Independent Review Uncovers 'Normalised' Racism, Bullying, and Abuse at Ballarat Grammar

An independent review of an elite private school in regional Victoria has described a culture of "normalised" racism, bullying and abuse.

Ballarat Grammar commissioned Intersection to conduct the review following media reports of student violence in the school's boarding houses and other concerns.

The report identified "genuine strengths" and a "deep sense of community" at Ballarat Grammar, but it also found an erosion of trust in leadership, unclear communication and values, and a belief that the school had grown too quickly.

"The review heard evidence of historical and entrenched harmful practices, including physical punishment and hazing rituals carried out by older students against younger boarders," the report said, noting these behaviours dated back to the 1940s.

Intersection said "it heard both from those who felt let down by the school and from those who felt deeply supported by it".

44 recommendations made

The reviewers spoke with more than 400 students, current and former staff, and parents.

The report makes 44 recommendations, including making houses co-educational, overhauling incident reporting systems, and developing a curriculum covering respectful relationships, bystander responsibility, and consent.

Intersection said incidents of boarding students being whipped by older peers "tested the trust and confidence many parents had placed in the school".

"Parents observed a lack of leadership and transparency and questioned the school's capacity to run a school with the right standards and the right accountability," the report said.

One staff member said staff supervision in the boarding houses was also problematic.

"Unfortunately the culture of boarding is so incredibly toxic," they said.

"A lot of these staff end up in middle management, they don't have the right skill set and then their behaviours and their culture really continues into the day school."

The report included a staff survey in which found 44 per cent of respondents reported that they had experienced "harmful behaviours" from colleagues. Almost half said they had also experienced harmful behaviours from parents.

"Bullying by other staff was the most common behaviour experienced by respondents," the report said.

One employee told Intersection the school had a gender issue in particular, noting Ballarat Grammar "has been at times a hostile place as a female leader".

'Significant remedial action'

In April 2025 the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) reviewed Ballarat Grammar's compliance with minimum standards for boarding operations and placed six interim conditions on the school's registration.

These included a prohibition on the enrolment of new boarders, strengthened governance and oversight, and mandated progress reports.

Ballarat Grammar said it commissioned the independent review in May 2025.

Intersection found the school undertook "significant remedial action", including a full boarding review that resulted in 32 recommendations, 31 of which were adopted.

These changes included restructured supervising arrangements, introduction of whistleblower and anonymous reporting systems, revised codes of conduct, additional training and physical modifications to boarding facilities.

Strapping culture

But one student told the reviewers not much had changed since the school started making changes.

"I find the boarding side of the school, especially boys, to be absolutely nasty and that whole community to be absolutely brainwashed by each other's egos," the student said.

The student said some peers felt that "strapping should come back, it's totally harmless" and that "people just need to harden up and not complain, take the straps — how else will there be a hierarchy in the house?"

Some students also reported discrimination based on race, sexuality, disability and gender, including directly from teachers.

"One time a white girl asked the teacher for a charger, she said 'yes' then I asked a few minutes later and she said 'no [I know] what you people do, I'm going to give it to you and never get it back,'" one student told Intersection.

Another student described a culture of "ableism" in which special provisions for students with disabilities were seen as "an excuse and a nuisance".

The report also noted some employees described the support system for neurodiverse students "as stretched".

Intersection found Ballarat Grammar's junior school fared better as a result of "supportive teachers, good friendships, play spaces, fun activities, camps, and the diversity of opportunities available".

But some acknowledged that those values were not always evident in the playground, with a pupil noting: "You are more likely to get told off for going to the bathroom without asking than if you call another student a f***ing gay piece of shit."

There were also reports of racism in the junior school that were "dismissed … as a joke" by teachers.

The review also found a "longstanding pattern of inconsistent or inadequate institutional response" at Ballarat Grammar that has "functioned across year levels as a signal to students that harmful behaviour carries limited consequences".

Ballarat Grammar apologises

In a video statement released by the school, headmaster Adam Heath said the Intersection review had collated honest and at times difficult accounts of more than 850 members of the school community.

"The school board has carefully reviewed Intersection's report and accepts in principle all of the 44 recommendations, which will be adopted in careful consultation with our community," Mr Heath said.

"It represents a defining moment for our school … we acknowledge this report contains findings which some of you may find confronting or distressing."

"We now have an opportunity to make our school a better place for everyone."

The school did not make anyone available for interview in relation to the independent review.