From the Junior School

A Message from Mrs Kate Brown, Head of Junior School

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This weekend I went to watch the premiere of Prime Minister, a documentary about Jacinda Ardern, as part of the Sydney Film Festival. Regardless of political views, Jacinda Ardern used her platform as a leader to advocate for kindness and the power of kindness. In our world where there is increasing uncertainty and moments of true darkness, there is a greater need for simple acts of kindness, as these small moments can create ripples of kindness that sweep across a community and beyond. As Jacinda Ardern says: ‘Kindness has a power and strength that almost nothing else on this planet has. I’d seen kindness do extraordinary things: I’d seen it give people hope; I’d seen it change minds and transform lives.’

Given our College focus on respect this year, I hope that our girls will actively look for ways to show respect to others through their kind words and actions and that they will have the moral courage to stand up for what they believe in, to lead through kindness and do the right thing even when that’s tricky.

Speaking of courage, this week our Years 3-6 girls were privileged to hear from three Secondary School students, Baheshta, Malalai and Nawida, Year 8, who are refugees from Afghanistan. Baheshta, Malalai and Nawida spoke about their dreams for their future and the challenges their families had faced prior to leaving their homes.

We were extremely proud of our Year 5 girls who this week demonstrated their collaboration, skills and passion for the Performing Arts through their outstanding showcase, Why Not?. For some of the class items, students had the wonderful opportunity to learn cultural dances from amazing parent volunteers from our Year 5 community. Many thanks to Cici Li (Chinese traditional dance), Dee Jolapara (Bollywood Indian dance), and May Yang (Chinese fan dance) who generously gifted their talents and time.

One of our Year 5 students, Jasmine Smith, shows moral courage and optimism with her determination to lead change and kindness through her charitable focus, Cook2Care. This year, Jasmine is inviting Year 4 and Year 5 students to each bring in one item of non-perishables, which we will collate and donate to the Dish – a local charity that supports those who are struggling to afford food. As the weather continues to cool, this is an opportunity for our girls to do something small to have a significant impact on other families who are finding times tough.

One of our Kindness Leaders, Sooin Lee, is leading with respect and kindness through the K-Pop club she has initiated and has led throughout this term with Charlotte Liu. On Friday 20 June, 2025, our Junior School girls will have the opportunity to take part in K-Pop club at 1.00pm – 1.30pm for a gold coin donation, which will go towards the charity Therapy and Dance supporting young people.

A message from Ms Lyn Wynne – Acting Deputy Head of Junior School Academics (whilst Mrs Bird is overseas with our Formula Goblin team)

Today, we were excited to welcome in our Kindergarten and Year 1 families to our Windows into Learning. Our Kindergarten scientists demonstrated their curiosity, creativity and collaboration skills during their Windows into Learning. Parents and students teamed up to explore hands-on Science stations including billy carts, bouncing and rolling, spinning art and toys, Bee-Bots, sliding or rolling, and a water regatta. Each rotation offered a chance for the girls to demonstrate their understanding of forces in action, proudly sharing their skills and discoveries. Parents then joined their daughters for a lovely morning tea.

Year 1 stepped into the magical world of numbers for their Windows into Learning. Parents were treated to a joyful journey of hands-on, play-based learning that highlighted counting, number recognition and creative ways to represent numbers using real-world materials. The girls proudly presented their colourful Look at the Sky Science projects and Features of Places Geography brochures and posters, offering fascinating insights into clouds, stars, the sun and special destinations across Australia.

A message from our Kindness Captains: Sooin Lee, Nouvelle Nicholson, Christina Yang, Isabella Yue

We have now achieved 3086 acts of service, and we’re still going! We want to thank all our families for supporting us in our mission to change the world through kindness.

A message from Maria Lee and Ellen Buckley, Year 5 Creative and Performing Arts Teachers

Year 5 students were immensely proud to perform their Year 5 Showcase inspired by the Junior School picture book for 2025, Why Not? by Kobi Yamada, illustrated by Gabriella Barouch. This book is centred on themes of hope, courage, exploring new horizons and embracing opportunities. This perfectly encapsulated the journey Year 5 students undertook to put together their very own Showcase. Students were not only learners but collaborators, contributors and teachers as they brainstormed, rehearsed, shared and taught their ideas to each other. Almost all of the choreography and dramatic works featured in the Showcase were fully devised by students and were a celebration of what all students can achieve when they collaborate to create together.

At the beginning of our journey, students participated in a reflective survey which encouraged them to set personal goals and identify their own challenges. The results revealed that many students were eager to try new things—especially singing solos, dancing, performing, acting, and most importantly, building their confidence. When asked what excites them most about performing, students highlighted learning new skills, expressing themselves, working as a team, and overcoming challenges. The survey also found that the greatest sources of support students rely on are their own determination and practice, as well as encouragement from their class peers, teachers, and families. The most common challenges identified were nerves (especially singing in front of others) and time management. Together, these insights show that our students are embracing a ‘Why Not?’ mindset—ready to step outside their comfort zones, support each other, and discover new possibilities as they prepare for the showcase. Below are quotes from some students reflecting upon their experiences:

Riya Samy (5A) : “I’m very excited to showcase the choreography, the class has contributed all together”

Charlotte Allen (5W) : “Something that excites me the most for the upcoming Year 5 showcase is to have an opportunity to express myself through dance and drama”

Grace Wang (5S) : “I felt our class was working together as one… we have weaved a tapestry and created a masterpiece!”

Alia Rashid (5B) :“It was really fun to explore and learn how to do Bollywood dancing!”

Jasmine Smith (5A) : “I feel very proud of myself and class as we came up with the dance together”

Emma Ware (5L): “I really enjoyed collaborating with everyone in the class. I felt that everyone had a voice, and no one was left out”

Catherine Wang (5L) :“My goal was to be more confident…I feel I’m achieving towards my goal as I feel more confident with my friends. I don’t feel alone”

The Showcase was an opportunity for students to step out of their comfort zones and challenge themselves to do things they might not otherwise do, like performing for an audience or volunteering to teach their peers. This perfectly aligned with the message of the picture book Why Not?. This year’s Showcase additionally featured the portraits that students had been working on in their Visual Arts lessons, in keeping with the theme of showcasing students’ talents and celebrating the opportunity to share their creations with others. The Year 5 Showcase was a fabulous experience and we are so proud of the students for all their hard work and dedication.

A message from Emily Clutterham and Emily Gregory, Visual Arts Teachers

The Visual Arts Room is buzzing as students across the Junior School embark on, or in some cases complete, their third major project of the year.

Year 6 students have begun constructing woven homes for creatures, either real or imagined, using cane and natural fibres. This project challenges students to think in three dimensions as they explore structure, new materials and bringing their design to life through hands-on experimentation. It’s a joy to see students constantly surprising themselves with their newfound talent and abilities.

Year 5 has launched into an artistic exploration of space junk and planetary science through their tonal collage project. Students have chosen a planet and are beginning to carefully construct textured works using gradients of colours of recycled plastics, beads and embroidery threads. These artworks will highlight environmental concerns through stunning visuals. It is requiring great patience and precision, which the girls are well and truly rising to.

In Year 4, students are dipping into the world of traditional Asian ceramics. Working with clay, they are shaping and embellishing miniature vessels that reflect cultural influences and personal design choices. They are combining technical skill with artistic expression through form, patterning and eventually some painting. There is an extreme sense of zen in the classroom as students manipulate this beautiful material into fabulous forms.

Year 3 artists are deep into their printmaking experiments, using their own architectural sketches of Pymble buildings as the foundation. From foam etching to gelli plate inking, they are learning how to transform their drawings into striking prints that celebrate our unique school environment while having lots of ‘wow’ moments along the way. It’s a vibrant and inspiring time in the Art Room, where every year group is thinking, making and imagining boldly.

Junior School Canteen Helpers 

Please click here if you can volunteer your time. For the care and safety of your daughters, all volunteers must have a current Working with Children Check Number (WWC). If we do not already have your WWC on file, please email to juniorschool@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au your WWC number and date of birth so your WWC can be verified. 

Upcoming Important Dates for diary

Friday 27 June            Last day of Term 2

Tuesday  27 July        First day of Term 3

Please contact us with any questions at pymblelcjspg@gmail.com

Kate Brown

Head of Junior School