Wadhurst is our purpose-built middle school for boys in Years 7 and 8, offering the education, opportunities and facilities only a leading school like Melbourne Grammar School can provide.
Nestled alongside Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens, Wadhurst is a dedicated space for boys to establish a strong academic base. We also focus on supporting the physical and social development in the particularly formative years of early adolescence.
Here, Year 7 and 8 students can explore new interests in an environment which has the safe and positive development of young men at its heart. It is a place where the final vestiges of the playful spirit of childhood are welcomed while the independence of young adulthood is encouraged.
Our students are supported by staff who specialise in middle years education. Our teaching and learning programs are broad enough to allow students to explore new areas of interest while consolidating the academic knowledge necessary for success in Senior School. Participation in a wide range of cocurricular offerings is central to our approach, as is an understanding of spirituality and leadership through service.
Boarding is available to Wadhurst boys.
Smaller classes with stronger relationships
Wadhurst class sizes are capped in order to strengthen both peer-to-peer and teacher-student relationships. Our class timetables are also designed to ensure students interact with a small number of different teachers each week, with one key teacher holding responsibility for students’ pastoral care. We find this approach assists with transition to secondary school and also ensures each boy has a strong bond with at least one teacher.
An independent yet connected environment
While Wadhurst and our Senior School share the same St Kilda Road location, Wadhurst remains a stand-alone environment with its own customised facilities, timetable and educational program. Becoming campus leaders during the final stages of their Year 8 education, we aim for students move into Senior School with confidence and enthusiasm for the next challenge.
Building connections outside the classroom
Along with exposing students to as many discipline areas as possible, the Wadhurst curriculum also offers time to engage in experiential learning. We understand that experiences beyond the boundaries of the academic classroom encourage real-world connections and build new areas of interest as well as social and emotional skills.
We also believe successfully educating adolescent boys relies on the quality of relationships between peers, teachers and parents. For this reason, we provide consistent communication with our parent community and encourage parents to be actively engaged with School activities.