From the Principal

Coffee with the Principal discussions

Our regular Coffee with the Principal and Executive staff gatherings are one of the many ways that we seek to build positive relationships with school families, gather feedback and discuss a wide range of issues related to school operations, raising girls and the School’s approach to learning.

This week’s Junior School parent morning was one such gathering and it was fabulous to see so many different year groups and perspectives represented.

One of the topics raised was that of co-curricular activities. It was heartening to hear the positive feedback about the range of opportunities and the enthusiasm with which students from across the school are involved. Suggestions regarding how communication could be improved and the challenges of scheduling and clashes were also received, and they have been shared with the appropriate staff so that we can continue to make things as seamless as possible.

After the initial feedback, we had an interesting discussion on how much co-curricular is too much and how do you manage the student who wants to participate in every activity? Parents noted that it was sometimes difficult to decide what to do and their daughters were keen to do everything. Head of Junior School, Daniel Sandral, suggested that it is important that not every moment of the day is filled with structured activities. Unscheduled time is important for young children because it gives them space to play, imagine, rest, and learn at their own pace. When every moment is structured, children can miss opportunities to develop creativity, independence, problem-solving, and social skills through self-directed play.

This kind of free time also supports emotional wellbeing for all ages. It allows children to decompress, follow their own interests, and practise making choices without constant adult direction. In a world where children can easily become overscheduled, unhurried time helps them build confidence, resilience and a healthy balance between activity and rest.

However, it can be challenging when you have a child who wants to take up every opportunity. There is no doubt that some children have a great capacity for getting involved. Children who want to try every activity are often showing enthusiasm, curiosity, and a love of being involved, which is something to celebrate. At the same time, learning to make choices is an important part of growing up. While it can be disappointing not to do everything, helping children focus on a manageable number of activities allows them to participate more fully, enjoy the experience, and maintain a healthy balance between challenge, rest, and wellbeing.

As children get older and academic demands increase, they tend to move away from trying everything to focusing on those activities that bring them the most enjoyment and feeling of success. There is a strong correlation between academic success, the right level of co-curricular involvement and wellbeing but in the midst of balancing academic demands and social activity, it can be challenging to encourage older girls to continue with physical activity, team sports, and activities that they enjoy.

As well as this thought provoking discussion, attendees at the coffee morning also discussed maintaining the balance between academic success and wellbeing, the challenges of teacher attraction and retention in a highly competitive market and I had an opportunity to chat about some of the political advocacy work that is done behind the scenes to promote the cause of Independent Schools.

Each of our parent gatherings provides a new opportunity for feedback and discussions that matter and I look forward to seeing as many as possible at our Term 3 and Term 4 gatherings.

– Lisa Moloney
Principal