“At 37, that was quite young to become principal. It did feel a bit risky, and I always thought if it didn’t work I could go back to maths teaching. I loved teaching, and it was always a fallback if I didn’t do a good job as head,” she said.
When interviewed by the Herald in 1995, Allum said she was undaunted by the challenge of becoming principal and being “in your late 30s or early 40s” was the right time to embark on such a role.
SCEGGS in Darlinghurst has had only five heads in its 130-year history.Credit: Edwina Pickles
While Allum said much had changed at the school the past three decades, the fundamentals of teaching remain the same.
“Teaching hasn’t changed at all, not an iota. It’s about the relationship between the teacher and the student. An expert teacher that knows the student will know what they need,” she said.
“Whether that’s a quiet word, a joke, or a strong disciplinary statement, they know what the right thing is to get the best out of the child. That sense of knowing the student and instilling a love of learning, that hasn’t changed.”
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Allum said she has remained “completely committed to girls’ education. Building a strong feminist, independent school has always been my priority, and driving a strong school community.”
The school’s council said it will spend the coming months ensuring the next head “is the right person to lead SCEGGS in the next decade and beyond”.
“The board is also cognisant that there will be new challenges for our school to navigate in coming decades as the educational, technological and social context in which we operate continues to evolve.
