Skip to Main Content

From the Principal - Anchored in Values

14 May 2025

I hope you have all enjoyed our very first Ruyton news video update. As mentioned, my hope is that I can share these updates with you on a regular basis as I am conscious that there are many written communications and platforms to navigate and that our new video format may allow you to engage in a more mobile way as we move forward.

One of the important updates I provided was a strategic review of our school values.

At Ruyton, we proudly stand as an independent, forward-thinking girls’ school - one that is anchored in values and driven by purpose. A school that dares to lead, to evolve, and to prepare our students for a lifetime of learning, living, and leading in a complex, globalised world.

And this world has most certainly changed.

We are living through a time of profound global and societal transformation. Geopolitical instability, the escalating impacts of climate change, the rise of generative technologies and AI, and the pervasive influence of social media have reshaped the way we think, feel, connect, and live. At the same time, we’re experiencing a crisis of belonging - a loss of community and connection, alongside a growing culture of comparison and pressure, especially for young people. The pace of change is fast. The stakes are high. And the need to reflect on what grounds us - what truly matters - has never been more urgent.

As we look to the future, we are called to pause. To reflect. To ask: what truly matters?

Culture is visible. It lives in our language and behaviours, in and beyond our classrooms, through the relationships between people, and it breathes in the spaces between us. It is not just something we say - it is something we live. And if we are to ensure that what we say matters, truly aligns with what our people see and feel, we must be willing to reflect deeply and honestly at our values.

Values are more than words on a wall. They are our compass, our foundation. They guide our choices, shape our behaviours, and anchor us in times of uncertainty. They remind us of who we are, what we stand for and who we aspire to be.

Our current values - citizenship, endeavour, integrity, and character have served as the bedrock of the Ruyton experience for the past ten years. But in a world marked by rapid change, where the skills and dispositions our girls will need continue to evolve, we must be bold enough to ask: are these values still fit for purpose?

This is not a question for a few. It is a conversation for all.

In the coming months, I will co-facilitate, alongside our Executive Team, School Captains and Prefects, a series of values-driven workshops across every year level from Prep to Year 12, with all our staff, and representative focus groups across our broader community. Together, we will take the time to authentically connect and listen. And most importantly, we will ensure that every voice is heard because every person matters, and every voice contributes to our culture and the future direction of our school.

Through this process, we hope not only to affirm what we stand for, but to co-create a renewed sense of purpose, one that reflects the aspirations, diversity, and courage of our community. We will shape a shared understanding of what it means to experience a Ruyton life well lived: one of vision, integrity, intellectual curiosity, compassion, and action.

This work is not about change for change’s sake. It is about clarity. About coherence. And about connection.

By anchoring ourselves to values that genuinely reflect who we are, what we stand for and who we aspire to become, we build the cultural strength and clarity needed to navigate an ever-changing world with confidence, courage, and unity. In doing so, we lay the foundations for a school that not only thrives today but endures with purpose and relevance for generations to come. A school that will flourish not just in the next decade, but into the next century.

Thank you for walking beside us as we honour our past, live with purpose in the present, and boldly shape a future worthy of the wonderful Ruyton women we serve.