‘Perverse culture of bullying’: ‘Strapping’ scandal school banned from taking new boarders

6 days ago 5

The prestigious Anglican private school embroiled in a “strapping” abuse scandal is to be banned from accepting new boarding students until it can prove it complies with child safety standards.

The move by the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) comes as Ballarat Grammar School made an official policy to present and former students who were victims of the hazing culture at the school’s boarding houses.

Students as young as 12 at the school are alleged to have been subject to a culture of abuse at the hands of their older schoolmates in the boarding houses, prompting investigations by police and regulatory agencies, after the allegations went public in February.

Parents were told by the school’s management on Friday that the VRQA had found – in light of the nature, frequency and extent of incidents at the school between 2022 and 2025 – that a “pervasive culture of bullying and student-to-student abuse” existed there.

“The VRQA is of the view that Ballarat Grammar and its board failed to take appropriate steps to address the incidents, mitigate the risk to students and otherwise ensure a culture of child safety at the school boarding premises,” the school’s letter read.

The VRQA has imposed the tough restriction on the school’s operating licence, in a rare move against an upmarket private education provider, and which could prove financially painful. The family of year-12 boarders at Ballarat pay annual fees of nearly $50,000.

The authority’s review into the school’s boarding operations is ongoing, but the VRQA told this masthead on Friday that six interim conditions had been imposed, the most significant of which is the ban on new boarders and a requirement to report any child safety incidents to authorities within 24 hours.

The authority says its review of Ballarat Grammar will be complete only when VRQA is satisfied the school is compliant with its statutory requirements to prevent child abuse.

This masthead first revealed in February that up to 10 senior boarders were accused of routinely physically abusing their younger schoolmates at one of the school’s boarding houses, with two boys eventually expelled and about 12 others moved off campus for several months.

Numerous men came forward in the wake of the allegations, recounting stories of brutal hazing and assaults at the hands of their fellow boarders at Ballarat Grammar, going back to the 1950s.

Much of the alleged violence took place at night, when there was no adult supervision in the boarding houses. The school has hired security guards this year to protect the younger children as they sleep, and CCTV cameras have been installed.

The school has conducted reviews and investigations and senior staff have stood down, but while the VRQA acknowledged the school had made efforts to change, Ballarat Grammar had not yet shown that it was compliant with the standards.

VRQA chief executive Stefanie Veal confirmed on Friday that the conditions had been imposed.

“Schools and school boarding premises must ensure children are safe and feel safe.”

In a statement from the school’s board issued on Friday, Ballarat Grammar issued an official apology to recent victims of recent and historical abuse at the institution, which traces its history back to the 19th century.

“The Board and Leadership apologises to all members of our current and past community for the impact caused by these events,” the statement read.

“We accept the seriousness of the findings and the impact on students, families and the wider school community. The care, safety and wellbeing of students and staff is the highest priority of our school.”

Parent were told in the letter that the school was working hard to comply with the VRQA’s requirements and that more updates would follow “as part of our commitment to transparency, accountability and continuous improvement”.