James Ruse principal leaves top-performing selective for rival all-girls school

The principal at James Ruse Agricultural High will leave the selective school at the end of the year to take on the top job at Sydney Girls High, promising parents she will make it “the leading school for girls’ education in Australia”.

Rachel Powell will become the 12th principal at Sydney Girls’ in its 140-year history after its outgoing veteran head, Andrea Connell, retired after more than a decade leading the school.

Rachel Powell, principal at James Ruse Agricultural High, will become head of Sydney Girls High in November.Credit: James Brickwood

In a letter to Sydney Girls parents this week, Powell said she would spend her first weeks at the Moore Park school meeting with students, teachers, parents and citizens association and the alumni network.

“I [will] aim to familiarise myself with the school community and find out what we do well and what we can improve,” she wrote. “I am committed to ensuring that our school becomes the leading school for girls’ education.”

Sydney Girls, the oldest selective girls school in Australia, was the 10th most popular school for students vying to enter the selective system in 2025, with about 780 students placing it as their first preference.

The school placed 20th on the Herald’s top HSC schools list last year, sliding from sixth in 2019, behind high-fee all-girls private schools Ascham and Pymble Ladies College.

Powell, who has served as principal at James Ruse since 2019 and taught exclusively in selective schools for more than two decades, told the Herald the public selective system gives gifted pupils the chance to learn with “similarly minded students and specialist teachers”.

Sydney Girls High, established in 1883, is one of the state’s oldest all-girls public schools. Credit: Kate Geraghty

“However, I do believe it is important that families have school choice and can find the best fit for their child,” she said. “The public education system offers a choice of selective, non-selective, co-educational and single-sex schooling and that’s something to be proud of.”

Last year, the NSW government announced it would merge several single-sex public high schools to become co-ed, including Randwick Girls and Boys. The move generated significant backlash from Randwick Girls students, with some arguing it reduced parent choice and are campaigning to reverse the decision.

Powell said while leading James Ruse – a school long dubbed as the “genius factory” – she expanded the co-curricular program, tour programs and parent open days.

James Ruse’s 27-year run as the top-ranked school on the HSC leaderboard ended last year when North Sydney Boys claimed the number one place for the first time.

Powell has previously said there was a “stereotype that Ruse is an ATAR factory”, and worked to lift the acceptance rate at the Carlingford school.

“It would be hard to find a school that matches our co-curricular and competition program which encourages students to develop their passions as well as gives them opportunities for leadership growth,” she said.

Outgoing Sydney Girls head Andrea Connell said as well as academic achievement, the school was known for its debating and performing arts programs.

“Principals at Sydney Girls don’t leave easily,” said Connell, who followed another long-serving head, Margaret Varady, in the role.

“The school holds this historic place in Sydney and educates girls from all over the city from diverse families, and diverse socio-economic backgrounds. Through its history the school has had quite a feminist agenda,” she said.

Deputy principal at James Ruse, Melissa Schultz, will be acting principal until a permanent head is appointed.

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