2 minute read
Vision Valley
Our Cadets were the first group of girls to make the most of our beautiful new campus
Vision Valley has fast become a favourite destination of our girls, since the College purchased the site in 2020. Our girls have benefited from the calm and inspiration of our new Outdoor Education campus, which is only 40 minutes from Pymble.
Acquired by the College in August 2020, Vision Valley backs onto the Berowra Valley National Park in Arcadia. The 30ha campus features 230 beds, a dining hall, pool and water slide, an auditorium, function centre and adventure infrastructure – a flying fox, high and low ropes, abseiling, rock climbing, mountain bike trails, hiking trails and outdoor camp sites. Our new campus is ably led by our Director of Vision Valley, Mr Stuart Clark, formerly the Head of Pymble's Experiential Learning program.
From OSHC girls to our Year 12 students, visiting the new space is a cause for much excitement. As our younger grades are becoming acquainted with Pymble’s second campus, which they will often visit during their time at the College, our older girls are making the most of their time at Vision Valley too.
Year 11 Elective Visual Arts students taking inspiration from the natural environment
Our Pymble Ladies’ College Cadet Unit – ‘the girls in green’ – was the first group to descend on Vision Valley in December 2020, completing their field exercise onsite. In Term 1, the campus hosted Outdoor Education Programs for students in Years 3, 5 and 10, as well as Compass Days for Years 7 and 8.
Vision Valley was busy during the Easter holidays as our Duke of Edinburgh Bronze participants and Holiday Care girls enjoyed their time in the wilderness,
expertly supported by our Outdoor Education staff.
In Term 2 our Year 11 Elective Visual Arts students called Vision Valley home for their two-day learning experience with artist Patrick Shirvington. Inspired by the stunning natural environment and supported by the expertise of their teachers and artist-in-residence, our girls had a wonderful time exploring the mediums of film, sculpture and oil painting.
Our Holiday Care girls love visiting Vision Valley.
Year 2 Co-ordinator Mrs Kate Giles said the Year 2 girls were “clearly very excited” when they boarded the school buses to travel to Vision Valley for the first time to enjoy bush walking, looking for frogs and a picnic lunch.
Head of Preparatory School Mrs Karen Ahearn said: “When observing Year 2 as they had their first experience of Vision Valley, it was very evident that our girls’ collaborative skills were being developed as they negotiated and problem solved to complete challenges.
“This led to shared reflections with other teacher observers on skills and capabilities in the workplace and how we can see the strength of these skills in the girls as they were interacting. It provided us with a window into the future workplace and the strengths many of these young children were already demonstrating.”
