# Shelford Girls' Grammar

Shelford Girls' Grammar (previously known as Shelford Girls' School, Shelford Church of England Girls' Grammar School, and sometimes SCEGGS) was an independent Anglican day school for girls. It was located in Caulfield, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
The school was established in 1898, and was a member of Girls Sport Victoria (GSV), the Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA) and the Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia. It was a non-selective entry school, with more than 600 students.
Shelford had a coeducational Early Learning Centre, which educated toddlers 18 months old, as well as providing groups for 3 and 4-year-olds.
Shelford offered students the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) program, and the Vocational Education and Training (VET) course.
Shelford used a house system through which students participated in inter-house competitions, with 4 school houses.

## History

The school was established in 1898 on Glen Eira Road by Emily Dixon.
The school was relocated to 77 Allison Road, Elsternwick, by Dora Mary Petrie Blundell, who served as the school's second principal from 1904 to 1921. Dora was supported by her sisters, Lucy Annie Blundell, Fanny Blundell, and Margaret Helen Petrie Blundell.
As the vicar of St Mary's Anglican Church in Caulfield, Henry Langley had been giving the pupils of Shelford Girls' School weekly lessons in religious instruction for many years. In 1922, the Blundell sisters wished to give the school to the church. They approached Archdeacon Langley, who was responsible for its temporary move from 77 Allison Road, Elsternwick, to St Mary's Jubilee School Hall. The Argus reported on the re-opening and Archdeacon Langley's appointment of Ada Mary Thomas as the school's head mistress:
       There was a large gathering of residents of Caulfield and Elsternwick, including several of the neighbouring clergy, to witness the formal reopening of Shelford Girls' School, a long-established Elsternwick school, as a girls' school and kindergarten in connection with St. Mary's Church, Caulfield. Bishop Green, in declaring the school open, congratulated the vicar (Canon Langley) on an initial enrolment of 60 pupils. The mayor of Caulfield (Councillor [Thomas] Falls) and the Rev. [James Valentine] Patton, of Sydney, also spoke. Canon Langley said that the school is to be called by the old name of Shelford, but will be carried on as a Church of England school, under a local council, with A. M. Thomas as principal. It is proposed to build up-to-date school buildings at a site for a branch church near the Caulfield Town Hall [viz., St Margaret's], but for the present the school will meet in the existing school buildings at St. Mary's, Caulfield. — The Argus, 23 February 1922.
The following year, Archdeacon Langley moved the school to "Helenslea" in Hood Crescent, Caulfield North. The school was officially opened at its new location by Archbishop Lees on 22 February 1923 adjacent to St Mary's Church as the Shelford Girls' Grammar School.
Ada Mary Thomas served as Shelford's headmistress from 1922 to 1945.
The school will merge with Caulfield Grammar School with a formal transition of Shelford students into CGS beginning in 2025.

## Notable alumnae

* Brigitte Duclos – Television and radio presenter.
* Olympia Valance – Neighbours actor
* Krystal Weir – Olympian