2023
Principal's Report
I am pleased to report on another wonderful year at Presbyterian Ladies’ College, reflective of our values and our vision to ‘form empowered women of character who change the world for good’.
2023 was a positive and more predictable year for the College. It was fantastic to be able to run our full program of events across the year and to share the excitement and joy of all they offer to our students with the community. The College has a reputation for providing an outstanding education for girls in a well-resourced physical environment in a park-like setting. As well as offering programs which support and challenge each student to achieve her best, we seek to assist girls to understand a wide range of academic disciplines and co-curricular pursuits.
We strive to be a school that educates the whole person, within a Christian context, helping each girl to develop personal qualities and values that will equip her for a happy and successful adult life. All of our teachers, our broader staff and student leaders work towards realising this goal of providing a rich educational experience for every girl.
Much work has already been put into planning for our upcoming 150th anniversary celebrations for 2025. A history book has been commissioned and will be ready to be launched early in this special year. Researched and written by Historysmith’s, both Old Collegians’ and LAMPAS groups enjoyed hearing from the author, Helen Penrose, during 2023 about its progress and her insights into the history of the College.
A series of special occasions progressed in their organisation this year in advance of the celebration.
The construction of the Sports, Aquatic and Fitness Centre progressed well. Much of the work this year was in ground works and by the end of the year we saw the concrete frameworks for the pool seating and the start of the large rooms and the underground car-parking. It is pleasing that this project is progressing on time and due to be completed in 2025 as was planned. This centre will transform the College offerings for both curriculum and co-curriculum in sport, physical education and wellbeing and we look forward to its completion with great anticipation.
I was very proud of the way the PLC Graduating Class of 2023 embraced their Year 12 with confidence and energy, given the disruptions and uncertainty they experienced in their middle secondary years due to the pandemic. Their leadership at both a personal and collective level was impressive.
It gives me great pleasure to congratulate the Class of 2023 on the outstanding results that they achieved in both the VCE and IB. I would very much like to acknowledge and thank our dedicated and committed staff, parents and families who supported and encouraged the girls throughout their years at PLC. We are very aware that it is a team effort and all who have been involved in the development of these young women are to be congratulated.
Of the 150 students who completed VCE and IB:
99.95
2 girls achieved an ATAR of 93.55 the median ATAR was
‘Empowering Girls’, PLC’s 2023-2027 Strategic Plan, was launched to the community in Term 2. The aspirational plan is framed around the three pillars of learning, wellbeing and connection and then set by the values of integrity, empathy, delight, service and courage. In its first year, the clear plan has begun to be embedded across the College as we strive to achieve its intention to give heart, foster resilience, encourage leadership, promote creativity, gratitude, perspective and a sense of happiness in each student for their stage of learning.
We are indeed blessed to be part of this enduring and dynamic place of education for young women. I sincerely thank everyone who contributed to the richness and depth of our wonderful College and its supportive community during 2023.
Cheryl Penberthy Principal
Architectural drawing of the Sports, Aquatic and Fitness Centre, due to open in 2025.
Our Vision, Mission & Values
PLC has a distinguished history and tradition of educating women who go on to make a significant contribution in the world. Today, we continue to ensure the rich, rigorous and positive schooling experience that we provide launches young women into rewarding vocations and fulfilling lives.
Vision
To form empowered women of character who change the world for good.
Mission
To deliver an outstanding education within a Christian context that:
• prioritises care
• promotes holistic development and growth
• personalises learning
• provides enriching opportunities
• perpetuates principled living and a service ethic
• prepares students for their time as... scholars, thinkers, citizens, advocates, and leaders.
Values
Integrity: We seek truth and wisdom to determine what is right and then support each other to do what is right.
Empathy: We aim to recognise, understand and respond appropriately to the thoughts, feelings and circumstances of others. It inspires care, compassion and leadership.
Courage: Courage fosters learning, makes us willing to have a go, to advocate and encourage, be strong and endure.
Delight: We take the time to let awe and wonder restore and inspire us. It sparks our curiosity and creativity, provides perspective and promotes life in all its fullness.
Service: We use our gifts and talents to gladly serve others. To do so is rewarding and fulfilling for us as individuals and a community.
Strategic Plan 2023-2027
Delivering outstanding girls’ education has been our enduring commitment since 1875. It remains our compelling purpose and priority. How we go about achieving it today, however, requires both insight and foresight, the type reflected in our Strategic Plan 2023-2027.
Appreciating all the ways in which our students will need to be equipped to successfully navigate our complex, rapidly changing world, we have developed a strategic direction that is studentcentred, globally relevant and innovative. It will promote the learning, wellbeing and connection that forms women of character who are willing and able to change the world for good. Our empowering, dynamic approach will support this work and keep PLC and its students at the cutting edge of a future-focused education.
We are passionate about each student’s learning journey with us and believe that with the guidance of our accomplished staff and the support of our community, this Strategic Plan will help deliver the broad, holistic and healthy schooling experience that facilitates academic excellence and human flourishing.
A. Deliver a future-focused curriculum that equally values all pathways and disciplines
B. Implement personalised learning strategies
C. Promote deep real-world learning
D. Promote student voice, leadership and agency
E. Integrate innovative and meaningful IT into the teaching and learning program
F. Explicitly develop emotional intelligence, social competence and metacognition
G. Build capabilities of all students and staff
A. Foster and celebrate personal best and balance
B. Integrate whole school preventative wellbeing approaches
C. Make our Christian ethos and College values more visible
D. Strengthen PLC’s culture of belonging, care and inclusion
A. Develop internal and external opportunities for students to learn and socialise together
B. Provide ‘hands on’, authentic service opportunities
C. Improve connection within and across disciplines and sub-schools
D. Strengthen connection with parents and caregivers
E. Increase collaboration with Old Collegians
F. Use meaningful traditions to honour PLC’s history and inspire its future
G. Establish an Ethics Institute for PLC and the wider community that aligns with the school’s ethos and promotes ethical living
Our Community
Our school thrives on the support and dedication of our PLC community which includes current students, staff, parents, alumnae, past families, various parent groups, Foundation members, Executive members and Council members. The PLC community is a highly engaged and connected group that is vital to the life of our school.
80 Boarders
Families 1,355
1,514 Students
15,235+ Alumnae
LEAD Satisfaction Survey Results
The Independent Schools of Victoria Listen, Educate, Act, Deliver (LEAD) Survey is undertaken by hundreds of schools across the State. PLC results for overall satisfaction, and across every domain of learning, resources, wellbeing, leadership and engagement indicated PLC students, staff and parents feel our College is of the highest quality. Some key measures and the overall mean across all domains is as follows:
Teaching Staff
Source: isAnalyse analyse.iseducation.com.au Parents
Source: LEAD School Effectiveness Survey Parent Satisfaction Survey 2023
Source: LEAD School Effectiveness Survey Student Satisfaction Survey 2023
Our Students
At PLC, we want our students to thrive and achieve their full potential. Each day, we strive to cultivate a positive and inclusive learning environment that promotes connection, self-regulation and delight. Nurturing the wellbeing of our students is a top priority for staff and a key pillar of PLC’s Empowering Girls Strategic Plan.
Beyond academic success, our wellbeing programs such as Project Wayfinder (Years 7-10) and Wellness in Motion (Year 11), teach students about maintaining a positive mindset, developing resilience, and valuing self, relationships and experiences at the College.
Individual students funded under Commonwealth or State Government disability grant schemes
Students with a language background other than English
Attendance
High levels of attendance in all year levels across the College are reported below. In the instance of absenteeism, the College follows up with each case and manages these electronically.
2023 NAPLAN Results
PLC continues to achieve outstanding results for all Junior School students and remains one of the top Secondary schools across Victoria for NAPLAN.
The table below shows the comparison between year level averages for PLC students and national scores.
Year 12 Results
The Year 12 cohort of 2023 achieved a median combined ATAR of 93.55. Additionally, two girls achieved a notional ATAR of 99.95.
Our girls have worked incredibly hard over the past two years and have been committed to their studies as well as to the life of the College and our sports, theatre, music, arts and other co-curricular programs. They have been resilient and supportive of one another and they can feel rightfully proud of their wonderful results.
95+ 43% students achieved ATAR
2 students achieved ATAR
99.95
63% students achieved 90+ ATAR
median IB ATAR
95.68
5 VCE perfect study scores across 2 subjects students achieved 75% IB studies scoring 6 or 7
Our Staff
The professional, expert staff at PLC dedicate themselves to knowing and meeting the needs of each girl. Nurturing a strong sense of self and others within a culture of genuine care fosters the humanity, confidence, leadership capacity and zest for life we want every student to enjoy.
Number of staff excluding casuals (269.28 full-time equivalent)
Number of staff including full-time, part-time and casual
Qualifications
Executive Members
Cheryl Penberthy BEd, M.Ed, MACE, GAICD
Lisa Saffin BSc, DipEd, GradDipComp, Med
Anne-Marie Williams B Ed (Sci)
Melissa Voce M.Ed, BMus GradDipEd LMusA LTCL
Matthew Duke B.Comm(Acc), B.Comp, MBA, CA, GAICD
Rowena Beale BEd PostGradCertHum
Teachers
Early Learning
Theresa Bedelph BEd
Anne Belleville BEChildEd
Amy Brooks MEd, BASc, GradDipEd
Leonie Ellul DipEChildEdCare
Katina Grammatoglou MEd, BEd, CertIVAsst&Wkpl
Deborah Hendren BEd GradDipSpecEd
Tanya Perez BEChildEd
Eva Triantafyllou BA, AssDipSS, CertIVTAA
Junior
School
Stephanie Ball BA(Hons), PGCE
Hannah Bangah BEd(Hons)
Carole Blanch BTeach, BEd
Emmanuelle Brunet
MAppBehavAnal, BSc, GradDipEd
Sharon Catchpoole BA, GradDipDiv
Vikki Chan BMus, BA, GradDipEd, AMusA
Jeff Chen BArc, MTeachPri
Clare Conlon BEd
Caitlin Curran MTeach, BSc
Rosalind Edmanson MEd, BEd, GradDipEdAdmin
Francesca Frederic BEd, DipT
Michelle Fulton BBus
Julee Gatty-Watkins DipED
Megan Goodman MEd, BEd, BTeach
Kristina Guthrie BA(Ed); BA(EC)
Paul Hamilton-Smith BA
Kate Hayes Christina Hebden BEd
Alice Hicks BEd
Michele Howell BEd, DipT
Sara Hughes
Aimee Johnstone MTeach, BFilmDigMed
Belinda Juchno MTeach, BHeaSci
Charmaine Kenner DipT
Joyce Khor BComm, BFineArt, PostGradDipEdSt
Justine Lam BEd, GradCertTesol, PostGradCertIB
Carmen Lang BEd
Virginia Molan
Nicola Nagy
Mr Ashley Newell BSc, BEd
Bronwyn Northfield MLeInt, BEd
Rebecca Norton DipEd, GradDipSE
Johanna O'Sullivan BEd, BSportOutdRec
Nerilee Parkin DipT
Alison Wing Yun Pho BComm, MTeach
Elizabeth Renton MEd, BEd, GradCertEd
Katherine Roche BEd
Alison Steele
Jane Summers BMus, GradDipEd
Tara Toan MLearnInt, BEd
Sally Tweddle MPhil, BEd(Hons)
Jayde Viney BEd
Melissa Voce BMus, GradDipEd, LMusA, LTCL
Anne Walsh MEd, BEd, DipT
Mark Williams BEd, BTeach
Senior School
Lynette Elizabeth Alexander HigherDipTeachSec
Catherine Altmann MCrWrtg, BA(Hons), GradDipEd
John Arbuckle BTh, GradDipEdcat
Karina Archman BA(Hons), DipEd
Victor Bao MBA, BSc
Peter Bartels MMus, BMus(Hons), GradDipEd
Anne Beech
BA(Hons), GradDipInfoMgt, GradDipEd
Fiona Bell
BEng(Hons), BSc, GradDipEd
Leonie Blackwell
Oliver Bonnici ARCM
Amanda Bryant BA(Hons), DipEd, BSc
Sarah Buckman BA, DipEd
Jane Cameron BA, DipEd
Mitsui Cameron BEd
Georgina Canty BTeach, BA, COGE
Marianne Caris BA, DipEd
Tracey Carroll BEChildSt, PostGradDipEdSt
Sarah Catton BA
Stephen Catton BA(Hons), MAH, PGCE
Andrew Chan BSc(Hons), GradDipEd
Mrs Nicola Clark MTeach, BExSs, BComm
Madeleine Costello BEdMidSecSch, BA
Fiona Cross BEdSec
Clare Crowe BA
Zecheng Dai GradDipEd, BM, AdvDipTI
Emma Davies
MTeach BASc
Rowena Day BA(Hons), DipEd, AMusA
Patricia Dove BSc, GradDipEd, GradCertAst, CertIISc
Cameron Dunwoody BSc, DipEd, GradDipOEd, GradCertEdT
Jo Anne Sharmini Eager
Bernadette El Sheik PGCE, BCom(Hons)
Hildy Essex MMus, BMus(Hons), DipModLan, GradDipEd, LMusA
Stephanie Fourquet-Moylan MA, GradDipEd
Peter Francis BEng, GradDipEd
Allison Frattaroli BTeach, BA
Nance Frawley MTeachSec, MLaw, BLaw, BA
Catherine Garrett MEd, BEd
Inderpreet Gill
Marinka Gnaden BEd
Angela Gower BA(Hons), PostGradEd
Maree Gray BA, DipEd, GradDipTESOL
Sibella Guest MSc, DipEd
Monica Guo MTeach, BEng(Hons)
Annette Hall BA, DipEd
Susan Hall BSc(Hons), DipEd
Naho Hamanaka BEd, BA
Sandra Hanson DipTeach, BEd, GradDipGEd
Louisa Hare MEd, BBus, GradDipCareers, GradDipEd
Anna Hayman-Arif BA, BEd(Hons), BCommProfWriting
Jaana Hillary BA, GradCertLing, GradDipTeachSec
Mrs Penny Hondrakis BSc, DipEd
Erin-Maree Horsley BEdVisArt
John Howes BSc, BComm, GradDipEd
George Hronakis MTeach, BMus
Benjamin Hudson DipMusPerf
Takako Ikegami-Lee BA, GradDipBus
Asha Jacob BSc
Penelope Joyce BSc
Tania Joyce BSc, GradCertRE, GradDipEd
Timothy Joyce BComm, DipEd
Xiaozhi Kan
Jiayi Kang BSc, BSecEdu
Junko Kawabata BSc, BEd, GradDipTeach
Bronwen Kellett BSc, DipEd
David Kendrick BEd, MSpEd
Sheldon Kendrick Mteach, BScAdv(Hons)
Dannielle Keogh BSc, BEd, GradCertCareers
Christie Kurrle-Faulks MHlthBehavSc, BEd, GradDipSportSc
Stephanie Lamont BSc, BTeach
Lisa Lander BA, GradDipTeach
Alexandra Legge BEdPri
Anna Lewis BSc, DipT
Isabelle Lloyd MTeachSec, BPsychSc(Hons)
Giselle Lobo GradDipEd, BEng(Hons)
Meiyi Lu MA, GradDipEd
Xing Luo MEd, BEd
Genevieve Lynch MEd, BEd
Aimee Macauley BHPE
Fairlie Mackinnon BA(Hons), GradCertInfoMgt, DipEd
David MacGregor MCom, BCom(Hons), GradDipEd
Katherine McLeod BA, DipPhoto, GradDipEd
Tiffenny Nelson BSc(Hons), PGCE
Pam Newlan BSc, DipEd
Lan Siu Chan Ng Sing Kwong BA(Hons)
Rachel O'Neill BSc, GradDipEd
Karen Orelli BAppSc, GradDipEd
Jiahui Pan MTeach, BBioMed
Elissa Payne GradDipEd, GradDipArtEnt
Estelle Payne FLE, GradDipEd
Jane Payne BA, DipEd
Timothy Phillips MMus, BMus(Hons), GradCertMusSt, GradDipPerf, GradDipED
Priscilla Pho MTeach, BAMediaComms
Sally Pontifex BEd
James Poon MEd, DipEd, BEngCivil(Hons)
Mark Poustie BAAg, DipTh
Philipa Purser MTeach, BA
Susie Renney BEd
Michele Rennie BSc
David Renshaw BSc(Hons), GradDipIS, PGCE
Andrew Rivis MEdSt
Michele Rochwerger MSpEd, BA, DipEd
Mike Rossy BA, GradDipEd
Felicity Russell BA(Hons), DipEd
Sahil Sunil Shahzadpuri BA, MTeachSec
Jane Sharkey BEd, GradDipSpecEd, GradCertReadInt
Patricia Shiel BA, DipEd, GradDipEdStud
Siksha Sivaramakrishnan BSc(Hons), BEd(Hons)
Jody Smith MEd, BEd, GradDipEdStud, CSLML
Lucinda Smithson BEd
Robyn Speedy CertIIIGroupFit, BSc, DipEd
Richard Squibb BPA PostGradDipEdSt
Kate Stanton BA, DipEd, GradDipDiv
Harriett Steenholdt
Ping Sun
Jialing Sun BSc, BEdSec
John Taylor BSc(Hons), DipEd
Thomas Than BSc, PGCE
Annette Thompson BEd
Martine Thompson BA, BSocSci
Nicole Thomson BA, DipEd
Jennifer Thomson BA(Hons), DipEd
Mary Thornhill MEd, BA(Hons), GradDipEd
Lindsay vander Pal BSc, DipEdAppSc
Toni Vernon MA, BA, DipEd
Katherine Wells LLB, MTeach, BA, PostGradDipEd
Perri Winter MEd, BDes DipMin, GradDipEd
Erica Wright BMus(Hons), GradDipEd, AMusA, LMusA
Jessica Yang MTeach, BA
Tian Yuan MTeach, MSc, BSc
Finance Report
Under the governance of the College Council and Executive, the College continues to manage the economic challenges of the high-inflation climate. In 2023, we faced rising costs across various expenses. The new payroll tax by the Victorian State Government, effective 1 July 2024, added another financial hurdle, requiring a revision to our 2024 fee structure.
After careful planning, at the start of 2023, we began construction of our new sports and aquatic fitness centre. This transformative project, the most significant the College has undertaken, will revolutionise our campus and sporting program. Scheduled to open in 2025, the construction is progressing well, funded by cash reserves, bank finance and donations.
In addition to this major project, we completed several smaller ones, including upgrading the Junior School entrance to improve traffic flow for parents and staff.
The College also operates an Early Learning Centre and a Boarding House (Years 7-12), which sit within the College's single entity financial reporting framework and are subject to an annual external audit. The College’s activities undergo annual audit requirements and include reporting to the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profit Commission (ACNC).
The College's overall financial position remains strong, and the continued healthy demand for enrolment places us in an excellent position to achieve our upcoming strategic and development plan goals. This is crucial as we enter 2024, when we will complete the sports building and continue to manage the effects of high inflation and interest rates.
We remain dedicated to fiscal responsibility, careful budgeting and efficient operations. We are excited to advance our Strategic Plan for site and building improvements while continuing to deliver an exceptional educational experience for our students.
Matthew Duke Business Manager & Company Secretary
The following charts provide a graphical representation of the funding inflows and outflows for the 2023 financial year.
Revenue
Fees, Charges & Parent Contributions
Government Recurrent Funding
Other Income
Expenditure
Employee Benefits
Tuition Expenses
Property Expenses
Other Expenses
Capital Expenditure
