From the Middle School
From the Head of Middle School Jenny O’Donnell
Welcome to Week 5 in Middle School. Despite the wet weather the girls have had some fun with Book Week activities running and displays set up in the Conde Library. On Wednesday, author Amy Doak visited Pymble to speak with Year 8. Amy is the popular author of a series of mystery books centered around Eleanor Jones. You can find out more about Amy and her writing here.
As part of our commitment to ‘Nourish and Flourish’, a whole-school initiative to encourage healthy lifestyles, we have invited the girls to grab a piece of fruit from the Middle School Office. The mandarins, apples and oranges have been a big hit.
On Friday this week, Year 7 will be heading out to Homebush in support of our Pymble Athletics competitors at the igsa Athletics Championships. All the best to the Middle School athletes who have been training hard for their events; you will be wonderful ambassadors for Pymble. We look forward to sharing some results next week.
Next week, we’ll be hosting visitors from Millingbimbi School. The Middle School Leaders have been preparing a warm welcome, which will include a special performance by the First Nations Dance Troupe.
A bespoke program has been designed to showcase the many opportunities available to your daughters at the college. Just a sample of these include:
- Aerial gymnastics display
- Demonstration by the Robotics Captains
- Musical interludes led by students on the ukulele
- A rhythm and drums session
- A chance to explore other areas of campus such as the agriculture plot and the Aquatic Centre
Thank you to the buddies who will spend the week really getting to know and supporting our visitors: Georgina Lewis, Ellei Lau, Emily Deutscher, Tanvi Raniga, and Edith Cullinane. We are most grateful to these families who have offered to billet the girls for three nights.
Our Subject Selection Information Evening for Year 7 into Year 8 2026 will take place on Thursday 28 August at 7.00 pm as an online event. Please click on this link to join the presentation:
Mrs Natasha Stanfield, Director of Studies (7-12), will provide you with information and advice regarding the subject selection process and the elective courses we have on offer for our Year 8 2026 cohort. Students will shortly be provided with the Subject Information Booklet for Year 8 2026. Further information can be found on the Portal.
All current Year 8 Parents and Carers are invited to join us for the Stage 5 Subject Selection Evening on Thursday 28 August 2025 from 5.30 pm to 7.00 pm in the Senior School Centre. You will have the opportunity to hear presentations from the Director of Studies, Mrs Natasha Stanfield, who will present key information about patterns of study, and the Heads of Learning Areas. Further information can be found on the parent portal.
A reminder to our Year 8 families in relation to the Week 9 Outdoor Education program: could I please ask that the permission and medical forms are completed as soon as possible in order for us to finalise arrangements with Somerset.
Year 8 Blue Mountains
Our Year 8 students recently travelled to the Blue Mountains for their Geography excursion, exploring the unique landscapes and learning about the natural and human processes that have shaped the region. The day was a wonderful opportunity to bring classroom learning to life, with students engaging in fieldwork, observing landforms, and considering the impact of tourism and sustainability. It was a valuable experience that combined learning with adventure in one of Australia’s most iconic environments.
Some of our Year 8 students have shared their experiences below:
Year 8 Geography Field Trip – Blue Mountains
Last week, Year 8 went on a Geography field trip to the Blue Mountains. The day started off at Echo Point, but the weather wasn’t really on our side—it was super grey and thick with fog, so we couldn’t see any of the famous mountain views at first. Luckily, after recess, the fog cleared and we finally got an epic view of the Three Sisters and the Jamison Valley. It was definitely worth the wait!
During the trip, we collected primary data for Geography, mostly about how tourism affects the natural environment and the Indigenous communities living in the area. It was actually interesting to think about how so many visitors change the place, for both the good and bad.
Next, we went over to Scenic World, which was just a quick 5-minute drive away. There, we hopped onto the cable car—it was pretty big and could fit about 50 of us. Even though the fog was still hanging we could see the cliff faces, which the guide told us had been part of the ocean floor 250 million years ago! Once we got to the bottom, we walked along the Lillipilli Track, looking out for all sorts of native plants and animals. I spotted lyrebirds, heaps of ferns, turpentines, sassafras and lillipilli trees. It was amazing to experience the track in the fog.
Our data collection continued, measuring wind speed, the direction it was blowing, temperature, and light using a Lux meter. I was surprised by how different the conditions were above and down in the valley. The highlight of the day was the Scenic Railway. It’s super steep—like, 52 degrees—which made the whole ride feel like a rollercoaster in the dark. Everyone, including me, was screaming (I definitely practised my horror movie scream for fun). Even though the sun didn’t shine, the foggy, overcast conditions contributed to the atmosphere. We all ended up having a very unique experience and made a bunch of new memories.
Mia Zhu and Wenhui Zheng
Key Dates Term 3
Year 7 igsa – Friday 22 August
Year 7 Science Excursion to the Zoo – Thursday 11 September
Year 8 Outdoor Education – Monday 15 September to Friday 19 September
Garden Party – Saturday 20 September
Jenny O’Donnell
Head of Middle School