Alumni Networking Event

Over 200 Alumni, both mentors and mentees, joined us in May at KPMG in Barangaroo for Pymble’s 2024 Alumni Networking Event.

We were delighted to welcome Vanessa Hudson (1987), Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Qantas Group, as our guest speaker and learn about her inspiring career journey. Being brave, taking initiative and trusting your team were some of the insights Vanessa shared in conversation with Eve Clark (1997), Pymble Board member.

Hosted by James Hunter, former Pymble Chair, Chris Fydler, Chair of the College Board, Dr Kate Hadwen, Principal and the Pymble Ex-Students’ Union, the Alumni Networking Event is an annual evening designed to promote professional connection, mentoring and support amongst our Alumni community.

The evening also included an engaging discussion panel with members of the Pymble Ladies’ College Board, facilitated by Dr Rowena Ditzell (1986), ESU President. Afterwards, our mentees could select to attend one-on-one mentoring sessions with their pre-chosen mentors or choose between three different careers workshops.

Claire Braund from Women on Boards hosted sessions on transitioning from executive life to working on company boards, Anna Raine from The Growth Faculty presented on increasing skill sets and exploring growth opportunities and Li-Enn Koo (1991), Pymble Board member, and Lisa Hills, Senior HR Business Partner advised on interview techniques and making a strong start in your career.

Thank you to all our presenters, facilitators, mentors and mentees for making the 2024 Alumni Networking Event another productive and successful evening. We look forward to welcoming you all again in 2025!

 

Windows into Learning

During Windows into Learning, our parents had an opportunity to explore learning across the Junior School. Kindergarten students showcased their understanding of push and pull forces by creating a puppet and QR code as part of their final product.

Together with their parents, Years 1 and 2 undertook various activities identifying observable changes that occur on Earth and in the sky, the reasons for seasons and the effect on living things.

Year 3 girls and parents worked together with Turing Tumbles and LEGO Spike showcasing their algorithmic thinking, whilst Year 4 students shared their understanding of light energy and tested their solar cars.

Our Year 5 students presented their Mission to Mars projects, including FABLE bionic arms they had coded, rovers able to navigate Mars’ rugged terrain and rockets designed and launched on campus.

Finally, Year 6 showcased their understanding of the importance of innovative and sustainable food production. They designed, created and evaluated solutions for a filtration system and used technology, including drones and micro:bits to explain the role of technology in sustainable agriculture.

Year 12 Study Camp

Year 12 students have been at the Pymble Winter Study Camp during the first week of the school break. 

They have been working individually on past papers or in small groups creating mind maps as an active study method or booking in for short individual sessions with teachers. 

Some of the feedback from the students included:

“I have got so much more work done this week than I would have at home and I am now set up for the next couple of weeks.”

“Being surrounded by motivated people all studying, helped to motivate me too.”

“The food was fabulous and it was good to have some fun moments with my friends during the study breaks.”

A big thank you to all our staff who gave up time in their break to organise the camp and run the tutoring sessions to kickstart the girls’ preparation for the HSC Trials. 

 

 

 

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

On the last day of Term 2, Junior School hosted a STEAM Festival celebrating STEM and the Arts. 

One of the many highlights of the festival was the dazzling performances of Roald Dahl’s iconic story, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

The cast of actors, singers and dancers delighted their audiences as they showcased Charlie’s visit to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. Students and staff thought outside the box, using effects such as shadow puppetry to bring the story to life!

Boarding dinner with Dr Hadwen

Nothing counters a chilly weekend better than a steaming bowl of homemade pasta followed by chocolate lava cake straight out of the oven. Our Principal, Dr Hadwen and her husband, Mr Bell, cooked up a storm for our Year 11 Boarders recently and shared a cosy, family-style evening at home with the girls. 

“It’s such a pleasure to spend time with our Boarding students and listen to all their plans for life beyond Pymble,” Dr Hadwen said. “I’m so proud of the young women they are becoming and send my heartfelt thanks to their parents for entrusting us with their wonderful daughters.”

Performing Arts Competition

Over the course of a week, the Performing Arts Competition (PAC) saw many talented and courageous students take to the stage at lunchtime to sing, dance, recite poetry or perform in any manner they chose for their fellow students. 

We are so Pymble proud of all the performers who gave it their best, dazzling their audiences and raising funds for the Australian Children’s Music Foundation. 

PAC culminated in the Best of Pac show where our finalists took to the stage for all students in Years 7-12. Well done to all the finalists and our winners!

Children’s Kindness Convention

The annual Children’s Kindness Convention has become a highlight of Pymble’s Junior School calendar. This year we were delighted to co-host the event with Mosman Church of England Preparatory School. 

Over 100 Year 5 students from various schools joined us for the day, including our friends at St Peter’s Woodlands Grammar School, who travelled all the way from South Australia. The day was a joyous one, spent collaborating and problem solving to ideate solutions to social and environmental issues with kindness at the core. 

STEM at Junior School

Secondary School Enrolment Update

We are enjoying the excitement of the Olympic Games in Paris and especially cheering on our Pymble Olympians, alumni Mackenzie Little (2014), Kristie Edwards (2017) and Edwina Topps-Alexander (1991) as well as our current staff members Kurtis Mathews and Lauren Jackson. It is wonderful to celebrate their strength, dedication, courage  and prowess.

The beauty of attending school at Pymble is that there is a place for girls of all personalities, different interests and styles of learning to shine. Whether it’s performing on stage or behind it, taking part or competing in robotics or our army cadet corps, the opportunities are endless and the support, teaching and mentoring are world class. 

If you follow us on our social media pages you will find strength, dedication, courage and prowess shown by our Year 9 students who spent four weeks at our residential program at Vision Valley learning in the natural environment,  exploring their limits, developing new friendships and their own growth. Our Year 10 students have been courageously  stretching their wings all over the world in our international exchange program learning about different cultures, languages and people. You would have seen Pymble students of all ages performing in plays, dance eisteddfods, musicals, orchestras, bands and choirs. If you can dream it, you can do it at Pymble! 

Physical and mental wellbeing is a priority at the College. In Term 2, our Secondary School girls took part in Pymble’s Push-Up Challenge campaign getting stronger and fitter while raising much needed funds for Lifeline. Both staff and students also have been championing the benefits of sleep and movement in living and learning well with targets set and promising results achieved. 

Like many companies and communities, we celebrated NAIDOC week here at Pymble a little later than the official week once the girls returned to Term 3. It means a great deal to us to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.  We are privileged to be able to offer a supported education to 24 First Nations students at Pymble this year. These students come to us from the Northern Territory, Northern Queensland, Central Australia as well as country NSW and enrich our community immeasurably.

To stay connected to the College, I encourage you to follow our Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn  pages. 

Future Pymble students – in particular Year 7 2026 and 2027 

I’m sorry that for many families your daughter’s applications have been placed on the waitlist. In particular for Boarding despite the introduction of our Year 7 Boarding House. Our ex-students and current families with siblings do have a priority on the waitlist however, places need to be available in order for us to progress. I appreciate your patience.  

For our 2026 Year 7 student families who have a provisional place, your daughter’s enrolment interview will be scheduled this term and her place will be confirmed by the end of the term.  

For our 2027 Year 7 student families we will be inviting you back to the College early next year before confirming your daughter’s place.  

Recent parent comments

“Thought I’d write to thank you for such a rewarding morning. (*student name) is even more excited to join the Pymble family in 2026! A special thank you to our tour guide today too.” 

“How you celebrate Boarders Week really makes me see your commitment to Boarders. My son’s school didn’t mark it!” 

2025 New Student Orientation Dates for your Diary 

We will begin our pre-commencement program in October and all new 2025 families will receive formal information about this in August. For Year 7 parents in particular, this will include information on choosing your daughter’s laptop device (Mac or PC), language preferences as well as instructions on purchasing uniforms and textbooks.   

Dates for your diary

Thursday 12 September – Years 8, 9, 10 Subject Selection Evening 

Monday 14 October – Year 7 2025 Parent Information Evening 

Friday 25 October – Year 7 2025 Links Day with our current Year 6 students  

Friday 25 October – Year 7 Boarders’ sleepover

Saturday 26 October – Year 7 2025 Assessment Morning  

Friday 22 November – Years 8 and 9 Boarders’ orientation and sleepover 

Friday 8 November  – Year 7 Boarders’ second sleepover and ‘Hit the Town Day’

Friday 8 November – Years 10 and 11 Boarders’ orientation and sleepover 

Thursday 30 January 2024 – Orientation Day Years 1 to Year 11  

Wednesday 29 January 2024 – Boarders’ orientation Years 7 to Year 11 

Term Dates 2025

The term dates for 2025 have been released and are available on our website. 

Should you anticipate a change in circumstances, please notify the College by contacting the Enrolments Department on +61 2 9855 7613 or email Enrol@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au  

Upcoming Events at the College 

You are most welcome to join us at the following events: 

Secondary School Open Event – Thursday 15 August at 4.00pm (registrations required)  

Music Scholars’ Recital – Wednesday 21 August @ 6.30pm  

Garden Party – Saturday 21 September.  

There is so much to look forward to here at Pymble and we look forward to welcoming families who are joining us next year and in the coming years. 

Clair Stock
Enrolments Manager 7-12

This is Pymble College

We have educated scientists, artists, community leaders, politicians, doctors, lawyers, musicians, athletes, entrepreneurs, Olympians and countless influential and compassionate women. Read about our past, present and future as we celebrate 107 years.

Congratulations to our Class of 2023

Pymbulletin

Junior School Enrolment Update

Welcome to our Term 2 Junior School newsletter. 

The exuberant energy of the girls made for a welcome return to campus for all. Term 2 was full of activity, together with much learning, noticing, wondering, creativity, questioning, trying and collaborating.  

We also welcomed a number of new families and their girls to our Junior School’s community of kindness. On their first day, new students were met by members of our Junior School team, including our Head and Deputy Heads of Junior School, academic staff, administration staff and of course their allocated buddies. Pymble’s Buddy Program assists greatly with the transition period for new Pymble students. Class discussions about the responsibilities of being a buddy ensure that our buddies understand the importance of their role. In addition to this – many of our students have benefitted from having a buddy themselves, so they have firsthand experience of this important program. 

Another program that can assist new students with the transition to Pymble is Pymble’s Holiday Program. Whilst the Holiday Program caters primarily for children attending Pymble Ladies’ College, bookings are also open to future Pymble Ladies’ College students enrolled to commence in the Junior or Secondary Schools. Girls starting Kindergarten in the following year can attend the special Kindy Club holiday program in the January of the year they will commence Kindergarten at Pymble Ladies’ College. This enables girls to become familiar with the Junior School, our staff and even make some new friends prior to their commencement. 

For more information, please see the link here. 

We look forward to welcoming families who are joining us this year in Semester 2, in 2025 and in the coming years. For families joining us next year, we will soon begin our 2025 pre-commencement program and all new 2025 families have now received information about the welcome events planned to ensure both you and your daughter feel known and connected as you commence your journey at Pymble. Families will receive further information in August.  

Should you anticipate a change in your circumstances, please notify the College by contacting the Enrolments Department on +61 2 9855 7613 or email enrol@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au 

To stay connected to the College, please see Pymble’s Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn pages.

Melinda Clements
Enrolment Manager K-6

From the Principal

Hello from all of us here at Pymble.

Thank you for your continued interest in staying up to date with life at the College. We know that each student and her family have different reasons for selecting a school, and our mission is to provide an educational experience that allows all our learners to thrive. That’s the beauty of choosing a big and well-resourced school. Pymble is a place where your daughter will be supported and enabled to shine in the subjects, sports, creative and performing arts groups and activities or any of the other myriad opportunities on offer to make her heart sing and to provide a pathway to where she aspires to be.

From Pymble to Paris

Speaking of pathways, you may have seen the news that Pymble has been designated by the Australian Olympic Committee as an Olympic Pathway School. We are delighted to be the only independent school in Australia to be recognised in this way.

Like all significant achievements, this is something we have been working towards for some time now and the culmination of a great deal of hard work behind the scenes. The College had to meet a set of specific criteria to achieve this recognition, including having a well-established elite athlete support program and performance partnerships with a minimum number of state or national sporting bodies – which we exceed. Essentially, these partnerships enable us to work closely with the organisations’ elite coaches and experts to develop our coaching and training programs and create the ideal journey of athletic development for our students in any of the 21 Olympic sports we have on offer.

Being an Olympic Pathway School also allows us to develop a rapport with the Australian Olympic Committee and other professional sporting bodies both here and abroad, all of which combines to provide a life-changing opportunity for our athletes who have their sights set on the world stage.

There are two key priorities for us when we consider sport at Pymble: to have as many students participating as possible at whatever level works for them; and to provide excellent development and pathways opportunities for students for whom sport is their ‘thing’.

Our Learning Philosophy Statement

Of course, we understand academic achievement is high on the list of reasons parents choose to send their daughters to Pymble. This year, our teaching staff across all areas of the College have been collaborating on a document that captures the essence of teaching and learning at Pymble and what sets our practice apart from other schools. We have called this document our Learning Philosophy Statement, which we warmly invite you to read at your leisure.

As a non-selective school, we are incredibly proud of the consistently high standard of academic achievement and commitment to learning among students of all ages, stages and abilities.

In Term 2, we were excited to see the release of preliminary NAPLAN results for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. We are delighted with the performance of Pymble students across all four year-groups and acknowledge the following achievements in the Reading, Numeracy, Grammar, and Punctuation and Spelling tasks:

• 95% or more of students in Years 3 and 5 are categorised as ‘strong’ or ‘exceeding’ in each of the four tests. 

• 90% or more of students in Years 7 and 9 are categorised as ‘strong’ or ‘exceeding’ in each of the four tests. 

In the Writing task:

• More than 90% of students in Years 7 and 9 are categorised as Exceeding or Strong.
• 100% of Years 3 and 5 are categorised as Exceeding or Strong.

On a different measurement scale, our Futures Department recently compiled a report on tertiary pathway and university offers received by our 2023 graduates. Our cohort of 275 students received 781 offers from tertiary institutions across Australia, interstate and overseas. Of these, 300 were early offers directly from the institution. We also had 38 students apply to study overseas. As a result, the team is busy working to strengthen our relationships with international universities to ensure our students are well-positioned for international offers and preferenced for scholarship placements, both nationally and globally.

Our comprehensive summary of HSC highlights can also be reviewed here.

We look forward to the release of more NAPLAN data early in Term 3 and acknowledge the excellent work of our outstanding teachers, students and their families at Pymble. We firmly believe the most successful examples of academic learning and achievement stem from this three-way partnership, where all parties are committed to the development of influential and compassionate young women – today, tomorrow and in their bright, purposeful futures.  

Dr Kate Hadwen
Principal

Australian Olympic Pathway School

Pymble Ladies’ College is now an Australian Olympic Pathway School, the first independent school to achieve this recognition. This allows students to pursue their Olympic dreams with access to world-class sports and training facilities, accredited coaches and formal pathways to high-performance teams and elite competition.

Olympian and Pymble Ladies’ College alumni, Dr Mackenzie Little, said it’s pivotal for a school to support athletes in both their academic and sporting endeavours.

“Pymble is well deserving of this recognition,” Mackenzie said.

“As a student, it is really important to balance athletics, academics and all of the co-curricular activities that you can at school and have your teachers be supportive of your training and be mindful of the whole athlete and person. That is something that Pymble does really well.”

Amber takes on the World