Daily Liberal

Fostering capable young women

Boarding Captain Holly Small, Vice-Captain Annabelle Simpson and Deputy Principal, Director of Boarding, Lucy Cumming.
Boarding Captain Holly Small, Vice-Captain Annabelle Simpson and Deputy Principal, Director of Boarding, Lucy Cumming.

This is branded content for Ravenswood School for Girls.

The Ravenswood Residential College is an exceptional learning and living experience, with first-class academic support and access to more than 100 co-curricular activities, provided within a close-knit, family-like environment.

The boutique-style College has a capacity of just 49 girls and is small by design.

"We focus on inter-year level relationships, so we have an authentic community of girls to study together, eat together and do all the small things together, as you would in any family," Deputy Principal and Director of Boarding, Lucy Cumming says.

A small walk from the school campus, the College is a safe and comforting home away from home.

"The feeling of family is accentuated by the fact that the boarders walk out the school gates together each day, leaving the formal part of the day behind," Ms Cumming says.

Ravenswood is the only school on Sydney's upper north shore to offer a choice between the HSC and the International Baccalaureate Diploma. They are a non-selective school with a holistic approach and a strong academic focus.

It's vision to ignite their girls' potential and inspire their passion and purpose is drawn from the school's historic roots and motto - semper ad meliora - always towards better things.

Staff in the Residential College nurture a passion for learning. They include a network of tutors, made up of recent alumni who have been chosen for their outstanding performance in their final exams.

"Our tutors are former school captains and school duxes, who are not only inspirational but always available to give us advice across academic subject areas or on pastoral issues," Boarding Vice-Captain Annabelle Simpson from Wagga Wagga says.

"They also act as wonderful mentors and along with the Director of Boarding Ms Cumming and other staff, keep a detailed note of our wellbeing at all times," Annabelle says.

Ravenswood was the first Visible Wellbeing School in NSW and has received numerous awards for its internationally recognised Positive Education approach.

"Positive Education provides a scientifically validated framework for wellbeing and equips students with a toolkit of evidence based principles and strategies," Ravenswood Principal Mrs Anne Johnstone says.

"Our focus is on fostering capable young women with the academic, social and emotional skills to flourish in every aspect of their lives."

At Ravenswood, it's understood that learning and wellbeing are inextricably linked and aim to develop in their students the resilience and self-efficacy to navigate complexity, pursue excellence and face adversity.

The School encourages a strong sense of personal accountability and fosters empathy, insight and compassion to empower students to make an active contribution to society and be leaders of positive change.

"We definitely feel the wellbeing programs conducted in the school flow into the Residential College," Boarding Captain Holly Small says.

"No-one is ever left out and the staff create such a positive atmosphere, constantly making sure we are looked after.

"It really is a home away from home."

Ravenswood boarders are instilled with a strong desire to contribute and are always planning and coordinating charitable and social justice activities to benefit the wider community.

"I am constantly surprised by the creativity and enterprise of Ravenswood boarders and their desire to use their gifts and opportunities to give back," Lucy Cumming says.

"I think this is due to the wonderful impact of Positive Education on the boarders," former Boarding Captain Lily Dunn says.

"They are taught every day to be conscious that the way we speak and act impacts others.

"They are absolutely better as individuals and together as a result of that.

"Boarding at Ravenswood taught me to think for myself.

"My parents noticed a big change in me in regards to my level of independence and confidence," she says.