So that, in the end, there was no end. — Patrick White, The Tree of Man 1955

Our Year 12 students are counting off their ‘lasts’ at MGGS. This is a time of mixed emotions for our senior students as they prepare for their final VCE examinations and begin to bid farewell to the School. The Class of 2024 have been a wonderful cohort; remarkable Grammarian representatives in every way and fine role models to our younger students. I thank them personally for their fine contribution to their School. I have observed them over the last term putting in the hard work required for achieving their personal best, and I know that their teachers and families have wrapped much support around them. They have left a fine legacy of building strong relationships between year levels across the whole School and helping to forge stronger ties with Melbourne Grammar. They are a united cohort, and they have lived the values of the School. Over the holidays they will be studying hard with the support of their teachers, so that they are well prepared for the upcoming examinations. We will celebrate the Class of 2024 in the upcoming Valedictory season that begins with the Valedictory Chapel on Thursday 19 September. Our Year 12 Grammarians are dutifully ready to ‘pass the baton’ of leadership to the Year 11 Grammarians.

As in the final sentence of Patrick White’s classic 1955 text, The Tree of Man, “So, that in the end, there is no end”, the cycle of human endeavour continues and the sequence of leadership remains, and we look to the Class of 2025 to continue the cultural legacies of the School. The rigorous Student Executive Council (SEC) elections have been completed. Please join me in congratulating the following Grammarians who have been elected to the Student Executive Council for 2025:

• School Captain: Stephanie Fourlanos
• School Vice Captains: Shuying Jiang, Amelie Maddock
• Blackwood Captains: Emily Antonie, Harriet Ellard
• Clarke Captains: Tabitha Chamberlain, Camilla Wong Hansen
• Hensley Captains: Zara Bridger, Isabelle Gelder
• Mungo Captains: Dina Kakinda-Musoke, Winnie Mastores
• Taylor Captains: Ana Vlahos, Fosina Zhao
• Boarding Captains: Mikayla Berto, Annabelle Williamson
• Art Captains: Elektra Katsalidis, Chloe Stevenson
• Community and Environment Captains: Rose Anderson, Lydia Giles
• Drama Captains: Emily Gillard, Freya Wajswelner
• Music Captains: Michelle Mah, Cecilia Xu
• Sports Captains: Edie McLachlan, Zara Nash
• STEM Captains: Diana Spartels, Isabel Zhang

As I said to all Year 11 students this week, you are all leaders, all role models, and every Grammarian watches you closely and will hold you to higher account simply by being in Year 12. I am confident that this cohort will be equally impressive. 

Over the last four years, we have put in place intensive literacy and numeracy strategies in the Junior and Middle Years. This hard work is bearing fruit, as can be seen in our NAPLAN results, which are extremely strong. Melbourne Girls Grammar celebrates our continued strength in Literacy and Numeracy. The recent publication of State and National Mean results shows that Grammarians continue to perform exceptionally. We recognise the ongoing dedication of our students, teachers and families in upholding high expectations for student learning. While being proud of the NAPLAN results as one measure, we also continue to celebrate the broader academic and co-curricular offerings at Melbourne Girls Grammar. A strong foundation in Literacy and Numeracy is essential; however, it must be supported by critical and creative thinking, community building, health and wellbeing and values development. We are proud of the breadth and depth of our programs. 

The following table summarises the Melbourne Girls Grammar results compared to State and National data. The bracketed number shows the difference between MGGS and comparative data.

These outstanding NAPLAN results demonstrate the pursuit of excellence that underpins all that we do at MGGS. Last week this was further reinforced by the recognition, for the second year in a row, that MGGS is the Top Girls’ School in Melbourne¹. This honour is bestowed on our School based on the aggregate scores from a rigorous 360 analysis and parent feedback on all girls’ schools in Melbourne encompassing academic excellence, student development and wellbeing, learning programs, learning environment, and institutional excellence. Melbourne Girls Grammar scored an impressive 92.4%. As a school that continues to grow from strength to strength, recognition by groups outside our School reinforces our reputation in girls’ education in the broader context. Additionally, I am pleased to announce that we have completed the first draft of our 2025-2030 Strategic Plan. It is vibrant and loaded with potential and possibilities. We will continue to seek feedback and polish over the coming months before communication in the new year. This forward thinking and continuous improvement mindset ensures that our Grammarians continue to have the best education available to them today and in the future, specifically tailored to positioning our girls and young women successfully for the constantly changing world in which we live.

Over the weekend I attended the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools International Symposium in Girls’ Education at Westlake Girls’ High School, Auckland. This was an excellent opportunity to network with fellow educators and principals of girls’ schools who share similar challenges and opportunities as MGGS. We are connected through our shared philosophy and pride in providing girls’ education. I was fortunate to attend an intensive workshop with Dr Judith Locke. A clinical psychologist and former teacher, Dr Locke delivers child wellbeing sessions to parents, teachers and students in schools, workplaces and daycare centres around Australia and New Zealand. She focuses on teaching practical and proven strategies for parents and teachers to ensure children have the best chances of becoming genuinely confident and capable and realise their potential. I highly recommend her texts, including my favourite, The Bonsai Child. You will often hear me say, ‘We don’t do for our Grammarians what they can do for themselves’. This is also the philosophy of Dr Locke, who encourages us to allow our young ones to take risks and make mistakes. This builds confidence, self-efficacy and resilience. You can read more about her in this fabulous article: https://theparentswebsite.com.au/dr-judith-locke-why-parents-should-stop-being-their-childs-sherpa/

In closing, this is the time of year when planning for the 2025 academic year is in full swing with subject selections, and staff and budget planning. We are well placed for a smooth start to 2025. 

Have a fabulous week and I hope you have purchased your ticket for the much anticipated Navy Blue Party! I’ll see you there, if not before!

Yours in learning

Dr Toni E. Meath
Principal

¹ Schools360 Top 10 Girls’ Schools in Melbourne (2024)ranking defines the holistic attributes of schools across Australia.