Boarding licence under review at private school after abuse scandal
The Victorian Registration and Quality Authority (VRQA) confirmed on Thursday that it had opened a review of Ballarat Grammar's boarding houses, using its powers under the Education and Training Reform Act, and will determine if a commitment to student safety 'is embedded in their leadership, governance and culture'.
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The school community has been in turmoil since February when 10 senior boarding students were sent home, accused of the systemic abuse of younger boys at Grammar's Dart House residential facility.
Two seniors have been expelled, and another group of boys were removed from Dart House and are being housed in an off-campus property which the school owns in the town, as Ballarat police continue to investigate assaults alleged to have been committed at the boarding house in 2023 and 2024.
Numerous men have come 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.
This masthead reported on Wednesday that the head of Dart House, Alex Sylvan, had stepped down from the role and would be leaving the school, while his assistant head, A.K.M. Azad, was also leaving his Dart House role but would stay on as a teacher at Grammar.
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The VRQA began making inquiries in the days after The Age first revealed the allegations against the boys. The VRQA officials travelled from Melbourne to Ballarat in March and spoke to Grammar principal Adam Heath and the chairwoman of the school's board, Sarah Lia, and received additional information.
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Readers are advised this article includes details of bullying and violent abuse some may find distressing. When Louise and Michael (not their real names) sent their son to prestigious boarding school Ballarat Grammar, they expected a first-class education and a nurturing environment for young men worthy of the $50,000-a-year price tag. Instead, they allege, their son was subjected to physical abuse from other students in 2023 and 2024 as part of an "insidious" culture former students say has existed at Ballarat Grammar for decades. They're among 12 families the ABC has spoken to, all of whom allege a toxic culture that allowed their sons to be subjected to, or groomed to inflict, physical punishment on other students at the boarding school over the past three years. Some parents allege that Ballarat Grammar's reluctance to address the violence has created a vicious cycle in which some young students are victims until years 11 and 12, when they become perpetrators of the same abuse they endured. In December last year, it is alleged, Louise and Michael's son was awoken in his boarding house at 3.30am and lashed four times across his back with a belt. He was dragged from bed by four Year 12 students and taken with other students to Ballarat's Lake Wendouree. The bullied students were made to swim in the lake, then forced to eat dog food and sour milk. "Then were told to pair up and crab fight in the mud and the vomit from what they'd just consumed," Louise said. Several other parents corroborated Louise's allegations about what took place at the lake. A letter detailing this abuse was sent to Ballarat Grammar, but Michael and Louise said they received no response. "Someone needs to be accountable," Michael said. 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This week, Ballarat Grammar launched its third investigation in five months into allegations of "serious misconduct" in its boys' boarding houses. The "independent staff investigation" was instigated because "new information has come to light as part of our internal processes" and "during the investigation some staff members may not be on campus", the school said. "Not one staff member has been held accountable for this," Jane alleged. "Ballarat Grammar allowed a culture of violence, [and] now we as a family suffer the consequences. "Ballarat Grammar has failed in their duty of care." The Victorian Registration and Quality Authority is investigating Ballarat Grammar's boarding licence. The ABC has seen a letter from Ballarat Grammar sent to families in February offering support to children, which said it had "engaged Ballarat Psychology Clinic to provide telehealth appointments immediately". 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The one remaining recommendation was to rebuild or "significantly reconfigure" one of the boarding houses, which is instead being considered by the school "in the context of longer-term infrastructure planning". Minister for Education Ben Carroll told the ABC bullying and disrespectful behaviour was "unacceptable" in any Victorian school. "All schools are expected to have strong policies and procedures in place to address incidents of violence or bullying, including reporting these incidents to the relevant authorities," Mr Carroll said. The minister did not answer questions about whether broader policy changes and oversight were needed for independent schools. Farmer Amity Latham attended Ballarat Grammar and sent her two children to live and study there. But in January she removed her son from the school after reports of student-on-student abuse at the boarding house. 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