Where leaders are made

HEADMASTER TONY GEORGE EXPLAINS WHY THE KING’S SCHOOL IS DEDICATED TO PROVIDING THE ULTIMATE TRAINING GROUND FOR AUSTRALIA’S NEXT GENERATION OF CEOS.

- JODIE DARLINGTON

When The King’s School opened its doors in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta in February 1832, there were just three boys in attendance. Despite this rather inauspicious opening, numbers quickly grew and by the end of the year there were nearly 100 students. From day one, the School prided itself on offering not only academic excellence, but also character development. This was a place where boys would develop into quality young men with integrity and Christian values, who would eventually become Australia’s next generation of leaders.

Nearly 200 years on, King’s is Australia’s oldest independent school and possibly its best known. With more than 2,000 students across its three campuses, the School has grown considerably since its early days, but still remains true to its founder’s ambitions. Headmaster Tony George acknowledges that one of the most challenging aspects of his job is ensuring the School continues to honour its rich history, while also providing an education that meets the needs of students in the 21st century.

“When you’re working in the for-profit environment, if you need to change, then you change,” Tony says. “But in schools, you have a history and a tradition that informs the identity of that school and you need to respect, celebrate and honour it as you move into the future. So there is that tension between staying true to yourself and your identity, while at the same time being sufficiently agile to respond to different trends and movements within the educational market space, which is moving very, very quickly.