Who We Are
Pedare Christian College is a professional learning community celebrating national recognition for Literacy, Numeracy and Values Education initiatives and as a Safe School's Framework School. The College is internationally accredited as an International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program School.
Pedare is an Anglican and Uniting Church R-12 school, comprising Junior, Middle and Senior Schooling curriculum offerings. Opportunities, choices and excellence are provided in a stimulating environment based on understanding and respect, with an extensive range of sophisticated facilities.
Our unique and progressive College is a member of the Association of Independent Schools of South Australia, the Anglican Schools Heads Group, the Uniting Church Educational Ministries Commission and the South Australian Christian Schools Association.
Please follow the link to the Anglican Church of Australia and the Uniting Church of Australia.
Our Vision
Pedare Christian College will be a vibrant, globally oriented learning community where all can grow in mind, body and spirit, nurtured in God’s love, through Christ.
Our Purpose
- Pedare is an Anglican and Uniting Church co-educational day school
- Pedare provides high quality education in a unique multi-campus environment from early childhood to Year 12
- Pedare is open to the wider community
- Pedare expects students, parents and staff to support the vision, principles and values of the College.
Our Core Principles
About God
We will foster in our students a desire to serve God and in doing so, to develop
respect for truth and a lasting set of values emanating from that truth
About the Child
We will develop the potential of each student in a safe and caring environment
while challenging them to strive for excellence in all that they do
About the Curriculum
We will provide a broad and engaging curriculum that engenders life-long
learning and the integration of our Christian faith
About the Family
We will recognise and value our relationship with our Pedare families and how
we demonstrate our Christian faith to each other
About the Community
We will recognise and value the strength of our Pedare community and our
relationship with the wider global community
Our Core Values
As a Christian learning community we value …
Commitment, Community, Compassion, Excellence, Faith, Knowledge, Pride,
Responsibility, Self Discipline, Self Worth, Service, Tolerance and Understanding.
Towards 2010 - Our Strategic Plan
Follow the link to display our 'Towards 2010' Strategic Plan.
College Constitution
The College Constitution can be viewed via this link.
Annual General Meeting
The 26 May 2008 AGM document is available by following the link, AGM
Pedare Christian College Board
| Dr Howard Harris - Chairman | Course Coordinator of International Business - University of SA | St Luke's Anglican Church Nominee |
| Mr Richard Fogg - Vice Chairman | Chief of Staff (RAAF Aerospace Operational Support Group) | Parent Nominee |
| Dr Eddie Groughan | College Principal | Ex-Officio |
| Mr Christopher Zielonka - Secretary/Public Officer | Senior Business Manager | Ex-Officio |
| Rev Dr Malcolm McArthur | Christian Educator - Retired | Moderator's Nominee |
| Mr David Baker | Project Manager - Multiplex Constructions | Parent Nominee |
| Mrs Sharon Creagh | Teacher | TTG Uniting Church Nominee |
| Rev Mark Dickens | Uniting Church Minister | Uniting Church Synod Nominee |
| Mrs Katey Elding | University Lecturer | Golden Grove Uniting Church Nominee |
| Mr Paul Mertin | Senior Relationship Manager - National Bank of Australasia | Parent Nominee |
| Mrs Gillean Smiley | Manager Organisational Development - Adelaide Festival Centre Trust | St Wilfrid's Anglican Church Nominee |
| Dr Kenneth Smit | Senior Research Scientist - DSTO | Parent Nominee |
| Dr Sue Stack | Senior Employee Relations Consultant - Department of Health | Archbishop's Nominee |
College Leadership Team Personal Profiles
Dr Edward Groughan - Principal
Please see the Principal's Welcome page.
Dr David Wescombe-Down - Director of Learning Development
Dr David Wescombe-Down (PhD(Fitness), ScEdD(MidSch), MSc(HumMov), MEd(EdPsych), MSc(MidSch), BSc(PE), GradDipEd(Adults), GradCertAbEd, GradCertEd(ProfPrac), DipFrJournalism) has been involved with teaching & learning since commencing as a Junior Teacher in 1963 at Brighton High School.
His 2006 doctoral thesis tested an innovative Middle School teaching model in SA non-Government schools for girls. The research outcome showed that a preferred teaching model for Years 6-10 involved a class teacher working with the same class for four subjects (PE, Math, Science & RAVE in this particular study).
Dr Wescombe-Down was peer-selected as an Associate Professor to the Who’s Who in Education: Top 100 Academics in Australia in December 2006 and has held a range of teaching and educational leadership positions including:
- Senior Lecturer, Human Movement, University of Tasmania
- Lecturer, Human Movement Studies, TAFESA and TAFEQLD
- Campus Manager, TAFEQLD
- Course Coordinator: Science Education, University of SA
- Course Coordinator: Design and Technology, University of SA
- Classroom teaching at Warwick West, Yangan and Stanthorpe State Primary Schools in Queensland; Westbourne Park PS, Murray Bridge HS, Mt Gambier HS, Siena College and Annesley College in SA.
He has authored two educational books on Study & Research Skills, as well as more than 70 papers and professional journal articles. A qualified journalist, Dr Wescombe-Down has also been published internationally in Engineering and Radio Communication journals for more than 30-years. In 2006, he won the Max Brunger Memorial Award for the premier National journal article in radio communications, based on the design, establishment and operation of solar-powered high frequency communication operations in Australia.
Dr Wescombe-Down has had a long and successful association with elite level sport, having won championships in wrestling, kayaking and powerlifting, and is the current Australian Masters 110Kg class powerlifting record holder. He was an assistant physical conditioning coach to Swedish and Australian 1980-84-88 Olympic Games athletes, and National Powerlifting Coach to World Championships in Sweden, USA and Australia during the 1980s. He played SANFL for Glenelg Reserves in 1973 and was a professional boxer on Melbourne’s Channel O in 1970-71. In 1982 he became the first South Australian to complete the annual Murray River Canoe Marathon (402Km) in a racing single kayak. Dr Wescombe-Down has also held conditioning coach appointments for State rugby league and union teams.
He and his wife Ingrid share six children aged from 13 to 38 years and six young grandchildren. Dr Wescombe-Down welcomes direct inquiries and may be contacted via dwescombedown@pedarecc.sa.edu.au
Mrs Anne Monceaux - Head of Middle Schooling
M.Gifted Ed, BEd, BA, AUA (Phys.Ed)
Anne has been a teacher since 1971. Originally a specialist Physical Education teacher, she studied for her Arts degree, majoring in Australian Literature, English and Anthropology in her spare time. She completed her Bachelor of Education in Primary teaching in the early eighties, and then in 2007 was awarded a Masters in Gifted Education, having completed her thesis on ‘the reasons for underachievement amongst gifted adolescent males in Australia’. She has taught in both government and non-government schools, as well as in the primary, secondary and university sectors.
Anne has been involved in Middle School education since her son attended one back in the late eighties and early nineties. She has been teaching in Middle Schooling for the last 15 years and is very conversant with issues related to adolescent development.
Over the past thirteen years she has been involved with the IB Middle Years Programme, and for the last seven of them she has worked as a teacher-educator for the International Baccalaureate. She has trained teachers in schools in most states in Australia, as well as in schools in New Zealand, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and China.
She has a passion for teaching, and in her free time, she loves to watch live theatre, go to the movies, read historical fiction, swim and walk on the beach.