From the Principal
One of the many great joys of life at Pymble is sitting in our beautiful GMCPA watching the performances and productions that showcase our girls’ incredible gifts and talents, both on stage and behind the scenes. Congratulations to our Years 7 to 9 Co-curricular Drama students for a fabulous interpretation of Hating Alison Ashley last Thursday and Saturday, and to our Junior School musicians for Wednesday night’s magnificent Ensemble Concert. Pymble productions never fail to amaze in terms of professionalism and quality. We are blessed to have our very own ‘Broadway’ right here on our doorstep, and staff and students who are so committed to delivering excellence in the Performing Arts.
It’s a source of great pride – and the result of a great deal of strategic planning – that students at Pymble are afforded every opportunity to find ‘their thing’; the subject, role, sport, activity or group that makes their heart sing and inspires them to be their best self.
In planning for the future, we have considered everything we have achieved in the past three years, our ideas that are still forming, global trends, the strengths of the College, MMG feedback from students and families, and employee engagement feedback. As we come to the close of the first triennium of our Watch Us Change the World strategic direction, the Executive team has concluded several sessions to review outcomes of the four strategic pillars during the last three years and to set overarching goals to bring to the Board for consideration for the next three years ahead. It is our pleasure to share them with you now and to invite your feedback.
Emotional Intelligence
Proud of achieving in 2021-2023: With our Outdoor Education continuum developed and Vision Valley established, all students K-12 now enjoy rich outdoor experiences. The Mind, Body, Spirit framework and curriculum have been developed and embedded, helping our students develop holistically through a sequenced and guided learning program. House has been re-ignited as an important structure, providing students with opportunities to connect vertically with other students while developing an identity around their House tribe. Students are also better supported with rites of passage as they transition through key milestones during their Pymble journey.
For consideration in 2024: The team has identified for 2024-2026 a goal of fostering a healthier community, starting in 2024 with the priority areas of sleep and movement, the two foundational elements that have a profound impact on overall health and our ability to learn. Throughout the school day there will be an array of opportunities for students and staff to invest more time in physical activity. Students and staff will be encouraged to give more attention to tracking their sleep and movement, and working to develop new personalised targets.
Social Intelligence
Proud of achieving in 2021-2023: Culture has become more visible following the introduction of the Intercultural Connections Prefect portfolio and student support team to share diverse and authentic student voice. As a diverse community, we came together in unity to celebrate events such as the Sharing Stories Festival, Lunar New Year and Diwali, as well as International Peace Day and Languages Week.
Cultural fluency has also been enhanced by professional learning around diversity, inclusion and culture; introducing Aboriginal Studies to the curriculum; building our Reconciliation Action Plan; and using recruitment strategies that avoid unconscious bias to bring a more diverse range of teachers into the College.
For consideration in 2024: Our College values represent who we are as a community and we plan to bring these further to life around the campus through embedding our values as lived behaviours across all our key stakeholders. In addition, the creation of a whole-school service-learning framework will provide more opportunities for students and families to expand their perspective and be of service to others.
Digital Intelligence
Proud of achieving in 2021-2023: With more than 600 students now happily ensconced in our Robotics program, we have grown technology-related opportunities for students by establishing Data Science and Digital Technologies as two new Secondary School courses. However, the greatest joy has come in watching our littlest learning pioneers explore and create with technology in new initiatives like the Junior School STEM festival and passport program.
For consideration in 2024: We plan to launch our College Digital Champions initiative to guide us in harnessing AI to enrich student learning. Our aim is to develop an AI learning framework that outlines the essential skills, knowledge, and character needed to empower our students to make a meaningful impact through their use of technology.
Academic Intelligence
Proud of achieving in 2021-2023: The new K-2 English and Mathematics syllabuses have been successfully implemented in the Junior School. Explicit teaching of literacy and daily opportunities to listen to rich literature have developed students’ vocabulary and enjoyment of the English language. In Mathematics the focus has been on reasoning and problem solving.
In the Senior School, our HSC Improvement Initiative was very well received. This includes the development of a continuum which identifies study skills, additional academic mentoring and high levels of participation in HSC study camps and after-hours homework help.
For consideration in 2024: We plan to develop a flexible teaching and learning framework that will clearly identify what makes a Pymble education unique. The framework will also explore ways to provide more timely feedback to parents on student progress.
Equally exciting is our work in sustainability as a College. We will continue to engage consultants to review our efforts in Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) and progress towards our Big Hairy Audacious Goal of becoming a Net Zero organisation. Students will have more opportunities built into the curriculum to contribute to this important work, including potentially joining with neighbouring schools to host a climate education summit on campus.
We welcome your feedback
It’s exciting to share with you these top line summaries of ideas for the future. Having already received feedback from our staff on these strategies, we welcome parent and carer feedback via the google form link below.
Your feedback on what you love and what would be even better if is welcome here.
In short, it’s an exciting time to be a Pymble student. Signing off with this heart-warming clip of three of our Year 12 girls – who, after the last exam this week, are all officially Pymble graduates – speaking about how Pymble has changed their lives, and their world, for the better. Truly #Pymble Proud.
