The Pittwater House Preparatory School for boys was founded late in 1961 by Rex Morgan. It opened in the Thomas Vickers Church Hall in Curl Curl in February 1962 with just six little boys. Pupil numbers grew quickly and by 1964 land in Collaroy was purchased by Mr Morgan and a new Prep School building was opened for boys from 4 years of age to Form 6. By 1968 the first secondary boys started in the new Grammar School and Mr Morgan gave ownership of the School to a non-profit company which owns and administers the School to this day. The Pittwater House Grammar School was registered and accredited by the NSW Board of Studies to offer the HSC and registered with the Commonwealth Government to receive per capita non-government school grants.
Mr Morgan created the Country Life Scheme in 1970 with the very popular annual visits by class groups to historic Abercrombie House in Bathurst. This outdoor education programme led to the foundation of the Schools' voluntary Cadet Unit in 1972, which became the first co-ed Cadet Unit in Australia when the Girls College opened.
Parental demand for Mr Morgan's traditional and prescriptive educational approach led to the opening of the Girls College in 1975 so secondary school girls could share the campus with the Grammar School. The Junior Girls College followed, opening in 1977. During this period sectional headmasters were appointed as administrators of the four 'schools' which made up Pittwater House, all under the leadership of Mr Morgan as Executive Principal. During the 1970's Pittwater House also acquired Aberfeldy Preparatory School in Turramurra and was managing the operations of Newcastle Grammar School.
By the early 1980s the number of school buildings at Collaroy had grown with the development of three storey classroom blocks, the levelling out of a playing field fronting Westmoreland Avenue and a long-term lease on land for the tennis courts. In 1982 a 15 room block was built on what was expected to be the southern extent of the campus and the 1000-seat capacity Great Hall was completed in 1984. Mr Peter Moore was appointed Headmaster of the Preparatory and Junior College in 1975. Mr David Lloyd was appointed Headmaster of Grammar and Mr Martin Orrock Headmaster of College in 1980. Mr Martin Orrock became Headmaster of the Grammar and College in 1983. The first computing devices and earliest Apple Macintoshes were introduced in the mid 1980's and the application of innovative, modern technology ensured the continuance of Pittwater House at the forefront of education in New South Wales.
A programme of property acquisition continued and the School site spread to South Creek Road and west to Parkes Road with the purchase of the old 'flats' in mid-1980s. In 1991 six of the South Creek Rd cottages were demolished to make way for staff and visitor parking and the construction of a new Junior School classroom block. Mr Richard Morgan was appointed as Executive Officer in 1991. The Mothers' Association provided the funds for the building of the Short Course Olympic Swimming Pool in 1994 and the campus expanded east to the Army Depot boundary in 1996 where the UNSW Foundation Studies facilities were erected. In 1995 Dr Robert McLeod was appointed Director of Foundation Studies.
In 2002 refurbishment of the original building, today known as 'The Rex Morgan Wing', was completed to house the administrative functions of the school. On 2005 the School opened a purpose built, DOCs compliant, Early Childhood Centre to assist with the demand for preschool places on the Northern Beaches.
In 2007 internal refurbishment of all classrooms resulted in the installation of interactive white boards, partly funded through donation, and fabulous colours decorating the walls, fresh carpets and furniture.
In 2008/9 the library was closed and with Pittwater House Parents Association funds a new Library + Media Centre was built on the top floor of West Wing. A number of administration facilities were relocated.
Campus landscaping was enhanced by the construction of the Mia Waters Memorial Wall in 2008 which provides a terrace seating area at the northern end of the James Mooney Oval on the campus.
Rex Morgan, AM, MBE, HonMSc DipTG (Prim) DipTG (Sec) LTCL, FRGS FRSA ARPS(Ed) FACE, JP, founder of The Pittwater House Schools, was a practising schoolmaster and administrator since 1955. For more than forty years Mr Morgan shaped the development of Pittwater House from a small boys Preparatory School into the major educational institution of today whose many facets are revealed in this website.
He is a former Chairman of the Australian College of Educators (NSW) and was elected a Fellow in 1979. He is a Past President of the Teachers Guild of New South Wales and was a Member of the ABC Standing Advisory Committee on School Broadcasts for ten years. He has been a member of the State Award Committee of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award in Australia and he was elected in 2002 as National President of the Friends of the Award.
He was awarded the MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 1969 for his services to education and in 2002 he was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his services to education in Australia and internationally. Today he is Chairman of the School Council of Governors and focuses on international education, the alumni (ex students) and development programmes of the School.
Click here to download the Sermon given by the Founder at the 2009 Foundation Day Service
