ELC to Yr 12
Co-ed Kindergarten and Pre Prep.

From $8700 p.a (Kindergarten) to $22,800 p.a (Year 12)

I welcome you Inside Ruyton where the many opportunities the school offers your daughter can be unfolded.

At Ruyton, there is a sense of belonging, where students, staff and parents work collaboratively towards a common goal. The development of self-esteem and confidence is fundamental to each girl's personal social and academic success. We are privileged to have our Early Learning Centre, Junior and Senior Schools linked on the same campus, allowing a strong sense of collective spirit across all year levels.

Maintaining our numbers at around 780 from Early Learning to Year 12, we are able to focus on the individuality of our students at the same time as offering opportunity. We present an innovative programme of Personalised Learning, where both personal development and academic success are individually mapped and reviewed. This opportunity allows our girls to achieve their best in a balanced education for living. The results are excellent.

Specialist Programmes complement the curriculum to enhance this progressive personal approach.

Co-curricular and sporting activities allow every girl to shine where her talents lie.

Values are strong, with a whole-school approach to positive relationships. Ruyton girls are encouraged to be confident, resourceful and resilient individuals; versatile learners who approach leadership with integrity and self-assurance; enterprising and creative students, committed to a global society and to sustainability.

Ruyton Girls' School has a special ambience. Girls develop their confidence here, and it shows.

I invite you to visit us and see our school in action.

Ms Linda Douglas
Principal.

The best of both worlds

Ultimately a parent’s choice of school should be based on the individual needs of their child, and on the particular programmes offered by the schools considered.

While the issues will continue to be researched and discussed, two independent schools in Melbourne, Victoria, have quietly gone about establishing a creative and innovative project that addresses the needs of both genders, offering parents and students the best of both educational philosophies.

Ruyton Girls’ School and Trinity Grammar School (all-boys) both firmly advocate the benefits of single-sex education. At Ruyton Girls’ School, the Principal, Mrs. Carolyn Anderson, believes the students excel academically because they learn in an environment finely tuned to their needs. The high standards of the school are based on years of experience in regard to the achievements that girls can attain when placed in a supportive environment which allows them to safely take intellectual risks.

At Ruyton, the curriculum is designed for girls. All activities and opportunities are open to every student, whether in a science laboratory, on the sporting field, as part of the orchestra, in plays, in front of a computer, or in the debating arena. Girls participate, lead and influence at every level in the school.
They observe and learn to become strong role models as they develop confidence and strive for success through their own endeavours; their voice is not compromised – they are heard.

At Ruyton, the holistic development of the girls is paramount to their academic achievements. A healthy body, healthy mind, and healthy environment all contribute to optimum learning. The girls at Ruyton are safe to navigate adolescence and relationships in a nurturing, understanding environment.

Similarly, at nearby Trinity Grammar School, the boys enjoy opportunities that focus on their individual learning needs, in an equally supportive environment. It places great importance on values which recognise the worth of each individual boy, and on the respect which boys should show for the rights of others. Academic studies are balanced with a wide range of sporting and cultural activities to underline this. The boys’ personal and social development must be encouraged if they are to achieve their full potential in their future professional and personal lives. Success in adult life grows from a boy’s appreciation of his own strengths and worth. At Trinity, the opportunities provided are rich and diverse; the boys are happy and want to learn. Expectations placed on the students are realistic and all students have opportunities for experiencing success.

Recognising the changing needs of their students as they mature and develop self-esteem and confidence, the two schools have collaborated to offer the “co-ordinate programme” in the crucial VCE years, Years 11 & 12. At this level the Ruyton girls and Trinity boys are offered the opportunity to share a number of classes across the two schools, according to the subjects being studied. The students taking part in the programme are introduced to the co-educational environment (similar to University) at an age when they are able to manage this interaction socially and intellectually. Adapting to this educational change allows them to prepare for their future tertiary studies at a time when they have the maturity and self-confidence to derive maximum benefit.

The programme is focussed on the students’ needs. Additionally it offers real flexibility of subject choice, where individual and detailed attention is given to each student so that they can achieve their best at VCE. The curricular offerings are therefore greatly expanded.

The involvement of both schools’ resources ensures that access to a comprehensive range of equipment and facilities is available in support of the programme.

This co-ordinate programme is a unique arrangement in educational terms.

It also provides a forum in which the students discuss broader social issues, where both genders can gain a better understanding of each other. A lively exchange of co-curricular activities, as well as friendships is promoted: Ruyton girls and Trinity boys collaborate through drama, musicals, debating and dancing classes with impressive style and talent.

Importantly, the co-ordinate programme is the result of a genuine collaboration between the two schools, allowing them to offer the best choice possible to their students and address their on-going needs as they mature. At the same time Ruyton and Trinity maintain their autonomy, traditional identity and size. In place since 1993, the programme has proved its success to both students and parents; by allowing for the best of both single-sex and co-education approaches to be addressed, at an appropriate age, their students have achieved enhanced outcomes both in personal development and academic arenas. Ruyton and Trinity are indeed committed to the continuance of this truly innovative project.

Academic Performance

Ruyton’s consistent and excellent VCE results places it as one of the top independent girls' schools in Victoria. In 2008, 58% of our students gained ENTER scores of over 90 and six girls gained scores of over 99. There were three perfect study scores of 50.

Ruyton recognises the importance of providing the best possible learning environment for its students and staff.

In late 2005, two new state-of-the-art learning centres were opened: an Information Resources Centre (IT/library facilities, theatrette, screening room and drama spaces), and the Prue Gillies Building (art, craft, photography facilities, general classrooms and the Year 12 Centre – The Penthouse).

In June 2008 a new and exciting Aquatic Centre opened to complete a comprehensive Physical Education, Health and Wellbeing facility.

We ensure that every aspect of teaching and support is designed around an individual girl’s needs. This enhances student engagement, motivation and commitment to learning. It underpins a collaboration and rich involvement between the girls and staff that achieves the very best individual results.

The curriculum at Ruyton is wide-ranging, challenging and creative, with an emphasis on personalised learning. We continue to develop innovative programmes to expand the learning experience for girls and are committed to utilising information and technology within the classroom. In 2008 the girls now use tablet laptop technology.
Broad extension opportunities for selected and highly able girls are offered through the Ruyton Gifted and Talented Programme in Years 5-8, and the Ruyton Master Scholar Programme in Year 7-12.

Ruyton aspires to give each girl an opportunity to learn and grow so that she achieves educational excellence and personal fulfilment.

Ruyton seeks to provide a supportive environment enabling girls to demonstrate that:

* as individuals they are confident, resourceful and resilient;

* as learners they are intellectually curious, versatile and can
work both independently and collaboratively,

* as members of the community they practise tolerance and
compassion;

* as leaders they act with integrity, self-assurance, initiative
and an awareness of the value of service;

* and as citizens they are enterprising, creative and have a
commitment to community service, sustainability and a global society.