From the Principal

Hello from Pymble! We hope your year has begun on a positive note and your family is keeping safe and well.

Our girls have enjoyed a happy start to the school year thanks to a carefully-planned schedule of orientation and transition programs created and run by each sub-school. Whether our girls were starting school for the first time in Kindergarten, joining us from another school or stepping up into their next year at Pymble, their first few days were spent immersed in activities to help establish a sense of belonging and connection with their teachers, peers and older Pymble ‘buddies’.

It is equally important to us that each girl feels appreciated and valued for the unique gifts she brings to our school community, and confident in who she is as a person. Our poster girl for 2021 is the first female Vice President of the United States of America, Kamala Harris, who, in refusing to be defined by her bi-racial identity or compared to others, delivered our mantra for the year: “I am who I am. I’m good with it. You might need to figure it out, but I’m fine with it,” Harris said.

Using Harris and her wonderful quote as an example, we are encouraging our girls to be “good with” who they are – just as they are – and to use this confidence to “have a go” at something new in 2021. This could entail going for a leadership position, working towards selection into a co-curricular team or improving a subject mark or exam result by five percent. Every achievement starts with the decision to try, and we will be prompting our girls to try their hand at something new at our upcoming ‘Have a Go Expo’ showcasing some of the 80+ co-curricular sports and activities we have available at the College.

2021 is destined to be a year of many ‘firsts’ for our girls.

This is the first year of implementation of our new Strategic Plan, Watch Us Change the World, which revolves around the four essential pillars that will guide our teaching and learning for the next few years: Knowledge for a better world (academic intelligence); Empowered to be courageous (emotional intelligence); Technologies for an innovative future (digital intelligence); and Diversity as the path to unity (social intelligence).

Our wellness program plays a key role in the strategy, having been refined and expanded into a dedicated Mind Body Spirit Framework and Curriculum for K-12, delivered for the first time in timetabled ‘Directions’ lessons. Taught by specialist teachers, these lessons are in addition to daily ‘Compass Time’ sessions, which are technology free and designed to promote personal connections and supportive relationships between Compass Teachers and students.

2021 also represents the first year our girls in K-6 will be integrated into the vertical Secondary School Spirit House model to foster friendships across different grades, as well as develop a greater sense of belonging, support and pride among all of our girls, from youngest to oldest.

Of course, this is also the year our girls will have the unique opportunity to experience our newly acquired outdoor education facility, Vision Valley. As I write, our lucky Years 3 and 5 are attending our first day and overnight outdoor education programs at Vision Valley while Year 8 is looking forward to their Wellbeing Day at the site later in the week.

Meanwhile, back at the Pymble campus, work has begun on the first stages of Master Planning for the future. First in line is a new facility incorporating an Early Learning Centre, Out of School Hours Care Centre and Health Care Centre, as well as dance studios, classrooms for Years 5 and 6 and dedicated STEM facilities for the Junior School, which our girls can’t wait to explore!

As proud as we are of these firsts, we are even more proud of the inspiration behind them. In everything we do, in all the opportunities we offer, our aim is to nurture our beautiful girls into influential and compassionate young women who have the hearts and minds to make a meaningful difference in their world. The overall health, happiness and growth of our Pymble girls will forever be our foremost priority.

Dr Kate Hadwen

Principal

Biotech Futures Challenge

By Olivia Harvey (Year 11)

During the holidays, Meera Barani and I participated in a science competition called the Biotech Futures Challenge run by Sydney University, which is open to teams across Australia. We worked alongside Matilda Longfield, a student at Sydney University, and had weekly meetings throughout the holidays. In this challenge, Meera and I were given the topic of chronic diabetic foot ulcers. Our task was to formulate and design a topical treatment that would address the market need and answer criteria. During our research we found that Australia has the second highest rate of diabetic foot ulcers in the developed world, and that this number is rapidly increasing. We decided to aim our treatment at rural populations who have limited access to medical facilities. Our treatment is home-based and consists of three main phases. A sensor strip, that sits over the wound to monitor progress, connected to a Bluetooth app from which the patient can receive advice from a healthcare professional. This sensor strip sits in a sock made from four layers, into which different healing solutions will be pumped depending on the sensor readings. This treatment will hopefully lower the need for hospitalisations while providing equal access for people across Australia.

The first stage of this competition involved the submission of a poster, prototype, slide and 2,000 word report. From here we were lucky enough to be selected into the top 40 teams. We then did a three-minute presentation in front of a panel of judges during an online symposium. Once again, we were selected into the top ten and did a second presentation followed by a Q and A session by the judges. We found out that we were awarded winner of the Health and Medicine category at the conclusion of the symposium. This award involves an internship at Sydney University where we develop our treatment. This is an incredible opportunity and Meera and I are extremely excited to see where this will lead. We are very grateful to the school and to Sydney University for all their support and are excited to continue working in this area. 

Boarders’ Community Weekend

Both new and returning Boarders got to know each other and enjoy a few days of fun when they arrived on campus for Term 1.

Saturday afternoon was a fun-filled schedule of Synchronised Swimming, Orienteering, a Survivor Challenge and African drumming, organised by our brilliant Outdoor Education staff. The girls were split into their ‘Spirit Houses’ and worked together on each of the activities, earning points towards the Angus Cup. The orienteering saw the girls moving all over campus to find the markers to win points. The Survivor Challenge had our girls thinking out of the box and working together for a single cause. Head of Boarding Mrs Burgess (our Chief Judge and Synchronised Swimming expert) was most impressed with the creativity and talent displayed by the girls in the Swimming Challenge.  The girls only had half an hour to prepare their performance.

It was a great way for the girls to get into 2021 in Boarding.

Sunday was an opportunity for the girls to let their hair down and enjoy the water slides out at Raging Waters Sydney. New friendships were formed as the girls raced between the slides and wave pool.  An added bonus was the opportunity to catch up with our Boarder friends from Newington College. It is safe to say that by Sunday night the girls were early into bed after an action-packed weekend. 

Fun at Junior School Camps

Our Junior School girls kicked off the school year by getting to know their teachers and each other at their respective camps. For Years 3 and 5, the girls were delighted to make the most of our beautiful new outdoor education campus, Vision Valley!

Year 3 exploring and learning at Vision Valley

The girls delighted in their water play activities, learning about Bush Art and listening to Dreamtime stories on the Reflection Rock. The girls showed impressive maturity in the way they embraced each activity and supported one another throughout the program. The girls were beside themselves with excitement when they were given permission to have a go at sliding down the huge waterslide and to try archery.

Year 4 – being our best selves at Chowder Bay and Cockatoo Island

Chowder Bay was a water wonderland. Our morning began with snorkelling, followed by rafting and a swim. So many new challenges for our girls to ‘have a go at’. This area of the harbour is a picturesque backdrop, and the girls relished the opportunity to frolic in the gentle waves, followed by a play at the newly renovated playground. They enjoyed a fascinating talk by the Sydney Institute of Marine Science where they learned about the many creatures living in our waterways and how we can protect them.

With the Sydney Harbour Bridge as a magnificent backdrop, the girls thoroughly enjoyed exploring Cockatoo Island. They learned about its historic past and used clues to find out about the Island’s most famous convict, Captain Thunderbolt! The wind provided the perfect environment for the girls to make, decorate and fly their kites. Giggles and laughter could be heard as the girls watched their creatively designed kites dive and fly high above.

Year 5 – choosing to be kind and courageous at Vision Valley

Survivor Team challenges, initiatives, orienteering, bushwalking and time in the pool. It has been an action-packed program for Year 5 at Vision Valley. I am sure you could hear their shrieks of delight as they whizzed down the waterslide! Learning to set up their own camp and preparing and cooking their own dinner have been key learning moments for the girls. They should be very proud of themselves as each of them showed courage and confidence as she developed these life skills in the outdoors. Planning and then leading an activity for the girls in Year 3 has helped Year 5 begin to develop the leadership skills they will use in Year 6 and beyond.

Year 6 – having a go and learning new skills in the Illawarra

Year 6 made an early start as they headed down to the Illawarra. They travelled to Gerroa and Killalea. The girls are certainly having a go and challenging themselves trying new outdoor activities. Some groups have learned to surf, or almost! Others have walked the magnificent nine kilometres Coastal Trek from Chittick to East Beach. The girls are spending three nights away in three different areas on this picturesque coastline.

Big Smiles from our Class of 2033!

We were so excited on day one of Term 1 2021, to meet our new Kindergarten girls, who will be our Class of 2033.

While their Orientation days last year might have looked a little different (taking place online) our girls were ready to take on the school year and wore their beautiful new t-shirts with pride!

From the Enrolments Department

We hope the school year has started happily for those of you with school-aged children, particularly for those girls starting Kindergarten.

Our Pymble family is already fully engaged in activities both inside and outside the classroom as well as enjoying excursions to our new outdoor education centre, Vision Valley.

We hope you enjoyed our 2020 year in review video, we shared at the end of the year showing some of the many highlights of our College.  You can view it here. To keep up-to-date with our girls’ achievements, as well as College events and activities in 2021, we encourage you to follow us on our social channels at #PYMBLELC. 

Students commencing in 2022

For those who have had an enrolment interview and are confirmed to attend Pymble in 2022 we will communicate Orientation event dates and information later in the year.

In the meantime, some dates to assist with your planning are as follows:

Year 7 Links Day – 22 October 2021

Year 7 New Boarders sleepover – 22 October 2021

Year 7 Assessment Morning and Parent Information Session – 23 October 2021

Years 3 to 6 Links Day – 22 October 2021

Kindergarten to Year 2 Information Morning – Friday 29 October 2021

There will be additional orientation sessions for some year groups, most particularly Kindergarten and further details will be emailed in July.

Invitations to interview have been emailed to families of students with provisional places in Kindergarten to Year 7 2022. If you are not in Sydney, we are happy to facilitate online interviews except for Preparatory students.

If you have not received this important communication, please contact us and we can email you the link to book your daughter’s interview.

Students commencing in Kindergarten to Year 7 2023

We have emailed all families whose daughter has a provisional place in Year 7 2023 regarding the final stage of the enrolment process which is an interview and includes a tour of the College. Year 3 and Year 5 2023 families will be emailed towards the end of February inviting them to book an interview.

Interviews for entry to Year 7 will be conducted next month so please contact us if you have not received your invitation.

Visit the College

This year we will continue to offer College tours to those families who register their interest through our website. Our usual group tours are not possible; however, individual tours are being conducted. If you have not yet visited the College but would like to do so, we encourage you to register your interest and we will contact you to arrange a date and time when possible.

We hope to host our Open Events from April and will update the website and contact those families who have registered on the tour booking link when the date has been confirmed.

Have your details changed?                                              

Please inform the College if your contact details change. If we are unable to contact you, particularly 2022 and 2023 starters, your daughter’s future enrolment may be affected.

Please contact the relevant Enrolments Manager via email at enrol@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au or call 9855 7799 and ask to speak with Mrs Clair Stock, Enrolments Manager K-6 or Mrs Rebecca Pearce, Enrolments Manger 7-12.

Kind regards

Have Your Details Changed?

Take a Virtual Tour

Let our girls take you on a tour of the College and share with you why they’re proud to be Pymble girls.

All About Archie

Meet Pymble’s celebrity! Archie is our Pymble dog and is an Australian Cobberdog. Archie was very small when he arrived on campus in September last year and although he’s just seven months old, Archie is nearly fully grown! Archie works with our girls to add enrichment to their days and provide comfort. 

Archie’s father is a champion fetch player and Archie is following in his footsteps and loves to play fetch too, but his favourite thing to do is give big hugs.

Secondary School Makes a Splash

It was great to see our Secondary School girls in the water at the College Swimming Carnival! House spirit was alive as competitors earnt points for their House. It was so exciting to watch the Boarders’ vs Day Girls race, the staff relay race and the mascot dance-off.

Pymbulletin

The Ex-Students’ section of Pymbulletin reports on the achievements of Pymble alumni, news items and engagements, weddings, births and vale notices.

Illuminate

The articles will take readers into classrooms from Kindergarten in the Preparatory School to Year 12 in the Senior School, from Drama to Science to the Library. We invite you to enjoy this insight into the depth and diversity of innovation in our learning environments and our commitment to sustainable capacity building.

2020 HSC Results Brochure