About Us

About Us

Principal's Welcome

Principal's Welcome

Welcome to the Inaburra community.

Since its beginning in the early 1980s, Inaburra School has built a strong reputation as a school of first choice in the Sutherland Shire and the surrounding areas. Inaburra continues to be a community in which every individual is known and loved – a place where every student is valued as a person made in the image of God. It is, first and foremost, a learning community in which staff and students learn with, and from, one another.  While we seek to encourage all students to grow in their understanding, we recognise that students will need more than just knowledge and understanding to flourish today and into the future. They will need to become competent and confident learners, ready to learn, perhaps even unlearn and relearn, how best to engage in different activities throughout their lives.

Education at Inaburra, however, is not about ensuring that our graduates, as a consequence of developing their capacity to learn, are empowered to accumulate more resources over the course of their lifetimes. Our desire for our students is that they might become people of generosity rather than accumulation, humility rather than arrogance and compassion rather than self-importance. We seek to encourage our students to be generous in the classroom, humble enough to admit when they don’t understand something and compassionately supporting their classmates who are struggling with a particular concept or idea. As a Christian school, our focus is on the development of learning character. Staff and students alike are encouraged to become people who are gracious, compassionate and self-controlled learners, ready, willing and able to be a blessing to those around them now and into the future.

You would be very welcome to come and experience for yourself the life and ethos of Inaburra School.

Dr James Pietsch became Principal of Inaburra School at the start of 2018. Prior to commencing at Inaburra, Dr Pietsch was the Dean of Professional Development and Learning at St Luke’s Grammar School in Dee Why where he had previously been Head of Mathematics. He has also held positions as the Dean of Residents at New College at the University of NSW, and as a lecturer and tutor in educational psychology at the University of Sydney. He holds a doctorate in educational psychology and brings a wealth of experience in education and leadership to his role as Principal.

Our Values

Our Values

Inaburra exists to be a Christ-centred learning community pursuing excellence in education with every individual known and loved. Based on this mission our values are:

  • We commend and cultivate FAITH in God, who makes himself known to us in and through his Son, Jesus Christ.
  • We pursue KNOWLEDGE, delighting in the gift of learning to live well in God’s world.
  • We commit to LOVE, because Christ first loved us.
  • We strive for EXCELLENCE in thankful response for all that God has provided.
  • We treasure each INDIVIDUAL, recognising and respecting the image of God in every person.
  • We cherish COMMUNITY, knowing that relationships are at the heart of living and learning.

 

Our Story

In the late 1970s, after surveying their local community, Sutherland Baptist Church saw a need to establish a Christian school in the local area. On 10 August 1980, the church accepted the recommendation of an education sub-committee that a high school should be established in the Menai district. So in pursuit of a dream, they sold their church property in Sutherland and crossed the Woronora River to establish Inaburra School and a new church now known as Menai Baptist Church.

Facing significant financial risk and overcoming many obstacles, a portable building was erected on the corner of Billa Road and Bangaroo Street for the use of the preschool and church in 1980.

Inaburra High School opened in 1982 in temporary accommodation at Gymea Baptist Church. The School comprised of 60 Year 7 students and 24 Year 8 students. Stage One of the Inaburra Complex was still being built and it wasn’t until Term 2 of that year that the School moved to the present site. On Monday, 24 May 1982 at 8:30am the staff and students of Inaburra High School began their first day in their newly built facility on the Billa Road site.

Over three decades later, the dream of the founders has now been realised with over 1000 students.

Our Story

Our Future

2019-2021 Strategic Direction

In our three and a half decades, Inaburra School has built a strong reputation as a school of first choice in the Sutherland Shire and surrounding suburbs. Historically, the school’s strengths have been in Christian education, pastorally-caring relationships, creative and performing arts, and future-oriented innovation. In recent years these strengths have been broadened to include the quality of our facilities, the professionalism of our operations, the use of ICT for student learning and the holistic nature of our education. Inaburra is increasingly becoming an exemplar school in the independent sector in NSW.

Our Future
Our Goals

Inaburra, building on its strengths over the next three years, will seek to be a school:
1. Where every student learns how to learn and experiences genuine love and concern; and
2. Where all staff seek to pursue excellence through the collaborative sharing of practice.

In order to achieve these goals we have identified six key priority areas which are outlined in our Strategic Direction document.

Governance

Inaburra School is operated by Inaburra School Limited ABN 51617812558 (ISL). ISL is a company limited by guarantee and is the legal entity responsible for the conduct and operations of the School. Inaburra Communications Limited ABN 78001998876 (ICL) is the sole member of Inaburra School Limited.

All affiliated activities including: Inaburra School Canteen; Inaburra School Uniform Shop; Inaburra School Parents & Friend’s Association and Inaburra School Foundation are operated under ISL.

The Principal and all staff are employed by ISL. The Principal attends ISL Board meetings by invitation. The School’s Administrator acts as Company Secretary.

ISL may form committees, either standing or occasional, with particular briefs for oversight of aspects of the School’s operation. These committees may be chaired by a Director of the company and will include the Principal. These committees may include other Directors, staff or members of the community as deemed appropriate and necessary. These committees are advisory bodies that report to ISL.

The Principal is appointed by ISL. The Principal has general authority to conduct the operations of the School on a day-to-day basis. The Principal is effectively the Chief Executive Officer of the School. One of the Principal’s primary functions is to ensure that the NSW Education Standards Authorities (NESA) requirements are met for School registration/accreditation.

ISL Board of Directors

News

Robert Dougall – Chairman

B Com (with Merit), ACA (ICAEW), CA, FCPA, FFTP, MAICD

Robert has over 20 years of experience in the Mining Industry most recently as the CFO of Centennial Coal Company Limited. Prior to entering the mining sector, he practised as a Chartered Accountant with Coopers & Lybrand (now known as PricewaterhouseCoopers). He has held a number of Non-Executive Director roles chairing both Finance and Audit & Risk Sub-Committees. Robert is married with two children and has been an active member of Menai Baptist Church since he and his family moved to Menai in 2000.

 

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Alison Wolf

BCom, CA

Alison has 13 year’s experience working as a chartered accountant for BDO. She spent nine years in audit working with clients in both the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors. Alison now works for BDO International’s Financial Reporting Advisory group. Alison is a former student of Inaburra School, attends Menai Baptist Church and is married with two children.

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Emma Penzo

BEc(Hon), MBus, GDip. Divinity, MPolEc, GAICD

Emma’s experience spans the retail banking and financial services sector in the areas of strategy development and execution and marketing. Her employers have included Accenture, Westpac, CUSCAL, ING Direct and she consults to small and medium enterprises. Emma is currently undertaking research for her PhD on the internationalisation of non-Government organisations.

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Jeremy Baillie

B Bus.

Jeremy has worked extensively in the aviation industry for the past 24 years. He has worked in a diverse range of areas including Engineering, Commercial Management and in Operations. Jeremy is currently the Manager of the Integrated Operations Centre for Qantas Airways. Jeremy is also the Chairman of the Leadership Council at Menai Baptist Church where he has attended with his wife and three children since 1996.

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John Cross

B.Econ(Syd), Grad Dip Mgt (Wollongong), CA, JP (NSW)

After working in Chartered Accounting firms for nine years, John moved to the not-for-profit sector. This has included a senior role within the Anglican Diocese of Sydney (Youth and Education), and is currently Executive Director School Services at St Andrew’s Cathedral School. John is also a Director on the Anglican National Superannuation Fund. John is married with three children and eight grandchildren. He is a former parent of Inaburra School and attends Menai Baptist Church.

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Owen Thomas

B.Com (UNSW), MHA (UNSW)

Owen has over 30 years healthcare industry experience in both the public and private sectors in a variety of executive and managerial roles, including in our local area having worked for some years as General Manager of both Sutherland Hospital and then St George Hospital. Currently Owen works as a consultant to the healthcare industry and holds the position of Director with Studer Group Australasia. Also, Owen has served on the Inaburra School Board for the past ten years. Owen is married with two daughters, who both attended Inaburra School, and attends Menai Baptist Church.

 

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Phillipa Hermann

M. App. Ling, B.App. Sci. (Speech Pathology), ASDA, SPA

Phillipa has worked in her field of Speech Pathology for more than 30 years, initially within a Community Health setting and, since 1990, in her own private practice in the local area. She has been Chairperson of the Inaburra Preschool Board since 2006 and is a member of Menai Baptist Church, where she has been attending since 1985. Phillipa is married with three children and four grandchildren.

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Rev. Dr. Tim MacBride

B.Th.(Hons), M.Th, Th.D, B.Mus, A.Mus.A

Tim studied music at Sydney University and worked briefly as a musician, and then in a Marketing/IT role in the shipping industry. In 1999, Tim entered pastoral ministry, serving on the Narwee Baptist Church pastoral team for more than a decade. For the past six years he has been a member of the faculty at Morling Theological College, lecturing in New Testament and Preaching. Tim was a student at Inaburra in one of the first years of the school’s operation. He is married to another Inaburra graduate and is currently a parent of the school.

Academic Results

2018 HSC/ATAR

Congratulations to the HSC class of 2018 at Inaburra School. Having completed their thirteen years of formal schooling, they have achieved wonderful results which reflect their positive approach to learning at Inaburra. While there are some outstanding results achieved by a number of students, there are also many students whose growth in learning and understanding is cause for celebration and we recognise and acknowledge the achievements of all of our students.

The following subjects all recorded averages that exceeded the State average by more than 10%:
Engineering Studies, Food Technology, Modern History, Music 1, Textiles and Design.

The following subjects all recorded averages that exceeded the State average by more than 5%:
Ancient History, Biology, Community and Family Studies, Design and Technology, Drama, Earth and Environmental Science, Geography, Industrial Technology, Mathematics Extension 2, Mathematics General, PDHPE and Physics.

The following subjects had 100% of students achieve a band 6 or band 5 result:
Design and Technology, English Extension 2, Food Technology, History Extension 1, Mathematics Extension 2, Music 1, Music 2, Textiles and Design.

Other notable aspects of the HSC results for 2018 include:

  • 30% of Inaburra students achieved at least one result in the top band
  • A total of 76 Band 6 results and 222 Band 5 results were recorded (56% of all results)
  • Isaac Greene was placed 3rd in the state in Mathematics Extension 2
  • Jessica Henley was placed 5th in the state in Earth and Environmental Science
  • Matthew Winfred achieved listing on the NESA All Rounders for achieving the top band in 10 units of subjects studied
  • Three students received an ATAR above 99
  • Lachlan Finch was nominated for ENCORE
  • Christian Kalpou was nominated for SHAPE (Design and Technology)
  • Ryan O’Leary was nominated for SHAPE (Design and Technology)
  • Kayla Mathew was selected for inclusion in ARTEXPRESS (Visual Arts)

NAPLAN results
The My School website profiles Inaburra School and includes details of its NAPLAN results. Click here for a direct link to the website.

Academic Results