By Brigid Steele, Director of Community Relations and Lauren Perfect, Principal at Mentone Girls’ Grammar

More than Scale

Across the education sector, the conversation is increasingly centred around scale – with bigger campuses, better facilities, increased opportunities and greater choice often positioned as markers of competitive advantage.

Yet for many girls, what shapes their experience at school is not the size of the campus or the number of programs on offer. It is whether they feel recognised, supported and connected to the people around them.

Research consistently shows that belonging has a significant impact on student wellbeing, engagement and learning. Students who feel connected to their school community are more likely to participate, persist through challenge and develop confidence in themselves as learners.

For girls particularly, this matters.

Creating the Conditions for Belonging

Adolescence is a period where identity, confidence and voice are still developing. When girls feel disconnected or uncertain of their place, they can become hesitant to contribute or lead. But when girls feel a sense of belonging, something begins to shift. They participate more freely. They take risks in their learning. They begin to trust their own voice.

Our recent presentation at the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools' Educating Girls Symposium in Melbourne, Australia, provided an opportunity to reflect more deeply on how smaller girls’ schools can create the conditions for this sense of belonging to flourish.

In smaller school communities, relationships are often sustained over time. Teachers know students well. Leadership remains visible and accessible. Girls are less likely to fade into the background. These everyday interactions shape the culture of a school and influence whether students feel confident enough to participate fully.

Research into school climate increasingly suggests that these relational factors – the quality of relationships, the sense of connection and whether students feel they belong – have a stronger influence on engagement and persistence than scale alone. 

This has prompted us to think differently about the role of smaller girls’ schools. Not as schools competing on breadth, but as communities built around relationships.

Known, Seen and Heard

At Mentone Girls’ Grammar, our educational philosophy is centred around one simple idea: every girl should feel known, seen and heard.

These words shape many of the decisions we make each day – from the relationships built in classrooms to the opportunities girls are given to contribute, lead and grow.

Feeling known at school goes beyond being recognised for academic achievement. It comes from teachers understanding a girl’s strengths, interests, challenges and aspirations over time. In smaller school environments, those relationships often continue across multiple years, allowing support and guidance to become more personal and responsive.

We see the impact of this in small moments. A student who begins the year reluctant to contribute gradually starts sharing her ideas in class. Another who lacks confidence slowly begins putting herself forward for co-curricular opportunities because she knows she will be supported.

Feeling seen is equally important.

In schools, it can be easy for attention to focus on highly visible achievement. But for many girls, confidence grows through smaller moments – a teacher noticing persistence, acknowledging kindness or encouraging a student to contribute when she is unsure of herself.

Feeling seen is often about understanding that who you are matters, not only what you achieve.

Being heard matters too.

Girls who feel listened to are far more likely to participate actively in learning and leadership opportunities. In girls’ schools particularly, leadership rarely develops instantly or loudly. More often, confidence builds gradually through everyday opportunities to contribute –asking questions, sharing ideas, leading discussions and advocating for others.

When girls feel their perspectives are genuinely valued, they are more likely to speak with confidence and purpose.

The Role of Families and Community

Another important part of belonging is the relationship between school and home.

In smaller school communities, connections between families, teachers and school leadership often develop more naturally over time. Conversations happen more easily. Trust builds more quickly. Families feel known as well as students.

For girls, this consistency matters deeply. When students experience strong partnership between home and school, they are more likely to feel supported and secure within the broader community around them.

A Different Measure of Strength

This work has also challenged us to think carefully about how schools define strength.

In education, scale often dominates the conversation. Yet for many girls, what matters most is not the size of the institution, but whether they feel recognised, valued and connected within it.

Belonging is not an ‘extra’ in education. It sits at the centre of learning, wellbeing and engagement.

As educators, this continues to challenge us to reflect on the environments we create for girls each day.

Which students are most likely to feel visible and valued?

Who finds it easiest to speak up — and who may still be holding back?

Are we creating classrooms and communities where girls feel safe enough to participate fully, take risks and use their voice?

There is no single program that creates belonging.

It is built gradually through relationships, trust and everyday interactions. Sometimes it is found in the teacher who notices a student withdrawing from discussion. Sometimes in the quiet encouragement that gives a girl the confidence to contribute for the first time. Sometimes in the consistency of adults who know her well and genuinely care about her growth.

For many girls, these experiences stay with them long after school. They shape confidence, connection and the belief that their voice has value.

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Lauren Perfect is an accomplished educational leader with more than 20 years’ experience in independent schools. Appointed Principal of Mentone Girls’ Grammar School in 2025, she is recognised for her commitment to student-centred learning, wellbeing and leadership development. Prior to joining Mentone Girls’ Grammar, Lauren served as Deputy Principal and Head of Senior School at Ruyton Girls’ School and held a range of senior leadership positions at Haileybury College. A respected contributor to the education sector, Lauren has presented nationally and internationally on student leadership, wellbeing and girls’ education, including at International Coalition of Girls’ Schools and AHISA conferences. She has also contributed to curriculum development and assessment for the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. Lauren holds a Master of Education from the University of Melbourne and Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Arts degrees from Monash University. Lauren is passionate about empowering young people to become active citizens and creating school environments where every learner feels known, valued and supported to thrive.

Brigid Steele is an experienced communications and community relations leader with more than 20 years’ experience advancing community engagement within non-profit organisations, with particular expertise in education. As Director of Community Relations at Mentone Girls’ Grammar School, she leads the School’s communications, media, marketing, events and fundraising functions, strengthening connections across the School community and supporting strategic growth. Brigid has extensive experience collaborating with boards, executive teams and community groups to deliver strategic and aligned outcomes that strengthen engagement, build community connection and support organisational goals. She is skilled in developing communication and engagement strategies, leading high-performing teams and fostering meaningful relationships that enrich the communities they serve. Brigid holds a Master of Communication and Media Studies, a Master of International Relations and a Bachelor of Arts from Monash University. Guided by a commitment to creating meaningful impact, she is passionate about strengthening communities and supporting positive outcomes for students, families and schools.

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