Today marks the final day of term and we finished in our usual manner by gathering (virtually of course) all girls from Kindergarten to Year 12 for the end of term assembly. This is a special time for us to celebrate the fact that we are a Kindergarten to Year 12 community, all together on one campus, and I usually delight in watching the older girls respond to the young voices of the girls in Blinkbonnie House as they all sing the School Song together.

Despite the disappointing news that lockdown and as a result, remote learning, is to continue to the end of term, the publication of the 2021 National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) results this week provided reassurance that the global COVID-19 pandemic has had no significant impact on students’ literacy and numeracy achievement at Lowther Hall.

Despite not being physically present, it has been a busy and exciting week at Lowther Hall. Staff and students alike have been buzzing with the excitement generated by the Lowther Literary Festival and we have been privileged to have a number of author visits and special events to inspire and foster a love of reading within our community.

Last week, the Chaplain, the Deputy Principal and I attended the Anglican Schools Australia conference, a biennial event which brings together leaders of Anglican schools across the country for two days of professional learning, discussion and worship.

As we heard about the extension of lockdown 6.0 this week, I was comforted by some research that has come out of the UK recently, which gave me reason to remember that our girls are well positioned to be mentally tough! The study has found that girls who attend single-sex schools are generally more confident and emotionally in control than girls attending state and independent co-educational schools.

​At Lowther Hall we value respectful relationships which give rise to everyone having a voice. I spoke to the Senior School girls about this aspect of the School’s Values Statement in assembly recently and reminded them of the ways in which we try to foster the development of student voice through committees, voting processes and cross age programs.

​I have loved watching the Olympics during this last week or so. The dressage and the artistic gymnastics are some of my favourite events to watch – possibly because they connect me back in to two of my childhood hobbies, but I also love the excitement of the swimming and the drama of the kayaking!

​Despite the School being in “remote mode” there has been much happening as usual. In addition to the daily learning for the girls, other members of the Lowther Hall Community have been working behind the scenes in online meetings, planning sessions or workshops.

​When, on Thursday, the Premier announced that on Friday schools would have to “do the best they can” as we entered the 5 day lockdown I felt proud to know that at Lowther Hall this would mean that girls would be engaged in meaningful learning, with students from Years 2 to 12 experiencing a full timetable of classes from Friday morning.

​Many of you know that I love David Attenborough and that in my down time I very much enjoy watching his documentaries. Animal behaviour has always fascinated me and in the end of term assembly today, I spoke to the girls about the Fire ants of the Amazon Rainforest, which featured in a recent episode of his latest series, A Perfect Planet.