Last week, Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School proudly celebrated 122 years since its founding in 1903, a remarkable milestone in a story that continues to evolve. Our long-standing tradition of excellence is not rooted in standing still, but in a powerful balance: staying true to our core School Values of Bravery, Vibrancy, Curiosity, Connectedness and Kindness, while boldly embracing change and innovation.

From the very beginning, Ivanhoe Girls’ has been a place of progressive thought and action. Our founding Headmistress, Miss Frances Lowe, was quietly radical for her time. In addition to teaching traditional subjects, she introduced physiology, a bold move for 1903, and offered three languages well before that was common. When Ivanhoe Grammar was established in 1915, she arranged for our students to study Science there, a subject then deemed “unsuitable” for girls.

Miss Doris Walker, who led the School from 1929 to 1963, further cemented innovation into our DNA. She introduced the House system, Biology, visual learning aids, and even tape recorders, years ahead of their time. During World War II, she launched Commercial Classes, preparing girls to enter the workforce with business and communication skills.

Innovation has never been a trend at Ivanhoe Girls’; it has been our tradition.

On Monday 28 July, our Senior School came together to mark our 122nd birthday with energy, humour, and reflection. The day began with a spirited quiz on our school’s history, which saw 10JRB take out the win and earn themselves a celebratory lunch for their enthusiastic efforts and knowledge.

One of the highlights of the Assembly was a panel discussion hosted by Year 12 Prefects Lexi and Georgia, featuring three alumni and current teachers - Ms Hoadley, Dr Alderson and Ms Cartwright - who reflected on their time at the School and shared their insights into how Ivanhoe Girls’ has changed, and what has remained constant.

They noted how the evolution of teaching and learning has been driven by technology and access to information. In their school days, learning relied on chalkboards, handwritten notes and textbooks. Today, our focus is on critical thinking, resilience, adaptability and student agency, skills that prepare students for an ever-changing world.

When asked what has stayed the same, all three panelists emphasised the holistic education that Ivanhoe Girls’ provides: balancing academics, wellbeing, and co-curricular life, and the enduring strength of the School’s Values and culture. Perhaps most profoundly, they credited the School with instilling self-belief and confidence, often without students even realising it at the time.

As we look forward, our commitment to innovation continues with empowerED, a bold and future-focused immersive program. Guided by a vision to create experiences where our young people become unbound learners with real passions, and who are future ready, empowerED will prepare our students not just for exams, but for life in a world that is changing faster than ever before. It is a natural extension of the School’s legacy, connecting our curiosity, bravery and kindness with the demands of the future.

As we honour our past and embrace the future, we hold firmly to the values that have shaped Ivanhoe Girls’ across 122 years. In the words shared with students on Cooerwull Day by Ms Umbers:

“No school lasts over 120 years unless it’s very good at two things: staying true to its core values and continually changing to meet the future.”

Happy Birthday, Ivanhoe Girls’ - here’s to the next chapter, full of courage, creativity and connection!

Ms Louisa Scerri
Deputy Principal/Head of Senior School