When I commenced as Principal of Penrhos College in 2021, there was much to be proud of. Our vision – to inspire girls to become extraordinary women – has been a noble, and yet ‘real’ goal, and has been a key part of the success and wonderful community our school had been built upon.
With our impressive alumni including leading scientists, Olympians, managing directors, actors and humanitarians, a strong precedent has been set, with a hard act to follow.
However, with a changing world context, and ever-increasing demands on our adults and young women, it was time to reflect, and reassess.
The imperative was simple:
To understand what we needed to do to build a school of the future.
To do this, we had to look both outside and within – at what the world, and our key stakeholders, will need from us, as well as at our existing strengths and how to build on them.
We needed to develop a compelling vision and purpose.
We needed to understand how we could bring that vision to life, in real, tangible terms.
And we needed to bring our community along the journey and seek their input.
With support from some fantastic experts, we engaged the Penrhos community – from Council, our fantastic staff, students and parents to do just that.
What we heard both delighted and sometimes surprised us; and showed us while we have long been on the right track, that there was an opportunity to build on our success by evolving our strategy.
Our students told us they felt they had unlimited opportunities and feel like they can do anything. They told us they loved and valued the community that had been built, and felt respected, cared for and included; a true part of the Penrhos ‘team’.
Our staff told us their goals included acting as coaches and mentors and supporting our students to become positive rebels. They emphasized the value of courage, curiosity, mastery and confidence, grounded in social responsibility. We heard their vision for the future included supporting our girls to set the world on fire - with no ceilings; only sky.
Engagement with our staff also told us we had the building blocks that are needed to achieve this, but we need to change our focus. When understanding the differences between what they see Penrhos is today, and what they want Penrhos to be in the future, all the elements were there – elements including inclusive, progressive, and innovative – they just need to be amplified.
Our parents told us they were proud of the diverse opportunities and sense of community Penrhos provides their daughters. They spoke of our warm and nurturing environment, that simultaneously provides girls with opportunities to develop and grow and challenges them across their learning and personal development.
We also learned our parents expect a successful school to help students discover ‘who they are’, while learning in an innovative and progressive way. They look to us to help get the best out of their daughters, across all aspects of their development; personal, spiritual, emotional and academic, and for our students to be challenged, within the context of a supportive and encouraging environment.
It was clear that while academic achievement and co-curricular activities were still as important as ever, our community is seeking a rounded education for our students. Contemporary research into education reinforces this. What counts as effective education now goes beyond academic achievement, and includes a commitment to developing students’ ethical values, self-esteem, their ability to self-direct their own learning and personal development.
This is no easy feat, but we will rise to the challenge.
It’s been an invigorating, enlightening and collaborative process, and we can’t wait to unleash our new vision, purpose and commitments on the Western Australian community soon.
Watch this space.
