From the Middle School
The National Exchange Program kicked off this week and was an exciting adventure for the Year 8 students who travelled to Perth and Brisbane. Students had the unique opportunity to attend a new school where they experienced different teaching styles, school routines and made new friends.
Living with a host family was a big part of the journey, giving them a glimpse into a different way of life and helping them grow more confident and independent. The exchange was not only fun but also a great learning experience that created memories to last a lifetime.
Our students have shared their reflections on their experiences.
My national exchange to Brisbane was such a fun experience and one I won’t forget anytime soon. One of the best parts was hanging out in the city – we went shopping and had a blast bowling with everyone. It was cool exploring new places and just having a good time with my friends. It kind of felt like a little adventure, and I loved the freedom of it all.
Staying at Clayfield College and living in the boarding house was really different but a lot of fun. It took a bit to get used to, but I ended up making some really close friends while I was there. Everyone was really nice, and it felt like we’d known each other for ages. The whole exchange was a really great experience and I’m so glad I got to be part of it.
Written by Aaliyah Khanche (Year 8)
We started our journey on Saturday afternoon with a pizza picnic at King’s Park with all the other girls. Later on we enjoyed some chocolate covered stories from the Scarborough Markets. Our next major spot we visited was Rottnest Island but before we arrived at the island we experienced a very intense boat ferry trip where we were airborne for a long period of time.
When we finally arrived at Rottnest Island we were amazed at our first quokka sighting. We then rode our bikes around Rottnest Island until we arrived at Little Salmon Bay.
On the Monday, we went off to MLC College and started our day at school. The girls were amazing and super nice. Overall my experience in Perth was amazing and I hope other people get the opportunity that I was so grateful to have.
Written by Georgia Blue (Year 8)
Our second group of girls will be travelling to Hobart, Toowoomba and Melbourne this Saturday.
Year 8 Musical
Congratulations to the amazing Year 8 Music Elective students (listed below) who performed in High School Musical JR! Your hard work, energy and talent lit up the stage and brought the show to life. From the catchy songs to the exciting dance routines, every moment was full of fun and enthusiasm. You should all be incredibly proud of your performance – what a fantastic achievement!
Here’s a student reflection from Isabella.
High School Musical Jr was one of the best musicals I’ve ever participated in. The rehearsals were so fun, and it felt so magical to see the musical come together. The music elective community was so friendly, and we really enjoyed when we played games with the music prefects, or when Mr Schweinberger started dancing (even if the choreography was a bit wrong).
The whole crew with all the behind-the-scenes technical work were so nice and the lighting was outstanding. It’s one of the best feelings when you make the audience laugh or applaud. I think any Year 7 would be lucky to do Music Elective next year (and I will try and convince Miss Ashton to do Wicked for you guys, shh)!
Written by Isabella Afarin (Year 8)
| Isabella | Afarin |
| Farah | Ahmad |
| Freya | Andrews |
| Emiliana | Barry |
| Bebe | Brennan |
| Adele | Cassidy |
| Jessica | Chen |
| Jing Yan | Chung |
| Orla | Cottrell |
| Rose | Craig |
| Kiara | Excell |
| Hilary | Eyers |
| Jessamy | Facer |
| Isabel | Fan |
| Jessica | Franklin |
| Isobel | Goodridge |
| Gabrielle | Guo |
| Sofia | Gurjian |
| Amelia | Hanstrum |
| Amelia | Hardas |
| Molly | Hardiman |
| Arabella | Hoang |
| Danielle | Hu |
| Ludovica | Iacovelli |
| Selina | Jin |
| Gawon (Kayla) | Kim |
| Evija | King |
| Jennifer | Kuniawan |
| Mia | Lam |
| Sze Lok (Charlotte) | Lam |
| Mirabelle | Lee |
| Sze Ching Jessie (Jessie) | Leung |
| Amber | Lewis |
| Alice | Lin |
| Rachel | Lin |
| Elyshia | Lung |
| Arianna | Ng |
| Annabelle | Rolph |
| Charlotte | Sadler |
| Chloe | Saya |
| Annabelle | Stack |
| Blair | Tang |
| Lucy | Woodbridge |
| Jihang (Penny) | |
| Chloe | Xiong |
| Melanie | Xu |
| Mikayla | Yang |
| Sophia | Yeong |
NSW Health will be running the Year 7 vaccination program starting Thursday 29 May. For your daughter to participate you are required to complete the vaccination consent form here.
To help answer questions you may have regarding providing vaccination and online consent, please visit the NSW Health website at https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/schoolvaccination
Scholarship registrations for new RTG STEM Scholarship open to current Year 8 students
Pymble has a new scholarship for students with a passion and competent skills in STEM. The RTG STEM Scholarship offered through the Pymble Foundation is open to Year 8 students (current and external students) for a scholarship commencing in Year 9 2026 until Year 12 2029.
Registrations close on 30 July 2025. Students are required to sit an examination held at the College on Sunday 10 August 2025.
Information about portfolio requirements and how to apply can be found online through the Scholarship webpage.
Jenny O’Donnell
Head of Middle School