From the Principal

On several recent occasions, I have been reminded of the vast differences between the world that my generation encountered upon graduating school and the one our students will enter. At this year’s Association of Heads of Independent Schools (AHISA) conference, one of the keynote speakers, Dr Phil Lambert PSM, referred to it as a ‘VUCA world’ – volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous. To thrive in such a world, Dr Lambert believes it is essential to educate students beyond the realm of traditional subjects. In addition to academic learning, our young people must be equipped with the skills required to navigate change, such as communication, emotional intelligence, problem-solving, innovation and adaptability. These are the competencies required to lead at the personal, societal, national and global level. 

In another presentation this term, I learnt that companies today are seeking individuals with high emotional and creativity quotients, which are the skills least likely to be replaced with AI. Google’s former head of recruitment, Mr Lazlo Bock, said the number one trait the company looks for in new recruits is not IQ but the ability to learn, process on the fly and synthesise disparate information. The second is leadership – not in the traditional sense but rather the ability to step in and lead when faced with a problem. Other qualities highly valued by today’s employers are character, common sense, grit and a willingness to embrace continuous improvement. 

As a way to help our students build new skills for the future beyond the regular curriculum, I’m delighted to announce that in 2025 we will introduce an exciting range of semester-based electives for students in Years 7 and 8. Spanning Arts, English, Humanities, LOTE, Mathematics, PE and Technology, these electives include but are not limited to professional communications, coding, multimedia, family history research, GoPro filmmaking, sports, and Japanese and French immersion activities in drama, food, art and culture. Providing semester-based options will enable students to select two different experiences each year. While we will endeavour to give every student their first choice of elective, we will employ a ballot system if a particular elective is oversubscribed. We look forward to sharing more information about these electives in an information session during Semester 2.

Additionally, starting next year, we will no longer require students to study both Japanese and French in Years 7 and 8. This aligns with the recommendations of a LOTE review completed by Independent Schools Victoria last year, which recommended allowing students at Girton to choose one language to study in depth going forward, with the aim of allowing students to develop greater fluency in that language. Following the review, our LOTE Department and Leadership Team have visited schools that are renowned for their LOTE programs to help inform our model moving forward, including Methodist Ladies’ College, Glen Eira College and Kardinia International College.  Junior School will adopt a staggered implementation of the recommendations and in 2025, Year 6 students will choose either French or Japanese to study with twice the amount of curriculum time spent on this chosen language. 

The review also suggested providing alternative means of enriching students’ immersion in their selected language, which has prompted the creation of our LOTE immersion electives for students in Years 7 and 8. However, recognising that not every student will want to follow the immersion pathway, we invited all key learning areas to design elective programs that would enrich the standard curriculum, allowing students to explore their passions or try something new before reaching their final years of schooling.

Thinking back to the challenges posed by our ‘VUCA world’, I wanted to share one of my favourite moments from Term 2 that wasn’t included in my end-of-term correspondence on Wednesday. It was our ‘Student Soap Box’, which invites our Senior School students to stand in front of our Prefects and Leadership Team to share their ideas to improve our school for the future. I was so impressed by what I witnessed – not just the ideas but the way they were clearly and respectfully articulated, well researched, and developed for the benefit of the whole school community rather than just the speaker. This inspiring, inclusive and innovative initiative truly embodies who we are as a school community, and it is moments like these that fill me with confidence in the ability of our students to navigate a VUCA world.

Thank you again for your support of our school and students throughout Semester 1. I wish all our families an enjoyable winter break, and I look forward to seeing you when we return to Girton for Semester 2 on Wednesday 17 July.

Dr Emma O'Rielly 

Principal