From the Principal

It brings me great delight to welcome you to our first issue of eLink for Term 3. I hope you and your children have had a smooth start to the term and are settling comfortably back into the rhythm of school life. 

Over the school holidays, I had the pleasure of engaging in a thought-provoking discussion with a parent about the importance of having school values that can be seen, heard and felt. I thought about this conversation a great deal over the break, and in my first address to students this term, I felt inspired to explore how our school uniform serves as a tangible representation of our school’s values. 

I broached the topic by leading the students through a game where we examined various uniforms – from firefighters to footballers and flight attendants – to uncover the reasons behind their use. Together, we determined that uniforms not only serve the practical purposes of enhancing safety and identification but also have an important symbolic role in promoting a sense of belonging and symbolising an organisation’s values. Both physically and psychologically, there is no doubt that what we wear has the power to impact how we are seen by others, as well as how we feel within ourselves. But I also believe this extends to how we wear it, right down to the seemingly small details such as having shirts tucked in neatly and wearing appropriate accessories.

To emphasise the emblematic value of even the minor details, I introduced the concept of the ‘broken windows theory’. This concept, devised by social scientists James Wilson and George Kelling, suggests that the small matter of a broken window left unattended sends a signal of neglect to residents within an area, which ultimately leads to further damage and deterioration. This idea gained traction in New York City during the 1990s, when the city addressed its high rates of violent crime by taking a strong stance against not only the major offenses but all forms of criminal behaviour – right down to minor infractions such as fare evasion and vandalism. This new standard of order gradually became accepted as the norm by residents, and the city witnessed a significant reduction in both petty and serious crimes. In the same way, I believe that by caring about every element of our school – from our curriculum and our facilities right through to how our uniform is worn – we foster a culture of social responsibility, unity and consistent values. This is the kind of environment we strive to maintain for our students.

In addition to my assembly address, I have also been discussing values in depth with a number of our students, staff and parents as we work with a marketing firm to review and refresh the school’s branding. As part of an exercise to identify our core values, we reflected on the actions and behaviours that help our students to achieve the ultimate goal of a Girton education: to graduate with the knowledge, skills and character that will empower them to be the best version of themselves and access the future of their choice. Through this process, we pinpointed the defining values that we see our students employ in achieving this mission, including curiosity, courage, compassion and connection. In a world where the word ‘value’ is often used in excess, I found this to be an extremely constructive exercise, and I look forward to sharing more about our brand strategy as it develops.

Before closing, I also wanted to thank our parent and carer community for participating in the recent survey regarding the proposal to move one of our pupil-free days from the end of the winter school holidays to the Friday before the King’s Birthday long weekend. As a result of the overwhelmingly positive responses from both parents and staff, I am pleased to announce that we will implement this change to our calendar from 2025. I believe this consultative process exemplifies the value of connection that I mentioned earlier, as do events like this week’s Year 11 2025 Information Evening and the upcoming Parent-Teacher Interviews, which bring together the school community for the benefit of our students.

I wish you a wonderful, restful weekend with your family after a productive first fortnight of Term 3. 

Dr Emma O’Rielly

Principal