Earlier this week, Garth Wynne (Christ’s College) and I joined our fellow Anglican School principals for a day’s professional workshop at St John’s College in Auckland.

While the 46 schools that make up the Anglican Schools Network of Aotearoa New Zealand and Polynesia are spread across the region, it is our sense of belonging to a community of dedicated educators that offers continued support and encouragement to us all - from All Saints’ Primary in the north (Apia, Samoa) to St Hilda’s Collegiate in the south (Dunedin).

We were joined during the day by Archbishop Philip Richardson who offered an update on the important work being undertaken by the Royal Commission of Inquiry, and the active role the Anglican Church continues to play in this undertaking, working alongside the Commission and the schools to support our students, past, present and future.

Anglicans have always believed that education matters. Experience through the ages teaches us that education can transform individuals and whole communities. Our special character schools especially align in their belief that education is always about so much more than the acquisition of knowledge; it is about creating empathetic, confident and connected young people, who strive to make a positive difference in the world.

This special character will continue to shine through as we head towards the end of the school term, a time for us to celebrate our girls and all they have accomplished during an extraordinary year. I do hope you will join us as we recognise these achievements at the Junior, Middle and Senior School prize givings. All offer a wonderful opportunity to come together as a community.

In the meantime, good luck to all the girls in their exams, from the Year 9s tackling their first exams to the seasoned Year 13s. We're sure you will do yourselves proud.