Ruyton Girls' School

The hat has been drawn. The rehearsals are underway 🎭

Across the School, our Houses are preparing for the Performing Arts House Festival (PAHF). Led by their Year 11 Leaders, students are devising original twenty minute performances built around three drawn elements, a landmark, a movie genre and an iconic film soundtrack. Scenes are being blocked, choreography refined and music rehearsed, all in the final two weeks of term.
 
Behind the scenes there is just as much happening. Sets are being imagined, props built and costumes assembled, while students learn the craft of stagecraft in a professional space, running lighting and sound in the Verrocchi Auditorium and discovering how a world class venue actually works. It is a unique opportunity to build these skills hands on, in the same kind of environment they would find in a working theatre.
 
We can’t wait to see it all come together.

Last Friday our Year 2 students hosted four Old Ruytonians for a special morning tea: Beverley (Class of 1957), Louise (Class of 1962), Ailsa (Class of 1964) and Deb (Class of 1973). Our much-loved Golden Girls shared stories, memories and treasured keepsakes from their time at Ruyton.

Beautifully dressed for the occasion, the students asked thoughtful questions, shared their own learning and discovered the similarities and differences between school life then and now. Over a lovely high tea, the conversations sparked curiosity, reflection and connection across generations.

A warm thank you to our Golden Girls for a truly memorable morning.

Year 12 students came back to South House last week, where their Year 4 hosts were waiting with a homemade pizza lunch to share, the pizzas topped with produce picked fresh from the garden. To welcome them back, the Year 4s wrote and performed a song, marking the years the seniors once spent tending that same garden and cooking up their own creations in the kitchen. The two year levels sat down to lunch together, the youngest students hosting the seniors who once sat where they sit now. It was an afternoon full of delicious pizza, shared memories and a tradition that brings South House together year after year. Thank you to our parent volunteers, whose help made it all happen.

When most athletes win by being unpredictable, Molly Y (Year 10) succeeds by doing the exact same thing every single time, and she does it better than anyone in the world.

Molly is the current World Record holder in two archery disciplines, the Field and Hunter rounds, with a list of national and international titles that keeps growing.

What started as a beginner course at a school camp four years ago has taken her to the world stage, including representing New Zealand at the 2025 Trans Tasman Challenge and selection for the 2026 World Archery World Field Championships.

“What I love most about archery is the demand for discipline and consistency. Success comes from doing the same thing every single time.”

Read more via the link in our bio.

Year 5 recently spent some time at camp climbing walls, rowing boats, taking aim at archery and racing billycarts they built themselves. The weather didn’t always cooperate, but the girls did, approaching every activity with a willingness to have a go. Friendships were strengthened, new connections formed and the cohort came home a little closer than they left.

Thank you to the Year 5 staff whose care and encouragement made the camp possible.

Last week our Preps celebrated Milo’s Birthday Surprise, and what a special day it was 🎉

The party marked a wonderful milestone in their Literacy program this semester. To celebrate, they dressed up as their favourite characters from the book they’ve been reading, played party games, enjoyed a birthday party themed lunch, and proudly paraded their costumes at Junior School Assembly to a very excited audience.

A big effort from our littlest learners, and well worth celebrating. Happy birthday, Milo!

Here’s to theatre saving the world!

VCE Drama students from Units 1 and 3 recently presented their ensemble pieces to an audience of friends and family in the Verrocchi Centre. Inspired by the Cowardly Lion’s speech from The Wizard of Oz, the classes devised 20-minute performances exploring the idea of courage.
 
Year 12 Drama student Annabel G reflected on the experience:
“Creating an ensemble is undoubtably a challenging task. It demands creativity, perseverance, trust and, fittingly, a whole lot of courage.
 
Over the past two months, my group and I have learnt how to collaborate through conflicting ideas, trust each other’s instincts and lean into each other’s strengths. Although the experience was incredibly challenging and nerve racking, it was equally rewarding, and gave me a new confidence in teamwork, creativity and myself.”
 
Swipe to read more of Annabel’s reflections.

Swimming through winter helps build stronger, safer and more confident swimmers by the time summer arrives.

Book a FREE Start Assessment at Ruyton Aquatics and let us help find the perfect class for your child so they can continue their swimming journey all year round.

Call: 8651 4446
Email: [email protected]
Visit the Ruyton Aquatics website to learn more.

Our Year 9/10 Global Politics students recently had the opportunity to meet with as part of their study into active citizenship, advocacy and creating change within communities.

Students shared the issues they had been exploring, asked thoughtful questions and gained valuable insight into how government responds to community concerns.

Experiences like this bring learning to life - empowering students to think critically, engage respectfully with different perspectives and develop confidence as active citizens.

Ruyton’s Cross Country team has done it again, and what a way to do it!
 
Our 86 girls claimed the GSV Championship for the 19th time since the association began in 2001, powered by a truly dominant display across the Junior and Intermediate Sections.
 
Top 10 finishes in fields of 230 girls:
Junior: Harper F (1st), Lottie N (2nd), Addie T (3rd), Annabel M (6th) 
Intermediate: Sophie H (1st), Isobel R (6th), Madeleine K (7th), Lily H (10th) 
Senior: Lucy K (7th)
 
Sophie H topped off an outstanding day by winning the Shelford trophy as the fastest athlete of the entire Championship.
 
And through it all, the team was superbly led by Captains Sophie K, Zoe H and Charlotte C, who set the tone from the very first stride.
 
We could not be prouder of every single one of these girls. In three weeks they head back to the course to chase the State Cross Country Championship for the 22nd consecutive year. We cannot wait to cheer them on.