From the Principal

From the Principal

Don’t you just love this photo? It was taken on Foundation Day in 2016, which also marked the College’s 100th birthday and the start of our year of Centenary celebrations. The photo shows students at the time modelling some of the uniforms of years gone by. 

You may have heard snippets of news over the past couple of years about an updated Pymble uniform in the making.  

At the PPA Annual General Meeting two weeks ago, our Deputy Principal, Ms Lamia Rockwell, gave parents an overview of the impending changes and the rollout timeline, from the beginning of the changeover period until Term 4 in 2028, when all students will be required to wear items from the new range.  

The decision to modernise our uniform has not been made lightly. It follows two years of careful consultation with all stakeholders (including students, families, alumni, staff and Board members) and numerous trials, tweaks and revisions based on this feedback. We are delighted to have arrived at range of items that is perfectly Pymble with a more contemporary aesthetic. It is also more comfortable, more versatile and more sustainable than the current uniform. 

Full details of the new range of items and the rollout will be communicated to all families in Term 1 2026, following final fittings, tweaks and a photo shoot with students next week. And yes, the girls who have been trying on our updated uniform are very excited. My favourite comment from one of our Junior School girls was, “Wow, it’s not itchy!”. Needless to say, the girls are enjoying discovering how much more comfortable the new fabrics are to wear. 

While there’s no need for you to take any action now, I thought it would be timely to share Ms Rockwell’s overview to the PPA with the whole community.  

Key points to note 

  • Your daughter will need fewer compulsory items for each stage of her Pymble journey, which makes the new uniform more cost effective. 
  • The range is trans-seasonal and can be layered up or down to suit the weather. 
  • Fabrics are better quality and much more comfortable to wear than the current fabrics. 
  • There is no change to the colour scheme, and our heritage is beautifully respected (yes, the blazer is staying Pymble navy!). 
  • The changeover will be gradual, over the course of three years, not all at once. 

Compulsory items (K-12) 

  • White long and short sleeve shirt  
  • Black watch tartan skort (Junior School only) or skirt (all Secondary School years) 
  • Navy blazer 
  • Black watch tartan tie (same as the current one) 
  • Hat (same as the current white one – one hat for all seasons, instead of two)   

Optional items (K-12) 

  • Summer Dress (one style for Junior School, one style for Secondary students) 
  • Pants 
  • Jumper 
  • Hijab 

The rollout timeline  

  1. The first two items in the new range – blazer and jumper – will be available to purchase from mid-Term 1 2026. 
  1. All items in the range will be available to purchase from Term 4 2026. 
  1. Families will have two years to transition fully to the new uniform, from Term 4 2026 until Term 4 2028. 
  1. During this transition period, the old uniform items will be sold at a reduced price to support families at different stages of their Pymble journey. For instance, students in Years 10, 11 and 12 may choose to see out their graduation in the old uniform and simply top up with items as required. 

As previously mentioned, all details will be sent to you next year, including a comprehensive guide for parents. My aim today was to ensure everyone had an overview of where we are at in the process, and the plan moving forward. We look forward to rolling out full communications in Term 1 2026. 

The school uniform holds a special place in the hearts and memories of our students and families, past and present. We look forward to stepping into this next chapter of Pymble history and making many more memories with you during our very special year of 110th birthday celebrations.