Hello to you all,
There are some boarding schools that leave an impression before you’ve even stepped out of the car.
Years ago, when my girls were still at boarding school in Sydney, we drove into Pymble Ladies’ College for a sports afternoon. I can still remember winding our way down that beautiful driveway towards the playing fields and quietly saying to the girls, “Lucky I didn’t see this place first.”
Now before anyone panics – no, I don’t believe families should choose a boarding school based on beauty alone. Not even close. But goodness me, it is a stunning campus. For someone like me who grew up completely enchanted by Anne of Green Gables and romantic notions of grand trees, gardens and old-world charm, it certainly struck a chord.
What stayed with me more though, once the novelty of the scenery faded, was the warmth. The sense that behind the scale and beauty there was genuine connection. And I think that matters because boarding, at its very best, should feel like more than accommodation. It should feel like belonging.
This week’s Takeover Thursday gives you a closer look inside the Boarding community at Pymble Ladies’ College, where around 70% of Boarders come from regional NSW and where creating a sense of family sits right at the centre of their philosophy.
You’ll read about their Big Sister Program, which pairs younger girls with older mentors to help ease the transition into boarding life – something I know many families will immediately recognise the value of. There’s also a look into their extraordinary sporting pathways and culture of excellence, particularly for girls pursuing high-level competition while balancing academics and boarding life.
And for families in western NSW, Pymble will be in Dubbo this weekend for our first Expo of the season. I always say there’s something incredibly valuable about meeting schools face-to-face, asking the questions that matter to your family and getting a genuine feel for the people behind the prospectus.
As always, I encourage you to explore with curiosity, benchmark broadly and keep searching for the place that feels right for your child.
LIVE IT, LOVE IT, LEARN IT
Our Boarders are the heart of Pymble Ladies’ College
has a long and proud tradition of Boarding, with 20 of our first 60 students enrolled as Boarders when the College opened in 1916. Today, we have a thriving community of 150 Boarding students with 70% hailing from regional NSW.
Pymble Boarders are the heart of our school and creating a sense of family is at the heart of our Boarding community. Your daughter is welcomed with open arms and supported by our caring staff, her Boarding ‘sisters’ and our holistic program exclusive to Boarders – Live it, Love it, Learn it.
We celebrate the unique gifts that each girl brings and provide a supportive, home-like environment in which they can flourish. With access to exceptional learning opportunities, state-of-the-art facilities, an extensive co-curricular program, beautiful grounds and caring and professional staff, our Boarders are empowered to embrace opportunities to develop a broad perspective of life and make meaning of their world as confident and capable young women.
Big Sister Program
We are proud of our strong Boarding community at Pymble, and our Big Sister Program is an important part of building relationships between different age groups. The program supports younger girls to transition into Boarding by linking them with a Boarder from Year 10 or 11 who will be a friend and mentor.
Olympians Start Here
Boarders represent a significant proportion of Pymble’s student athletes, competing across tennis, soccer, rugby, hockey and rowing. As an Australian Olympic Pathway school, our outstanding facilities and specialist coaches challenge and support our girls to perform at their personal best. This culture of excellence creates a natural pathway for talented athletes to progress toward state, national and international competition.
Pymble Heads West This Weekend!
Pymble will be in Dubbo this weekend, 15th and 16th May, and we would love to see you there. We will be gathering at Press in Dubbo to welcome prospective and future families to connect with our community. However, we are always open for our Boarding families so please book a personal tour at a time that suits you.
Thank you to Pymble Ladies’ College, Sydney, NSW for showing us around their wonderful school.
As always, enjoy the resources on our new website. It’s designed to help you and your family make decisions about boarding school and support you once you’re there.
