From the Junior School
A Message from Mrs Kate Brown, Head of Junior School
Congratulations to our Snowsport team
Huge congratulations to our Snowsport team who competed so fiercely and with such phenomenal success at the Australian Interschools Snowsports Championships recently. In summary, we had 25 students with 63 entries across 24 events. This has been our largest and most successful Junior School team to compete at National Championships.
Individual Medals
2nd- Michelle Zhang Snowboard Cross (Year 3)
3rd- Div 5 SkiX Evelyn Zhu (Year 4)
3rd- Div 5 Snowboard GS Michelle Zhang (Year 3)
3rd-Evelyn Zhu Div 5 Alpine (Year 4)
Teams Results
2nd- Div 5 Snowboard GS Team (Michelle Zhang, Makayla Cui and Alyssa Wang)
2nd- Div 5 Snowboard Cross Team (Michelle Zhang, Makayla Cui and Alyssa Wang)
3rd- Division 4 Moguls Team (Christina Yang, Kimberly Zhao, Catherine Wang)
4th -Team Division 4 Snowboard X (Bella Geng-Yang, Ellie He, Christina Yang)
4th-Div 5 Alpine Team (Evelyn Zhu, Michelle Zhang, Makayla Cui, Evelyn Sang)
4th– Div 4 Snowboard GS Team (Bella Geng-Yang, Ellie He, Christina Yang)
Junior School competitors were runners up on the overall point score.
We’re so proud of the team, their Pymble spirit, courage and passion for their sport and their national success.
Congratulations to our MANSW Mathematicians
Woohoo! Our Year 3 MANSW teams (3R and 3B), who completed an investigation into the distances around Australia based on their reading of Alison Lester’s Are we there yet? , won the MANSW competition this year. This is a huge achievement and reflects the girls’ dedication to Mathematics and their creative and articulate showcase of their understanding of the large numbers and distances they were calculating.
Congratulations to our two Year 5 teams Miranda Chen & Vivien Huang and Alyssa Ng, Euphemia Wang & Rachel Zhang who were both awarded Highly Commended. This is a fiercely competitive program so achieving this level of success across Year 3 and Year 5 is impressive. We’re very proud of all our Mathematicians, their hard work and collaboration.
Year 5 Outdoor Education – Vision Valley
This week our intrepid Year 5s are immersed in a range of exciting and challenging activities at Vision Valley for their Outdoor Education Program. I had the privilege of being out there with the girls today. The girls have explored a variety of activities, including archery, abseiling, bushwalking, rock climbing and participated in team challenges and games.
We are proud of the way the girls have embraced their fears with courage and enthusiasm and the way in which they have supported one another throughout the camp experience as they step outside their normal routine and comfort zone. I am also very proud of the respect the girls have all shown to the Outdoor Education leaders and the teachers who accompanied them throughout the week. Year 5 are definitely stepping up ready to lead the Junior School in 2026 with grace and kindness.
BKinder Symposium
Kindness Captains from Pymble joined peers from seven schools across Sydney on 5 September at the B Kinder Schools Summit hosted in partnership with Illuminate Education Australia. The theme “How Can I Make Kindness Even Better?” encouraged students to explore leadership through kindness, compassion and social responsibility.
The day was filled with collaboration and creativity as students worked to design initiatives that could make a positive difference in their communities. Ideas included school-wide clean ups and community events, all demonstrating that even small actions can lead to meaningful change. Students reflected on how empathy and teamwork are at the heart of strong leadership and how their voices can inspire others.
IPSHA Social Action Expo
Last Thursday six Year 5 and 6 students attended the IPSHA Social Action Expo at St Ignatius Riverview. The annual event showcases school service and philanthropy initiatives, celebrating advocacy and inspiring students to take action and make a difference. The girls showcased the Pymble Kindness and Service initiatives through a gallery display, including making a 1-minute pitch which concluded a commitment:
Our social action plan isn’t a list of jobs to tick off – it’s a promise. We’re not waiting until we’re older to change the world; we’re doing it now! Every meal cooked, every bracelet beaded, every piece of rubbish picked up, every preloved game or book swapped – these aren’t small acts. They’re the seeds of a kindness movement.
A message from Martha Itzcovitz, Junior School Teacher Librarian 3-6
The girls were buzzing with excitement when Kate and Jol Temple visited this week to launch their hilarious new book Mega Rich Guinea Pigs! We are so lucky that they chose Pymble as the venue for the launch! Kate and Jol had us laughing out loud as they shared how the cheeky guinea pigs came to life and gave us a sneak peek into the wild adventures in the story. The girls loved hearing about their writing journey, what inspires them and how they develop their zany ideas.
- It was very inspiring to hear about how they come up with ideas, and they made us all laugh – Euphemia Year 5
- The moment I got the book signed I didn’t stop reading it until I finished it – Hailey Year 5
- Kate and Jol gave us a profound insight into how children’s authors compose their books – Lucy Year 6
- I loved it so much it felt like a dream! The book is so good and even my little brother loves it and he hates reading – Gloria Year 5
- I liked learning about the different types of frogs in their book, and I like how funny they were and their big rubber duck! – Willouw Year 3
- Funny, intelligent answers to our questions and made us all laugh like we’ve never laughed before – Zarah Year 4
Sustainability Club News – Miss Avalon Treharne
Pymble Clothing Drive:
A friendly reminder about our Sustainability Club Clothing Drive. We are looking for donations of clothes that no longer fit or that you don’t wear anymore. By donating at school, you’re not only helping families but also reducing waste and giving clothes a second life! Please make sure all clothing donations are clean and in good condition. We can’t accept anything that is ripped, broken or stained.
You can drop your donations into the collection bin outside Hedgehog House anytime from now until Week 9.
Let’s work together as a school community to make a difference, one piece of clothing at a time!
Written by Harper Chen, Mia Farthing, Aurora Lin, Scarlett Qiu
Pymble Sustainability Journal:
A reminder to continue working towards completing the Pymble Ladies College Sustainability Journal by the end of Term 3. As you complete your challenges, please upload a photo via the QR Code. These photos will then be shared in Assembly.
Deputy of Head of Junior School – Operations: Mr Stephen Robinson
School and Co-curricular Attendance
A reminder to families that regular full attendance at school is essential for all students. When a child is sick and unable to attend school, they are precluded from attending after school co-curricular activities. Should students have appointments during the school day, please ensure they are at school by 11.45am in order to attend co-curricular activities.
Walking Groups
Do you want to avoid the traffic in the morning? Consider dropping your daughter off at Grandview Street (near the train station) between 7.40am-7.55am or Grey House Walk 7.30am-7.45am. Junior School staff are at these locations between these times and walk students to school. This eases congestion with vehicles on Avon Road and within the College and allows students to undertake a little morning exercise.
College Coach Travel to and from School
The College operates five private bus services, open to students from Kindergarten:
· Hunters Hill – Bus Route 1
· Lower North Shore – Bus Route 2
· North West – Bus Route 3
· Northern Beaches – Bus Route 4 (this includes an early and late service in addition to the school hours service)
· Lower Northern Beaches – Bus Route 5
Parents can opt for a full-term or flexible registration for their child. The full-term option allows your child to travel on the bus unlimited times throughout the term, mornings and afternoons. Alternatively, they may select the flexible registration and select the travel days and times you require and will only be charged for the number of trips your child takes during the term. This will be added to your account at the end of term.
Many Junior School students use the private bus service as a convenient way to get to school and a fun way to catch up with their friends. They are met at the Pymble bus stop at Kelso by a Junior School staff member in the morning and if in Years K-2 are walked to the Junior School. All students are walked to the bus at 3.15pm in the afternoon, ensuing full accountability for who is on the bus.
To find out more about the bus service or to register, click here.
Minibus shuttle service Pymble Loop
Did you know that we have a complimentary minibus shuttle service to assist families during the closure of Grey House Walk in Term 3 and Term 4?
This free minibus service is available to all students from Kindergarten to Year 12. The minibus stops at Courallie Avenue, Golfers Parade and Pymble Avenue. Many families have found it convenient to drop their daughter at one of these stops, knowing that they will make it to school safely and on time without getting caught up in traffic around the College campus. To book your daughter a seat on the minibus, click here.
Message from Junior School Administration Office
A reminder to email juniorschool@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au when your daughter is late or needs to leave early. Please continue to use MyPymble to mark your daughter absence, for two days or more absence please complete the Exemption from Attendance at School form or email though a medical certificate for illness.
After school arrangements for girls in Years K-2, please email juniorschool@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au if you have changes to your daughter’s after school arrangements in Term 3.
Important Dates for Term 3 – Week 8 and Week 9
| Friday 12 September | Year 5 OEP, return from Vision Valley, car line pick up 3.00pm |
| Friday 12 September | Walk-a-thon Year 3 & 6, Period 5 & Period 6 Event |
| Saturday 13 September | IPSHA Saturday Sport |
| Sunday 14 September | NSSWE Spring Fest – Junior School Jazz Band |
| Thursday 18 September Friday 19 September | Year 6 Musical Performance 1 6.00pm Year 6 Musical Performance 2, 6.00pm |
| Saturday 20 September | Garden Party |