Last week, Mrs Lisa Brown, Mrs Jennifer Wong and I attended the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools Symposium at Rangi Ruru Girls’ School in Christchurch, New Zealand. We heard keynote presentations from leading New Zealand researchers and participated in smaller break-out sessions led by teachers who shared the results of their action-research or innovative teaching projects.

Dr Nina Hood, a prominent New Zealand researcher and founder of The Education Hub, delivered a keynote unpacking the principles of the Science of Learning: how students acquire, process and retain information. This research-based approach has been the focus of our staff professional learning this year, and hearing Dr Hood delve deeper into its practical classroom applications was both insightful and affirming.

Ways parents could support learning at home, using the principles of the Science of Learning,  include:

• Fostering curiosity – When your daughter asks questions, try to resist the urge to provide immediate answers. Instead, encourage her to wonder and explore, nurturing her natural curiosity.
• Building resilience through process – When tasks feel challenging, guide your daughter to consider different approaches. Say something like, ‘You’ve tried one way, what else might work?’ and celebrate her persistence.
• Deepening understanding – After reading together, explore the story with questions like, ‘Why do you think the character made that choice?’ or ‘How does this remind you of your own experiences?’ These conversations develop critical thinking and a personal connection to learning.
• Encouraging reflection – Before starting an open-ended task or activity, ask, ‘How do you want to approach this?’ Afterwards, reflect together: ‘What worked well? What would you do differently next time?’ This builds metacognitive awareness, thinking about your own thinking and learning.

One of the most inspiring parts of the symposium was hearing from a panel of student representatives from the five Christchurch girls’ schools. These young women spoke with fierce intelligence about the unique strengths of girls’ education: how it builds confidence, encourages academic risk-taking, and fosters leadership. They described a strong sense of ‘sisterhood’, a supportive community where success is celebrated collectively, and where leadership is naturally expected in every area of school life.

Listening to the students made me reflect on our Junior School culture and the many ways we cultivate these same values at Meriden. Our House system, Buddy Program, Class Captains, and Year 6 Teams all encourage girls to connect across year groups, mentor each other, and develop leadership skills in a supportive environment. Last week’s Compassion Week, where girls from Years 3 to 6 worked together in House groups to support Compassion Australia, was an example of this.

Throughout the symposium, there was a shared recognition of the advantages girls have in an all-girls’ environment. I am grateful that Meriden is part of a global community dedicated to ongoing research and best practices that deepen our understanding of how girls learn best.