Ravenswood School For Girls

Ravenswood is a Uniting Church, Kindergarten to Year 12 Day and Boarding school which aims to equip and inspire girls to participate in and contribute to our evolving global society. Based in Gordon on Sydney’s North Shore, we are one of Australia’s leading independent girls’ schools, offering holistic education with a strong academic focus.

As a non-selective school, we accept girls of all talents and abilities, faiths and cultures. The uniqueness of our school comes from our personalised approach and our concern with developing the whole person through academic, social, emotional and spiritual growth. At Ravenswood, our aim is to develop compassionate, connected, articulate young women who have the confidence to succeed, no matter where their journey takes them.

Ravenswood is dedicated to excellence in education for girls and the realisation of each child’s potential, providing a balanced curriculum encompassing spiritual, academic, cultural, physical and practical areas of learning.

Ravenswood is a Uniting Church School dedicated to excellence in education for girls and the realisation of each student’s potential, providing a balanced curriculum encompassing spiritual, academic, cultural, physical and practical areas of learning.

Ravenswood is wholeheartedly committed to the best in education for girls. The school is devoted to the pursuit of academic excellence. Each girl is valued for her unique capacity to contribute to the life of the school. A sense of self-worth is encouraged, by providing an atmosphere in which every girl may reach her individual potential, choosing from the many areas of learning and endeavour which the wide range of curricular and co-curricular activities provide.

The Ravenswood family is a Christian community in which members are able to contribute in an atmosphere of mutual care, respect and encouragement. A willingness to accept responsibility is fostered, and both leadership and participation skills are developed through active involvement in all aspects of school life. Girls are provided with the foundation for lifelong learning.

The School Motto — semper ad meliora - always towards better things, affirms the School Philosophy for all members of the school community.

In January 1901, founding Headmistress, Miss Mabel Fidler (1901–1924), commenced classes in a schoolroom built adjacent to her home, in Henry Street, Gordon. This home, shared with her two sisters and two brothers, was named ‘Ravenswood’ after their family home in Paddington, NSW.

Mabel Fidler had been a student at the highly esteemed Argyle School, the alma mater of many notable women of the day. With its advanced ideas on the status and education of women, the Argyle School contributed to the future career of Mabel Fidler and to her goals for educating girls. Many of her Ravenswood students went on to university, obtaining degrees in Medicine, Science and Arts at a time when female graduates were rare.

In 1925, the Methodist Church purchased the school ensuring its future and reinforcing the Christian philosophy. After several very independent Headmistresses who found it difficult to work under the control of MLC Burwood, a period of stability emerged when Miss Kathleen Crago (1932–1961), together with the Rev F W Hynes, who was instrumental in the introduction of boarding in 1935, guided Ravenswood to independence in 1946 and to single control in 1949.

Ravenswood has been a Uniting Church School since 1977 and a member of the Association of Heads of Independent Girls’ Schools (AHIGS).

Guiding Principles:

• We value excellence and the fulfilment of our potential within and beyond the classroom in study and play, individually and in teams, at school and in our community, and in local, national and international contexts. We recognise the pathway to personal excellence is pathed of grit.
• We are fair minded in our thinking and actions and foster acceptance, tolerance and understanding. We acknowledge and celebrate diversity, because we respect ourselves, others and the world around us..
• We are purposeful and positive in our outlook on life, believing in and understanding our unique capabilities as individuals and as a country to make a difference to contribute to humanity, to craft our own destiny. Our motto is always towards better things.
• We have courage of conviction, confidence to ask the hard questions, to be enquiring of the world, advocate and act independently with resilience in the face of adversity.
• We are other person centered, giving of our time and energy, our emotions and friendships, and we foster caring thoughtful relationships.