From the Principal

Last week, we officially concluded the 2025 school year with our Speech Night events. Over three nights filled with celebration, we congratulated our students on their achievements, inducted our 2026 leaders, and enjoyed incredible musical performances and heartfelt speeches.

It is always a joy to celebrate our students and reflect on the year. This year, together with Board Chair Ms Fleur Jackson, I was also excited to share with you Girton’s new mission and values. 

Our mission: We educate and empower young people to achieve and flourish in their aspirations for life.

Our new mission is a powerful statement that defines who we are and what we aspire to be. It positions education as more than acquiring knowledge – it is the pursuit of character, curiosity and courage. We are here not just to guide, support and educate our students, but to empower them. Our aim is for them to achieve and flourish: to become the best versions of themselves as they develop and pursue their individual aspirations for life.

The mission is supported by four identity statements and our six values: educational excellence, determination, respect, curiosity, compassion and connection. While we officially launched these just last week, I have already witnessed these values in our students, staff and wider community during the year. Now, we have the right words to reflect what Girton already is, and what it strives to become in the future. You can learn more about our new mission and values in the video on this web page.

Ms Jackson also shared a first look of our new branding and our new website. Girton’s updated branding and crest, which adorn this final edition of the Girton eLink for 2025, includes new visual elements designed to mirror the evolution of the School – an evolution that has included expansion in Houses, campus footprint and enrolments.

Our updated website provides an interactive and accessible online experience for current and future Girton families. It is designed to convey the culture of the school and the breadth of opportunities offered to students, and features more video content and lived examples of what it means to be a Girton student. I encourage you all to visit the site – we are immensely proud of how it represents our school, and will continue to add new content in 2026.

The official school year may have ended, but Girton has remained busy as our staff have prepared for the 2026 academic year. Yesterday, we welcomed the Class of 2025 back to the school for our VCE Results Day morning tea. It was wonderful to celebrate our students and their outstanding achievements one final time, and to discuss their exciting plans for their futures beyond our gates. 

This year, more than 30% of our Year 12 students achieved an ATAR above 90, and more than half achieved an ATAR above 80. Four students achieved perfect study scores of 50 in their chosen subjects. Not only have they achieved remarkable results this year, but this group has continually displayed leadership, perseverance and dedication throughout their secondary school years. You can read more about the 2025 VCE results in this article on our website. 

In this final issue of the Girton eLink for 2025, I would like to thank you all for a wonderful year. I hope that you all enjoy the summer break, and have an opportunity both to rest and to do the things that energise and excite you. I look forward to welcoming our students back to Girton Grammar School on Thursday 29 January 2026.

Dr Emma O'Rielly

Principal