Boarding School Handbook 2021

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“ We don’t just dream.

We do.”

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Boarding School Handbook

‘Watch us Change the World’ is our statement of intent and exists to instil courage in our girls, to create the future they want to see for themselves.

At Pymble, we foster a world-class educational environment with the importance of global citizenship and a worldwide perspective central to our strategic intent.

Our girls are compassionate and courageous Pymble women, masters of their own fate, who will go on to influence and change the world.

Our vision is for our girls to become influential and compassionate women.

Our five values of Care, Courage, Integrity, Respect and Responsibility reflect our spirit, heritage and traditions, our Christian beliefs as a Uniting Church school, and our commitment to providing meaningful, personal learning experiences for every Pymble girl.

Courage, through the attributes of fortitude, strength of character, resilience and determination, gives us the confidence to stand up for what is right, respond to the needs of others and make a positive, purposeful contribution to the world around us.

Courage Care

egrity Int

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ect

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Care for self and concern for others sustain and enhance our social, physical and learning environment.

We express care daily through considerate and compassionate attitudes and behaviour.

Integrity is evidenced through sincerity, a commitment to the truth, and habits of sound judgment and ethical conduct.

By adhering to high principles, we develop the moral framework fundamental to achieving great personal fulfillment and contributing positively to society.

Respect enables the richness and diversity of all backgrounds, cultures and abilities to be held in high regard.

Through respect, we promote greater self-esteem in ourselves and others, and create a community where achievement, education and life balance, and a love of learning are supported.

on Resp

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Responsibility encourages leadership and initiative, a spirit of service and commitment and the opportunity to make a positive contribution to the College community and, ultimately, society at large.

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Boarding School Handbook

Contents Principal’s message........................................................................................................................... 6 Message from Director of Boarding – Carolyn Burgess..........................................................7 Boarding Head Prefects................................................................................................................... 8 Our Boarding Houses..................................................................................................................... 10 Personalised Learning.....................................................................................................................13 Special programs for Boarding students................................................................................... 14 A day in the life of a Pymble Boarder......................................................................................... 19 Leadership.........................................................................................................................................20 New Boarder and family orientation.......................................................................................... 22 Boarders’ Parent Group (BPG)..................................................................................................... 23 Health and medical......................................................................................................................... 23 Five schools, one college.............................................................................................................. 24

Welcome to Pymble Thank you for taking the time to consider

Our Boarding School is a true home-

Pymble Ladies’ College for your daughter. away-from-home for girls in Years 7 to We are often asked, what makes Pymble so special? That’s easy. It’s our girls.

“ Being Pymble Proud starts with being the best version of you.”

DR KATE HADWEN

12, where the emphasis is on creating a sense of family and belonging.

Whether your daughter is in Middle,

Pymble girls have every opportunity

Upper or Senior School years, she will

to harness their unique inner strengths

be supported by our experienced and

and develop the knowledge and skills

caring staff, her Boarding “sisters” and

they need to reach their full potential.

our holistic series of ‘Live it, Love it,

They bring passion and purpose to

Learn it and Lead it’ programs designed

everything they do. They are change

to support the development of life skills,

makers in the classroom, in their

leadership qualities, social connections

community and in the world. If they

and academic learning.

can dream it, they can do it at Pymble.

This is an exciting time for you and your daughter to learn more about our College and our Boarding School.

Our new strategic plan, Watch Us Change the World, has been developed around

We warmly invite you to visit our campus and experience firsthand the culture of our much-loved College. From our family to yours, we look forward to welcoming you to Pymble.

four learning pillars designed to build academic, emotional, digital and social intelligence. Underpinning the pillars is our Mind-Body-Spirit Framework, which positively influences our girls in terms of their awareness, resilience, character, purpose, relationships and lifestyle choices.

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Boarding School Handbook

DR KATE HADWEN PRINCIPAL PHD, M.ED, GRAD CERT ED LEADERSHIP, B.ED

MESSAGE FROM DIRECTOR OF BOARDING It is a privilege to be a member of this

Integral to our success as a close-

beautiful community and to lead our

knit community is a Boarding team

committed staff and dynamic girls to

who is highly experienced, nurturing

provide an environment that encourages,

and particularly attuned to the special

supports and nurtures every Boarder

needs of adolescent girls. Our staff are

to strive for the highest. I cherish the

deliberate in their efforts to know each

opportunity to work with your daughter,

girl and to understand her hopes and

to learn her aspirations, support her in

dreams. They take the time to guide her

challenges and celebrate her successes.

by responding to her ideals and needs as a unique learner and as a person.

Our Boarders are the heart of Pymble.

We celebrate the unique gifts that each

We value our partnership with our

girl brings and provide a supportive,

Boarding families and actively encourage

responsive and home-like environment

open communication. There are many

in which they can flourish. With access

ways in which families can engage

to exceptional learning opportunities,

with the Boarding community and we

state of the art facilities, an extensive co-

welcome your involvement in various

curricular program, beautiful grounds and

events and learning opportunities.

a caring and professional staff, our girls are empowered to embrace opportunities to

We want the best for our girls and it is

develop a broad perspective of life and to

our hope that they will graduate from

make meaning of their world as confident

Pymble Ladies’ College with a belief in

and capable young women.

their own capacity to create and engage in a life that is filled with love and joy;

With more than 100 Boarders, our

fun and laughter; hope and faith. Most

community has a strong sense of pride.

of all we want our girls to know who they

Opportunities to build lifelong friendships, are and to value their own uniqueness. while the building of strong relationships with Day students is actively encouraged through a variety of initiatives.

CAROLYN BURGESS DIRECTOR OF BOARDING

Boarding Head Prefects Starting Boarding in Year 7 was one of the I am honoured and excited to be Head most exciting and different experiences

Boarder for 2021 and look forward to an

of my life so far. Having lived as an expat

exciting year. Our prefect team has many

in Shanghai, China for my whole life,

goals and strategies to make this year a

Boarding at Pymble was something

super special one. Our focus for the year

completely different for me. Having my

is ‘care’ and we will be doing all we can

family live so far away was a bit of a

to enhance the wellbeing and sense of

challenge at the start, however I soon

belonging in our Boarding family.

discovered the great support network which we have here at Pymble, especially

Being a Boarder here at Pymble is the

as a Boarder. The Boarding staff are

best! So, if you are thinking of sending

always here for us and ready to help

your daughter to Pymble you can feel

with absolutely everything and anything.

assured that she will be joining a very special family.

You have the opportunity to develop life-long friendships with your Boarding ‘sisters’. I definitely think the friendships which I have made as a Boarder have made my Boarding experience so far so rich, unique and extremely fun. There isn’t a day that passes in the Boarding house that isn’t filled with laughter, jokes and hugs. The Boarding memories that I have made will definitely be some of my most cherished from my young life.

ELLA JONES BOARDING HEAD PREFECT 2021

Our Boarding Houses Where Tradition meets the Future of Learning Educating for the future is more than delivering information – it must prepare young people for a world requiring flexibility, problem solving skills, technology skills, analytical skills and teamwork. Pymble is a place where girls become capable, caring and confident young women.

Pymble’s proud tradition of Boarding dates back to 1916, when 20 Boarders were among our first 60 students who enrolled at the College.

Our Boarding School remains a key part of College life, a unique environment which promotes active engagement in community and College life.

Boarding at Pymble is a nurturing experience which cares for and supports each girl, while giving her the opportunity to manage a daily routine and to live independently in the future.

Central to our Boarding School are our staff members, who are passionate about caring for young people and contribute in a significant way to the overall development of each girl.

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Boarding School Handbook

BOARDING HOUSES Pymble has three Boarding Houses within the safety of the beautiful College grounds, all designed to provide a comfortable ‘home away from home’ for girls from Years 7 to 12 at the College.

Students are allocated rooms in Marden House (Years 7, 8 and 9), Goodlet House (Years 10 and 11) and Lang House (Year 12) as they progress through their time at the College.

Adjacent to the student houses, Joan Hammond House serves as a meeting place for students and their visitors, where family members can freshen up, have a cup of tea and a chat while visiting their daughters.

Marden House and Lang House opened in 1916 when the College took its first students, and Goodlet House opened in 1926. The three Boarding Houses were extensively updated and tastefully renovated in 2020, while retaining their beautiful, historical facades.

We cater for more than 120 boarders, supported by a team of trusted professionals under the guidance of our Director of Boarding. Our Boarders were traditionally mostly from rural NSW, but now our Boarders also come from interstate, from Sydney and its surrounds and some international families.

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Boarding School Handbook

Personalised Learning At Pymble, we commit to knowing each

students are assisted to find balance

Research shows that students thrive

student as a unique person. Learning at

in their life, promoting the personalised

in an environment where they feel secure

Pymble is holistic, and girls are supported

education of each student and helping

and where they are encouraged and

to grow and to develop in four key areas.

them to plan their learning journey to

supported to take positive risks in learning

maximise their outcomes.

and life.

Pymble girl is known and respected for

Our Director of Boarding, Academic

We encourage our Boarding students

her skills, abilities and character which is a

and Boarding staff work with each girl

to ‘shoot for the moon’, to relish

fundamental part of our Boarding School.

to help her develop a personal plan for

challenge and to aspire to the highest

her academic performance.

goals in the knowledge that they will be

Personalised learning means every

We strongly support our Boarders

supported all the way.

through their learning process and the

Pymble’s Boarders are at home here,

completion of their homework and study

in a comfortable, safe and secure

During her years as a part of the Pymble

forms an essential part of our Boarders’

environment that also encourages

Boarding community, your daughter

daily routine.

each girl to make the most of her

will be supported as she journeys

unique strengths and abilities, to follow

from dependence to independence,

Boarders at Pymble have access to a

her interests and goals, and to take on

growing in wisdom and in compassion,

range of learning support opportunities,

challenges so that she learns and grows.

ready to make a difference in her local

and through our ‘Learn It’ program,

and global community.

Special programs for Boarding students Girls who are part of the Boarding

performance of music, drama and dance,

along with leisure equipment such as

experience at Pymble are encouraged to

along with the use of our wonderful

bicycles and many opportunities for

‘Live It, Love It, Learn It’ through a curated facilities and membership of an inclusive

off-campus activities, sometimes with

program that supports them to make the

and welcoming community.

Boarders from other schools.

most of this extraordinary opportunity.

Boarders have after-hours access to our

We support our Boarders to adopt their

Our Boarders can access activities that

Aquatic and Fitness Centre, supported by

own selection from Pymble’s extensive

include playing and training for sport,

a qualified lifeguard and fitness instructor,

range of Co-curricular programs, along with their own activities and interests.

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Senior School Handbook

Our Boarders live in a stunning location at the heart of the School, and our students love the wide-open spaces of the College grounds. Arriving with a medley of interests and backgrounds, our Boarders join a community where they are exposed to a wonderful mix of passions and abilities.

Boarding staff work with our girls to help them develop independent living skills, resilience and responsibility that will establish a solid grounding for the rest of their lives.

LOVE IT Many of our Boarders come from distant locations and going home for the weekend or having visitors can be rare events. Through our Love It program, Boarders can embrace the opportunities of city living, mimic home life and create safe connections with their local community through fun, well-managed external excursions.

LEARN IT Our Evening Study Program is designed

Our Boarders become part of a special

to enhance achievement of academic

family, which mirrors normal family life

potential, life balance and personal

as much as possible. They take part in

fulfillment, with key academic support

decisions about their House, in student-

staff to help girls manage their daily

led activities and have responsibilities to

routine and to get the best out of each

meet, such as keeping their room tidy

day by developing productive homework

and managing personal laundry.

and study routines and seeking support

Boarders are also invited to join in various

for subject related work.

volunteering opportunities.

LEAD IT

LIVE IT

Our ‘Lead It’ program provides a suite of

Our ‘Live It’ program helps girls prepare for the challenges of daily life beyond Boarding by teaching basic life skills, from cooking meals, to sewing on a button, doing laundry, paying bills, changing a tyre and writing a ‘thank you’ note.

opportunities for our Boarders to develop leadership capacity, from our Big Sister Program, to Spirit House Captains, our Boarders’ Representative Council and Boarding Prefects.

COMMUNITY DAYS Community Days are special times in our Boarding calendar designed to promote a sense of community and to provide Boarders with important skills for their time in Boarding, with two of these days to include a service with the Pymble and Gordon Uniting Church congregation.

BOARDING FAMILY FRIENDS PROGRAM The College Boarding Family Friends (BFF) program links the family of a Day student with our new Boarding students

Pymble may be your daughter’s ‘home away from home’ for a number of years, and all new and returning Boarders are supported to settle in and to make connections with members of her Boarding House and the Boarding community. Homesickness is a very common experience for students who live away from home, and the House Supervisors and Assistant Supervisors are experienced in supporting students and their parents when this occurs.

from rural areas and overseas, to help

Every new girl is given a House ‘Buddy’

them settle into Pymble. BFFs contact

to help her to settle in, introduce her

their Boarding family to welcome them,

to fellow housemates, show her the

visit the Boarder at the College, invite her

practicalities (such as how to use the

home for dinner or afternoon tea, and

washing machines) and accompany her

host her at home for a weekend.

on her first day of school.

ANGUS CUP, BOARDERS’ SPORTS CUP AND BOARDERS’ HOUSE CUP FOR EXCELLENCE IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Given time to settle in, new Boarders

These important inter-House

and confident enough to enjoy the

competitions see our Boarders compete

opportunities that the College has to offer.

in a range of fun activities to win points for their Houses. The Cups are awarded on the eve of Speech Day.

PYMBLE AND GORDON UNITING CHURCH – OUR EXTENDED COMMUNITY Our Boarding community is a welcome part of the congregation at Pymble and Gordon Uniting Church, where we participate in the church program to contribute to our wider community.

All our Boarders attend Church at least once a term.

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HOUSE BUDDY

Boarding School Handbook

will soon feel like they are members of a very large family and will be relaxed

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Boarding School Handbook

A day in the life of a Pymble Boarder WAKE-UP TIME Most girls wake between 7.00am and 7.15am, with breakfast served in the Dining Room for girls in Years 7 to 11 until 7.50am. Breakfast supplies are available in Joan Hammond House for girls who

Homework Club takes place in the library, where teachers are on duty from 3.30pm to 4.30pm.

Between home time and dinner, girls might have sports training, music practice or Co-curricular activities to attend.

can’t attend dining room service, for example through sporting commitments.

DINNER

SCHOOL TIME

Boarders arrive in the Dining Room by 5.55pm to say grace before their meal.

After making their bed and leaving their room area tidy, girls leave the Boarding House in full school uniform by 8.00am to start the school day at 8.15am.

RECESS AND LUNCH

LEARN IT EVENING STUDY PROGRAM Girls spend at least two nights each week at our Learn It Evening Study Program where they can access a broad range of academic staff who are engaged to

On school days, Boarders go to the Dining Room at recess and lunchtime to

support the Boarders and who cover a range of subjects and expertise.

choose their morning tea and lunch from the buffet, taking it outside to eat with

Our Year 12 students attend the Library or

their friends in the appropriate year area.

Kate Mason Senior School Centre based on their own needs.

HOME TIME The school day ends at 3.20pm and girls arrive back at their Boarding House to change into casual clothing and take afternoon tea in the kitchen, perhaps gathering their mail from the hallway table on the way in. It’s a great time to get to know the other Boarders, relax and have a chat about their day at school.

Leadership Pymble’s Boarding School Student Leadership program provides a variety of opportunities for students to develop their leadership potential.

BIG SISTER PROGRAM

BOARDERS’ REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL

Our Big Sister program supports younger

The Boarders’ Representative Council

girls by linking them with a Boarder from

(BRC) is elected by our Boarders to

Years 10 or 11 who can help younger

address concerns, improvements and

Boarders develop a sense of autonomy,

initiatives on behalf of all Boarders.

encourage safe and responsible behaviour outside the College, and

BOARDING PREFECTS

generally be a friend and mentor.

Our Year 12 Boarders play an important

Big Sisters are excellent role models who assist their Little Sister with homework, organisation, friendship conflicts and even homesickness. Big Sisters have a wonderful opportunity to provide genuine support, interest and empathy for their Little Sister.

SPIRIT HOUSE CAPTAINS Our Spirit House Captains are Year 11 Boarders who are voted for by their fellow Boarders and hold an important leadership position in our Boarding Community, working with our Chaplains to organise our fortnightly Chapel services, planning activities over our Community Weekends and competitions for the Angus Cup and Sports Cups.

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Boarding School Handbook

leadership role in the Boarding Community and elected leadership positions include Boarding Head Prefect; Deputy Head Prefect; Prefects for Marden and Goodlet; and Prefects for Environment and Sustainability, Community Engagement and for Performing Arts and Sport and Activities.

New Boarder and family orientation Our Boarders’ families – parents and

for the new school year, and usually

siblings too – are invited to join us in a

finishes with our Boarding Parent Group

weekend of special activities while our

welcome event.

new Boarders are introduced to key aspects of Boarding life.

New Boarders are also invited to visit us throughout the year, tour the Houses,

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Boarding School Handbook

Our special orientation program happens

stay for dinner or even organise a

before students return to the College

sleepover and time in the Day school.

Boarders’ Parent Group (BPG) All Pymble Boarding Parents are

Each year, the evening before the school

automatically part of our inclusive and

year begins, our BPG Welcome Drinks

welcoming Boarding Parent Group,

function is held so that parents and

which provides valuable support to our

carers can gather informally and develop

boarding community. The BPG keeps

relationships with staff and other parents

parents informed about Boarding life and

and carers.

provides opportunities to meet other Boarding families at relaxed social events.

Health and medical HEALTH CARE CENTRE The College has a well-established and resourced on-site Health Care Centre (HCC) open from 7.30am until 6.00pm. We schedule regular visits from a General Practitioner and physiotherapists which can be booked,

and there is no appointment required to see nursing staff. Boarders unable to attend class due to illness are cared for at the HCC and if medical attention is needed, staff will make arrangements for appointments with doctors, dentists and specialists as required.

P

Five schools, one college Situated on 20 hectares of beautiful

woman ready to graduate, each new

park-like grounds on Sydney’s upper

school will offer girls greater challenges,

North Shore, Pymble Ladies’ College is

responsibility and opportunities.

a non-selective, independent school for girls from Kindergarten to Year 12, with

The College offers a world-class learning

Boarding available from Year 7.

environment that provides opportunities for excellence in academic studies, sports

Pymble is a school that inspires and

and the arts, a comprehensive curriculum

excites students to explore and extend

with outstanding facilities and a nurturing

their potential. As your daughter moves

pastoral care program that recognises

from the dependence of her first years

and develops each girl’s unique strengths

through to the independence of a young

and qualities.

B Agricultural Plot C Art Centre (Ferguson House) D Avonmoore

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Boarding School Handbook

BOARDING

F G H I J K L

CENTENARY SPORTS PRECINCT

E Boarders’ Dining Room (Main Hall)

raith Williams Aquatic M B and Fitness Centre N Centenary Car Park O Centenary Walkway and Centenary Artwork P Gym, Artistic Gymnastics Centre (Jeanette Buckham Gymnasium) Q Mollie Dive Field R Sporting Courts

Goodlet House Goodlet Lawn Joan Hammond House Lang House Lang Lawn Marden House Marden Lawn

Gate 3

Gate 2

Main Oval

P Gate 1

Pymble train station

S

ollege Reception C (Isabel McKinney Harrison Centre)

a

eritage Centre (Archives, H Development, Alumni)

T College Uniform Shop

b James Kelso Pavilion and Field

U David Blackwell Music School

unior School (John Reid J c Building) OSHC Centre

V David Macfarlane Centre (DMC) W Dorothy Knox Building X Facilities Management Y Flagpole Lawn Gate 1 – Main Gates Z (John Marden Gates) 8 Gate 2 – Staff Parking 9

ate 3 – Deliveries G (Roland Love Gates)

Junior School Pick-up / d Drop-off Area at Flagpole Lawn e Liane Tooth Field f Main Colonnade g Main Hall h Main Oval i Middle School (Main Colonnade) j

Preparatory School Pick-up / Drop-off Area

n

Science Centre Science Lecture Theatre

o

econdary School Library S (Conde Building)

enior School Centre S (Kate Mason Building) p CISCO Room Jacaranda Café Jobson Lecture Theatre q Speech and Drama Centre r Sufferance Pathway s

echnology and Applied Studies T Centre (TAS)

t The Hub – IT Centre

illian Moore Centre for G : Performing Arts (GMCPA)

k Preparatory School

; Gloucester Lawn

l Pymble Train Station

v

< Grey House Walk

m Riverbed

w War Memorial Chapel

= Health Care Centre

u The Pavilion Upper School (Robert Vicars Building)

WATCH US CHANGE THE WORLD

TM

Avon Road, Pymble NSW 2073 | PO Box 136, North Ryde BC NSW 1670 Australia | Phone + 61 2 9855 7799 A SCHOOL OF THE UNITING CHURCH | ACN 645 100 670 | CRICOS 03288K 26

Boarding School Handbook

2021-BOA-1v4

PYMBLELC.NSW.EDU.AU