Presbyterian Ladies' College, Armidale
The Presbyterian Ladies' College, Armidale (PLC Armidale) is an independent, Presbyterian, day and boarding school for girls. The school is located in Armidale, a large rural town with a population of 28,000 in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia.
| Presbyterian Ladies' College, Armidale | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
 | |
| , Australia | |
| Coordinates | 30°29′53″S 151°40′3″E / 30.49806°S 151.66750°E |
| Information | |
| Type | Independent, single-sex, day and boarding |
| Motto | Latin: Ad Astra (To The Stars[1]) |
| Denomination | Presbyterian[2] |
| Established | 1887[2] |
| Chairman | David Lim |
| Principal | Nicola Taylor |
| Employees | ~37[3] |
| Enrolment | ~400 (K–12)[2] |
| Colour(s) | Green, blue and red |
| Slogan | Educating successful women of tomorrow in a Christian environment |
| Website | www.plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au |
| Head of Senior School is Anna Caldwell | |
PLC Armidale currently caters for approximately 400 students from Kindergarten to Year 12, including 80 boarders in Years 5 to 12.[2] Enrolment at PLC Armidale is non-selective, and students from all races and religious affiliations are welcome. The college is affiliated with the Association of independent schools of New South Wales (AIS NSW),[4] the Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA)[5] the Association of Heads of independent schools of Australia (AHISA),[6] the Australian Boarding Schools' Association (ABSA),[1] and is an affiliate member of the Association of Heads of Independent Girls' Schools (AHIGS).[7]
In 2006, PLC was named the top performing Higher School Certificate school in the New England region of New South Wales. Overall PLC Armidale ranked 114th in the State.[8]
History
editThe Presbyterian Ladies' College dates from the foundation of the New England Ladies College at "Smith House" in 1887, offering a secondary education for girls under its Principal, Elizabeth Higgs. In 1910, the New England Ladies' College was bought by Alethea Tendall, who went on to be proprietor and Principal for 28 years, and who renamed it The Hilton School. When Tendall purchased it, the school was operating out of two houses.[9] A group of Presbyterian businessmen purchased the school in 1938, and the following year it came under the financial support of the Trustees of the Presbyterian Church of Australia. Subsequently, the school's name was changed to its current form, The Presbyterian Ladies' College, Armidale. In 1945, 70 acres (28 ha) of land on North Hill were purchased, and following a fund raising campaign, the foundation stone of the new school buildings was laid in 1960. Since then, several building programmes have extended the facilities to their present form.[9]
In late August 2005, due to financial troubles at the College, it was announced that PLC Armidale and the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney (PLC Sydney), would join to form an alliance, with both schools coming under the executive leadership of William McKeith, the Principal of PLC Sydney. Members of the PLC Armidale Council formed part of the new joint school Council, essentially making the two PLC's true sister schools.[10]
The aim of this alliance is to strengthen PLC Armidale through cooperative marketing, a change in management and a stronger financial base. It is also to be of benefit to both schools through student exchanges, accommodation for sporting events or excursions, and a 'country or city' option for prospective students. Both schools will maintain their separate identities in order to preserve the unique histories and traditions that both have developed over many years.[10]
Principals
edit| Period | Details[7] |
|---|---|
| 1910–1938 | Anthea Collis Tendall |
| 1938–1941 | Helen Isabella Wilkie, M.A., PhD (Edinburgh) Principal of PLC Sydney 1942–1945 |
| 1942–1951 | Clarice Ashworth |
| 1952–1953 | Kathleen Buchan |
| 1954–1958 | E. Jean McColl |
| 1959–1962 | D Joan Humby |
| 1963–1968 | Catherine McLean |
| 1969–1971 | Acting Principal – Dorothy Knox |
| 1971–1978 | Faye Morris-Yates |
| 1979–1989 | Francis Parsons |
| 1989–1997 | Rosalyn Lindsay |
| 1997–1999 | Carole Tisdell |
| 2000–2002 | Ness Goodwin |
| 2002 | Acting Principal – Roderick West |
| 2003–2005 | Judith White |
| 2005–2010 | William T. McKeith AM, B.A., Dip. Ed. (Macquarie), M.A. (Sydney), M.B.A. (Leicester), Ed. D. (Leicester), F.A.C.E., F.A.I.M. Principal of PLC Sydney since 1986, Principal of both schools from 2005.[11] |
| 2011–2014 | Paul Burgis, PhD (UNSW), MEd, Dip Tchg, Dip Div & Miss Principal of both PLC Armidale and PLC Sydney[12] |
| 2015–present | Nicola Taylor |
Co-curriculum
editA variety of sports and co-curricular activities are offered each semester, and students may choose from these according to their interests and needs.[13]
Music
editThe school offers a range of musical instruments and musicianship classes, including bagpipes, cello, clarinet, double bass, drums, electronic keyboard, flute, french horn, guitar, oboe, percussion, piano, piccolo, recorder, saxophone, singing, violin, viola, trombone, trumpet. Students may also be enrolled in Australian Music Examinations Board (AMEB) and Trinity College music examinations.[13]
Students may also participate in ensemble music, with choirs, orchestra, bands, string, saxophone, recorder and flute ensembles available. There are a number opportunities for public performances.[13]
Sport
editPLC Armidale encourages students to participate in a range of team and individual sports, with teams for all ages and all levels of ability. The school enters teams in the Independent Girls' Schools Sporting Association (IGSSA) competitions and other competitions as appropriate.[14] Sports available include: Tennis, Softball, Touch Football, Swimming, Athletics, Basketball, Hockey, Netball, Soccer, Equestrian, and Cattle Management.[13]
Notable alumni
edit- Kate Bell – Actress on Blue Water High
- Patricia Lovell – Producer of Gallipoli
Associated schools
edit- Neighbouring Schools
Nearby schools include:
- Presbyterian Schools
There are three other Presbyterian schools in New South Wales:
- PLC's 'sister school', The Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney. Sydney and Armidale "PLC's" are both overseen by Paul Burgis (Executive principal of Armidale, Principal of Sydney), and a joint College Council.
- The Scots College, Bellevue Hill
- The Scots School, Bathurst
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ a b "Presbyterian Ladies' College, Armidale". New South Wales Schools. Australian Boarding Schools' Association. 2007. Archived from the original on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 16 October 2007.
- ^ a b c d "PRESBYTERIAN LADIES' COLLEGE, ARMIDALE". New South Wales Schools. SchoolChoice.com.au. 2007. Archived from the original on 30 August 2007. Retrieved 21 September 2007.
- ^ "Annual School Report 2006" (PDF). About the College. Presbyterian Ladies' College, Armidale. 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 August 2007. Retrieved 28 January 2008.
- ^ "North West". NSW independent schools by Region. The Association of independent schools of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 28 January 2008.
- ^ "JSHAA New South Wales Directory of Members". New South Wales Branch. Junior School Heads' Association of Australia. 2007. Archived from the original on 18 December 2007. Retrieved 27 July 2007.
- ^ "AHISA Schools". New South Wales. Association of Heads of independent schools of Australia. November 2007. Archived from the original on 2 November 2007. Retrieved 11 December 2007.
- ^ a b "Heads of New South Wales Independent Girls' Schools". AHIGS. The Association of Heads of Independent Girls' Schools. 2007. Archived from the original on 27 September 2008. Retrieved 6 August 2007.
- ^ "In The News". News. Presbyterian Ladies' College, Armidale. 2007. Archived from the original on 23 August 2007. Retrieved 11 December 2007.
- ^ a b "History". The College. Presbyterian Ladies' College, Armidale. 2007. Archived from the original on 30 August 2007. Retrieved 11 December 2007.
- ^ a b Falls, Jeof (September 2005). "New Partnership between PLC Armidale and PLC Sydney" (PDF). Church Offices Newsletter. No. 288. Surry Hills: The Presbyterian Church in New South Wales. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 August 2007. Retrieved 28 June 2007.
- ^ Suzannah Pearce, ed. (17 November 2006). "McKEITH William T". Who's Who in Australia Live!. North Melbourne, Vic: Crown Content Pty Ltd.
- ^ http://www.plc.nsw.edu.au/public2/mediarelease/Introducing_PLC_Sydneys_New_Principal.pdf[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b c d "Co-Curricular". Secondary School. Presbyterian Ladies' College. Archived from the original on 20 July 2008. Retrieved 18 February 2008.
- ^ "Sport". Secondary School. Presbyterian Ladies' College. Archived from the original on 20 July 2008. Retrieved 18 February 2008.
Further reading
edit- Pound, C. & Atkinson, A. 1995. The Common Task: A History of PLC Armidale. PLC Armidale Council, Armidale, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-25081-7.
External links
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