From the Head of Barker

Three achievements for the ages Excellence with humility

As the many generations of our School know full well, the Barker College motto is Honor Non Honores.

Of all the schools in which I have had the honour to serve, the Barker motto is truly lived and truly loved by each generation of our community. Our motto is not something so abstract or so quaint as to be meaningless to the contemporary generation of students. Our students now talk about it. They understand what it means and they truly expect honor non honores of themselves and of each other. This tradition was established decades ago in the 19th century origins of Barker and it still binds us today. We seek to do something good and beautiful in the world. We do not seek the reward of honours and renown but the intrinsic affirmation of excellence. Excellence finds its own reward in the quiet assurance that we have done our best to reach our potential. If honours come, they are an unlooked for blessing to everyone involved. This includes all of our community, students, staff and parents from the past, present and future, whose combined energies make it good to be here. During this eventful year, three honours have been bestowed on Barker, its staff and its students. Let us celebrate the excellence with humility. The 2021 Prime Minister’s Award for Science Education to our Head of Agriculture, Mr Scott Graham

This Award requires the nominee to complete a rigorous application process, assemble referees (who must provide detailed and specific evidence of quality, of which I am all too aware), and be considered by a demanding panel of reviewers who ensure that the Award is issued to a candidate worthy of such an honour. The Award is part of the “Inspiring Australia- Science Engagement Programme”. What is remarkable about this achievement is that the Award was issued to a teacher who specialises in Agriculture. Over the last decade, despite our urban location Barker has developed an astonishing work in Agricultural Science. The Award recognises Scott Graham’s leadership in this space, his innovative approach to the study of Agriculture and the opportunities for Australia that issue from enabling an educated and imaginative cohort of graduates in this field of study. Supported by a marvellously dedicated team, Barker Agriculture has achieved something very important for our students and for our nation.

The Rosewood Centre received the 2021 AIA Daryl Jackson Award for Educational Architecture

Before the recent lockdown, the Rosewood Centre was awarded the Australian Institute of Architects 2021 William E Kemp Award for Educational Architecture in NSW. With nominees from across the education sector, including Universities, Colleges and schools, the NSW Award placed the Rosewood Centre in the national shortlist for the major national award for educational architecture in Australia. The magnificent planning team supported by Ms Natalie Potent and Chaired by Mr Tony Gamson from the School’s Building Committee, worked assiduously with our brilliant architects, Neeson, Murcutt and Neille. News of the award reached us in mid-November. It is worth sharing the Jury citation in full Brit Andresen, who was called on to give early design appraisals for this project, raised the obvious but oft-ignored challenge for large sports buildings: the need to “humanise the space.” The architect’s success in meeting this challenge at Barker College Rosewood Centre is a palpable element of the work and evident even through the Zoom screen. Large spaces are described by the necessary structure, poetically revealed and concealed for spatial effect. This engaging proposition of structure and space develops a sports hall for a child’s psyche. In the case of adolescents, architecture, as elusive as it may be, is able to influence a higher sense of order; and this is now possible at Barker College, a progressive coeducational private school. Transcending its use as a sports hall, this building has become a core entry building into the College. The architecture is carefully planned around an undulating landform and an adjacent playing field; a certain preciseness in dimensions contributes to a subtle relationship with the horizon. Equally, an understanding of materials, their permanence or fragility, is demonstrated in the judgements about how light might enter the space and how movement may transform an interior to develop that “humanity” which was sought and delivered in spades. This consideration of the nature of movement of both people and climate has a resonating presence in decisions about circulation and engagement with the landscape and the outside world, which is at once present and absent from focus. This building is a signal of optimism for Barker College that will have a reach into the spatial consciousness of many young adults for years to come.

Barker Robotics admitted to the FRC Hall of Fame (USA)

Since 2013, Barker has been involved in the First Robotics Competition (FRC), pitching our students against the finest in the USA as well as the various zones of the world. In the annual competitions hosted by Houston, Texas, over the years the Barker Redbacks Team have won the FRC Chairman’s Award in 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. In addition, we have consistently won Asia-Pacific Regional Robotics Competitions and hold a top ten world rank in our Robotics program. Just as significant is the reason for the FRC Chairman’s Award – the Barker approach is to foster excellence for other teams, not just for ourselves. Deep in the Barker philosophy of Robotics is to share ideas and encourage the development of Robotics in other schools and communities, especially those who are disadvantaged. Robotics programs now exist in other countries because of the support of the Barker Redbacks. In recognition of this contribution and of the excellence of the Barker Robotics ingenuity in its own right, the FRC has admitted us to their Hall of Fame. There is no equivalent in Australia, but US schools who have achieved this status have been invited to the White House to accept the honour. In our own country, the Barker Redbacks Robotics Team is only known to enthusiasts for this activity. They are making a contribution beyond the Mint Gates and are the first and only Australian school to achieve this recognition. Awards like these are rare. To receive three of them in the same eventful year is astounding. Peace

Phillip Heath AM Head of Barker College