WHAT ARE PYMBLE GIRLS LIKE TO TEACH?
Pymble girls are inquisitive and keen to learn. They are ambitious and challenge me as an English teacher, to prepare lessons that promote critical thinking and prompt inquiry into the world around us.

WHAT ARE TEACHERS AT PYMBLE LIKE?
Pymble has a diverse staff with a large portion of overseas teachers or Australian teachers who have experience in different educational settings. My department alone has teachers from across the globe, from Australia to the UK and Ireland to name a few. There are a range of ages and experience which allow for interesting discussion and ideas.

WHAT ARE THE FACILITIES AT PYMBLE LIKE?
Pymble is a large campus that was very different to my previous schools in Ireland. With a large student body of over 2,400 girls from Kindergarten to Year 12, the facilities are expansive to suit. The co-curricular facilities, such as the gym, pool and sporting fields, are impressive, but as an English teacher our library is my favourite place. The well-stocked shelves and the expert librarians are a fabulous resource to have. Technology is a much bigger part of Pymble than I’ve experienced at other schools. Teachers and students have access to laptops, iPads and various other digital platforms.

IS IT HARD TEACHING A DIFFERENT CURRICULUM?
I found the curriculum a little different when I came from Ireland. While the skills and staple texts are still a key part of the English curriculum here, it took a little time to adjust to the Australian English Syllabus outcomes. Having graduated from UCC in Cork, Ireland I was well versed and practiced in pedagogy, so that knowledge and experience serves me very well here. It has been interesting to understand and apply a different curriculum, and this challenge has made me a better teacher.

HOW WILL MY CAREER PROGRESSION BE SUPPORTED?
I’ve progressed through various departments of the College. I began in the library as a teacher librarian supporting English teachers to develop a passion for reading in students. I then moved into the English department teaching Year 7 to 12 and have been working in this space for the past four years. I’ve had numerous additional roles in this time that have allowed me to develop leadership skills. I was Lead Teacher of Innovation and Technology within the English department, and my current additional role is Lead Teacher of Excellence Stage 5 English (essentially a stage co-ordinator post). I’ve been able to attend many professional learning opportunities, both internally and externally.

WHAT IS IT LIKE LIVING IN SYDNEY?
I love living in Sydney. It is a very busy place, but the balance of city and beach life is what drew me to, and has kept me in, the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. I love that I’m a five-minute drive from the beach and a 15-minute train journey from the city which has the Sydney Opera House, bars, restaurants and theatres. I’ve found the lifestyle something that is hard to match elsewhere. Everyone works extremely hard, but there is a reward for that in the way of life. My weekends are filled with coffee dates and beach days. Most people are up with the sun and there is an energy that is different here. With the absence of family, your friends become just that – an Australian family; especially amongst the expat community.

ARE SYDNEY PUBS BETTER THAN IRISH PUBS?
The Irish pub is something that cannot be replicated outside of Ireland, but the Irish community in Sydney is second to none. Since moving here, despite now being an Australian citizen, I’ve never been prouder of my heritage. It is welcomed by everyone, and I think that is a testament to the Australian experience – you are encouraged to immerse yourself in the “Aussie” way of life, but you never relinquish that part of yourself that you brought here.

WHAT ARE TEACHERS AT PYMBLE LIKE?
Pymble teachers are fantastic; dedicated and hard working but with a good sense of fun. Pymble teachers collaborate and work together, so new teachers will always feel well supported and will have somebody they can speak to – whether they need help planning a Year 7 lesson or help finding the best takeaway dinner for a Friday evening!

WHAT ARE PYMBLE GIRLS LIKE TO TEACH?
Pymble girls are bright, enthusiastic and curious. They love a challenge, and they love to improve. Pymble is not academically selective, so there is a range of students to support; the girls enjoy school and thrive in classrooms where relationships are strong.

WHAT ARE THE FACILITIES AT PYMBLE LIKE?
All of our classrooms are well appointed with interactive screens; our teachers have the choice of using either a MacBook or a Windows laptop, provided by the College. The wider facilities in the College are extraordinary and include an aquatic centre, theatre and bespoke learning centres for different-aged students. We are also embarking on a large building program that will include the development of a world-class science and technology centre, a dance academy and wellbeing centre.

IS IT HARD TEACHING A DIFFERENT CURRICULUM?
Whilst there are some differences in the sequencing, topics and content when comparing the NSW curriculum with the national curriculum, these are easily overcome through the training, support and collegiality that will be available once you join Pymble. The actual process of teaching is remarkably similar: the strategies that you use now in the classroom will be directly transferable.

WILL I FIT IN AT PYMBLE?
Of course! We are a diverse, vibrant community, and we treasure difference.

HOW WILL MY CAREER PROGRESSION BE SUPPORTED?
Teachers are supported and mentored to ascertain their goals and their growth is facilitated through outstanding training; this training is a combination of internally run, led by our experts, and externally sourced, ensuring that we retain access to leading research. The Pymble Institute places research at the heart of the College and involvement with the Institute provides ample opportunity for further study and qualification. In such a large school, opportunities for career progression within Pymble are plentiful.

HOW WILL PYMBLE SUPPORT MY WELLBEING?
The College has a Staff Wellbeing Committee and the wellbeing of our teachers, and students, is of paramount importance. We hold regular staff wellbeing seminars, have social gatherings and connect over morning tea. There are also many workplace benefits, such as long-service leave, paid parental leave and so forth that ensure that our teachers recognise that they are highly valued. Aside from these systems, though, wellbeing is prioritised through the power and strength of our community and the relationships within.

WHAT IS IT LIKE LIVING IN SYDNEY?
Sydney is one of the best cities in the world: the outdoor lifestyle, the weather, access to beaches and some of the most stunning locations in the world ensure that living here remains a joy. The opportunites to travel are plentiful, but Sydney itself is a vibrant, diverse city, full of culture, art, amazing restaurants, cafes and sport.

IS VEGEMITE BETTER THAN MARMITE?
The jury is still out on this one: you’ll have to decide for yourself!

WHAT ARE PYMBLE GIRLS LIKE TO TEACH?
Teaching Pymble girls is a rewarding experience. The students tend to excel academically, participate in a diverse range of extracurricular activities, and individually have unique life experiences and international perspectives. They’re curious, motivated and inquisitive in the classroom, making discussions lively and enriching.

WHAT ARE TEACHERS AT PYMBLE LIKE?
The staff at Pymble are approachable, passionate about their subjects and dedicated. Collectively we have a can-do attitude and are keen to help support staff and students with initiatives across campus. We collaborate effectively in our departments and are keen to share best practice and successes. The College is inclusive and the workplace spans across generations and cultures which enriches the ideas and work environment.

WHAT ARE THE FACILITIES AT PYMBLE LIKE?
Beyond Pymble’s beautiful campus with Jacaranda trees and rose bushes, as a teacher it has excellent learning facilities with the flexibility to reserve outdoor learning spaces, lecture theatres and drama studios for your classes and freedom to get creative to maximise student outcomes.

IS IT HARD TEACHING A DIFFERENT CURRICULUM?
Personally, I found teaching in Australia to be a relatively smooth transition from the UK due to several similarities including both countries having comparable educational structures and curriculums, making it easy for teachers to adapt. Teaching qualifications are recognised from the UK, simplifying the certification process.

HOW WILL MY CAREER PROGRESSION BE SUPPORTED?
New staff are involved in a mentorship program, where a more experienced colleague in the department can assist with the transition. The key difference at Pymble I’ve noticed in my personal career progression is the support of your line manager and flexibility to choose career goals that are tailored to your aspirations and needs.

Pymble professional development centres around opportunities that are tailored to your teaching experience as well as selection of choice with workshops and courses internally and externally available. Pathways to leadership roles are available with opportunities to take the lead with passion projects, grants for learning and temporary leadership opportunities when other staff are on leave to build capacity over time.

HOW WILL PYMBLE SUPPORT MY WELLBEING?
The College supports teacher wellbeing through various initiatives, such as external workplace counselling services, sessions on superannuation (pension) and financial advice. A more recent edition is work-life balance through flexibility with a late start or early finish for staff being rolled out with staff able to elect a period in their cycle to nominate the option to leave campus. I have enjoyed the use of the gym on campus, yoga sessions and taking my early finish to have remedial massages, visit the dentist or hang on the beach and get some late afternoon sun in the summer.

WHAT IS IT LIKE LIVING IN SYDNEY?
Sydney is an incredibly safe and liveable city. Beyond the stunning beaches, beautiful parks and outdoor activities, the café culture and brunch scene are difficult to compare to overseas. The diversity in the community makes it easy for newcomers to feel at home with many expats and social clubs available to connect to others. The temperate climate year-round means you can hike in the national parks that surround the city at any time.

IS VEGEMITE BETTER THAN MARMITE?
A polarising debate! I’m not a fan of either. I do believe Tim Tams are more delicious than Digestive Biscuits. You can accidentally finish a pack of white chocolate ones in one sitting.

WHAT ARE TEACHERS AT PYMBLE LIKE?
There are teachers from all over the world at Pymble. One thing that we all have in common is our drive to be the best possible versions of ourselves for the students that we teach. Departments are large and we all have separate offices. We also have a wonderful space which was recently renovated where morning tea is served, and this is a great place to catch up with other staff.

WHAT ARE PYMBLE GIRLS LIKE TO TEACH?
Pymble girls are wonderful to teach. They are motivated and they want to do well, and I love the fact that you can really focus on teaching your subject and extending students. The biggest challenge is helping them to see the value in versatility and trying to encourage them to see that rote learning is not the security blanket that they may think it is. It really helps to focus on pedagogical approaches that foster agility and critical thinking to build student confidence. We have a lot of perfectionists, and I really like to help students work in more authentic ways where possible.

WHAT ARE THE FACILITIES AT PYMBLE LIKE?
When I first arrived at Pymble, I was in awe of the campus and I still am. It is beautiful, with manicured gardens and lawns. We have so many excellent resources available and the technology we can use to teach is varied so you can really make it suit your teaching style. The challenge is balancing technology with using paper so that students can cope with writing essays under timed conditions.

IS IT HARD TEACHING A DIFFERENT CURRICULUM?
It is hard to go from being experienced in a curriculum to being unsure of what is valued. The most important thing is to listen and ask questions and consider how you can adapt the skills and expertise from the UK to the Australian system. However, having spent seven years teaching in the UK and six in Australia, I now enjoy the insight I get from being experienced in both. One key difference is examination; the HSC (end of Year 12 in Australia) is equivalent to A Level in the UK, but there is no equivalent to GCSE.

INFORMATION FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS?
In the UK, you will likely be used to teaching language and literature courses separately for GCSE (unless your taught combined course) and then again at A Level. There is no English Language course in New South Wales, and it is mainly a literature focus.

HOW WILL MY CAREER PROGRESSION BE SUPPORTED?
There are always opportunities at Pymble and this is something that I have taken advantage of. I started as an English Teacher in 2019 and after two years I took on a Year 7 to 10 co-ordinator position. In 2023, I started as assistant Head of Learning Area for English, and I really enjoy this role. I have attended a number of different leadership courses, and the College also provides so many opportunities in house, from academic research opportunities and contributing to global conferences to developing our pedagogy in light of new research. It is always an evidence-based approach, which I really value.

HOW WILL PYMBLE SUPPORT MY WELLBEING?
A huge perk at Pymble is the fact that we are not asked to do Saturday sport or co-curricular in recognition of the effort required to maintain the academic standards we set for ourselves. This is rare in the private sector and I am so grateful for it. Another amazing change that came in this year was the introduction of the “on call” period, which involved teachers being allocated slots where they may be asked to cover a lesson (if they miss a lesson or are underload). This means that all other time is protected for planning, marking and collaborating with colleagues. As any English teacher will know, the marking load is heavy and time consuming. At Pymble, many of us are considered ‘underload’ in recognition of the extra workload that we have, which means we don’t have to compromise on quality.

WHAT IS IT LIKE LIVING IN SYDNEY?
Sydney as a city is vibrant with lots of lovely eateries and bars. It makes it all even better that it is right on the water. I live in the Northern beaches as I wanted to live by the beach and it is perfect for my commute. I love the climate – we are only cold for three months of the year and the rest of it is glorious. January is the best month.