Annual Report 2023

Annual Report 2023

Theme 1

Message from the Chair of College Board

It has been a great honour and a privilege to work in partnership with Dr Hadwen and the College Board of exceptional women and men who oversee the governance, strategic direction, operations, finance, and master planning programs at Pymble.

I’d like to start this message by acknowledging the many special people who have helped make this year such a memorable one for our students:

• our teachers and coaches

• our professional services staff

• our parents and carers

• and our wonderful Principal, Dr Kate Hadwen, for her exceptional leadership, vision and passion for delivering an education for our girls that is, in my opinion, the best in Australia, if not the world.

It has been a great honour and a privilege to work in partnership with Dr Hadwen and the College Board of exceptional women and men who oversee the governance, strategic direction, operations, finance, and master planning programs at Pymble.

Together we have arrived at a significant milestone in our Watch Us Change the World strategy: the end of our first three years of strategic intents, all carefully designed to build on the depth of character, knowledge and skills that are key to our girls thriving, both here at the College, and when they leave as Pymble graduates.

“We have watched on with pride as our girls continued to build on their Academic, Digital, Emotional and Social Intelligence through an incredible range of learning opportunities.”

Just a few highlights from across all year groups and areas within the College include:

• Our HSC results were outstanding, with 11 per cent of candidates receiving ATARS greater than 99, 33 per cent achieving ATARs greater than 95, and 51 per cent of the cohort achieving ATARS greater than 90. Our Dux of School reported the highest ATAR of 99.95 and Pymble is now ranked 19 in the Sydney Morning Herald Top 100 Schools Report.

• Five Pymble teams from Years 7 to 11 entered the prestigious da Vinci Decathlon academic competition and our amazing Year 7 and Year 8 teams went through to the national finals, where they placed first and second respectively.

• Our Years 5 and 6 teams ably represented our Junior School, winning places in several categories, and Year 5 placed third overall.

• Our sportswomen represented the College locally, nationally and internationally in more than 30 sports, winning seven IGSA (or equivalent) championships in Basketball, Hockey, Netball, AFL, Rugby 7s, Cross Country and Athletics.

We have also created and begun an ambitious Master Plan program, and enhancements to our facilities that really will change the world of learning at Pymble.

• Vision Valley is transforming before our eyes, with renovated lodges, a new outdoor theatre, covered outdoor classrooms – and more refurbs and updates to come.

• From Term 1 next year, our Year 7 Boarders will have their very own Boarding House in our Avonmoore building to assist in their transition to life at Pymble.

• Our Junior School now has a bespoke administration hub for our K-6 leadership team and community.

• And we are excited to commence work shortly on the new Grey House Precinct which will deliver a new STEM/Robotics Centre, Dance Centre, Wellbeing Centre, OSHC Centre, Early Years School and classrooms for Years 5 and 6 by 2026.

Of course, all this work is underpinned by our unwavering commitment to sustainability and our goal of becoming a Net Zero organisation in the future.

• Our Pymble Pride Robotics team won the Southern Cross Regionals and qualified for the World Championships for the second consecutive year – and four teams of Junior School students in Years 5 and 6 qualified to compete at state level in VEX IQ Robotics. Equally importantly, our girls continued to take steps to make the world a better place for others, as Dr Hadwen outlines in her message over the page.

We continue to engage consultants to review our efforts in this space, and to consult with our emerging sustainability experts – our students – to work with us to create a sustainable campus of the future.

This year some of our Secondary School girls assisted us with:

• analysing our electricity consumption data and identifying main usage areas;

• exploring the use of solar power energy in selected areas across the College;

• and researching wind and solar energy farms as part of our electricity contract procurement process.

In the Junior School, students have engaged in hands-on learning onsite, making concrete and learning about engineering and the construction of our new buildings.

I’m incredibly proud of being part of the team that has brought the College to this stage of its journey. However, I will be stepping down as Chair of the Board from the end of 2023 having taken on an international leadership role based in London, which would have compromised the time and priority I have always afforded Pymble.

It has been an honour to have served on the Board since 2013. My wife, Katrina, was a Pymble girl, as was our daughter, Lexie, who is now a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Pymble has been and will continue to be a significant part of our lives. I will continue to serve on the Pymble Foundation Board and assist the Board and Dr Hadwen with international networks and events.

Our new Chair is Mr Chris Fydler OAM. Chris joined our Board in 2018 and has held various roles on our Board committees, including current Chair of our Asset Management Committee.

Outside of Pymble, he is a seasoned CEO and Managing Director in the technology space.

Chris was also admitted as a solicitor to the NSW Supreme Court in 1998 and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (2017).

A former competitive swimmer, Chris represented Australia at three consecutive Olympic Games (winning a Gold Medal in the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000), three World Championships and three Commonwealth Games. For his efforts, he was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2001 and appointed Deputy Chef de Mission for the Australian Olympic Team at the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympic Games. He is also the President of Swimming NSW and a Board member of the NSW Institute of Sport.

Importantly, Chris and his wife also share a deep personal connection to the College through their four

daughters, who are all Pymble graduates. I am delighted Chris will be our next Chair with the full support of our Board.

This year we also farewelled Professor Gin Malhi, who with his wife and daughters have been part of our Pymble family for 20 years. Gin has made an incredible contribution to the College, especially through the challenging pandemic in 2020 to 2022. And we welcome Rear Admiral Lee Goddard CSC QM to our Board and Asset Management Committee.

While I will genuinely miss my day-today involvement with the College, my family and I will remain very connected and supportive of our Pymble family. We won’t just watch our girls change the world, we will continue to support them, and cheer them on through their time at the College and future careers.

MR JAMES HUNTER CHAIR OF COLLEGE BOARD

Message from the Principal

When I look back on 2023, I feel an immense sense of gratitude for our Pymble family. Term 1 started with a call for all students, staff and families to consider how they could be of service to others in our year of Pymble Gives Back. I’m delighted to report this was a roaring success, with students from K-12, staff and families all contributing to a multifaceted year-long program built around supporting causes that make a difference in our world as well as to communities in need.

Some of the initiatives involved gifting time, understanding and friendship –our Junior School girls visiting elderly residents in aged care facilities to chat and act as technology trouble-shooters spring to mind here, as do our army of student, staff and parent volunteers for our annual Sony Camp for children with special needs. Other projects engaged students in creating items or care packages, such as Happy Boxes of personal care items for girls and women in remote communities in Australia, and reusable menstruation products for Days for Girls.

Across K-12, students continued to give back to the environment, by participating in campus clean ups, finding new ways to reduce waste, and looking after the grounds at Pymble and Vision Valley.

In addition, many students took on personal passion projects to raise money for charities, such as The Pymble Pantry Cookbook of recipes from our community, inspired by our 2023 Food Technology Captain.

Collectively, we filled three massive donation bins many times over with

clothing and blankets for Wayside Chapel, The Smith Family and The Salvation Army. And we hosted multiple fundraising events, including our fabulous Garden Party. In addition to performing countless acts of service towards others, our community raised $53,562 to distribute among more than 40 charities including:

Asylum Seekers Centre, Australian Children’s Music Foundation, Balmoral Swim for Cancer, Barbara May Foundation, Canteen, Colour Run, CWA Days for Girls, Deadly Connections, Exodus Foundation, Givit, Happy Boxes, Heart Foundation, Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Women’s Shelter, Indigenous Literacy Foundation, Jeans4Genes, Legacy, McGrath Foundation, Meals on Wheels, NORTH Foundation, OzHarvest, Pushing Barriers, Reach Out, Red Cross Ukraine Crisis, Redfern Jarjum College, Rural Fire Service, RUOK Day, Sathya Sai College, School of St Jude (Tanzania), Share the Dignity, Taldumande Youth Services, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, The Kids’ Cancer Project, The Smith Family, Turkey Syria Earthquake Appeal, UN Women, Wayside Chapel, Wear it Purple, Westmead Children’s Eye Clinic, World

Ocean Day, Write a Book in a Day, and Young Crisis Accommodation Centre.

Thank you to our big-hearted students for embracing their inner ‘giver’ and going above and beyond to be kind and caring towards each other as well as people and places in need of a little TLC.

Thank you to our wonderful parents, Pymble Parent Association and all the Parent Support Groups for contributing to a multitude of donation drives and fund-raising initiatives, and for gifting their time as volunteers supporting our co-curricular programs and College events. Special shout-out to those parents and carers who also stand in as readers and writers in examinations; this means so much to our students who need practical learning support, and their families.

In other exciting news, 2023 saw the launch of our Pymble Foundation which raises funds for building work and enables the College to offer deserving students an opportunity to attend Pymble. In 2024 we will welcome three new Foundation Scholars, all young refugees from Afghanistan. College volunteers have been getting to know

“Thank you to our big-hearted students for embracing their inner ‘giver’ and going above and beyond to be kind and caring towards each other as well as people and places in need of a little TLC.”

these delightful girls throughout the year via various programs, including afterhours reading support and swimming lessons, and we also continue to host the annual Her Village Championship Festival at Pymble, launched by one of our recent graduates in her final year of school to welcome newly arrived Afghan refugees to our community.

Our three new scholars from Afghanistan will be joining our first Foundation bursary recipient, who commenced at the College in 2023 after she and her family fled Ukraine during the war. We hope to continue to offer more bursaries for deserving girls who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford a life-changing Pymble education.

Thank you to our incredible staff who work tirelessly to give our students the very best educational experience possible, in addition to role modelling the joys of being of service to others.

On our last staff day of the year, approximately 350 of our executives, academics and professional services staff spent the day working at one of 34 locations supporting multiple charities, including local aged care facilities, charities, schools for children with

“In other exciting news, 2023 saw the launch of our Pymble Foundation which raises funds for building work and enables the College to offer deserving students an opportunity to attend Pymble.”

special needs and more. Collectively, Pymble staff have also raised more than $20,000 this year for charitable causes, largely through our Casual for a Cause program.

We end the year grateful for having shared many years of working alongside a few forever members of our Pymble family, including our beloved Reverend Lorenzo Rodriguez Torres and Reverend Punam Bent, who left us after 12 and 8 years respectively to take on new roles within the Uniting Church. We look forward to getting to know our incoming Chaplains, Reverend Cass Blake and Reverend Danielle Hemsworth-Smith, when they officially commence with us next year.

We also farewelled our superstar Chair of the College Board, Mr James Hunter, after 10 years of dedicated service to governance at Pymble. Mr Hunter has

made an extraordinary contribution to our College, including leading the development of two strategic plans spanning two decades, holding multiple roles on our Board committees, managing the school’s transition to an incorporated public company, overseeing the purchase of Vision Valley, and leading an educational advisory group that worked closely with the NSW Government throughout the pandemic.

We give our deepest thanks to Mr Hunter and our College Board and our Foundation Board members, who gift countless unseen hours and professional brain space to ensure Pymble remains a leading girls’ school in Australia. One of Mr Hunter’s many legacies is a sound succession planning program to ensure stability and the right balance of professional expertise guiding the College at Board level. It is with great pleasure that we

welcome our incoming Chair of the Board, Mr Chris Fydler OAM, who was unanimously voted by the Board to take over the role in January 2024.

We look forward to revealing many exciting initiatives for our students and community in 2024.

For now, I sign off with a full heart, so incredibly proud of our Pymble family for taking all the above steps, and more, to make the world a better place for all.

DR KATE HADWEN PRINCIPAL

Message from the Pymble Parent Association ( PPA )

At Pymble Ladies’ College, we have a strong and passionate parent and carers’ community. We are dedicated to supporting and building an inclusive and dynamic environment in partnership with staff at the College to enable our girls, from Kindergarten to Year 12, to learn and grow. We take pride in our diversity and believe that every family of a Pymble girl is an important part of our community for life. We also value every staff member and teacher at the College as a vital part of our girls’ journey through the school years.

The Pymble Parent Association (PPA) is a crucial part of Pymble life, organising and supporting many key events and activities that bring us together at different times throughout the year. With COVID well behind us, and building on the momentum of the previous year, we had a record number of parents and carers attend our annual Icebreaker event at the start of the year. More than 600 guests were in attendance and many lingered to socialise with each after the official close.

Our infamous PPA Trivia Night fundraiser with parents, carers and friends highlighted the engagement and

creativity amongst us all, with guests turning up in their finest costumes from movies and TV shows, including Toy Story, Poison Ivy, Ghostbusters, Gladiator, Pulp Fiction, Wayne’s World and Wonder Woman. Proceeds from the evening enable the PPA to sponsor annual Professional Learning Grants for staff, a World Teachers’ Day barbecue lunch for teachers and staff, and the Vicki Waters Courage Awards presented to students at our end-of-year Speech Days. Recognising the diversity of our community, we supported and attended our first Cultural Festival event, a Dragon Boat Festival with traditional food, beautiful costumes and dance.

“We are most thankful for the incredible Pymble parents, carers and friends who have continued to role model to our girls that we all can “Change the world” by our service to the school and by supporting each other in friendship.”

We also worked with the school to purchase 13 new year-group banners to be used at these events.

Throughout the year, the PPA and army of parent volunteers have generously donated their time and resources to host and assist at more than 30 events for hundreds of parents, carers, grandparents, extended family and friends across the Junior School and Secondary School. Some of these events include:

• PPA Father/Daughter and Parent/ Daughter camps and lunches at Vision Valley

• PPA staff barbecue for World Teachers’ Day

• Junior School Parent Group (JSPG) breakfasts

• New Parents’ High Tea

• Mother’s Day Morning Tea

• Father’s Day Barbecue Lunch

• Garden Party

• Pymble Foundation Ball

• The Joy of Christmas community celebration

• Junior School Parent Group (JSPG) Pedal Your Own Smoothie

• JSPG Decorate a Cookie

• JSPG Family Fun Day

• JSPG Year 6 Parent/Daughter Dance

• JSPG Athletics Carnival stalls

• JSPG Build a Bear

• JSPG Jeans for Genes

• JSPG dances

We are most thankful for the incredible Pymble parents, carers and friends who have continued to role model to our girls that we all can “Change the world” by our service to the school and by supporting each other in friendship. We, as the PPA and parent and carer community, in partnership with our school, look forward to creating more memories and opportunities for our girls to flourish as they strive for their personal best.

All’ Ultimo Lavoro. Together, we are excited to grow and extend our parent and carer community in 2024!

SUNNY HRES PPA PRESIDENT

EASTER COOKIE DECORATING

Message from the Head Prefects

Throughout 2023, we sought to continue Pymble’s culture of positivity and supportiveness by fostering a greater sense of school spirit and encouraging friendship across all aspects of school life from Kindergarten to Year 12.

Inspired by Toy Story, our theme of ‘2023 You’ve Got a Friend in Me’ allowed us to connect with students and the College values of Care, Courage, Integrity, Respect and Responsibility in a fun and interactive way. After the past few years of disruptions, we thought it was important to lift each other up and ensure that every student had the opportunity to connect with others and access a positive culture and school environment.

We had the pleasure of engaging in several initiatives and programs under this theme. In our fortnightly addresses at assembly, we enjoyed spotlighting Toy Story characters and their attributes each

term: Slinky Dog and his adaptability in Term 1; Mr and Mrs Potato Head and their perseverance in Term 2; and Jessie with her sense of adventure in Term 3 to inspire students to consider how they could apply these attributes of friendship in their everyday lives. Thanks to the commitment and enthusiasm of our Prefect team, we were also able to develop and run student-led ‘Friend Seminars’ in Compass groups, which aimed to foster a sense of connection and friendship through hands-on activities based on our 2023 theme.

We also focused on building school spirit with the initiation of a small but mighty ‘Pymble Spirit Team’ that we are excited to see continue to grow. Based on the sentiment that “new girls will follow in unending chain” as stated in our school song, we sought to tap into that Pymble legacy and spirit to create a tangible way to display Pymble pride.

In the wider community, our Prefect team connected with organisations such as the Uniting Church to host the first inter-schools Social Justice Day. Our Community portfolio collaborated with staff and students at Pymble and other schools, and we were delighted to see so many students volunteering to convene stalls raising awareness about a range of areas they are passionate about, including cultural diversity,

Ukraine, First Nations voices, Women’s Rights, food security, LGBTQIA+ and more. This tied into the broader College theme for 2023 of ‘Pymble Gives Back’, supporting Dignity, the Wayside Chapel and The Smith Family. Throughout the year we had the privilege to hear from representatives of these charities, helping to raise awareness about how we, as students, can give back to our community.

We also saw great initiative in our House representatives who connected with the wider school to bring alive our carnivals and activities, and to come together through various House lunches, dance, and debating competitions. In the Learning portfolio, students had opportunities to meet a variety of industry professionals at ‘emPOWER lunches’ to broaden perspectives and open our minds to new possibilities. In Sport and Performing Arts, our leaders brought energy and commitment, continuing traditional Pymble events such as the Performing Arts Festival and school sports carnivals, as well as various events throughout the year that provided students opportunities to thrive

“We enjoyed spotlighting Toy Story characters and their attributes each term: Slinky Dog and his adaptability in Term 1; Mr and Mrs Potato Head and their perseverance in Term 2; and Jessie with her sense of adventure in Term 3.”

in their chosen activities. We could not be prouder of the efforts taken by each leader in our Prefect team.

Behind every Prefect initiative was a dedicated team of students and staff working hard to make everything possible. We would like to extend a huge thank you to all the incredible Pymble staff for teaching, supporting and guiding each and every student throughout the school. Thank you to our Head and Deputy Head of Senior School, Mrs Wyse and Ms Gallardo, and our Heads of Year, Mr Stern and Ms Foley, for all your wisdom, encouragement and support through our final years of school. To the incredible assistants and administrators, Mrs Sengupta, Mrs Chambers, Mrs Hickson, Ms Brownlee and Mrs Foord, thank you for always being so kind and compassionate whilst doing the most to support us and organise schedules and events behind-the-scenes.

We would especially like to extend our gratitude to our Principal and mentor, Dr Hadwen, for her inspirational leadership and encouragement of

students here at Pymble. To our Deputy Principal Ms Rockwell, Deputy Principal –Students Mr Raymond, Deputy Principal – Academic Mrs Kenny, and Head of Wellbeing Mrs Hunt; thank you for your dedication to making Pymble life so special. We will look back on our Pymble years with fondness and could not have asked for better teachers to guide us through the ups and downs of 2023.

Finally, we would like to extend our genuine appreciation and love to all Pymble students. There are so many memories and shared experiences that we will be able to look back on fondly; the ways in which we have been able to support and celebrate each other’s individual interests and challenges in an open and inviting environment has been very special. We are beyond grateful to have had the opportunity to be your leaders in 2023 and we are excited to see where the future takes you all.

FREYA

CARMODY AND ALYSSA YEE HEAD PREFECTS 2023

Contextual information about the school

Pymble offers exceptional opportunities for girls and young women. Students enjoy extensive curricular and co-curricular programs, advanced learning technology, outstanding facilities and extensive choices in the performing and visual arts, sporting and cultural arenas.

A strong academic record and focus on each student as an individual creates a caring, safe and stimulating environment that inspires a balanced educational experience. The College is as deeply committed to academic, sporting and cultural excellence as we are to service, contribution and giving back to the community.

Our vision is to foster influential and compassionate women. Our mission is to develop young women with a passion for learning and scholarship, a strong assurance of her own worth and the desire and values to contribute meaningfully to her local and global communities.

Five core values – Care, Courage, Integrity, Respect and Responsibility – reflect the spirit and heritage of our community, our identity as a school of the Uniting Church in Australia and our commitment to providing a nurturing and meaningful learning experience for every Pymble girl.

The College motto of All’ Ultimo Lavoro – Strive for the highest inspires our students and staff to be the best version of themselves.

The College has four distinct schools on the one campus, providing four tiers of leadership opportunities and agespecific academic and personal care for each student. Each school has its own distinct precinct. We have a Junior School (Kindergarten to Year 6), a Middle School (Years 7 and 8), an Upper School (Years 9 and 10) and a Senior School (Years 11 and 12). Four Boarding Houses are the ‘home away from home’ for 120 Boarders, and we also have a campus called Vision Valley, at Arcadia, for Outdoor Education and residential programs.

Each School has its own Head of School, Deputy Head(s) of School and Heads of Year.

Please visit the MySchool website for further information about the College: www.myschool.edu.au/school/43846

Characteristics of the student body

The values of respect and responsibility were authentically embedded in a range of activities for all students from Kindergarten to Year 12 in 2023. Our five College values of Care, Courage, Integrity, Respect and Responsibility are the anchors for the behaviours we expect our students to show every day and they provide a strong foundation for explicit teaching in our daily Compass (wellbeing) program.

JUNIOR SCHOOL (KINDERGARTEN TO YEAR 6)

Each week in the Junior School, one of the five College values is highlighted both in our assembly and in our College diary and students are recognised with assembly awards that reflect their demonstration of that value in their learning and social interactions. Our assemblies are led by Year 6 leaders, giving them a platform to grow their leadership skills, confidence and sense of responsibility. During assemblies, individual student talents are recognised and celebrated, helping to build a community of kindness, inclusion and respect.

A central focus of our Junior School is kindness; to self, others and to the environment. Kindness sits alongside our College values and helps our students understand that they are responsible for the behaviour choices

they make each day, whether they are kind or mean on purpose. We use this language intentionally across Kindergarten to Year 6 to develop the students’ understanding of their responsibility for their behaviour and to help them develop social relationships which are built on mutual understanding and respect.

Our strong sense of social responsibility is developed across the Junior School through our commitment to being of service. Groups of Year 6 students attended local Uniting Care aged care facilities throughout the year on a fortnightly basis. A group of Year 5 students partnered with St Lucy’s School, Wahroonga to bring Robotics play-based learning to the students in that school who have significant learning needs.

As part of our continued focus on developing a sense of social care and

responsibility, a group of Year 6 students journeyed with the Head of Junior School and two teachers, to Brewarrina to connect with students at Brewarrina Central School and to begin a learning partnership with that school which we are seeking to grow in 2024 and beyond.

Our Outdoor Education Program provided challenge to the students, encouraging them to step outside their comfort zone, immersing them in nature as they camp and offering a myriad of activities designed to foster collaboration, responsibility and resilience.

Empowering student voice has been a growing focus within our Junior School. Peer-elected term-based leadership positions available to girls from Years 1 to 6 include Kindness Captain, STEM Captain, Sustainability Captain and Student Representative Council Captain.

“ Our focus on kindness to others and kindness to the environment afforded students the opportunity to be of service and build a sense of social responsibility and respect.”

Year 6 students are offered additional roles of responsibility as House Leaders, leaders of each Captain group and Chapel Leaders. Each of these student leaders is mentored weekly by a teacher or member of the Junior School leadership team.

Compass teachers across the Junior School worked with students to develop a sense of the next steps in their learning journey and checked in with the students throughout the year

on a one-to-one basis to empower the students to reflect on, and articulate, their personal progress.

As they journeyed through the year, Junior School girls were encouraged to approach learning with an open mindset and to embrace mistakes as ‘fabulous failures’ and a critical step in the learning process.

MRS KATE BROWN, HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL

“Providing opportunities for Years 7 and 8 to come together to build their social networks and work in respectful collaboration underpins a healthy community.”

MRS JENNY O’DONNELL, HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL

MIDDLE SCHOOL (YEARS 7 AND 8)

2023 proved to be a year of growth and opportunity in which we saw our Middle School girls flourish as a result of their resilience and willingness to take responsibility.

Throughout the year, the Middle School team worked to ensure that the girls were appropriately supported as they embraced holistic experiences that stretched them academically and nurtured their personal growth. Throughout our programs and initiatives, the team continued to focus on fostering a culture of inclusivity within the community. We acknowledged the importance of empowering students to demonstrate a growth mindset in their approach to learning opportunities; as well as the importance of developing respectful relationships amongst teachers and peers. Our engaging Mind-Body-Spirit programs for Stage 4 provided students with abundant opportunities to explore relevant issues and, in turn, develop strategies to foster better connections

as individuals who have found their place within the Secondary School context.

Our extensive Year 7 Transition program demonstrated a commitment to empowering each student and providing them with an appropriate toolkit to navigate new situations whilst building confidence and resilience. Many of these events provided a platform for student leaders to take responsibility and grow from the experience. We continued to run our Year 10 Peer Support program, which fostered bonds between the girls and allowed for authentic mentoring conversations based on trust. By foregrounding and valuing student voice and clearly articulating Middle School expectations, individuals were able to set formal goals and challenge themselves to step up. This provided a framework that promoted individual responsibility and independence. The girls were asked to set an academic goal alongside a community goal as a reflection of the significant value we place on both these areas of College life.

Providing opportunities for Years 7 and 8 to come together to build their social networks and work in respectful collaboration underpins a healthy community. We introduced additional Middle School Assemblies to celebrate achievements and share insights. Students also enjoyed InterHouse Games, Gloucester Gatherings of craft and sporting activities run during lunchtimes, a Year 7’s Got Talent competition, and social justice opportunities through the Pymble Gives Back program.

Our Heads of Year and Compass teachers worked to establish connections with individual students across Mind-Body-Spirit time each day and through regular one-on-one conversation. Our Mind-Body-Spirit Framework and Compass curriculum programs emphasised the importance of balance through reference to “5 Ways to Wellbeing: Connect, Take Notice, Keep Learning, Be Active and Give.” These were also actioned regularly within the weekly Mind-BodySpirit schedule, where the focus was on establishing and maintaining respectful relationships and taking responsibility for our own wellbeing.

Recognition and celebration of individual talents across Middle School in 2023 fostered a climate that embraced diversity and encouraged acceptance. Through the Values Award and the Jacaranda Award, students were acknowledged and encouraged to live the College motto of “Strive for the Highest”.

Digital Nutrition was an important aspect of the Middle School program, promoted through various Compass activities in conjunction with recommendations from the eSafety Commissioner and guest presenters from YSafe. YSafe and Family Zone are two useful platforms that assisted

us to monitor the girls’ digital profiles and limit online access in partnership with parents. Police Liaison Officer, Senior Constable Lynda Hart also spoke with the girls to facilitate a better understanding of the implications of dangerous online behaviour whilst promoting responsible digital citizenship.

Leadership was seen as something every Middle School girl should aspire to through formal positions such as our Middle School Leaders, Compass Captains, Chapel Leaders, House Liaison Leaders, Sustainability Leaders, Wellbeing Leaders, Transition Leaders and SRC representatives, or via more informal opportunities such as our volunteer Tour Guides for Pymble Mornings. The concept that representation imbues responsibility was celebrated and encouraged through mentoring opportunities with the Upper and Senior Schools. Our Year 12 Prefects ran workshops to upskill Middle School girls in writing position applications and honing interview skills. The Student Leadership model was introduced across the College to provide more formal opportunities for our elected leaders to work in conjunction with older students within committees, an initiative that was enthusiastically embraced by our Middle School girls.

Students in Years 7 and 8 took part in an Outdoor Education Program throughout the year, which provided an opportunity for the girls to step out of their comfort zone and embrace a ‘challenge by choice’ adventure. Year 7 were stationed at Vision Valley for five days and Year 8 were invited to join a five-day program facilitated by Somerset on the Colo River. The girls took part in a vast array of physical and mental challenges that built resilience and fostered new connections.

Staff also worked to assist the girls to recognise their responsibility as global citizens and foster the need to give back. Our celebrations of National Day of Action Against Bullying and International Women’s Day featured engaging panels of guest speakers and dynamic student-created murals and installations that marked our commitment to inclusivity. During 2023, the Middle School continued to promote social responsibility through our Service Projects, with a focus on Happy Boxes, an initiative that provided gift boxes of handmade and store-purchased goods for Indigenous adolescents in remote communities. Throughout Terms 2 and 3, a large group of Middle School volunteers worked across one lunchtime each week to produce 135 Happy Boxes in total. We developed direct links with the Millingimbi and Gapuwiyak remote communities in Arnhem Land and intend to sustain these connections in the future to facilitate two-way learning opportunities.

UPPER SCHOOL (YEARS 9 AND 10)

In 2023, our commitment to fostering pro-social behaviour among Upper School students continued to evolve, building upon the foundation laid in 2022. Through our weekly Compass (wellbeing) lessons, aligned with the Mind-Body-Spirit Framework, students delved into themes of relationships, purpose, character, resilience, and mindfulness. These sessions, facilitated by Compass teachers who have been trained in the Circles Solutions model, empowered students to drive constructive conversations and mutual learning. Each week, Compass teachers met with their Heads of Year to workshop, review, and practise the delivery of their upcoming session. Each module of Upper School Compass lessons featured activities focused on fostering respectful relationships and caring for self, alongside discussions on personal and digital safety.

Moreover, our Upper School student leaders convened weekly to exchange feedback, brainstorm new initiatives, and coordinate key events, such as fundraising activities, memorable ‘minute-to-win-it’ competitions, and termly assemblies celebrating student achievements.

One hundred and sixty-seven Year 9 students participated in the Residential Program at Vision Valley, with two of the three cohorts that attended part of a co-educational experience with Saint Ignatius’ College, Riverview. This provided an opportunity for students to build healthy and respectful relationships, whilst also learning to live harmoniously in community. Engaging in service opportunities (known as ‘Dulumi’, the Dharug word meaning ‘to give away for nothing’), students made meaningful contributions to their new bush environment by removing invasive weeds, planting the

permaculture garden, designing signage, and providing general assistance at the Vision Valley site.

In Term 3, our Year 9 girls enjoyed a full day of service activities back on campus, first hearing from leaders at Dignity before making healthy meals that were frozen and later made available for those in need. The girls also assisted in clearing and cleaning key areas of the Pymble site to remind them of their responsibility to their immediate environment.

Furthermore, our Year 10 cohort dedicated two days during the Future You Festival to participate in onsite and offsite service activities, promoting themes of respect, responsibility, and community awareness. This included a day spent with Cook for Good in Darlinghurst, where the students learned about homelessness and what they could do to support those in need,

together with workshops on Days for Girls and preparing Christmas gifts for local aged care facilities.

In addition to Social Responsibility programs, our Upper School offered various initiatives to instil respect and responsibility among students, including:

• The Butterfly Effect Program by Enlighten Education fostering positive self-concept.

• Overseas Exchange Opportunities for Year 10 students.

• Your Choicez program promoting awareness of consent and healthy relationships.

• Road Safety Awareness training by RYDA.

• The Urban Challenge.

• Peer support with Year 10 mentoring Year 7 students.

• Drug and Alcohol Awareness presentation by Paul Dillon.

• Ongoing recognition of College values at assemblies.

• Leadership opportunities in Years 9 and 10 and within our spirit Houses.

• Participation in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

These initiatives collectively aimed to nurture a culture of respect, responsibility, and social awareness within our Upper School community, and reflected our Upper School vision to empower students who are socially conscious, full of self-worth, and cognizant of how they can impact others for the better.

“Each module of Upper School Compass lessons featured activities focused on fostering respectful relationships and caring for self, alongside discussions on personal and digital safety.”

MR TOM RILEY HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL

SENIOR SCHOOL (YEARS 11 AND 12)

As the oldest girls in the College, Senior School students assume many formal and informal leadership positions, providing strong role models for each other and their youngers peers. Providing opportunities for an authentic student voice, and advocating for issues which concern them, Senior School students are afforded the opportunity to understand that meaningful change is possible. In this process, students also come to an awareness of interdependence and how diversity of opinion is a positive influence in forming well-rounded perspectives that show respect for others and themselves.

Senior School students engage in a range of service programs (both within the College and in the broader community) that build a robust connection to their local, national and global communities in addition to an awareness of their own privilege and how this can be used to improve the lives of others. These activities also create a stronger sense of purpose in their lives. The College endeavours to show, by way of practical

“The College endeavours to show, by way of practical example, how taking responsibility for our role within our communities, and respecting diversity, can facilitate genuine and meaningful change.”

MRS NIKKI WYSE HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL

example, how taking responsibility for our role within our communities, and respecting diversity, can facilitate genuine and meaningful change.

Several processes were implemented to build respect and responsibility and to continue to facilitate a sense of community and belonging across the Senior School and the broader College. Following some disrupted years of schooling because of the COVID pandemic, the Senior School team designed and applied targeted experiences to build the sense of connection and community across and between the students. The Senior School staff were supported throughout the year by experts including Paul Dillon from DARTA (drug and alcohol education), Brent Sanders (personal safety), Katherine Taylor from Turning Point Consulting (leadership and values) and Amanda Marshall (Youth Leadership Academy). These speakers were able to enhance and support College programs designed to build a sense of personal and communal responsibility and respect.

Through the Mind-Body-Spirit curriculum, Senior School delivered a student-designed program which aimed to build stronger diversity with inclusion. Thriving schools strive for respect for and understanding of cultural diversity and build everyone’s cultural literacy. This is both an individual and shared responsibility. Our program had a key focus on sharing stories, understanding stereotypes and media bias and representation. The aim was to increase cultural awareness by offering opportunities for diversity of thought and inclusive mindsets.

Compass classes met daily to foster connections and support, and wellbeing curriculum classes were delivered during pastoral time. These lessons and activities encouraged the students to understand and experience the importance of community, monitor their own wellbeing and look after themselves, prepare for post-school life, and build respect for each other’s experiences and perspectives.

Senior School girls who participated in various co-curricular activities, spanning academics, sports, and cultural pursuits, were encouraged to creatively engage with younger students as role models and mentors. Embracing this responsibility, they organised and led a variety of activities, meetings, and competitions, enhancing their adaptability and problem-solving skills while fostering values of respect and responsibility. Through their dedication and achievements, they cultivated a sense of self-efficacy, gratitude, and confidence.

All students are assigned to a Compass class, organised along House groups, with the goal of nurturing House spirit, belonging, and inter-year connections. As the senior members of each House, Years 11 and 12 girls spearheaded numerous initiatives and service activities to instil a sense of purpose and responsibility.

The purpose-built Senior School Centre was highly valued by Senior School

students, offering a flexible environment that promoted collaboration and community among students and teachers. This environment facilitated greater independence and decisionmaking among the girls, contributing to the development of their self-respect and respect for others. The students in Years 11 and 12 exhibited self-directed and responsible work habits, gradually gaining more independence as they prepared for life beyond school, whether for tertiary study, travel, or the workplace.

Senior School girls engaged in a voluntary mentoring program, wherein they selected a senior staff member as a mentor for one-on-one coaching and mentoring sessions. This initiative empowered the girls to take ownership of challenges they may encounter and capitalise on available opportunities. In addition to this, Senior students were allocated a Year 5 student to mentor and guide throughout their final two years of schooling. This allowed all students to experience leadership and the positive

influence that they can each exert.

The Senior School actively engaged with the community through a variety of initiatives. Students participated in activities such as the annual Sony Camp in collaboration with Shore School, International Women’s Day, the Senior School Knit-in for the Wrap with Love charity, NAIDOC Week, Anzac Day, and Remembrance Day. Additionally, a significant number of Year 11 students took part in a joint initiative with Knox Grammar School aimed at fostering positive relationships between young women and men. Through these endeavours, the College encourages students to cultivate a strong voice for change, empathy, and respectful relationships.

Theme 2 Outcomes and results

Standardised Testing

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is a series of tests focused on basic skills that are administered annually to Australian students.

NAPLAN 2023 Literacy and numeracy assessments were undertaken in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. Please visit the My School website for a full breakdown of Pymble Ladies’ College NAPLAN results for 2023. The results can be found in graphs, number and bands.

myschool.edu.au/school/43846/naplan

Post-school destinations

In 2023, 97% of students who left school following the completion of Year 12 were offered places at university via UAC with many receiving an early offer before they sat their Higher School Certificate (HSC) exams. Most offers were for NSW Universities – USYD, UTS, Macquarie University and UNSW. 39 offers were for universities in VIC.

Eleven students chose to take a gap year and are working in schools in the UK. They have deferred their university offers.

24 students have accepted offers to study at universities overseas in the UK (including Oxford and University College London) and US (including University of Pennsylvania, University of Texas and Savannah College of Art and Design.)

www.myschool.edu.au/school/43846/naplan

Senior Secondary outcomes

Pymble proudly offers a comprehensive and balanced educational experience and nurtures students to make the most of their individual potential. As a result, our senior secondary students consistently achieve top academic results in the Higher School Certificate (HSC).

HSC AND RECORD OF SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT (ROSA)

In 2023, 275 students (99.5%) were awarded their HSC.

The formal ROSA was awarded to one student who was unable to complete Year 12 due to health reasons and one student who completed their first year of Year 12 doing Pathways in 2023 and is entering university using alternative entry pathways. One student will complete her second year of Pathways at the College in 2024. myschool.edu.au/school/43846/ seniorsecondary/2023

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING (VET)

Pymble offers two VET courses: Hospitality and Entertainment Industry (new in 2023).

16 students (6%) sat for the HSC examination in Hospitality (Kitchen Operations and Cookery) and 15 students (5%) achieved Certificate II in Kitchen Operations and Cookery.

10 students (4%) sat for the HSC examination in Entertainment Industry

and 10 students (4%) achieved Certificate III in Live Production and Technical Services.

Note that Senior Secondary Outcomes are documented on the My School website:

https://www.myschool.edu.au/ school/43846/vetinschools

HSC Results

2023 HSC OVERVIEW

275 students sat for the NSW HSC in 50 courses and were eligible for an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR). When compared to the state average, results in Bands 5 and 6 (2-unit courses) and Bands E3 and E4 (Extension courses) have remained consistently well above the state. On average, 78% of Pymble candidates across all 2-unit courses offered at the College achieved results in Band 5 and 6, compared with 46% of students across the state in the same subjects.

Pymble students achieved an incredible 21 state rankings, and 38 students were named as All-round Achievers with Band

6 or E4 in 10 or more units. 188 students had at least one Band 6 result (above 90), placing them on the Distinguished Achievers list.

Japanese Extension, Latin Continuers, Latin Extension and Music Extension were brilliant subjects this year with 100% of students in Band 6 or E4.

Pymble students excelled in the following 2-unit subjects in which the combined Band 5/6 results were 30% or more above the state percentages (subjects with an * also had three times or more the state percentage of Band 6 students):

Aboriginal Studies, Agriculture*, Ancient History*, Biology*, Business Studies, Chemistry, Design and Technology, Drama, English EAL/D*, Entertainment Industry*, Food Technology*, French Continuers, Geography*, Hospitality, Investigating Science*, Italian Beginners, Japanese Continuers*, Legal Studies, Mathematics Standard*, Modern History*, Music 1*, PDHPE*, Physics*, Society and Culture, Studies of Religion I and Visual Arts*.

In addition, these subjects had 100%

“Pymble students achieved an incredible 21 state rankings, and 38 students were named as All-round Achievers with Band 6 or E4 in 10 or more units.”

of students in Band 5 and 6 (above 80) for 2-unit subjects and E3 and E4 for Extension subjects; Classical Greek Continuers, Drama, English Extension 1, English Extension 2, French Continuers, French Extension, German Extension, History Extension, Investigating Science, Japanese Continuers, Mathematics Extension 2, Music 1, Music 2, Studies of Religion I and Visual Arts.

21 students accelerated in Mathematics Advanced, and 2 accelerated in French Continuers. Six students studied languages external to Pymble for the HSC – Chinese and Literature, Chinese in Context and Spanish Beginners.

BEST IN SUBJECT

One student achieved first place in the state in the following course:

• Mathematics Extension 2.

In addition, 20 students earned a place in the Top Achievers in Course List across a variety of courses:

• Aboriginal Studies (5th)

• Agriculture (2nd)

• Agriculture (8th)

• Agriculture (8th)

• Ancient History (8th)

• Classical Greek Continuers (3rd)

• Dance (3rd)

• Earth and Environmental Science (7th)

• English Advanced (4th)

• English Advanced (17th)

• French Continuers (4th)

• Hospitality Examination (9th)

• Investigating Science (5th)

• Investigating Science (6th)

• Italian Beginners (4th)

• Japanese Extension (2nd)

• Mathematics Extension 1 (2nd)

• Modern History (15th)

• Textiles and Design (8th)

• Visual Arts (10th)

ALL-ROUND ACHIEVERS

38 (14%) of Pymble students were named in the NESA All-round Achievers List. This list acknowledges the results of students who achieved Band 6 results (90 or better) in 2-unit courses or a Band E4 result (45 or better) in an Extension course in 10 or more units.

DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVERS LIST

The NESA Distinguished Achievers List acknowledges students who earn a Band 6 result (90 or better) in a 2-unit course or a Band E4 result (45 or better) in an Extension course in one or more subjects. In 2023, Pymble students earned 593 mentions, achieved by 188 individual students or 68% of students.

HSC SHOWCASES AND EXHIBITIONS

In 2023, Pymble students earned 63 nominations in total and inclusion in the following HSC showcases and exhibitions:

• ARTEXPRESS – 24 nominations and

six students had their Body of Work selected for exhibition.

• CALLBACK (Dance) –nine nominations.

• OnSTAGE (Drama) – 10 nominations for individual performances, four nominations for group projects, and one nomination for project.

• ENCORE (Music) – Six nominations for Music 2 and Music Extension, and three nominations for Music 1.

• SHAPE – Three nominations for Design and Technology, three nominations for Textiles and Design, and one student had their Textiles selected for exhibition.

Trends in HSC Student Performance

HSC RESULTS BY COURSE 2021-2023

Pymble students continue to achieve well above the state percentages in Bands 5 and 6 across a wide range of courses including Extension courses. This is seen in our results from 2021-2023.

2021-2023 EXTENSION COURSES

Performance Band achievement by percentage

TRENDS IN ATAR

In 2023, the highest reported ATAR achieved was 99.95. Other outstanding ATARS were from two students on 99.90 and a further two students on 99.85.

Trend in ATAR range from 2019 to 2023

Trend in Mean and Median ATAR from 2019 to 2023

This data demonstrates a slight increase in median ATAR and a consistent mean ATAR.

We treasure our caring, inclusive and collegiate community, which we often refer to as our Pymble family.

Staffing

We consider our academic, co-curricular and professional services staff to be our greatest assets, integral to the outstanding educational experience we offer students and families. We express our appreciation for our staff in many ways, through recognition programs, story sharing, celebrations, feedback and competitive remuneration and benefits.

Pymble is a unique working environment where each person is valued for who they are, as well as the quality of their work, their unique contribution to the diversity of our community, and their wins, big and small.

Pymble invests in its teachers to encourage them to flourish in their professional lives as educators of the highest calibre. In 2023, professional learning included a strong focus on Digital Learning, with an explicit emphasis on the rise of artificial intelligence and the implications for teaching and learning. With approximately 700 attendances at workshops and keynote addresses offered by the College, there was a clear intent from the Pymble community to ensure that our teachers were working at the cutting edge of innovation.

Significant financial and human resources were provided to support and deliver a diverse range of opportunities including internal and external professional learning workshops and courses, postgraduate study and research grants, accreditation processes, and educational leadership training.

External Experts / Relationships / Partnerships / Courses

Connections with external experts and courses are encouraged to support and inspire excellence in the design, implementation and delivery of teaching and learning.

learning opportunities/ courses external to the College

Courses

Accreditation Careers

Senior School Curriculum

Digital Technologies

Disability Provisions/ Educational Support

Early Childhood

First Nations

High Potential Learners

Discipline specific: HSIE

Discipline specific: GBE

Discipline specific: English

Discipline specific: Art

Discipline specific: Languages

Disciplines specific: PDHPE

Discipline specific: Science

Discipline specific: Performing Arts

Discipline specific: Maths

Discipline specific: TAS

External Experts / Relationships / Partnerships / Courses (continued)

Faculty based relationships/ PL with external experts

English: English consultant with the AISNSW supported staff in their development of a scope and sequence and units for the new English Syllabus 7 to 10

Languages: Link with Alison Dean, ADECS Consultancy Services, who presented information about the new syllabus (i.e. focus areas, content, skills, assessments, etc.), and provided templates for S&S and programs/units of work as well as tools to ease the process of adapting/updating 2023 programs for 2024.

Dr Jared Cooney Hovarth – The Neuroscience of Learning, From the Laboratory to the Classroom

Samantha Rowntree – Aspect Autism and Neurodiversity in Girls 280

Attendance Theme 4

ANNUAL ATTENDANCE REPORT 2023

• Students are calculated as absent if they have notified their absence to the school.

• Students are calculated as present if they are on school-related leave.

• Year 12 students’ attendance is calculated for Terms 1 to 3 inclusive.

• Attendance is calculated only for school days.

JUNIOR SCHOOL

• Students are calculated as present even if they are present for a single period in a day.

• Partial attendance is calculated as a percentage based on number of periods attended.

• Students are calculated as absent if they have notified their absence to the school.

• Attendance is calculated only for school days.

SECONDARY SCHOOL

• Partial attendance is calculated as a percentage based on number of periods

• Please follow the link to the My School website for further information on student attendance: www.myschool.edu.au/ school/43846

MANAGEMENT OF STUDENT NON-ATTENDANCE

STUDENT ABSENCE PROCEDURES

• Each School has an absentee line and parents/carers are required to use the absentee line before 9.00am to notify the College if their daughter is to be absent.

• The relevant Administrative Assistants enter this information and the reason for the absence into the system using the appropriate code.

• In the event of an absence or late arrival of a student in the Secondary School, the parent/carer of the student will be notified via an automated SMS to their mobile telephone contact and provided with the reason given by the student.

• Partial absences or anomalies in attendance will be followed up on the day or the following day if it occurs late in the day, by the:

– Academic Administrative Coordinator or the Administrative Assistant in the Secondary School

– Administrative Assistant or Head of School in the Junior School.

• The College requests parents/carers make appointments such as medical or dental outside of normal College hours.

• If contact cannot be made with the parent/carer or emergency contact, the Deputy Principal – Students (K-12) is notified to determine the appropriate course of action.

• Parents/carers are requested to seek leave of absence in writing, using the appropriate form, from the Head of School prior to any known leave, including sports commitments, appointments, holidays, funerals etc. If the student is a Boarder, the Head of School will consult with the Director of Boarding before final approval is granted.

• Upon approval, a Certificate of Exemption will be provided by the Deputy Principal – Students (K-12).

• The School Administrative Assistant will enter this information and record the leave as an absence.

• All records of the application and the Certificate of Exemption should be scanned and saved in the student’s file.

• The Head of Year will be notified of extended or unexplained absences of more than three days. The College will endeavour to make contact with the parent/carer or emergency contact to ascertain the reason.

• The College requests that parents/ carers avoid taking extended leave outside of scheduled College holidays. However, it recognises that at times circumstances are such that this is not possible. Parents/carers should consult with the Heads of School as early as possible on these occasions to seek a Certificate of Exemption from the Deputy Principal – Students (K-12).

ABSENCE FOR COLLEGE-RELATED REASONS NOT ORGANISED BY THE COLLEGE

• Students requesting leave from the College for events such as elite sporting competitions must go through the Head of School to seek a Certificate of Exemption from the Deputy Principal – Students (K-12). Once approved, the Head of School is responsible for checking that the Administrative Assistant has entered the absence into the system and recorded it as “College-related leave”.

• If a Secondary School student is at school but absent from class because she is seeing another member of staff, her absence from her timetabled lesson should be entered on the electronic roll by the staff member she is with e.g. Counsellor, Health Care Centre Nurse, Head of Year, Careers Advisor etc.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Academic Administrative Coordinator (Secondary School), Administrative Assistants and class teachers (Junior School) are responsible for tracking attendance and should: – check the roll daily and discuss any discrepancies with the appropriate Head of Year – advise of any patterns of attendance which are of concern. For example, a pattern of absence on certain days or lessons, absences of more than three (3) days for which there is no personal communication from the parent/carer

– in case of a late arrival, or early departure of a student, indicate the details of the lateness or early departure on the roll – having received an absence note, record the absence and the reason – keep a record of unacceptable late arrivals.

The Administrative Assistants are responsible for: – telephoning the parent/carer of any student who is absent without notification, as soon as possible after Period 1 or by the end of the day – following up concerns about student absences

– discussing with the Head of Year and following up with the parent/carer any situations where they suspect absences may not be legitimate, for instance if friends are absent together and the College has not been notified.

The Heads of Learning Area (Secondary School) and the Administrative Assistant (Junior School) are responsible for:

following up teachers who have not marked rolls, in addition to an automated email notification to the relevant teacher as a reminder to mark the roll – advising the Director of Staff or Deputy Principal – Students (K-12) of those staff who regularly neglect to mark rolls.

The Heads of School are responsible for: – reporting students with more than 30 days absence to the Deputy Principal – Students ( K-12) – referring a request for under 100 days of attendance in a year or a request from the parents/carers for a student of compulsory school age to leave school to undertake an apprenticeship or traineeship to the Deputy Principal – Students (K-12).

The Deputy Principal – Students (K-12) is responsible for: – overseeing the process and implementing corrective action as required – advising the Principal of the name of any student who has been absent for more than 30 days so that the Mandatory Reporters Guide can be accessed to determine whether a report is required to Community Services – co-ordinating applications for an exemption from school attendance of compulsory school-aged students in line with the guidelines from the NSW Department of Education and Communities and making recommendations to the Principal.

Theme 5

School policies

The following policies and procedures are available publicly on the Pymble Ladies’ College website.

• Anti-Bullying Policy and Procedure

• Child Protection Policy

• Mandatory Reporting Procedure

• Reportable Conduct Procedure

• Working With Children Check Procedure

• Complaints Policy and Procedure

• Complaints Policy and Procedure –Overseas Students

• Enrolment Policy

• Conditions of Entry and Continuing Enrolment

• Privacy Policy

• Risk Warning (Sporting and NonSporting Activities)

• Security Policy

• Student Behaviour Expectation Policy and Procedure

• Student Code of Behaviour Policy

• Whistleblower Policy

Further, the following policies and procedures are available through the staff portal and to parents upon request.

• Attendance Policy and Procedure

• Student Health and Wellbeing Policy

• Student Support and Disability Policy and Procedure

• Counselling Guideline

• Health Care Centre Procedure.

Theme 6

Stakeholder satisfaction

Pymble is committed to listening to the views and expectations from key stakeholders and commissions independent surveys to provide performance feedback on a wide range of topics. The feedback from these surveys greatly assists the College with both its operational and strategic planning and its determination to continually improve the educational experience offered to the students.

In 2023, 401 parents and 745 students from selected year groups participated in surveys and provided views on such areas as academic performance, student wellbeing, music activities, sport, communications, reputation and facilities.

PARENT FEEDBACK

A selection of our parents’ top-level findings are detailed below, ranked in order of the importance the parents placed on reasons for choosing a school for their daughter.

The top five areas are noted below:

1. 85% of parents noted their expectations were met or exceeded in relation to the quality of teaching.

2. 88% of parents noted their expectations were met or exceeded in relation to the focus on student wellbeing.

3. 90% of parents noted their expectations were met or exceeded in relation to a balanced and challenging education.

4. 87% of parents noted their expectations were met or exceeded in relation to academic standards.

5. 98% of parents noted their expectations were met or exceeded in relation to facilities and resources.

2023 PYMBLE LADIES’ COLLEGE PARENTS

MOST VALUED ASPECTS ABOUT THE COLLEGE

Parents and students were asked to provide open responses to the most valued aspects of Pymble. The most frequently nominated aspects were:

• opportunities provided

• personal growth, development and achievement

• happiness attending school

• academic curriculum and standards

• quality of teachers and staff.

STUDENT FEEDBACK

A selection of our students’ top-level findings are detailed below, ranked in order of the importance the parents placed on reasons for choosing a school.

The top five areas are noted below:

1. 85% of students noted their expectations were met or exceeded in relation to the quality of teaching.

2. 79% of students noted their expectations were met or exceeded in relation to the focus on student wellbeing.

3. 89% of students noted their expectations were met or exceeded in relation to a balanced and challenging education.

4. 90% of students noted their expectations were met or exceeded in relation to academic standards.

5. 93% of students noted their expectations were met or exceeded in relation to facilities and resources.

2023 PYMBLE LADIES’ COLLEGE STUDENTS – EXPECTATIONS MET/EXCEEDED

“My daughters are flourishing at Pymble. They love the school and are engaged, learning and developing well academically and across a range of activities. Thank you for all that you do.”

PARENTS SHARE FEEDBACK ON WHAT THEY VALUE ABOUT THE COLLEGE:

“Long-standing tradition with our family and a dependable high-quality education across a huge number of areas.”

“My daughter is happy there and she does well academically. Her sporting peers and coaches are a huge reason she feels so safe and valued.”

“Pymble takes a balanced approach to education and is focused on the whole person- academics are incredibly important but as we know, success in life is more than that.”

“Pymble is a safe environment for my daughter to get an education that provides lots of opportunities for her.”

“I value all of the good facilities and the wide range of activities that students can take part in without going to competitions or contests but purely for fun.”

STUDENTS SHARE FEEDBACK ON WHAT THEY VALUE ABOUT THE COLLEGE:

“I value my academic achievements the most at Pymble because I think Pymble has helped me very much by providing many high potential opportunities for me to participate in, and the overall quality of facilities and student/teacher relationships are relatively high.”

“I value the teachers that are kind and caring and friends who are super nice

and funny. I also value the learning and recreational facilities in the College.”

“The fact that Pymble is a close-knit community and that I’m provided with multiple opportunities that help me achieve good results.”

“The relationships we form in school, and the moral values that allows us to treat each other respectfully and be polite even when out of school.”

STAFF FEEDBACK

Our three-year People and Culture Strategy was launched in 2021 and is focused on four strategic priorities:

• talent acquisition and onboarding

• staff wellbeing, diversity and inclusion

• staff engagement, development and performance

• recognition, remuneration and benefits.

The strategy is also focused on risk management and compliance.

WELCOME PROGRAM

In 2023 we continued our staff Welcome Program which is run each term for new staff to help them make a positive and confident start to their roles.

• “Such a lovely warm welcome to Pymble and so great to meet some other new faces and the executive team. Gave me much more confidence for starting.”

• “The Welcome Program provided an excellent balance between giving information and meeting key staff and other new starters. I can’t think of anything to add. Thank you!”

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT (NON-ACADEMIC STAFF)

In September 2023, we surveyed our Professional Services, Operations and Administration staff to better understand their learning and development needs. Based on the feedback received we were able to offer courses including:

a) IT skills in File Management, Advanced Excel and Tech Tips with AI.

b) Managing Challenging Conversations

c) Introduction to Project Management

d) CareerGrow – career development program to understand strengths and goals.

Professional Learning for Academic staff is outlined in Theme 3.

“I enjoy celebrating someone who has done something special and it should be recognised. I love seeing the joy on their faces when they aren’t expecting it and the humility of some staff as they do receive an award.”

CHALLENGING CONVERSATIONS

In March 2023, we invited some of our professional services staff to provide their feedback regarding challenging conversations they may encounter in their roles. The questionnaire provided a confidential and anonymous method to gather data and stories from a crosssection of staff. The themes from this research were used to develop training workshops on Managing Challenging Conversations which were very well received by staff.

• “I really appreciate the opportunity to be involved and sincerely hope that my answers are helpful. I really look forward to being able to have some training in dealing with difficult phone calls because it is one of the things that is quite stressful for me at work.”

• “This program was very relevant to my role and gave me some excellent tools to use when I’m faced with difficult situations or conversations”.

PARENTAL LEAVE BENEFITS

The College has continued its program of benefits to staff who are welcoming a new baby into their family or seeking greater flexibility with working arrangements. The College increased paid parental leave benefits for secondary carers from two weeks to six weeks on 1 July 2023 and will increase it again to 8 weeks from 1 July 2024. This has been very well received from staff, especially our new fathers.

STAFF RECOGNITION

Our L.O.V.E. Awards (Living Our Values Everyday) are held twice yearly and have seen enthusiastic engagement and participation from staff in 2023. Staff take great pride in receiving the award which is presented by the Principal in front of an assembly of all staff.

• “I am very glad that we have the L.O.V.E awards as it gives us the opportunity to formally recognise and celebrate staff excellence. I always enjoy the ceremonies! They are fun and it’s a great feeling celebrating a worthy colleague’s endeavours.”

• “I enjoy celebrating someone who has done something special and it should be recognised. I love seeing the joy on their faces when they aren’t expecting it and the humility of some staff as they do receive an award.”

PYMBLE PULSE SURVEY

We engaged Culture Amp as our provider to run our Staff Engagement Survey in February 2023 and will run this survey again in Term 3 2024 (18 months after the first survey). We have been responding with actions focused on staff voice, understanding of decision making, and a continued focus wellbeing and workloads. Through a series of consultation/information sessions with staff, we have discussed the range of flexible work arrangements such as part-time work, job shares for teachers and professional services staff.

HEART HEALTH CHECKS

In 2023, the College ran free Heart and Diabetes Health Checks on campus to enable staff to easily access these important preventative health services. The program was very well received with 157 staff attending the checks which were run over a two-week period.

• “It’s so convenient to have these checks that I normally put off because of too many other things on the go. It shows a genuine care for staff”.

• “I appreciate that the College is providing practical support to teachers who are always so busy”.

PYMBLE LADIES’ COLLEGE INCOME 2023

PYMBLE LADIES’ COLLEGE EXPENDITURE 2023

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which Pymble Ladies’ College and Vision Valley stand. We pay respect to the Elders past, present and emerging and extend that respect to other First Nations people within the Pymble Ladies’ College community.

WATC H US CHANGE