Kinross Wolaroi School

Weymouth House, a small privately owned school for boys, was opened in 1886, on the corner of Byng and Sale Street, Orange. The school was a success, and in 1893 the Wolaroi mansion was purchased, enabling the boys to move to a larger campus. The move led to a change of name for the school, to Wolaroi Grammar School.[6]

In 1925, the Methodist Church took control and changed the name again, this time to Wolaroi College. The College continued to educate boys from until 1973, when girls were enrolled.[6]

The Presbyterian Ladies' College (PLC) opened in Orange in 1928, providing an education based on Christian principles for girls in the Western Area. In 1973, PLC also became co-educational, and changed its name to The Kinross School.[6]

The Kinross School Council accepted the responsibilities of Wolaroi College, and in 1975 the schools amalgamated to become Kinross Wolaroi School. With the creation of the Uniting Church in Australia in 1977, the School became a part of that Church.[6]

A former Preparatory School Principal at Kinross Wolaroi, John Thomas Kennett, was in 1998 convicted on a range of charges for sex offences against 12 boys.[7][8][9]

Today, the School provides co-education and single-sex boarding using its two main campuses. Classes and boys boarding occurs at the Wolaroi Site on Bathurst Road, while female boarders live at the PLC Site on Coronation Drive.[6]

The Kinross Wolaroi School Cadet Unit (KWSCU) was established over 60 years ago, and today has a Unit strength of 300 cadets. KWSCU is a member of the Australia Services' Cadet Scheme, with a total enrolment of approximately 23,000 cadets Australia-wide. Unless a student is selected in the band or orchestra, membership of the Cadet Unit is compulsory for all students in semester two of Year 7, Year 8 and the first semester of Year 9, with further service encouraged following the award of rank. A camp, bivouacs and leadership courses are held annually. The unit parades through Orange on Anzac Day, and also conducts a farewell parade to Senior Cadets (Year 12) and band members, and in recent years a Ceremonial Parade on Open Day. A formal mess night is held annually for the Senior Cadets and Band members, their parents, and officers.[10]

Each platoon is commanded by a Cadet Under Officer (CUO), with the assistance of a Platoon Sergeant (SGT), and is divided into three sections, with each led by a Corporal (CPL). Rank is attained after a cadet with suitable experience attends and passes the relevant promotion course. Typically, a CUO is in Year 11, and has served for four years in the cadet corp.[10]

The co-curricular music programme at Kinross Wolaroi includes elective instrumental, musicianship, vocal tuition, and a range of ensemble music, including an orchestra, concert band, stage band, chamber strings, chamber choir and many more. Instrumental and vocal tuition occurs during the normal school day with individual students attending lessons once a week. Students may also choose to study musicianship in groups according to grade level, with classes occurring before school and during lunch times.

In 2017, Kinross Wolaroi School launched The Regional Engagement Enterprise (TREE) initiative, which provides community-based learning experiences, especially opportunities in local agribusinesses, for all students from Kindergarten to Year 12.[11]

The Kinross Wolaroi Prep School is a member school of both the Heads of Independent Co-Educational Schools (HICES) and Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA). Through these organisations, students have the opportunity to participate in Athletics, Swimming and Cross-Country through to a national level. Boys and girls from Kindergarten to Year 6 may play in a sports team during the winter season, and from Years 3 to 6 in the summer season. Sport is then compulsory for all students from Year 3 onwards.[12]

In the Senior school, boys may participate in sports such as rugby, soccer, cricket, cross country, basketball, water polo, swimming, diving, squash, softball, rowing and tennis. Girls may compete in sports such as hockey, netball, basketball, waterpolo, swimming, aerobics, squash, diving, rowing, softball, soccer and tennis. Sporting competition in the senior school is facilitated through the school's membership in a number of associations, including Orange Town Competitions, Western Associated Schools (WAS), Independent Schools Association (ISA), Association of Independent Co-Educational Schools (AICES), and NSW Combined Independent Schools (CIS).[12]

In addition to sport, music, and the Cadet Unit, a number of other activities are available to students. These include: the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, stud cattle, cattle paraders, ski tour, public speaking, debating, art club, archives, computer club, photography club, crusaders, community service, peer support, young achievers, student representative council and library.[13]