The Anglican School Googong aims to help students discover, dream and grow through inquiry-based learning, with a focus on creativity, developing community, relationships, student-centred learning, versatility, and Anglican foundations. The parent body cares deeply about TASG, choosing TASG over other private school offerings for the TASG vision of inquiry-based learning alongside community and Anglican values.

TASG now has its third Principal since operations commenced in 2015. TASG will likely need to recruit a fourth Principal within two years. TASG has an extremely high staff turnover rate of 48 per cent (17/36 teaching staff have departed since 2018), with leadership instability and lack of standard resources and support staff cited as primary reasons for departure.

The departure of two Principals and significant numbers of teaching staff has led to substantive questions about the effectiveness and functioning of the Board in the following domains:

• The Board’s commitment to the necessary resources for attaining the TASG vision.
• The Board’s responsiveness to advice from the Principal as Chief Executive.
• The Board’s responsiveness to the Junior and Senior School leaders, experts in their fields.
• The Board’s respect for the Principal’s prerogative in the school’s operations.
• The Board’s lack of recruitment and retention of a long-term Principal for TASG.
• Root cause analysis of the 48 per cent staff turn-over rate and barriers to recruitment and retention of staff.
• The strategic plan and investment necessary for a medium sized school in a state of growth, which requires significant capital investment in staff and infrastructure.
• The adequacy of resources for students and teachers, including the literacy, technological, sports and classroom facilities expected in a medium-sized school.
• The learning and education support staff expected in a medium-sized school.
• The Board’s delivery of the TASG vision.

Many parents are extremely concerned that the instability of leadership and conduct of the Board is detrimental to the strength of education at TASG and attainment of the TASG vision.

The NSW Government has allocated funding to build a public primary school in Googong, commencing in 2023, and a public high school in Jerrabomberra with building completion in 2023, in addition to Karabar High School with selective stream for high achieving, academically gifted students. Most TASG students live within the catchment areas of these schools. To succeed, TASG must provide education which exceeds the offerings of the current and future public schools, and that is differentiated from other private schools. The TASG vision for inquiry based, integrated and modern learning would provide this differentiation, if delivered.

Concerned parents urge the Bishop to take the following actions with urgency:

• Review and reform Board membership.
• Strengthen the Board’s expertise in education, pedagogy, and teaching.
• Appoint teacher and parent representation to the Board, in line with other Diocese schools.
• Improve transparency of Board deliberations.
• Ensure effective Board engagement with key stakeholders.
• Implement a strategic plan for the school leadership, staffing, resources, and infrastructure to attain TASG’s vision of high quality education through inquiry-based learning.