MESSAGES FROM KEY SCHOOL BODIES
CHAIRWOMAN OF COLLEGE COUNCIL
(Speech Day Report 2023)
Good morning special guests, girls and young women of PLC Sydney, family, friends, staff and College Council. Today we come together to celebrate the end of 2023. Over the last few weeks we have held award ceremonies for specific areas such as Science, speech, sport
Today we celebrate all of these and more. Today we recognise the achievements of our girls and young women across a breadth of endeavour
Achievement is an interesting idea in many ways It is accompanied by a sense of reward, and of completion, which is right when looking back at the investment of effort.
Today we reward that effort, but when speaking of achievement, we can also consider how this builds on the future – the challenges, the opportunities, the possibilities otherwise not considered Today we celebrate achievement, recognising what has happened as well as wondering what might happen
I also want to recognise the dedication of our academic staff and support staff I see the results of their work, but it is the girls, you who know this dedication first hand. This dedication is about more than education, it is about a commitment to building women of purpose
Girls, perhaps you will have the opportunity to thank one of the PLC community who has helped you this year.
Thank you to each of the members of College Council Each volunteers their time to ensure that the Governance of the College is sound. I thank Caron Balzer for being deputy in 2023, and for Adam Ladkins now continuing in this role, along with Convenor of Governance.
Thank you to Tim Catteral for his effective work as convenor of Finance and Risk, and Joanne Gamble in her role as convenor of Strategy and Education.
This year the focus has continued to be on implementing the 10 year strategy which included:
● Property –including completion of the SkyPath and planning for a new purpose-built Tas facility
● Planning the refurbishment of the Frida Whitlam building
● Progressing on the development of a new Pre-school at Lane Cove which will open in 2024.
● Ensuring that girls are educated to the best of their ability within a Christian framework
● Managing the finances in a way that enables us to pay fair prices to suppliers, ensure our staff remuneration is maintained, whilst being mindful of fees to parents
We live in a world that has been facing many challenges, economic conditions, the news of war, drought, famine, floods.
We also face individual challenges, such as health, finding time or inspiration to get assessments finished, preparing for significant exams, preparing new teaching programs, learning new skills. So I am sure I am not the only one who asks the question why, and what can we do, when problems seem large A recent sermon I heard reminded me that even the small things we do are important It was a message from Zech 4: 10
Who dares despise the days of the small things, when there will be rejoicing when they see the Capstone placed
Small things matter. Life is made up of small things. We put our heads down to study, we make an effort to be helpful, we can say one encouraging word. God is concerned with small things. The small things are like bricks in a building – of themselves perhaps insignificant
Then there are times when we get to see a capstone put in place. My husband tells me that capstones were an important part of making arches, and when the capstone goes in, it is a moment of completion, a time of rejoicing
For many of our girls, today is a capstone moment.
We do not despise the small things because we know there will be days like this to rejoice in the capstone moment Do remember that to build a great building you need many arches
As we enter the time of Christmas we see how God worked through the small. Jesus’ birth as a baby and then the individual steps of his life before the crowning glory of his death and resurrection.
My prayer is that you will remember to take the small steps that will enable you to grow into young women of purpose and faith.
Leah Russell, Chairwoman
of Council, December 2023
PARENTS AND FRIENDS’ ASSOCIATION
When you get shown a video of a little Year 2 student saying happily as she gets tucked into bed that “today was the best day of my life!”, you know that the PLC Sydney Open Day and Fair 2023 was a very special event. That is just one of the many fantastic memories from the different activities organised by the PLC Sydney Parents and Friends Association and superbly supported by the College community across the year.
We kicked off the year with our annual P&F Welcome Cocktail Evening. This is always a wonderful time to reconnect socially as a school community after the summer holidays
This year also saw the introduction of an Outdoor Movie Night for Year 7 and 8 students and families. Legally Blonde was the perfect “classic” to show! At the end of the movie, the main character announces, “You must always have faith in yourself” and our wonderful girls all cheered, which coupled with a beautiful summer night certainly put a lump in the throat for the parent volunteers!
We started “Camp Coffee mornings” where families farewelling their daughters on year group camps could find solace in a latte and have a coffee and catch up in the Star Café. It was a great way to connect across the different year groups.
The absolute highlight of 2023 was the Open Day and Fair Celebrating the 135th anniversary of the school, our indomitable Fair Coordinator Georgie Moodie was charged with making this the biggest and best to date which she and the team did with style A day of this size and scope doesn’t happen without an exceptional team behind it To Georgie, Elise, the stall coordinators, Philipa, Jo, David, Petra, the PLC Sydney Maintenance team, the school staff and all the families who donated, sponsored, and showed
up to enjoy the day; the laughter, smiles, gasps at the light show and the record-breaking amount of funds raised are a testament to you all
To finish off the year, we held a “Wreaths and Wine” evening where attendees were able to take away a beautiful, sustainable festive decoration. Huge thanks to Fiona, Georgie, Fatima, and Michelle who gave so generously of materials and creative genius for the night!
I would like to recognise the incredible outgoing P&F Executive. Tony Nejasmic, Deputy President, stands down after a decade of service, with eight of those as President and Sophie Arkelidis’s contribution on the P&F Executive and the Junior School Auxiliary Thank you to Dr Tanveer Ahmed, Stephen Rowlands and Michelle Ladkins who have been tireless in their service.
Another very special group to recognise are the volunteers of our Second-Hand Uniform store, led by Photini Christoforou These volunteers have served for over ten years and their camaraderie and service has been immense. They have raised over $300,000 during their time, and we are so grateful. Term 1, 2024 will see their last sale, with the P&F introducing some new changes after this
I thank all the PLC Sydney community for your support of the P&F and on behalf of the 2024 Executive Lisa Surian, Dean Galanos, Simon Meyer, Ian Caldwell, Helen Reese, Suzanne Christie, and Tara Togi, we wish you a safe and restful break and look forward to a fabulous 2024!
Shona Gawel
PLC P&F President
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
Speech Day Address 2023
We warmly welcome you to the 135th Anniversary Speech Day of our College, PLC Sydney.
By all exterior measures we have had a very successful year Year 12/2022 achieved excellent academic results and the indicators thus far are that Year 12/2024 will do likewise; in the sporting arena our students won the IGSA shields for Best Girls’ Swimming School, Best Girls’ Diving School, Best Girls’ Gymnastics school. We placed third in Athletics and won or were runners up in major Senior or Middle years competitions in Touch Football, Hockey and Badminton.
In cultural pursuits our public speakers won the prestigious AHIGS Festival of Speech for the 17th time in its 27 year history Our Junior School won the Social Sciences Tournament of Minds and the Science Crystal Growing Competition. For the seventh year in a row our scientists won more awards than any other school in NSW (selective, public, independent or Catholic) at the STANSW Awards. Our students earned 37 awards The school with the second largest number of awards received six
Our orchestras and choirs won major awards at eisteddfods, our Pipes and Drums were the first all girls band to place in a major Band competition and our theatre sports teams secured trophies with their humour and spontaneity.
Our Year 12 students featured strongly in nominations and selection for ArtExpress, Shape, Texstyle, OnStage and Encore There have been awards in the languages and in philosophical thinking
It would take me too long today to list all of the individual student awards but you will meet some girls who received the international blazer later today. One of our students was recently chosen in the Australian youth Olympic team for biathlon
The College has produced outstanding musicals and stage productions, we have conducted overseas exchanges and many successful tours, we have raised tens of thousands of dollars for worthwhile causes and we have had a large number of fun activities.
We have enjoyed Evandale Christmas Concert and Grandparents Day, thanks to our wonderful P & F we enjoyed a huge Fair and Open Day and who could forget our 135th Anniversary Concert.
We staged an International Science conference with visiting schools from nations as diverse as Italy, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan Anyone who doubted the talent and development that occurs at PLC Sydney need only view the musical performances on show today
As well as this we have opened a new building - the SkyPath has been well-received, we have developed an entrepreneurship classroom on Elizabeth Street; and a couple of weeks ago we purchased the Hennessy Street shops that border the front of the College You will be pleased to know that it too will go to developing young women in business
We were generous as a school On our first Giving Day we collectively raised over $317,000 towards scholarships.
We continued to lead the way in developing Cambridge courses IGCSE courses have been running for nearly a decade now and ‘A’ level courses are being developed. We had the Deputy Premier and Minister for Education with us earlier this year to find out about our Cambridge programs The HSC is a better course for entry to some university courses and Cambridge is for others. We appointed Dr Tony Stojkovski to assist families with this important choice
As an aside I must add my thanks to the College Council for my sabbatical this year. I work hard for the school and am grateful for the refreshment such an opportunity provides Susan took long service leave and we greatly appreciated the time together. I thank Linda Chiba for being Acting Principal, Maria Halkidas for being Acting Deputy, Lauren Bruno for being Acting Head of Positive Student Care and Engagement
Yet success in these areas is not our most important task If I could give the Year 12 students one thing to take away with them this year it would be to recognise the close connection between the faith base of your school and the value that you place on your personhood, your selfhood, your value The faith base of PLC Sydney operates the content level, but not only here No education is simply a survey of ideas. The very famous Chemist, Michael Polanyi, spoke of ‘tacit knowledge’. We not only think, we think about how we think We have assumptions We make judgments about our own idea of what is good or beautiful or true. We are ‘meta’ beings. To study the universe is also to study ourselves as we examine it No knowledge is neutral We study ‘matter’ and what Raymond Tallis calls ‘thatter’ – our capacity to
name the universe, to say ‘look at that’, to refer to ‘that’ thing. This capacity tells us a great deal about ourselves We are meaning finders and meaning makers
Our education at PLC Sydney operates at the meta level, in giving you ways of understanding how we approach the ideas on offer St Augustine once wrote a book called ‘Confessions’ It has been called the world’s first biography. Central to its pages is the notion that each of us is a reflective self, imbued by God with the capacity to think and to express our wills Augustine reflects upon his life, celebrates its joys, confesses the hurts he has caused, and hopes in his future.
You have a biography because, whilst AI is a useful tool, you are not another form of AI, and because you are not an autonomous will. We all have agency – that is so important. Our lives are also gifts that are given to us There is therefore a call on us to be humble and deeply respectful of the life we have been given. Appreciate the joy that can surprise you, and which comes no matter whether you are rich or poor From this secure place bring positive change Year 12, you leave to read and write the next pages of your biography We are very proud of you Write well
PLC Sydney offers a broad education across many fields because we want to reach each student This is a hard task, girls. You are sometimes tough critics as I am sure your parents know. Yet we deeply believe you each have a valuable story Like me, you are flawed, sometimes anxious, even beset by worries, yet you are equally simply fantastic Miracles Critically, we are all deeply able to love We each need to love.
Love learning. Love your neighbour. Love making discoveries. Love yourself. Love puzzling things out. Love the earth Love God
Our school will continue to be innovative and take risks. Yet we will seek to do this in personal ways rather than bureaucratic
I have many to thank for their service to our school We have honoured long term staff already Would you join me in thanking our departing staff
I wish to recognise that we are in challenging economic times You will have received a letter from the Chair of Council indicating our fee increase. We need to ensure we pay teachers so that they can afford to live near the school, and to flourish with their families The Sydney Morning Herald does not tell you the truth: we receive very little government funding Any family who moved their daughter from, say, Burwood Girls, to PLC Sydney would save the government about $12,000 per year. Independent and Catholic schools save the government billions of dollars each year You are taxpayers: I do believe some of your taxes should go to your own daughter’s education. Little does. Therefore, the cost of running the schools falls to families We are not for profit All monies go towards your daughter’s education
Thank you to April Palmerlee, our guest speaker today.
I thank Mrs Mathews for her wonderful service as my PA. She does an excellent job.
I wish to add my personal thanks to my wife, Susan and to our growing family for her/their support This is a busy job - I thank you dearly.
To every PLC Sydney family I wish you a happy Christmas Thank you for your support this year
PLC Sydney Principal
December 2023
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL
JUNIOR SCHOOL - STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL
Student Representative Captain: Crystelle-Marie Softsis
Student Representative Vice-Captain: Tiffany Kouhis
This year, we had the great privilege of being the Junior School leaders of the Student Representative Council. Every term we had two meetings where we discussed new initiatives to improve our Junior School. One Student Representative was chosen from each class and had the job of reporting their class's suggestions There have been many wonderful ideas during 2023, and we have really appreciated the contribution of Junior School students to make these requests happen for the enjoyment of our school community
In Semester 1, we created a friendship bench. This was requested by Year 3 and was such a great idea! This bench is used by girls to encourage friendships and provide extra company during fruit play and lunch breaks. Students made some lovely posters to let everyone know where it was and decorated the bench beautifully This made it warm and inviting for everyone!
Year 6 came up with the idea of having compost bins in the Hamilton playground. We have labelled buckets for students’ food scraps Students walk these buckets over to the veggie garden and find a large compost bin. They spread the scraps they collected into the compost bin and then added a layer of brown waste to the top We organised a timetable to encourage each year group to participate Our compost decomposed beautifully and was used to feed our veggie gardens by the beginning of Term 4. This has improved our sustainability and how we deal with our rubbish.
In Hamilton, we fortunately have a Sporty Shed that is used and loved by all of the Hamilton girls. A suggestion to recreate the Sporty Shed in Evandale was made Earlier this year we both visited Evandale together with Mrs Wheatley and Mrs Phipps and took a brief look at the existing shed. We then realised that this shed could have a greater potential. Mrs Phipps ordered some more equipment and the very generous maintenance crew cleaned the inside of the shed, making it look as good as new! In Semester 2, Year 6 helpers visited Evandale at lunchtime to help run the Evandale Sporty Shed and keep the equipment neat and tidy
Semester 2 was equally as eventful as we had many new ideas to discover!
Year 4 requested boxes for each year group to put in a variety of used stationery such as pens and highlighters These are donated to Officeworks who then recycle and create new stationery for other children to use.
This year we have received the opportunity to change the school hymn lyrics from “in serving man below” to “in serving those below.” We wrote a letter to Dr Burgis about the meeting we had and the final vote which was 7-3 The majority of classes wanted the phrase to be changed We are working towards seeking the final opinion of the Senior students and the ex-students to determine if the hymn is either changed or left the same
In one of our meetings, we had a large discussion on the lunch order menu and let students share which food was their favourite, and if they wanted anything added At some point, the menu will be changed and many items students requested will be incorporated.
We would like to thank Mrs Wheatley for her guidance and Mrs Phipps for her generous support as we took on our roles. We would also like to thank the 2023 SRC representatives for their efforts (we are so proud of you!) We have had an awesome time fulfilling our role as the SRC Captains of the Junior School, and we are so grateful for the opportunity to represent you all and to grow our leadership skills. We wish the new 2024 SRC Captains all the best in their new roles
SENIOR SCHOOL STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL
By Raehana Taoube and Madeline Chang
It has been a privilege and a joy this year to meet with and lead the Student Representative Council (SRC) for 2023. Made up of students who had been elected by their morning connection groups, the SRC members came together every fortnight to discuss issues that affected them, their morning connection groups and the wider student community at PLC Sydney
A prominent issue that we discussed this year was the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its effects on learning. Unlike previous years, this new issue was ignited by the recently gathered popularity of ChatGPT, an AI-powered language processing tool that is capable of creating human-like text or conversational dialogue based on a user's instructions surrounding length, format, style, level of detail, and language used.
AI can have many benefits as a tool to aid learning, including collating sources from the internet, summarising information, brainstorming and proofreading, However, it can also have its downsides when misused, particularly encouraging academic dishonesty; for example, a student is able to ask ChatGPT, “Write me an essay on The Merchant of Venice that explores the nature of deception in about 1000 words”
Many students have the misconception that AI has the ability to think and be creative, but the reality is that it does not have the ability to generate new ideas or insights that come from human experiences and perspectives By asking ChatGPT to do tasks like this, one is not able to truly learn for themselves but is rather spoon fed they are simply plagiarising from a robot that did not even conjure a unique
understanding of its own. ChatGPT cannot teach you critical thinking one must learn this for themselves rather than allowing AI to take this opportunity away from them
As said by American writer David P Goldman, “That is humanity sinking to the level of inanimate objectification. The real danger lies not in AI, but in ourselves”, hence we must take control of our own learning After discussion with Dr Golsby-Smith and Mrs Halkidis, we sent out a survey to the SRC members to complete with their homerooms with questions about their understanding of AI’s benefits and drawbacks and what questions they have. After the spark of this discussion, Dr Golsby-Smith gave a thought-provoking speech in the Assembly about AI and its many facets, which served to give more clarity to the students about this relevant topic. We have only just begun the conversation surrounding AI and its integration into the learning environment and are excited to witness its development within future student representative councils!
We would like to thank Ms Fu, Dr Golsby-Smith, Mrs Halkidas who aided us in our leadership of the SRC
CHARACTERISTICS OF STUDENT BODY
(see My School website: http://www myschool edu au )
Students with Disability: 158 according to the definitions provided by the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD)
CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
PLC (Presbyterian Ladies' College) Sydney is a day and boarding school for girls from pre-Kindergarten to Year 12, offering a broad curriculum to students from a diverse range of backgrounds.
Founded in 1888 and situated at Croydon, the College is set within 4 4 hectares of landscaped grounds and retains its nineteenth century heritage buildings and gardens alongside modern state-of-the-art facilities
PLC Sydney aims to educate young women from the basis of a Christian worldview to make a difference in a rapidly changing global society. Graduates are confident, caring, accomplished young women who make a fine contribution to society and who carry a genuine concern for the welfare of others
The College is widely recognised in Australia and overseas for developing innovative educational initiatives and providing a world class education. The strong academic program of the College results in excellent opportunities for PLC Sydney students after the completion of the Higher School Certificate, with over 85% of students gaining entry to university and the remainder to TAFE and other training institutions Approximately half the students who sit the HSC gain an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) of 90 or higher and students leave school to pursue a wide range of career paths
PLC Sydney caters for students of all abilities including gifted and talented students and students with mild intellectual disabilities. Established in 1994, the Special Education Integration Programme has become well known for pioneering advancement in education for students with disabilities The College is home to approximately 1200 students and has accommodation for up to sixty-five boarders
Boarders achieve their academic best and broaden their horizons in an intimate, supportive, caring environment. The Boarding House offers full and weekly boarding for students in Years 7 to 12, with access to the outstanding school facilities
Students at PLC Sydney also develop a strong global focus Throughout their schooling career, they have a variety of opportunities to embrace international exchange, Service Learning and academic tour experiences.
The College takes a personal approach to pastoral care and advice is available to every student from a comprehensive team including School Counsellors, the Chaplaincy Team, Deans of Students, Directors for each year group, the College Nursing Sister, Careers Adviser and teaching staff
Students at PLC Sydney have access to superb facilities including the JD Oates Aquatic Institute with indoor heated pools, McKeith Performing Arts Centre with 538 seat auditorium and teaching space for Music and Drama, state-of-the-art Science facilities, Macindoe Research Centre, Olympic sized gymnasium, tennis and basketball courts, oval, assembly hall, Extension Centre which offers tutoring, a music centre for private instrument lessons, careers and resources centre, Health Centre with on-site nursing sister and The Croydon Centre for Art, Design and Technology incorporating the Adelaide Perry Gallery.
Classrooms are equipped with interactive whiteboards and students have excellent access to appropriate technology Both the day school and Boarding House are wireless networked throughout and all students in the Senior School are issued with a laptop and for Year 6 students, an ipad.
PLC Sydney is recognised for its outstanding music and sporting opportunities and the extensive range of co-curricular and cultural activities To broaden students’ skills and experiences, they are expected to take part in activities outside the classroom program As well as the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, Future Problem Solving, Tournament of Minds and Model United Nations Assembly there are extra activities and support groups. These cover the areas of debating, public speaking and speech, publications, social justice, science, languages, visual arts, environmental studies, charities and humanitarian efforts, musical groups and drama.
OUTCOMES AND RESULTS
STUDENT OUTCOMES IN STANDARDISED NATIONAL LITERACY AND NUMERACY TESTING
Performance in the National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is documented on the My School website: http://www myschool edu au
RESULTS OF THE HSC 2023
The students achieved some magnificent results in the 2023 HSC. We received many state rankings in the HSC. In addition, the ATARS that our students received were very strong, with almost half achieving an ATAR of 90 or above. Of note, two students received an ATAR of 99.95, and a third student received two A* and one A in her Cambridge A levels, which equates to a 99 95 ATAR
SUBJECT
COURSES
PLC Sydney & Bands 5-6 or E3-E4
& Bands 5-6 or E3-E4
a very small cohort
TOP ACHIEVERS IN COURSE
PLC Sydney had several students place in the state rankings These are listed below:
Place Course
1st English EAL/D
4th Music 1
4th
Modern Greek Beginners (studied at the NSW School of Languages)
6th English Advanced
7th English Advanced
7th Mathematics Extension 2
ATAR 99 OR MORE
The top ten students received the following ATARs:
sustain concussion in a greater proportion of participating athletes than in boys’ sports. All staff understood training on how to recognise concussion in girls, if it has not been identified on the sideline. In addition, all staff undertook training to identify teaching and learning strategies, and wellbeing support, for sufferers of concussion
Another priority we pursued was in specific strategies to support disengaged students, and trained staff in how to link disengagement to wellbeing matters Staff were presented with scenarios and were required to respond to the sketch to develop an awareness of disengaged students and develop a curiosity as to the cause of that disengagement.
In addition, we conducted Professional Development for all our teachers on AI and its impacts on education We considered the ways in which AI would impact society as a whole, student behaviour, and teacher resources Rather than viewing AI as a threat to assessment practices, we sought to grapple with the idea that AI would require us to rethink and refine our practices as a whole.
Other smaller groups of staff undertook training according to need; the teaching staff have 8 staff meetings across the year that are dedicated to developing a cohesive vision and expertise, and are constructed by the school’s leaders according to need These needs include but are not limited to building literacy, numeracy, philosophical underpinning of pedagogy, wellbeing, coaching, fire warden training and first aid.
Executive staff undertook training by attending the Independent Girls’ Schools Association conference in Hobart Of note was the training executive received in leading schools in contexts where education had become a commodity rather than a cultural good; when girls’ anxiety produces strong academic results; and Pasi Sahlsberg’s address on quality schools
Teaching staff also undertook training that helped with individual and departmental goals. This training was as follows:
SUMMARY OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING UNDERTAKEN BY TEACHERS
Resilience
Junior School
The Junior School teachers participated in whole-school PD. In addition to this, the Junior School undertook several Professional Development sessions specific to their staff These PD sessions covered:
● Compliance, First Aid and Risk Assessments
● English curriculum planning time
● Assessment plan feedback, Record Keeping and NCCD Requirements
Individual
as follows:
WORKFORCE COMPOSITION
At our school we embrace all faiths and backgrounds for all our staff and students None of our staff members have identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, but we strongly encourage applications from First Nations teachers and other staff.
STUDENT ATTENDANCE RATE
Whole School Attendance Rate: 94.7
94 7% of students attended school on average each school day in 2023 This is consistent with our normal range of attendance We did have a surge of requests from families who had extended family overseas to leave during school time Dr Burgis and Mrs Watters wrote to all of these families to communicate the importance of school attendance.
MANAGEMENT OF NON-ATTENDANCE
FOLLOWING UP UNEXPLAINED STUDENT ABSENCES
1. The following systems and procedures are in place to follow up unexplained absences from school
i. When an absence has not been received by 11:00 am an SMS Text Message is forwarded to the student’s parents notifying them of the absence and requesting that they immediately contact the College
ii. Where the absence remains unexplained the matter is forwarded by the Student Attendance Secretary to the student’s Head of Year for investigation and follow up.
iii. Where parents/guardians repeatedly fail to inform the College of absences the Head of Year will contact them directly seeking an explanation and remind them of their obligation to report absence. All information in relation to unsatisfactory attendance is recorded in student files and information with respect to attendance is provided in Pastoral/wellbeing reports
ANALYSING STUDENT ATTENDANCE DATA
2 The Student Attendance Secretary will monitor attendance records for trends in absences and for students with multiple or persistent absences these will be escalated to the Head of Positive Student Care and Engagement
UNSATISFACTORY ATTENDANCE INTERVENTION STRATEGIES
3 Where parents repeatedly fail to inform the College of absences they will be contacted directly seeking an explanation and to remind them of their obligation to report absences.
4 Where there are persistent unsatisfactory absences the Head of Student Care and Engagement and other stakeholders where appropriate, will work with the student, and her parents where possible, to develop a plan which will aim to increase attendance and subsequently their educational outcomes Relevant stakeholders may be involved which will include the following:
i. the College counsellor/psychologist,
ii the College nurse,
iii. allied health professionals.
5. If the student fails to achieve the outcomes of the plan then the Principal will be notified and will consider any other strategies or will refer to the Student Discipline Policy.
RETENTION RATES
POST SCHOOL DESTINATIONS
Most students who finished Year 12 and completed their school education enrolled in university, TAFE or private colleges Out of the 152 students who completed their HSC and received an ATAR, 97% were offered a place at a university We note that the school has limited information on whether the students took up that offer after they left the school
3 students were offered a place at TAFE, one student went straight into the workforce and 3 students will take a gap year before starting their tertiary education, which will often include spending time overseas and working for a short period.
COLLEGE POLICIES
ENROLMENT POLICY
Girls can be enrolled in any year group at PLC Sydney, subject to availability, however the main intake years are Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten and Years 3, 5, 7 and 11. PLC Sydney welcomes all applications, placing them in received order for each year group There is a dedicated section on the College website about the steps to enrol a child and the policy is also available here.
CHILD PROTECTION POLICY
The College is dedicated to guaranteeing the safety, protection, and well-being of all students, taking proactive measures to prevent harm We view child protection as a collective responsibility within our community. Emphasising the importance of prevention, we are committed to community education, parent education, and support
In 2023 the Child Protection and Mandatory Reporting Policy was updated to include the Child Safe Standards and is available on the College website
ANTI BULLYING POLICY
PLC Sydney is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people, acting in students’ best interests and keeping them safe from harm
The College is a Christian school and this leads the College to seek to develop culture over utility. The assumption is that bullying will be reduced if there is a good culture The College thus positively teaches ‘Respect for Others’ to articulate how the College community is expected to treat one another. Further, the Peacewise framework is used both as a teaching tool (it is grounded in the Sermon on the Mount and actively taught in Christian Studies, chapels and assemblies) and as a means of assisting community members who come into conflict or rivalry to address the issues (through the College mentoring program)
In 2023 the Anti Bullying Policy was updated to include reference to the Peacewise Program, the definition of cyberbullying and how friendships, conflict, rivalry and mean behaviour interact with bullying. It is available on the College website.
DISCIPLINE POLICY
PLC Sydney is committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for all students and staff Behaviour management and discipline of students will follow the principles of procedural fairness and the prohibition of discrimination Corporal punishment is not permitted under any circumstance
Every student has the right to a learning environment free from bullying and intimidation and to feel safe and happy at school. They also have the right to be treated fairly and with dignity. Discipline is necessary to ensure the safety and welfare of all our students, teachers and staff and to provide a conducive learning environment The Student Discipline Policy and its Procedures are part of the framework through which school manages student discipline.
In 2023 the Student Discipline policy was updated to outline the various types of detentions and to update position titles of staff It is available on the College website
COMPLAINTS POLICY
Members of the PLC Sydney community, that is parents, students and staff, have a right to raise concerns and have them addressed in a timely manner by an appropriate member of staff.
Complaints will be handled objectively and with sensitivity
The responsibility for the resolution of all complaints rests with the Principal. The Principal may delegate the resolution to appropriate staff as they deem necessary The Complaints policy is available on the College website.
SCHOOL-DETERMINED IMPROVEMENT TARGETS 2023
The goals for 2023, set by the Principal and approved by Council, are as follows:
1. Christian Education
a. Articulate how ‘SERVICE” accompanies self-forgetting, a model of education that values prepositions over pronouns – AND, OR, NOT, WITH
b Appoint a new Head Chaplain for 2024
c Work with the chaplaincy and staff on models for education and PD that fulfil our vision
2. Cambridge
a Finalise school readiness for Cambridge ‘A’ levels in 2024
b Finalise all 2025 Cambridge subject plans
c Liaise with NESA regarding Cambridge implementation, with the goal of having a successful inspection
d. Finalise legal advice
e. Decide any subjects that won’t continue
f Work with Kathleen Lloyd-Parker to ensure Cambridge entry to universities is fair and equitable In particular, Sydney University
g Visit Cambridge central authority to ensure Australia’s interests are being upheld I will be on a diplomatic mission
3. HSC Results
a Further refine subjects which are strong in results
b Work diligently with identified staff on weaker areas
c. Use the external assessment process to refine results
4. Restructure timetable to incorporate Cambridge
5. Renew Professional Development such that three areas are identified:
a Philosophy
b Compliance
c. Practical advice & development in skills, knowledge and capacity
6. Work with Morling on developing a Teacher Educational program, to shape-up Christian teachers joining the profession
7. Create a video for staff to guide sex and relationship education
8. Work with ISEF to enable the able science students to achieve Australian representation
9 Continue to develop coaching model for staff and senior students
10 Finalise Master Plan for school and commence renewal of Senior School
11. Open ‘SkyPath’
12. Finalise Learning Enrichment approaches
13. Develop an AI policy and practices
14 Research into epistemic well-being
15 Junior School Goals
16. Admin Goals
All goals were met, with the following held over to 2024:
1. Restructure timetable with the introduction of Cambridge
2. Work with Morling on developing a Teacher Educational program, to shape-up Christian teachers joining the profession
3. Create a video for staff to guide sex and relationship education
4. Develop an AI policy and practices; the magnitude of this strategic initiative became clearer the more AI changed during 2023 Committees to write policy and procedures were formed and teachers were upskilled in the use of AI in the classroom.
STAKEHOLDER SATISFACTION
PLC Sydney runs exit interviews and surveys for all leaving students. 99 students out of 142 responded to the survey
Highlights of the findings for 2023 are:
● Almost all students were very satisfied with the quality of teaching and learning
● Almost all students were very satisfied with the level of opportunity afforded them
● Almost all students were very satisfied with the well-being and care of the College
● Almost all students were very satisfied with the quality of resources
● Almost all students identified that their experience at PLC Sydney made them resilient and optimistic about their future.
● All but one student said that they felt safe at school
Initiatives which were highly valued were:
● The ‘Women in Entrepreneurship’ program
● Introduction of Cambridge courses
● Service Learning opportunities
● Exchange programs
● The change to Morning Connection group.
● There was an improvement to the students’ response to Careers Advice
● 95% felt that their School Reports were helpful and meaningful.
The primary areas for development, as identified by students were:
● Chapel; 43% disagreed that Chapel was worthwhile.
● Some students felt that the Humanities did not receive as much attention as the STEM subjects, citing the lack of Tours for Humanities subjects as one example
● Some students identified that Learning Enrichment was not as effective as it could be, and that the students could not access support as they wished to
● Some students identified problems with our timetable, wherein some students were required to be in class for 7 periods, due to timetabled lunchtime lessons. They cited problems with concentration and reduced time to socialise with their friends
The feedback we get from parents is largely through the P & F, wherein the school’s executive attend and answer questions and take queries and concerns back to the teaching community. In addition, parents are regularly invited to speak with the Principal, Head of the Junior School, Deputy Principal and the Head of Learning and Teaching about their experience. Observations from 2023 were:
● The parent community is largely very happy with the College and the education it provides their daughters
● Parents suggested that our reporting system had improved, based upon the changes we made in 2023.
● Parents of students with a learning profile expressed the emphasised need for their daughter to be seen by staff, and were thankful for the interventions we have made in this space.
The college experiences a relatively low level of staff turnover despite employing a large number of staff Informal feedback from both staff members and executive staff indicates that staff are generally satisfied in all areas of the college.
RESPECT AND RESPONSIBILITY
The College has had a formal policy entitled “Respect for Others” for several years
This policy is widely printed and referred to in the daily life of the college and related where possible throughout the curriculum. Our Learning Virtues framework has now been embedded into our reporting process, requiring students to reflect upon the ways in which respect and responsibility play into their learning habits Both students and teachers respond to student selected goals for respect and responsibility in these semesterly reports
Our College has a long tradition of student involvement in community service and service learning and 2023 again saw an extensive participation in fundraising and volunteer work for a range of charities and community services and exchange programs with students from a range of cultural backgrounds At the heart of these activities is a College aim to develop in our students a Christian worldview which respects the values, needs and dignity of all and encourages in our students an exploration of personal integrity, civic and Christian responsibility for those in need.
In addition, we have a Parent Charter at PLC Sydney that all parents sign in an acknowledgement of their responsibility to always treat members of the school community with respect Parents have overwhelmingly supported this, and it has been an important document to cohere our community
SCHOOL WIDE INDIGENOUS HERITAGE REPORT
In 2023, PLC Sydney employed a new Coordinator for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, Tiffany Van Heerden, who worked alongside Deputy Principal, Linda Chiba, with three key goals: To provide direct support for the College’s Aboriginal students; to work within the wider College community, organising whole school assemblies and activities, and to manage the intake of students on the two scholarships currently offered to Aboriginal students at the College, AIEF scholarships and the Coradine Scholarships
The Coordinator’s first goal, to provide support for our Aboriginal students, manifested in a number of ways over the course of 2023. As in previous years, the students were invited to join a regular lunchtime meet and chat. Students were welcome to bring friends. These meetings provided a space for consistent support and sisterhood and maintained a line of communication between the students and executive open, via the Coordinator.
Throughout the year, students were invited to attend a number of in-school and out-of-school events, which included dance lessons with the Brolga Dance Academy and an excursion to St Andrew’s College at the Sydney University Offers of holiday programs at tertiary institutes were provided by the Director of PLC Sydney’s Futures Centre, Rowena Barnett. Year 9 student, Marni Morris, was given the opportunity to be the Guest of Honour, and give the Acknowledgement of Country, at the Australian
Economic Forum at The Crown in June, 2023. Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese met with Marni at the event Day to day, the Coordinator communicated with Heads of Year, Class teachers, parents and the students themselves to identify areas where the students required social or academic support. Our students thrived in 2023 Amongst them, Ava Moran, who was accepted into the AFL under 16s and selected to travel internationally with AFL Australia
The Coordinator’s second goal was to work alongside the wider College community Throughout the process, it was evident that there is value in both established practices and the development of new ones Assemblies and Connect Group activities took place to mark important dates including Sorry Day, Reconciliation Week, NAIDOC Week and National Indigenous Languages Day Reconciliation Australia’s theme for 2023 was ‘Be a Voice to Generations’. In line with this, both Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal voices within the College were encouraged to reflect and participate in both the planning and accomplishment of these activities. One memorable example was the Acknowledgment of Country delivered at the 135 Concert at the Town Hall
Finally, the Coordinator worked alongside the Principal, the Head of Boarding, Pauline Turner, Deputy Linda Chiba, Head of Positive Student Care and Engagement, Maria Halkidis, as well as the enrolments staff, lead by the Director of Enrolments, Catherine Marvell, to support current and appoint future Australian Indigenous Education Foundation (AIEF) and Coradine scholarships The annual meeting with AIEF staff enabled the close support and management of current students and ensured appropriate procedures were in place. We thank the AIEF for their consistent support to the students and staff involved We thank the Coradine team for their generosity and flexibility The team of staff aforementioned worked consistently to ensure that these scholarships not only remain available to students but remain a priority Interviews for 2024 scholarships took place and the successful students are now working alongside the new Coordinator for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students, Daniella Benjamin who replaced Tiffany Van Heerden at the end of the year.
Tiffany Van Heerden, Coordinator of Indigenous Students
INITIATIVES ON RESPECT AND RESPONSIBILITY
Secondary School
● Fundraising and service learning activities are carried out by all year groups. In 2023 these included: The International Justice Mission (IJM); Ba Vi Orphanage and Centre for people with Intellectual and Physical Disabilities in Vietnam; Comoro and Becora Kindergartens in East Timor; Guide Dogs Australia; Allowah Children’s Hospital; Wunanbiri Preschool; and Red Cross In addition, we raised funds for Ukraine, to which the student body generously donated.
● 49 of our Year 10 students were involved in cultural and language exchanges for up to 8 weeks during the year These students also hosted students from their sister schools and worked to provide an environment where their guests were welcomed and integrated into their year group
● Students from a number of age groups assisted with the organisation of a Multi Sports Day for students with disabilities. The carnival is run at our College and students from a number of Sydney schools participate In addition, in response to Australia hosting the Women’s Football
World Cup, PLC Sydney hosted a range of football teams in support of raising the profile of football for young women with a disability.
● A mentor program is run each year using Yr 10 and Yr 11 students to support the integration of students in our Special Education unit into the social and pastoral life of the College This program has done much to foster and encourage greater understanding of difference.
● Year 10 students are trained in the “Peer Support programme” and are “buddied” with a Year 7 Morning Connection Group at the beginning of the year. This programme encourages confidence and trust in our young secondary school students
● Participation of our Pipe Band in the ANZAC Day March as well as school assemblies run by our senior students to commemorate those who sacrificed their lives in conflict.
● Speakers program for the Secondary school featuring people who are role models because of their contribution in making a difference to the lives of others
● Social Inc - a club run by Year 12 Prefects that facilitates the integration of students from our Special Education unit with the mainstream students.
● Our environmental group SEED ran a second hand clothing store to raise awareness of the problem of fashion waste During Sustainability Week, the group ran a range of different activities to inform and inspire our student body to engage responsibly with the earth
● Participation of Year 11 in the BSTREETSMART Road safety program
● Parenting seminars continue to be very well received. For example, we ran programs on Cyber Safety, to support our families.
● Year group United Days were undertaken in an effort to promote unity and respect within the Year Group This included guest speakers and workshops A part of these days include workshops on consent, teaching our students respect and responsibility in their relationships. This is age appropriate material.
● We initiated a student to student coaching program, where students supported each other to reach their goals In a small group of Year 12 students, we ran a pilot group wherein we trained a core group of students who then went on to coach Year 11 and Year 10 students to reach their goals. The pilot was a success and will be rolled out school-wide.
● All students participate in “Dorcas”, an initiative wherein each student supplies and/or knits squares for blankets which are distributed to those in need for the colder months
● Each Year 12 student is coached through her HSC with a staff member who is trained in coaching.
● Using some money donated from a past student, we created a mental health first aid resource for students, to support students to support their friends
● Students in Years 7, 8 and 11 participate in camps so as to form unity and resilience
Junior School
Annually the Junior School holds a Grandparents’ Day On this special morning, grandparents were acknowledged for the wonderful contribution they make to their granddaughters’ lives. They were entertained by various Junior School music groups and after spending time in classrooms engaging with the girls, attended a Chapel Service in their honour.
PLC is committed to a safe, caring environment We want to ensure our students are set up for success and that our school culture is one of respect and kindness Tyson Greenwood from URStrong presented the annual GirlPower workshops for Years 1-6 and their parents. This skills based program
empowers girls with the strategies, language, and self-confidence to be better friends and develop healthy friendships. Tyson focused on attracting friends. This is a skill that can be developed with a focus on being a positive, friendly, and upbeat person
Students were also involved in Peer Support sessions Peer Support Australia provides school communities with an evidence based, peer-led approach to enhance the mental, social and emotional wellbeing of young people. The module for 2023, Living Positively, explored the concept of optimism. Student learning sessions were facilitated by two trained Year 6 Peer Leaders with multi-age groups of students from the younger years
The Community Service Captains and SRC Representatives, worked with our Chaplaincy team to support the work of Jericho Road. Jericho Road is a ministry of the Presbyterian Church, supporting Sydney’s refugee communities, Preschools and the Allowah Children’s Hospital. Jericho Road collects food donations to be distributed by their team. Over the year, students donated 1000 x 1 kg bags of rice, breakfast staples and toiletries, collected Christmas gifts for the Jericho Road ‘Wrapped with Love’ Appeal, and raised funds to purchase medical equipment for The Allowah Childrens’ Hospital
To support DORCAS, students knitted squares and created class rugs and also donated items of clothing to contribute to this Presbyterian Church Christian service outreach.
The Junior School Red Cross Bumper Day held in August raised over $10,000 00 With a variety of food and treats on offer, this special day is a highlight for the College community and a wonderful way to support the work of the Red Cross.
These programs contribute to the proactive approach the Junior School has to address service, respect and responsibility
School Wide Initiatives in 2023
● The Peacewise program continued to be the process by which we manage conflict resolution with teachers
● We continue to pursue the Learning Virtues as a way to require the students to reflect on their moral engagement with the world and with their learning.
● We continued to hold parent seminars on cyber safety, consent and drug and alcohol concerns
● Our coaching program continued to run, so that the responsibility for one’s own behaviour and achievements is supported via an effective coaching conversation.
● Research into more effective recycling programs was undertaken
● We continued to hold United Days, to build relationships within Year Groups
● We continued to pursue strong relationships with our sister schools, to ensure that our students have a rich sense of the “other” in their community relationships. A member of our executive visited our Japanese sister school on their 50th anniversary to support that relationship