Strategic pillars

The College’s new Strategic Direction 2021-2030 is an exciting new chapter and emphasises developing the whole student in all areas of her life. Our focus is on four key intelligences: Academic, Social, Emotional and Digital. These four learning pillars are supported by the College values of Care, Courage, Integrity, Respect and Responsibility and the Mind Body Spirit Framework promoting holistic wellness.

ACADEMIC INTELLIGENCE – KNOWLEDGE FOR A BETTER WORLD

Learning at Pymble inspires students to explore what matters to them and see themselves in futures they may not have imagined. Our girls develop a curiosity and hunger for learning. In developing the enduring virtues of intellectual tenacity and rigorous scholarship, our learners think critically, creatively and collaboratively, with commitment to decisive action. Inspired by open-ended learning experiences, Pymble girls invest in their own learning, think beyond the immediate and accept the challenge to change their world.

Pymble Ladies’ College and the Rural Doctor’s Network (RDN) held the second annual Careers Forum at Pymble in Term 2. The aim of the forum is to raise awareness of the opportunities in medicine, nursing, and health, and particularly in rural areas of NSW and Australia. This is an event which is open to other metropolitan schools, with a specific emphasis on schools with boarding communities.

Students attended lectures, a Q&A panel, expo-style exhibits, interactive workshop style sessions, and generally learnt from recent graduates in the fields represented. The event challenges students to consider their post-school options, to appreciate factors such as job shortages and industries displaying high levels of employability, and to develop the appropriate depth of understanding of a given industry rather than reactively choosing post-school courses.

Learning at Pymble inspires students to explore what matters to them...

Post-event feedback indicated students found the speakers informative and inspiring. As an example, attendees commented on the passionate address given by The Hon. Bronnie Taylor, MLC, Minister for Mental Health, Regional Youth and Women. The RDN Forum is a fantastic example of an open-ended learning experience for students that challenge perceptions, gives them the tools to take charge of their decision making, and to envision ways that they may be able to make a difference in the world beyond Pymble.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE – EMPOWERED TO BE COURAGEOUS

Pymble girls are courageous and determined learners who approach new challenges with a sense of optimism and excitement. They develop the emotional intelligence and strength of character to thrive in new and unfamiliar situations and inspire others. Pymble girls appreciate that significant parts of their character have been developed in times of adversity and learn to embrace life with humility, gratitude and grace. Self-awareness using Data Management Systems One of the first steps in managing health and wellbeing is to develop a level of self-awareness. Awareness of these aspects of oneself is the first step to change and growth. To ensure we are continuing to increase the number of conversations with our girls, we have 60 Year 10 students piloting the use of two Wellbeing apps. Half the group is trialling Smartabase and the remaining half is trialling iYarn.

Smartabase was originally developed as an athlete data management system to improve performance, monitor health and optimise athlete development. Smartabase was designed to give people the ability to collect relevant data, analyse it effectively and use the resulting information to guide actions and decisions for success in the sporting and athletic world. Institutes and academies of sport, universities and schools, private companies, government and military are successfully using Smartabase for a diverse range of applications.

iYarn was established to connect people through simple, powerful and flexible check-ins. Purposeful check-ins encourage expression and provide others with the opportunity to understand. They are a safe space where people can be vulnerable and their stories can be heard.

Students involved are being asked to answer a series of questions and score them on a sliding scale in relation to how they are feeling. This information will be tracked and summarised by their relevant Compass Teacher and together with each student, they will be able to focus further on specific areas to promote the student’s wellbeing.

Ms Lamia Rockwell

Deputy Principal Students (K-12)

“iYarn was established to connect people through simple, powerful and flexible check-ins.”

Lamia Rockwell

SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE – DIVERSITY AS THE PATH TO UNITY

Pymble students embrace opportunities to learn in collaborative environments where different perspectives are encouraged and valued. As a school of the Uniting Church, we welcome people of all faiths, beliefs, abilities, identities, backgrounds and cultures.

We value diversity of thought and understand the power of an inclusive and united community. Our students care for, listen to, and learn from people of all backgrounds, including our First Nations People. Through developing skills in cultural connectivity, Pymble girls foster respectful, resilient and inclusive relationships, and harness the power of diversity to enrich their worldview. Cultural Diversity During 2021, we have invested in sharing stories, enriching our knowledge of First Nations perspectives, and considering alternatives and reconnecting with national and international partners to provide student exchange experiences. For the first time, Captains of Intercultural Connections play a key role in our Prefect Team.

In the lead up to our Lunar New Year celebrations and Literature Diversity Week, our Captains of Intercultural Connections, Katherine and Claudia, interviewed and shared stories of a number of staff from different cultural backgrounds.

To help guide our endeavours in this space, the College has joined The Diversity Council of Australia (DCA) – interestingly, we are the only school in Australia with membership! Membership of the DCA provides us with access to a unique knowledge bank of leading practice research, events and expertise on all aspects of diversity and inclusion. Further, we have received and continue to seek constructive criticism from several ‘friends of Pymble’ who cast their eyes over our plans and provide us with invaluable insight and perspectives.

To wave the flag as a diverse and inclusive community, our focus will need to move beyond cultural diversity to test our fluency and practice with all marginalised or minority groups, such as women, rural and remote communities, people with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ and the aged.

Sharing stories that build empathy and understanding will underpin our approach to diversity and inclusion in our learning, events and research.

Mrs Julie Shaw

Senior Deputy Principal

DIGITAL INTELLIGENCE – TECHNOLOGIES FOR AN INNOVATIVE FUTURE

Pymble girls are active, responsible and engaged global citizens who harness the power of technology to effect positive change. They understand the importance of technology to activate human potential, enable connections and make the world a better place for all. Students are encouraged to be part of, and fuel, the technological revolution; to build, change and cocreate the future. Through developing digital fluency, students cultivate healthy habits and are equipped to use technologies in beneficial and sustaining ways. Pymble Digital Hierarchy of Needs Our children are not born ‘digital natives’, therefore we need to structure our learning experiences to enable them to become active, responsible and engaged global citizens who understand the importance of technology in all aspects of their lives.

We have created the Pymble Digital Hierarchy of Needs and Kindergarten to Year 12 Digital Citizenship continuum to map this out across the College.

The Pymble Digital Hierarchy of Needs grows all young women towards being their best digital self. We empower students to fulfil each aspect of the pyramid – to level-up in order to grow. We instil a confidence in their relationship with technology, to uncover what technology can achieve for them and the access it can unlock. We teach them to harness what they can do with technology in the hope that they create the change they want to see. It is with this ability that they will inevitably have a positive impact in themselves, their community and beyond.

Some learning experiences begun in 2021 to deliver this continuum include skills and etiquette when collaborating on online documents, exploring design elements when creating a webpage and working with 3D modelling to make a digital representation of a sustainable garden. Students will also have the opportunity to develop a digital tour around the College where they can guide visitors using QR codes and virtual reality experiences to uncover our campus history. These explicitly taught skills will follow the students as they progress into future years within and outside their academic years, giving them options in which to communicate their ideas and develop solutions to problems.

Mr Anthony England

Director of Innovative Learning Technologies

PYMBLE LEARNING FRAMEWORK

Guiding the learning experiences within these pillars is our new Pymble Learning Framework, which is currently being built to incorporate the practice of Deep Learning.

So, what does this mean for our girls’ academic learning and outcomes?

Deep Learning is an internationallyrecognised model designed to improve learning outcomes and best prepare our girls for their future worlds. While it increases academic rigour, it also accelerates and enriches their development of the six global competencies of Character, Citizenship, Collaboration, Communication, Creativity and Critical Thinking. While we will deliver on all six, our focus in 2021 is on Character and Citizenship for all girls in Kindergarten to Year 12.

Deep Learning prepares girls for success in the rapidly-changing real world. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is changing the way we live, work and relate to one another – we need to keep pace with this change to support girls being successful change agents when they leave the College. The six global competencies represent the skills and attributes needed for learners to not just function but flourish as global citizens who make a meaningful difference in our complex and ever-changing world.

Mr Justin Raymond

Deputy Principal – Academic (K–12)

“Deep Learning is an internationally-recognised model designed to improve learning outcomes and best prepare our girls for their future worlds.”

Justin Raymond