THEME 1 - CONTEXT
MESSAGES
FROM KEY SCHOOL BODIES
CHAIRWOMAN OF THE COLLEGE COUNCIL (SPEECH DAY ADDRESS)
Another year has passed as we get closer to celebrating the College's 140th anniversary. This equates roughly to five generations. There are not many corporations that last this length of time. I give thanks and praise to my Lord, who, through the wisdom and stewardship of the NSW Presbyterian church, College Councils, and Executives, has ensured the longevity of the College.
We continue to have a passionate and experienced executive lead, Dr Paul Burgis I thank Linda, who retired as Deputy Principal at the end of 2025, for her compassion. Her desire and ability to see the well-being of each girl was appreciated.
Dr Sarah Golsby-Smith has been promoted to the role of Deputy Principal for 2026, and we know that she will bring her own style and strengths Heritage and past knowledge will be retained, whilst growing new ideas. There is no complacency at PLC Sydney, which has sustained us over our history
The College Council acknowledges the successes of the girls in 2025. It has been a year of very high academic success. However, I want to assure all members of the community that the College Council’s focus is on helping each girl achieve their full potential. There is and will always remain a place for girls of all abilities in the College. It's our desire for each girl to be able to try as many academic and co-curricular activities as possible so as to identify their passions
To enable the College to continue with the many subject choices and streams of HSC and Cambridge, we expect to build an additional six classrooms in the next 12 months, and are working through designs and DA applications for a new building that provides an additional 11 classrooms and integrated sporting facilities.
I thank everyone who volunteers at the College, from class liaisons, JSA, P&F, College Council members and more. Thank you for your time; it is valued and appreciated by the College Council
In closing, I thank Dr Burgis and his amazing team for their service to our College. As a Council, we know how capable and dedicated they are.
Mrs Leah Russell, Chairwoman
PARENTS AND FRIENDS ’ ASSOCIATION
PRESIDENT ’ S REPORT 2025
What a wonderful year it has been for the PLC Sydney Parents and Friends’ Association, thanks to the generous spirit of the school community! I write this report with bittersweet feelings as it is my final one as President After ten years on the P&F Executive, including four as President, it is time for me to hand the tartan-crested baton over.
We started off the year in style with the annual Twilight Welcome function. This event is now one of the most eagerly anticipated on our P&F calendar. I would like to thank Philippa and Jo for turning this into such an elegant and special function
Throughout the year, the P&F has organised Saturday sport BBQs, camp farewell coffee mornings, and a host of other community activities. Our inaugural P&F Long Lunch at Sydney institution Grappa was a sell-out, and our keynote speaker left a huge impression on us all It’s been brilliant to see such an active calendar of events. My thanks to the P&F Executive, who have tirelessly given of their time and energy to create a multitude of special moments for families.
Our Open Day and Fair was a fabulous success, thanks to Jac and the Fair Organising Committee, the school staff, particularly Maintenance, and of course, the amazing stall coordinators and volunteers. For every gift basket made, gozleme served, or fairy floss whipped up, your contribution, big and small, is appreciated.
PLC Sydney Preloved Uniforms has also continued its amazing work. It’s not only a sustainable opportunity for families but also a place full of love and laughter Georgie, Rie, Sarah, Melissa, Bron and the Preloved superstar volunteers, thank you endlessly for the community you have created
A special thank you to the amazing Vice President Lisa, who has also stepped down from the Executive. Lisa, your generosity of spirit and friendship inspire me daily. We wish the new P&F Executive all the very best for the next chapter; we know it’s in exceptionally good hands.
To finish up, I would beg your indulgence to pay my own tribute to my beautiful Mum. Mum was instrumental in my attending PLC Sydney, and she would have been so proud of my time as President. I only hope I have lived up to the exemplary example of kindness, strength and humour she always displayed
Mrs Shona Gawal
P&F President 2025
PRINCIPAL ’ S MESSAGE (SPEECH DAY ADDRESS)
A good school turns a student’s gifts into talents. How do we do this?
I ask you to think with me for a few minutes about what is often called the problem of the ‘One’ and the ‘Many’. We all live with this problem every day.
The One. Do we say to our children: I set the standards in this school or home, or
The Many, Do we say: You are able to make your own choices?
Is life better organised by one central authority with a clear set of standards about what is good or not good, true or not true? We all know that it is better for a society to be led by people who are peaceful rather than the violent, led by the ‘better’ rather than the ‘worse’, by the incorrupt rather than the corrupt
This leads us to say we want one clear standard Clear is kind Unclear is unkind In schools, we want one standard for marking student work, one for treating bullying, one for paying fees, and one for salaries. We want organisation. We want order.
Or is it better to promote the Many? Each child needs to have a voice. Each child is an individual We each have our own perspectives, our own ways of doing things We could agree with my father: “There are many ways to skin a cat”.
Also, we know how power corrupts. Central authorities can stifle people. We want each person to be important We value the individual walking their own pathway Only then can our students “live their own lives.”
Politically, there are risks to each. The central authority model (the One) can become a dictatorship.
Yet, interestingly, so can the group that appears to promote diversity. A new dictatorship emerges from every attempt at anarchy This is what George Orwell taught us in Animal Farm
PLC Sydney looks for ‘third ways’ Let’s help our daughters look for third ways
Our children will enter a future where they need to be nimble. They need to be diplomats, able to negotiate.
To negotiate well, you definitely need to understand your own values, to have a central core, but also to respect the values of others.
At PLC Sydney, we value conversations. These are as important for academic outcomes as they are for personal growth Our students develop a strong moral compass; they are expected to have an inner ethical life. And yet, they are encouraged not to simply promote themselves and their self-satisfying ‘right-thinking’ at the expense of others
I find it interesting how this benefits student academic outcomes Historically, at our school, Year 12 groups that operated in support of one another have achieved higher academic
results. Year 12/2025 had the motto #Unity this year. They lived this out. Year 12/2026 has the motto of ‘Better Together’ If history is correct, the extent to which they can fulfil this will influence their academic results.
When it comes to learning, the centralised model says that there is a truth to discover, a science to recognise, a singular pathway to status and success. On the opposite side, there are people who want to disrupt the central model and to create a society without hierarchies, to improve the lot of each person.
The trick is in recognising both are valuable.
PLC Sydney believes each learner is an individual. Each is discovering what the good life is. Each is seeking to understand the truth Each is trying to grasp beauty And yet, at the same time, they need to encounter the history of ideas as to what truth, beauty, and goodness are. These ideas don’t emerge from within them unassisted.
We don’t want a world where, in MacIntyre’s words, people think the main job is coercing others and stopping them from coercing us.
I apply this to the critical area of technology We are placing some restrictions on phones for middle years girls. This is about us taking charge, setting a standard. Simultaneously, we are trying to highly value technology by introducing our students to many exciting new activities and systems. Whilst placing limits, we are also giving students freedom and empowerment. And throughout 2026 and beyond, we will dialogue with parents and students about how all of this is working. The Elizabeth Webby Research Portfolio will have this as its primary task next year - to plot how this experiment is going.
Finally, I note a number of other achievements for 2025:
● Cambridge A levels are now in place. We have worked with UAC, the universities, and Cambridge to deliver a clear pathway for Cambridge students. UAC is changing university entry in a manner that benefits A-level students.
● We are almost ready to select a new Student Information System to underpin all the College's records and work This will renew our whole IT infrastructure.
● Waratah House was purchased on Hennessy Street. This is used currently for exams and will open to wider use in 2026
● We implemented changes this year to improve our support for girls in Years 5-8 Those changes, both in the boarding and day schools, have been successful
● The Lane Cove Preschool was opened this year
● Our Reconciliation Action Plan is being renewed, including the opening of the Ann Flood room
● We continue to renew classrooms in the College
● We opened Betty’s Canteen this year, a canteen with good food at lower prices
● We now have a home ground for football. PLC Sydney has reached an agreement with the University of Sydney to hold our home games at St Andrews College. St Andrews used to be the Presbyterian Theological College. Now it is a residential College.
● The planning for the Centre for Design and Sport is complete. It is now on a path to being built. College Council must approve a tenderer for the job.
● Over the holiday period, we will start the renewal of gates on Young Street for an easier entry from the drop-off zone, and renew the foyer of the Audrey Keown Theatre
● We finished first or in the top group in almost every sport, public speaking, science, and co-curricular activities in 2026. One newspaper named us the best independent girls’ school in NSW
● I am sure you join me in saying that our artwork, in this 20th year of the Adelaide Perry gallery, music and theatre performances were magnificent.
● Our early HSC practical results have been superb
We are so very proud of our students, our staff and our school. Thank you for your support.
Dr
Paul Burgis, Principal
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL
JUNIOR SCHOOL - STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL
This year, we had the privilege of being the 2025 Student Representative Council Captains We had meetings twice a term in which the Class Representatives from Years 1 to 6, elected by their class, shared their class’s ideas. Our meetings were times when each representative could express their thanks for events, raise concerns, and discuss ideas to implement at the school.
During Semester 1, we had many great suggestions from the students. Year 4 asked us to restart the initiative to collect and recycle used stationery items After the SRC discussed and approved this, they set up a Stationery Recycling box for each year group that could be regularly taken to Officeworks and emptied Additionally, there were requests to display the playground rosters in the playground to make it easier for students to check where they can play each day. This was later implemented by the Hamilton office, with the rosters printed on waterproof paper and placed near the Invertebrate House. Other improvements also included additional bins in the Hamilton Playground and more balls in the Sports Shed.
Another suggestion from Year 2 was to set up a Playground Library on the Evandale Back Deck, where Evandale students could read as a lunchtime activity Mrs Partington arranged for this to be built, and there was a lot of excitement in Evandale when it was up and running by Term 3 Year 3 also noticed that the muffins on the lunch order menus were very large, so
some students were unable to finish them. To avoid this food waste, students suggested adding mini muffins to the canteen menu The SRC were delighted when this was added as an option for the students.
Semester 2 was also filled with amazing suggestions for our school community. With the help of the SRC, Evandale set up a Buddy Ninja program in which students wore neon vests in the playground, allowing those who felt lonely to find a friend Hamilton students noticed that it was challenging for Dr Burgis to hand out the birthday cards to students in the playground, where it was very noisy After discussing possible solutions, they suggested that he meet students in Hamilton Hall, where he could have a quiet conversation with each girl. Dr Burgis willingly accepted this suggestion, and everyone agreed that it had been a great change.
Year 5 suggested that we have a ‘Stories, Snacks and Slippers’ night for Hamilton students in future Book Weeks. Our fantastic Library teachers, Mrs Partington and Mrs Robertson, thought this was a great idea. We hope this will be an event that runs in 2026. Students in both Evandale and Hamilton requested more opportunities to spend time together, and Mrs Caldwell is putting plans in place for more House events to allow us to meet together.
We would like to thank the Class Representatives for coming to meetings prepared with creative ideas to help improve the school We appreciated their work in sharing information with their class and in taking the next steps to follow up on the decisions made. We would also like to thank Mrs Harricks and Mrs Phipps for their support through the journey of being SRC Captains of the Junior School We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to lead the SRC this year and wish the 2026 SRC Captains all the best.
SENIOR SCHOOL STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL
It has been a privilege to serve PLC Sydney as the two school Vice-Captains for 2025, and a joy to lead the Student Representative Council (SRC) The SRC is a group that represents the student body's opinions, concerns, and ideas. The SRC facilitates proactive, solutions-based discussions, empowering all students to share their views through their elected representatives and actively contribute to improving the school's culture and community.
This year, the selection process for the SRC changed. Girls expressed interest in joining the SRC, shared their ideas and interests for contributing to the school community, and were competitively selected The resulting group of girls met every Monday lunchtime in Week B, to discuss prevalent issues impacting students across all year groups. As leaders of the SRC, we also created an internal leadership structure, assigning girls roles such as Secretary and Graphic Design Team to carry out important tasks, including recording minutes and agendas and designing posters for our initiatives
In 2025, the SRC discussed a range of different topics, including new fundraising opportunities, the importance of physical activity during lunchtimes, and the detrimental impacts of social media. The SRC has served as a direct feedback system for important changes at the school, including the new canteen menu and phone usage policy.
A key project for 2025 was the proposal to add new tote bags to the school’s uniform. Girls initially gauged the interests and needs of the wider school community and developed possible bag designs that met the practical needs of the students. This term-long project brought girls from different years together, strengthening their collaborative and communicative skills and contributing positively to the future of the school. Significant progress has been made, with the proposed designs officially submitted for approval
This year, we have increased the SRC's presence in the school community by fostering a positive, inclusive environment and relationships between year groups. A major highlight of this effort was the launch of our inaugural chocolate stall initiative in Term 2, strategically timed before the Year 12 exam period This project was a success, with students from various year groups volunteering to serve hot chocolate and write encouraging messages on the cups to wish their peers good luck Building on the positive feedback, we hope to expand this initiative into 2026 with plans for a refreshing lemonade stand during the warmer summer months
On behalf of the SRC, we would like to express our gratitude to Ms Fu, without whom none of these important changes would have been possible. Additionally, the support of Mrs Chiba and the executive staff, who have graciously brought the girls' creative ideas to life and provided the resources and guidance to fulfil our proposed changes
As the year closes, we can’t wait to see some of the SRC’s other developments brought to life. We wish all the best to the incoming Vice Captains and the SRC representatives, and have no doubt that the SRC will continue to flourish. We encourage all students to reach out to their SRC representatives to have their issues and concerns heard and addressed.
CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
PLC (Presbyterian Ladies' College) Sydney is a day and boarding school for girls from Pre-Kindergarten to Year 12, offering a broad curriculum to students from diverse backgrounds.
Founded in 1888 and situated at Croydon, the College is set within 4.4 hectares of landscaped grounds and retains its nineteenth-century heritage buildings and gardens alongside modern state-of-the-art facilities.
PLC Sydney aims to educate young women from the basis of a Christian worldview to make a difference in a rapidly changing global society. Graduates are confident, caring, accomplished young women who make fine contributions to society and carry a genuine concern for the welfare of others.
The College is widely recognised in Australia and overseas for developing innovative educational initiatives and providing a world-class education The strong academic program of the College provides excellent opportunities for PLC Sydney students after the completion of the Higher School Certificate, with over 85% gaining entry to university and the remainder to TAFE and other training institutions. Approximately half the students who sit the HSC gain an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) of 90 or higher, and students leave school to pursue a wide range of career paths
PLC Sydney serves 1530 students from Pre-K to 12 We are a comprehensive school that seeks to turn student gifts into talents.
Boarders achieve their academic best and broaden their horizons in an intimate, supportive, caring environment. The Boarding House offers full and weekly boarding for students in Years 7 to 12, with access to the outstanding school facilities
Students at PLC Sydney also develop a strong global focus Throughout their school career, they have a variety of opportunities to engage in international exchange, Service Learning, and academic tours
The College takes a personal approach to pastoral care, and advice is available to every student from a comprehensive team, including School Counsellors, the Chaplaincy Team, Directors for each year group, the College Nursing Sister, the Careers Adviser, and teaching staff
Students at PLC Sydney have access to superb facilities including the JD Oates Aquatic Institute with indoor heated pools, McKeith Performing Arts Centre with 538 seat auditorium and teaching space for Music and Drama, state-of-the-art Science facilities, Macindoe Research Centre, Olympic sized gymnasium, tennis and basketball courts, oval, assembly hall, Futures Centre which offers tutoring, a music centre for private instrument lessons, careers and resources centre, Health Centre with on-site nursing sister and The Croydon Centre for Art, Design and Technology incorporating the Adelaide Perry Gallery.
PLC Sydney has a significant range of technologies assisting in the education of students. The College has specialist Junior and Senior School science laboratories, Technology and Robotics rooms, and, with the assistance of the P & F, is able to supply superb resources.
PLC Sydney is recognised for its outstanding music and sporting opportunities, as well as its extensive range of co-curricular and cultural activities. To broaden students’ skills and experiences, they are expected to take part in activities outside the classroom program In addition to the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, Future Problem Solving, Tournament of Minds, and Model United Nations Assembly, there are additional activities and support groups. These cover the areas of debating, public speaking and speech, publications, social justice, science, languages, visual arts, environmental studies, charities and humanitarian efforts, musical groups and drama.
SCHOOL-DETERMINED IMPROVEMENT TARGETS 2025
The goals for 2025, set by the Principal and approved by Council, are as follows:
GOALS FOR 2025
● To create the Strategic Plan, with the College Council, for the period until 2035
● To communicate the Strategic Plan effectively
● To ensure the first year of the Cambridge AS level is successful
● To successfully integrate new teachers into the PLC Sydney culture
● To support and enable staff members in difficult situations
● To bring the Design and Technology building on Edwin Street North to the point where it:
○ Is approvable
○ Is affordable
○ Is appreciated for its contribution to our future
○ If (3) is achieved, to move to tender, and, perhaps, commencement
● To:
○ Open the new canteen
○ Open the Waratah House classrooms
○ Build the staff rooms for Sport and PDHPE in Hennessy Street Building
● To pass the final NESA test for Registration
● To launch the new Reconciliation Action Plan
● To develop a full Risk Assessment protocol for IT
● To lead in AI educational philosophy, practicality and legal aspects
● To launch the ‘Hope’ project
● To develop the ‘Priests of History’ project
● To embed changes in the boarding school
● To embed new support mechanisms for students in years 5-8
● To ensure the MEA is passed and to explore teacher salaries above the award
● To open Lane Cove Preschool
● To improve the debtor situation in the College
● To inform our community properly about the impact of the NSW Government's planning in our area
● Junior School Goals for 2025
○ Teaching & Learning:
○ Develop a Curriculum Implementation Plan
○ Engage – explore aspects of the new syllabus to identify and plan for changes required for successful curriculum implementation
○ Enact – teach, assess and report using the new syllabus and evaluate to refine new practices and systems
○ Embed – strengthen and scale to ensure sustainable practices and systems.
○ Curriculum Committees - Excellence and Reach
● Wellbeing:
○ Parent Partnership - URStrong
○ Focus on Hope. Work with Dr Leisa Aitken and Dr Judith Locke to build understanding and strategies to assist students to flourish.
● Relationships:
○ Encourage and build respectful, positive relationships. Work with Pastor Ray Minniecon to complete the PLC Sydney Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
○ Parent/Teacher Communication - finalise and share protocols
● Record-Keeping:
○ Continue to explore/build an effective SIS and streamline records
CHARACTERISTICS OF STUDENT BODY
(see My School website: http://www myschool edu au )
Students with Disability: 1% according to the definitions provided by the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD).
THEME 2 OUTCOMES AND RESULTS
STUDENT OUTCOMES IN STANDARDISED NATIONAL LITERACY
AND NUMERACY TESTING
Performance in the National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is documented on the My School website.
POST SCHOOL DESTINATIONS
Most students who finished Year 12 and completed their school education signalled an intention to undertake further study Of the 164 students who completed their HSC and received an ATAR, more than 95% were offered a university place, while the remaining students preferred a private college or TAFE. We note that the school has limited information on whether students accepted any of the places offered after they left.
A number of university-focused students also applied and were admitted to universities in the USA and the UK, with substantial evidence indicating that interest in these overseas opportunities is rising
There was a breadth of disciplines to which students who elected to apply to university were admitted, including the Faculty of Science. Engineering, Business, Arts, Health/Medicine, Economics, Law, Education, Communications, Design, Computer Science, Construction, Veterinary Slowly, however, by ever-increasing numbers, the faculties in Science and Engineering are attracting more female students to their courses.
RESULTS OF THE HSC 2025
* Represents a very small cohort
TOP ACHIEVERS IN COURSE
For further information, go to the PLC Sydney website https://www.plc.nsw.edu.au/learning/senior-school/2025-highlights-and-achievements/
ATAR 99 OR MORE
The top ten students received the following ATARs:
Student A
Student B
Student C
Student D
The above list may not be a full representation of these achievements, as we rely on Year 12 students to provide their ATAR or other information. Details are not made public or provided to the College.
PREMIER ’ S ALL-ROUND ACHIEVERS
Twenty-six (26) students were recognised on the All Rounders List (achieving more than 90% in all their courses, i.e., the highest band possible in at least 10 units).
Three students placed in the state (1st in Extension English, 1st in Chinese, 1st in Spanish).
RECORD OF SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT
The School had no students who were issued with a Record of School Achievement.
CAMBRIDGE AS AND A-LEVELS
2025 marked an important milestone in a journey that began a decade ago at PLC Sydney as the first cohort of students following the Cambridge A-Levels pathway completed their AS examinations Cambridge A-Levels are the most recognised secondary education credential in the world and are studied by nearly three times as many students as the International Baccalaureate. They are administered by Cambridge Assessment International Education, part of the University of Cambridge assessment system
Cambridge International A Levels are typically studied by students aged 16–19 and usually take two years to complete. Students normally specialise in 3–4 subjects rather than studying a broad curriculum. This enables students to privilege depth over breadth in their pattern of study An AS Level (Advanced Subsidiary) is generally the first year of study and can be taken as a standalone qualification or combined into the full A-Level. In 2025, Cambridge A-Levels became a genuine alternative to the HSC at PLC Sydney.
PLC Sydney is the flagship school offering Cambridge A-levels in Australia, becoming one of the nation’s primary Cambridge demonstration schools We introduced a variety of Cambridge IGCSE subjects as electives for students in Years 9 and 10 in 2015, and in recent years, intrepid students have elected to study some Cambridge A-level courses alongside their HSC studies, making PLC Sydney a genuinely dual pathway school. Several students received university offers from prestigious international universities, including Oxford and Cambridge.
The Cambridge pathway is well-known overseas, increases the agency and choice available to our students, and makes placements at international universities more attainable. Our first cohort of students selecting the Cambridge A-Level pathway completed their AS examinations, achieving impressive results
We continue to reflect on and monitor our progress in the Cambridge pathway and are presently working with local and international universities to recognise their achievements. As our first AS results indicate, the future is very bright
Syllabus No: Syllabus Name
Students completing the AS Levels can only achieve a lower case ‘a’, ‘b’, ‘c’, etc
Mathematics - One student (1*) completed her full A Levels in November and was able to achieve an A*.
SENIOR SECONDARY OUTCOMES
In 2025, 100% of the Year 12 cohort achieved the HSC (see the My School website).
There were no Year 12 students undertaking vocational training or trade training.
THEME 3 - STAFFING
ACCREDITATION STATUS OF ALL TEACHING STAFF
WORKFORCE COMPOSITION
PLC Sydney has a male Principal
Teaching staff: 179
Full-time equivalent teaching staff: 159
Non-teaching staff: 136
Full-time equivalent non-teaching staff: 125
At our school, we embrace all faiths and backgrounds for all our staff and students. None of our staff members has identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, but we strongly encourage applications from First Nations teachers and other staff.
THEME 4 - ATTENDANCE
STUDENT ATTENDANCE RATE
Whole School Attendance Rate: 95.07
95.07% of students attended school on average each school day in 2025. This is consistent with our usual attendance range.
MANAGEMENT OF NON-ATTENDANCE
FOLLOWING UP ON UNEXPLAINED STUDENT ABSENCES
1. The following systems and procedures are in place to follow up on unexplained absences from school.
i If an absence is not received by 11:00 am, an SMS Text Message is sent to the student’s parents, notifying them of the absence and requesting that they immediately contact the College.
ii. Where the absence remains unexplained, the Student Attendance Secretary forwards the matter to the student’s Head of Year for investigation and follow-up
iii. Where parents/guardians repeatedly fail to inform the College of absences, the Head of Year will contact them directly to seek an explanation and to remind them of their obligation to report absences. All information in relation to unsatisfactory attendance is recorded in student files, and information with respect to attendance is provided in Pastoral/Well-being reports.
ANALYSING STUDENT ATTENDANCE DATA
2. The Student Attendance Secretary will monitor attendance records for trends in absences and for students with multiple or persistent absences, and these will be escalated to the Head of Positive Student Care and Engagement.
UNSATISFACTORY ATTENDANCE INTERVENTION STRATEGIES
3 Where parents repeatedly fail to inform the College of absences, they will be contacted directly seeking an explanation and to remind them of their obligation to report absences
4. Where there are persistent unsatisfactory absences, the Head of Student Care and Engagement and other stakeholders, where appropriate, will work with the student and her parents to develop a plan to increase attendance and, subsequently, her educational outcomes. Relevant stakeholders may be involved, which will include the following:
a. the College counsellor/psychologist,
b the College nurse,
c. allied health professionals.
5 If the student fails to achieve the plan's outcomes, the Principal will be notified and may consider other strategies or refer to the Student Discipline Policy.
THEME 5 - SCHOOL POLICIES
ENROLMENT POLICY
The policy is available on the College website here.
CHILD PROTECTION POLICY
The Child Protection and Mandatory Reporting Policy is available on the College website.
ANTI-BULLYING POLICY
The Anti-Bullying Policy is available on the College website.
DISCIPLINE POLICY
The Student Discipline is available on the College website.
COMPLAINTS POLICY
The Complaints policy is available on the College website.
THEME 6 - STAKEHOLDER SATISFACTION
PLC Sydney runs exit interviews and surveys for all matriculating students. The 2025 exit survey data provides valuable insights into stakeholder satisfaction at PLC Sydney, particularly from the student body's perspective. The overall majority of students expressed strong satisfaction with their academic experience, co-curricular opportunities, and the support provided by teachers.
Academic Satisfaction:
● Consistently high satisfaction with the sense of community and inclusivity within the school.
● Consistently high satisfaction with the quality of teaching and learning, and support provided by teachers. Students consistently expressed gratitude and appreciation. Responses described their learning experience and relationship with teachers as:
○ “kind and very helpful”
○ “supportive… especially during challenges”
○ “enthusiastic and joyful in their subject”
● Teachers are frequently praised for their dedication, care, and expert subject knowledge, for fostering confidence, encouraging growth mindsets, and delivering constructive feedback.
Co-Curricular Strengths:
Students consistently highlight:
● Co curricular breadth and quality
● Drama, Music, Musicals, Pipes & Drums, Model UN
● Overseas tours (Drama NY, Vietnam, US)
● Sport (“best part of my PLC experience”)
● Exchange programs
● Futures/Pathways support in Year 12
● Entrepreneurship
● STEM programs
Areas for Improvement:
● Improved communication and academic consistency
● Managing academic pressure and anxiety by filling well-being gaps.
● Greater awareness of wellbeing issues and the needs of neurodiverse students in the classroom.
Summary:
● High overall satisfaction and appreciation for academic and co-curricular strengths.
● Identified opportunities for growth in feedback, classroom inclusivity and managing wellbeing.
PLC Sydney is known for its culture of conversation and open dialogue, as well as for the empathy teachers display in the classroom The feedback we get from parents is largely through the P & F, where the College’s Executive attend, answer questions, and take queries and concerns back to the teaching community. In addition, parents are regularly invited to speak with the Principal, Head of the Junior School, Deputy Principal and the Head of Learning and Teaching about their experience.
The College experiences relatively low staff turnover despite employing a large number of staff. Informal feedback from both staff members and executive staff indicates that staff are generally satisfied in all areas of the College.
THEME 7 - SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL INFORMATION 2025
