Every member of our community is encouraged to be their authentic self. We honour diversity of background and thought and celebrate each other’s heritage and uniqueness.
Inclusion and Belonging
At HVGS, inclusion and belonging means creating an environment where every student and adult feels a sense of safety, care, and empowerment to express their authentic selves while standing alongside, supporting, and uplifting those who may not feel the same sense of safety.
It means understanding the profound impact our words and actions can have on others. It means saying sorry when we get things wrong - and meaning it.
A crucial aspect of fostering inclusion and belonging is acknowledging and valuing the diverse identities present within our School community.
Our Parents and Carers' Association also supports inclusion via the PCA Inclusion Sub-committee.
Intercultural Understanding
As an IB World School, intercultural understanding at HVGS goes beyond merely learning about ‘other cultures and customs’. Instead, it focuses on the cultural encounters between people. In other words, what happens when cultures intersect.
It is concerned with how we work together as people with a shared humanity, despite our differences and how we can effectively interact across cultures.
Due to the increasing diversity of culture and the multifaceted nature of the world in which we live, HVGS is building competence this area as a way of helping our students ‘learn to live better, together'.
Reconciliation Action Plan
Reconciliation is not just a word, it’s a call to action - a shared journey towards healing, understanding, and genuine partnership.
This belief underpins our commitment and the work that has been undertaken in the development of our School’s draft Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students
Head of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education
Mr Mark Miles, a proud Wiradjuri man who cherishes his heritage, is dedicated to helping his students discover and celebrate their own cultures, whether Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal. He firmly believes that knowing where you come from is essential to finding your way forward in life and he makes it his mission to guide his students on this journey of self-discovery.
The reason I wanted to join the community at HVGS was due to the strong value system, the direction the School is going in the inclusion space and because we give students a voice. This was reaffirmed in my interview where two students were on the panel and lead the questions. I love this!
Mark is heavily involved in mentoring students who need additional support, and he has established the Senior School AECG (Aboriginal Education Consultative Group).
Before joining HVGS, Mark worked on Darkinjung and Darug Country, where he honed his skills as a mentor and educator for at-risk students. He also assisted schools in integrating First Nations perspectives into their programs, ensuring that all students had the opportunity to learn about the fascinating cultures that make up our diverse nation.
With his visionary leadership and boundless energy, Mark is on a mission to make HVGS a leader in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education, and to help his students be proud of their cultures and confident in their abilities to succeed in life.
In our Strategic Plan, Future Directions 2023-2028, one of our primary goals is to create and maintain genuine and respectful opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education throughout our entire school community.
The Waratah Project
In 2025, HVGS was invited to join The Waratah Project, an initiative led by the Association of Independent Schools NSW (AISNSW). This project unites a select group of schools dedicated to improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. HVGS will be in good company, joining schools such as Barker College, Pymble Ladies’ College, and Knox Grammar School in this important work.
Initatives promoting First Nations Culture
We’ve been working on several initiatives to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students experience a sense of belonging at school, supported in an environment where all students value and respect Indigenous Australian culture.
Aims and achievements to date:
- Development of a draft Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)
- Annual Personalised Learning Plans (PLPs) and compiled as a three-way system
- Establishment of a Junior Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (Jnr AECG)
- NAIDOC Week celebrations across the whole school
- Participation in local leadership activities through the hospice of Maitland AECG
- Fundraising for Indigenous literacy week and local communities
- Compilation of Acknowledgement of Country in partnership with the Wonnarua community, with Acknowledgement of Country posters included in all classrooms
- Inclusion of Acknowledgement of Country on School signage and at all school assemblies
- Inclusion of Indigenous related topics and culture across the school curriculum
- Learning programs are held in our Yarning Circle on the school grounds
Indigenous Scholarships
Hunter Valley Grammar School offers Indigenous Scholarships for internal and external students entering Years 7 – 11.
Scholarships at HVGS are competitive and awarded against specific criteria.
"When we embrace diversity, something magical happens... We build connections, form friendships, and create communities that are strong and united."
