From the Principal

At Girton, respect is one of our fundamental values. It lives in how we speak to one another, in the care we show, and in the way we recognise that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. 

This week, I spoke with our Senior School students about what respect looks like in practice as we approach Foundation Day, one of the most meaningful points in our school year. Our Foundation Day Service takes place this evening and is compulsory for students in Years 3-12. 

Some students have expressed some reluctance to attend this evening, and I do understand this. A Friday evening commitment is not always greeted with enthusiasm as we are all looking forward to rest, social time or simply the end of a busy week. But Foundation Day asks something more of us than convenience. 

I invited our students to imagine, just for a moment, being told that Girton would close. What would it feel like if Girton no longer existed - if they could not wear the uniform or gather with their friends? If they were not even allowed to sing the school song? How would it feel to lose a place that has become such an important part of their daily lives? Where would they go? What would be lost? 

These wonderings are not purely hypothetical. In 1992, Girton faced that very reality. And yet, because people noticed, because they recognised what this school meant and what it made possible, a group of parents, staff and community members acted with extraordinary courage and determination to rebuild the school, piece by piece, for the generations that would follow.  

This evening, many of those Founders will be with us. When they look out and see our students, they see the living continuation of what they began. They see possibility, fulfilled and still unfolding. 

Respect, in this context, asks us to notice. To notice the sacrifice that came before us. To notice the opportunities we now hold. And to notice the responsibility we share in carrying this story forward. It also asks us to respond with gratitude, expressed not just in words, but through our actions. 

Attending the Foundation Day Service is one small but powerful way our students can do this. It is an opportunity to honour our past, to stand alongside those who built our foundations, and to recognise the privilege of belonging to this community. 

Our staff members will be there too, standing together with students and families, because they understand that Girton is not just a place of work or learning, but a community shaped by shared purpose and connection. 

I ask kindly for your support in reinforcing this message at home. When students choose to attend our Foundation Day service, despite a little reluctance in some cases, they are learning something vital: that respect is not always about what is easy or immediately rewarding, but about what is meaningful and right. Together, we are raising young people who notice, who care and who understand that they are part of a story worth honouring. 

I look forward to sharing this special evening with you, as we pause, reflect and continue to build something worthy of those who first imagined Girton. 

Please have your say in our Engagement Survey

At Girton, we value the insights shared by our parents and carers, and we listen with care. 

In the same way that Foundation Day reminds us that Girton has been shaped by those who came before us, this survey is an opportunity for our current community to help shape what comes next. Each response is part of that shared responsibility, and a small but meaningful contribution to the ongoing story of the school.

On Monday the Girton community — all staff, families and Senior School students — were invited by email to participate in the 2026 Thriving School’s Index (TSI) Engagement Survey. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to share their thoughts so far. There is still plenty of time to contribute before the survey closes on Sunday 24 May.

The perspectives of our community help us to better understand who we are, and who we are becoming. Feedback from last year’s survey informed a range of initiatives to strengthen student learning, wellbeing and the overall school experience, as well as improving how we communicate and work in partnership with families.

We are grateful for the time, honesty and care our families bring to this process, and we look forward to reflecting on what we learn together as we continue to build a school that reflects the values, hopes and voices of us all.