From the PDHPE classroom to history, science and beyond, teachers at Queenwood School are working to raise the bar in discipline-specific writing skills – and an instructional framework is paving the way.
On Friday 11 October, it was International Day of the Girl Child which was set up by the United Nations in 2011. The aims are to focus attention on the need to address the challenges girls face, and to promote girls’ empowerment and fulfilment of their human rights.
Two of the social-emotional capabilities that Queenwood aims to develop are independence and agency. In this article Mrs Pip Turner, Year 5 Teacher and Junior School Coordinator of Pastoral Care, discusses the resounding success of the Year 5 Independence Project at Queenwood. Through hands-on experiences and risk-taking, the girls have gained confidence, resilience and a stronger sense of agency. The project highlighted that with trust and encouragement, our girls can achieve more than they ever imagined.
Outdoor education programs can be life-changing for students, who develop crucial social skills and a newfound relationship with Australia's natural environment. Schools around Australia are creating interesting and innovative ways to help their students become familiar with nature while also developing important personal skills such as confidence, resilience and independence. Queenwood Deputy Principal Mrs Belinda Moore shares how the Queenwood Outdoor Education Program pushes the boundaries of what can be achieved on camp while maintaining attendance levels of over 95% across the school.
At Queenwood, the Drama program is much more than just a class or an extracurricular activity. It’s an immersive experience that fosters confidence, creativity, and courage in young women. To shed light on this unique program, Ms Rebecca Birch, the Director of Research and Practice, sat down with Ms Jade Gibson, the Head of Drama, to discuss how Queenwood’s approach to drama education empowers students both on and off the stage.
Last weekend, Professor Jean M. Twenge was a key speaker at The Festival of Dangerous Ideas convened by the Ethics Centre. Her presentation, entitled "The Machines Killing Our Kids," was extremely thought-provoking. In light of this, Mrs Suzanne Kerr, Director of Wellbeing at Queenwood discusses how Queenwood's Wellbeing Program explicitly targets the social and emotional needs of students to ensure they are equipped with the necessary skills and opportunities to foster student voice, autonomy and social connection.
On the eve of our centenary year, we remain loyal to our foundations and values. Queenwood is a beacon of girls’ education, a school that produces women of Truth, Courage and Service. How many organisations can say that the values on which they were founded remain their foundations 100 years later and beyond?
Research consistently shows that girls who receive a single-sex education are more confident and emotionally resilient than those who attend co-ed schools. Queenwood School Principal Marise McConaghy discusses how an all-girls education fosters a deep level of self-assurance without restrictive gender norms.
Being “future ready” is a wide-reaching concept, with schools equipping their students with the skills needed to navigate real life. Queenwood's Head of Careers and Pathways, Julie Eggleton, discusses how the girls are encouraged to consider an extensive range of career paths and how they are prepared for life after school.
Co-curricular activities at NSW independent schools are taking students to exciting new places. Students are taking advantage of ways to pursue and develop new skills and interests outside of the classroom. Schools discuss the difference it can make, including Queenwood's Head of Technology and Applied Studies, Mr Greg McArdle and Head of Advanced Technology & Engineering Mr Andrew Draper.
Modern technology has nearly eradicated boredom, creating a tech-saturated, hyper-connected world that we both love and loathe. Many of us can’t imagine being without our mobile phones. Life has changed quickly, hasn’t it?