona 1896-1946. Fintona Girls' School, Melbourne. Reichl, P. 1986. Fintona 1896 - 1986: The Story in Pictures. Fintona Girls' School, Melbourne.
External links Fintona Girls' School official website