PR E PA R ATORY S C HO OL
Guildford Grammar School is truly a community
Our community exists for our families
long before their child starts here. Families
come from all over the metropolitan area,
and beyond, to attend events, concerts
and sports here. They also come to the
Outside School Hours Care to see what this
community offers for their child.
Our community also exists long after children
leave our school. They return for reunions,
events, and even as an employee.
Our Outside School Hours Care
(affectionately known as the ‘OSH’) is unique
in many ways, but one of those is that 50%
of the team are Guildford Grammar School
graduates!
A new parent recently told us that she was
bringing her child to the OSH because she
had heard that there are such amazing role
models here.
Andrew Hillgrove (Ha 00-13) is the
Team Leader at the OSH, having attended
Guildford Grammar School from 2000 –
2013. Andrew has been at the OSH service
for 5.5 years. He is credited with helping
shape the new 2019 approach to Outside
School Hours Care, taking a holistic approach
to each child’s program. Andrew regularly
liaises with teachers to help the children
transition from the school day into the OSH
and works with many parents to ensure their
goals for their child are integrated into the
program. Andrew is currently undertaking
a Bachelor of Education (Primary) at Edith
Cowan University.
Parents tell us that Andrew is making a
positive impact on the children at the OSH.
He is the subject of many dinner table stories
when parents ask, ‘How was OSH today?’
Ask the children themselves and they say
that Andrew makes them laugh, and (we
think most importantly) that he always listens
to them. Andrew is described as a calming
influence on many of the children who need
to talk and need help with understanding
their world. He coaches a lot of the games
with the children here, using the games to
inspire the children to reach for goals that
they feel passionately about.
Scott McWhirter (Ha 03-16) attended
Guildford Grammar School from 2003
– 2016. Scott started at the service in
late 2018 and this year has added an
environmental and technology focus to the
OSH program. This isn’t surprising as he is
currently completing a Bachelor of Secondary
Education majoring in design and technology
and minoring in social sciences. Although
A new parent recently
told us that she was
bringing her child to
the OSH because she
had heard that there
are such amazing role
models here.
Scott works mostly with the older children,
he is popular across the older and younger
groups, with some of the younger children
lobbying to have him in their group each day.
Parents tells us that Scott’s calm approach
and willingness to take time with their child
has given them confidence that the transition
from school to outside school hours care
is adding something special to their child’s
day. Scott is increasingly working with the
School’s student volunteers who come to the
OSH. The children know that ‘he keeps us
safe’ and that ‘he likes to explore the river
bank’ and he is currently teaching them how
to use carpentry tools.
Louis McWhirter (Ha 99-13) attended
Guildford Grammar School from 1999 –
2013. Louis recently qualified with a Bachelor
of Education (Primary) specialising in Maths.
Although Louis is now working mostly as a
teacher, he returns often enough to have the
children begging for his return. In the recent
Vacation Care program, Louis brought his
showjumping horse, Funya along so that the
children could meet her and hear about what
it takes to train in a sport like 3-day eventing.
Parents tell us that they enjoy meeting up
with Louis again and seeing how he works
with their children. Louis is Scott’s brother
and the similarities are enough that some
of the children formed the theory that they
were the same person (when they were
working different days).
Jon Love (Be 08-14) attended Guildford
Grammar School from 2008 – 2014. Jon
joined us in September and has impressed
everyone with his endless commitment to
sports as well as the ability to plan games
that keep the children engaged for hours!
Jon is studying a Bachelor of Education
(Secondary) and has been working with the
older children in the program.
Robbie Collins is an adopted member of the
Guildford community having joined the OSH
in early 2015. He is also on-campus acting as
a Maths tutor. He has a Bachelor of Science
(Mathematics and Statistics) and is currently
doing a Master’s degree in Education.
Robbie’s calm and clear way of describing
what a child needs to know is often followed
by ‘Oh, I get it!’ from a delighted child.
Parents tell us that their children love Robbie,
and that he is the subject of many dinner
table observations. The children show us
what they want from Robbie when they
follow him around hoping for a ‘Robbie
talk’ as he is often seen sitting on the step
with a child who wants to have one of those
wonderful conversations with an adult, one
that they know respects them and one who
engages with their world.
We all benefit from the enduring sense of
community that our students retain and look
forward to many more students joining our
program in the future.
Doreen Blyth
Out of School Care Coordinator
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