, motto_translation = The law of God is the Lamp of Life , established = 1875 , type = Independent, single-sex,

day A day is the time period of a full rotation of the Earth with respect to the Sun. On average, this is 24 hours, 1440 minutes, or 86,400 seconds. In everyday life, the word "day" often refers to a solar day, which is the length between two so ...

and

boarding Boarding may refer to: *Boarding, used in the sense of "room and board", i.e. lodging and meals as in a: ** Boarding house **Boarding school *Boarding (horses) (also known as a livery yard, livery stable, or boarding stable), is a stable where ho ...

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

school , denomination = Presbyterian , principal = Cheryl Penberthy , chairman = Mark Chew , chaplain = Rev. Nick Curtis , key_people = , streetaddress = 141 Burwood Highway , city =

Burwood, Victoria Burwood is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 14 km east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the Cities of Monash and Whitehorse local government areas. Burwood recorded a population of 15,147 at the 2021 ce ...

, postcode = 3125 , country = Australia , coordinates = , gender = Girls , enrolment = ~1,550 , grades_label = Years , grades = ELC– 12 , num_employ = , colours = Blue, black and gold
, affiliation =

Girls Sport Victoria Girls' Sport Victoria (GSV) was established in 2001, and is one of the largest independent school sporting associations in Victoria, Australia, with 24 member schools from around Melbourne. GSV provides approximately 16,500 girls, from years se ...

, website
plc.vic.edu.au
Presbyterian Ladies' College, Melbourne (PLC), is an independent,

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

, Presbyterian,

and

boarding school A boarding school is a school where pupils live within premises while being given formal instruction. The word "boarding" is used in the sense of "room and board", i.e. lodging and meals. As they have existed for many centuries, and now exten ...

for girls, located in Burwood, an eastern suburb of

Melbourne, Victoria Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung–Taungurung language, Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the St ...

, Australia. Founded in 1875 at East Melbourne, PLC was one of the first independent schools for girls in Australia. The College has a non-selective enrolment policy and in 2007 catered for approximately 1,550 students from the Early Learning Centre (ELC) to Year 12, including 100 boarders. P.L.C features a co-educational Early Learning Centre, and a girls-only environment from Prep to Year 12. The college has been an IB World School since September 1990, and is authorised to offer the IB Diploma Programme. PLC is affiliated with the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA), the Junior School Heads Association of Australia (JSHAA), the Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia (AGSA), the Association of Independent Schools of Victoria (AISV), the Australian Boarding Schools Association (ABSA), is a founding member of

(GSV), and is an accredited school of the Council of International Schools (CIS). In 2001 '' The Sun-Herald'' named PLC Melbourne the best girls' school in Australia on the basis of the number of its alumni mentioned in '' Who's Who in Australia'' (a listing of notable Australians).

History

The

Assembly Assembly may refer to: Organisations and meetings * Deliberative assembly, a gathering of members who use parliamentary procedure for making decisions * General assembly, an official meeting of the members of an organization or of their representa ...

of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria set up an education committee in 1869 to look into establishing a ladies' college. At this time the Church owned in Albert Street, East Melbourne, opposite the current

Fitzroy Gardens The Fitzroy Gardens are 26 hectares (64 acres) located on the southeastern edge of the Melbourne central business district in East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The gardens are bounded by Clarendon Street, Albert Street, Lansdowne Street, and ...

, and not far from the original site of the school's brother school, Scotch College. A school building and a teachers' home were already built on the site, and were rented to a teacher as a primary school. The committee resolved to build the college and provide advice and support, but the college would be self-supporting. Joseph Reed drew plans for a building that would house 30 boarders and 150 day students, at an estimated cost of £12,000. They decided to draw a line down the middle of the plans and build one section only. The building was completed in time for the school's first year, 1875, with

Charles Henry Pearson Charles Henry Pearson (7 September 1830 – 29 May 1894) was a British-born Australian historian, educationist, politician and journalist. According to John Tregenza, "Pearson was the outstanding intellectual of the Australian colonies. A demo ...

as founding principal. Pearson served as principal until 1879, when

Andrew Harper Andrew Harper (13 November 1844 – 25 November 1936) was a Scottish–Australian biblical scholar, teacher, school principal and University College Principal. Early life Harper was born at 167 Main Street,Glasgow Post Office Directory 1844-5 ...

took over. While other private (church-run) girls' schools had existed before PLC, the school was Australia's first school for girls to offer a program and education equal to that of a boys' school modelled on the great English Public Schools. The school's current motto, ''Lex Dei Vitae Lampas'' ("The Law of God is the Lamp of Life"), was introduced during the Second World War, as the original

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

motto, ''Ohne Hast Ohne Rast'', was deemed inappropriate. By 1938 the East Melbourne buildings were at maximum capacity, and the college council began a search for a new site for the school. In 1939 they purchased a property in the suburb of Burwood, called Hethersett. The Junior School was moved in 1939, but the complete move was delayed by the outbreak of the Second World War. On 29 September 1956 Lady Brooks, the wife of General Sir Dallas Brooks, Governor of Victoria, laid the foundation stone for the new school buildings at Burwood, and the senior school moved in 1958. The school's original buildings at East Melbourne were demolished that same year to make way for a Masonic centre.

Boarding

The PLC Boarding House provides accommodation for 100 girls. Boarders have access to the college's recreational and sporting facilities as well as

computer A computer is a machine that can be programmed to Execution (computing), carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations (computation) automatically. Modern digital electronic computers can perform generic sets of operations known as C ...

s for study needs. In 2008 PLC opened a new extension to the Boarding House, adding sixty individual

bedroom A bedroom or bedchamber is a room situated within a residential or accommodation unit characterised by its usage for sleeping and sexual activity. A typical western bedroom contains as bedroom furniture one or two beds (ranging from a crib for ...

s for senior girls, new bathrooms, three music rooms, a laundry and one computer lab.

School departments

PLC is divided into three school zones: #The Early Learning Centre, which educates girls and boys from 6 months to 5 years of age, using the Reggio Emilia approach. #The Junior School for girls from Prep to Grade 6. #The Senior School, which incorporates Years 7 to 12.

Curriculum

Early Learning Centre

The Early Learning Centre (ELC) caters for students from 6 months to five years of age. The academic program for three-, four- and five-year-old children is influenced by the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education. Students at this stage are introduced to

mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...

, language, reading, writing, science, social studies, drama,

dance Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...

and movement, and Christian Education, through individual and group activities. The program for children under three years of age is designed to develop basic skills such as independence, listening, communication and sharing. Indoor and outdoor activities are utilised in order to encourage development in

cognitive Cognition refers to "the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses". It encompasses all aspects of intellectual functions and processes such as: perception, attention, thought, ...

, social,

emotional Emotions are mental states brought on by neurophysiological changes, variously associated with thoughts, feelings, behavioral responses, and a degree of pleasure or displeasure. There is currently no scientific consensus on a definition. E ...

and motor areas.

Junior school

The Junior School curriculum is based on the Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS), and is designed to cater for the different needs of students. Curriculum areas are inter-related, with mastery of the English language seen as a priority. Subjects studied at this stage include Literature,

Mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...

, Science, Technology, Studies of Society and Environment, Music, Art, Drama,

Religious Education In secular usage, religious education is the teaching of a particular religion (although in the United Kingdom the term ''religious instruction'' would refer to the teaching of a particular religion, with ''religious education'' referring to te ...

and Physical education.

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

is introduced at the lower Primary level.

Senior school

In Years 7 to 10, the school follows a core curriculum determined by the Victorian Essential Learning Standards. Two languages from a selection of French, Japanese, Indonesian, Latin, German and Chinese are taken during Years 7 and 8. This is dropped to one language from Year 9 onwards, but French can be taken as an elective if the student so wishes. An elective program is offered to Years 9 and 10, allowing for a wide subject choice, enabling students to study subjects intensively or follow a new field of learning. In addition to the standard Victorian Certificate of Education the International Baccalaureate is also offered at the school. Furthermore, the school offers a wide range of extracurricular activities including involvement in music concerts such as the annual Gala Night held in August, optional chess tournaments and more.

Co-curriculum

Drama

Drama and dance studies are part of the compulsory curriculum in the Early Learning Centre, Junior School and in year 8. It may be chosen as an elective subject in Years 9 and 10. PLC also offers VCE Theatre Studies.

Musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

and drama performances are held by the school each year to cater for students with an interest in an instrument, singing, acting, dancing or backstage. PLC also features a number of annual traditions, such as House Concerts and massed choirs and orchestras on stage at Hamer Hall, for the Senior School Speech Night. The Year 9/10 drama and Senior School drama productions are conducted in collaboration with Scotch College.

Music

Music is highly valued at PLC, and an extensive range of musical instrument instruction is available. As a reflection of the value placed on music at PLC girls sing in assembly three mornings a week. The music director 1915–1935 was the Bohemian-born pianist

Edward Goll Edward Goll (4 February 188411 January 1949) was a Bohemian pianist who settled in Australia in the 1910s and became a noted piano teacher at the Melbourne University Conservatorium of Music. His students included Margaret Sutherland, Waldemar Se ...

, a pupil of

Emil von Sauer Emil Georg Conrad von Sauer (8 October 186227 April 1942) was a German composer, pianist, score editor, and music (piano) teacher. He was a pupil of Franz Liszt and one of the most distinguished pianists of his generation. Josef Hofmann called vo ...

, grand-pupil of

Franz Liszt Franz Liszt, in modern usage ''Liszt Ferenc'' . Liszt's Hungarian passport spelled his given name as "Ferencz". An orthographic reform of the Hungarian language in 1922 (which was 36 years after Liszt's death) changed the letter "cz" to simpl ...

, and teacher of many fine Australian musicians such as

Margaret Sutherland Margaret Ada Sutherland (20 November 189712 August 1984) was an Australian composer, among the best-known female musicians her country has produced. Career Margaret Sutherland's father was George Sutherland, a journalist and writer and membe ...

and

Nancy Weir Nancy Mary Weir (13 July 1915 – 14 October 2008) was an Australian pianist and teacher. Biography Weir was born in Kew, Melbourne, on 13 July 1915. Her father was a publican who ran a small hotel in Lockhart, near Wagga Wagga, and she grew ...

Outdoor education

The sequential Outdoor Education program begins with a Year 3 teddy bears sleep-over, and carries through to the Year 11 Leadership Camp. From Years 4 to 12, there are a wide range of outdoor, adventure, curriculum and special interest camps including art, biology,

Convention,

The Duke of Edinburgh Award The Duke of Edinburgh's Award (commonly abbreviated DofE) is a youth awards programme founded in the United Kingdom in 1956 by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, that has since expanded to 144 nations. The awards recognise adolescents and young ...

, IB, geography, music, physics, leadership, astronomy, skiing, rowing and

surfing Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suitabl ...

Sport

PLC's sporting program includes specialist sports such as

sport aerobics Aerobic gymnastics or sport aerobics is a competitive sport originating from traditional aerobics in which complex, high-intensity movement patterns and elements of varying difficulty are performed to music. Nature of the game The performance ...

, fencing, triathlon, rowing, taekwondo,

karate (; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ) is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tii'' in Okinawan) under the ...

, surf lifesaving, and equestrian. PLC also participates in the full range of sports on offer by Girls' Sport Victoria: athletics, basketball, badminton,

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...

, cross country, diving, golf, hockey, netball,

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

, softball, swimming,

indoor cricket Indoor cricket is a variant of and shares many basic concepts with cricket. The game is most often played between two teams each consisting of six or eight players.

House system

The Junior School and Senior School have separate

house system The house system is a traditional feature of schools in the United Kingdom. The practice has since spread to Commonwealth countries and the United States. The school is divided into subunits called "houses" and each student is allocated to o ...

s, with different colours representing each House. The Junior school has four houses: *Hethersett – Blue *Koorinya – Silver *Woollahra – Yellow *Wyselaskie – Pink In the Senior School, the houses compete in all areas to gain points in order to win the House Cup at the end of the year. House events include concerts, athletics and swimming. However, small-scale activities range from maths to debating to chess are also included. House colours are awarded through a point system, in which a student is awarded the house colour if she gains a certain number of points for participating in house activities. The Senior school has six houses, each named after Scottish castles: *Atholl – Light Blue *Balmoral – White *Glamis – Green *Leven – Purple *Rosslyn – Red *Stirling – Orange

Notable alumnae

Alumnae Alumni (singular: alumnus (masculine) or alumna (feminine)) are former students of a school, college, or university who have either attended or graduated in some fashion from the institution. The feminine plural alumnae is sometimes used for grou ...

of Presbyterian Ladies' College, Melbourne are known as "Old Collegians", and automatically become members of the schools

alumni association An alumni association or alumnae association is an association of graduates or, more broadly, of former students (alumni). In the United Kingdom and the United States, alumni of universities, colleges, schools (especially independent schools), ...

, the PLC Old Collegians' Association (PLCOCA). PLCOCA was formed in 1903 as a way of keeping PLC women in touch with each other and with the college. In 2001 '' The Sun-Herald'' named PLC Melbourne the best girls' school in Australia on the basis of the number of its alumni mentioned in '' Who's Who in Australia'' (a listing of notable Australians). Among these women are

Helen Mitchell Dame Nellie Melba (born Helen Porter Mitchell; 19 May 186123 February 1931) was an Australian operatic dramatic coloratura soprano (three octaves). She became one of the most famous singers of the late Victorian era and the early 20th century, ...

, the

Soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...

, best known as Dame Nellie Melba; Ethel Florence Lindesay Richardson, the author published as Henry Handel Richardson;

Marion Phillips Marion Phillips (29 October 1881 – 23 January 1932) was a Labour Party politician and Member of Parliament in England. Early life and education Marion Philllips was born on 29 October 1881 in Melbourne, Australia. Her parents were Philli ...

, politician and the first Australian woman to win a seat in a national parliament; and Vida Goldstein,

Suffragette A suffragette was a member of an activist women's organisation in the early 20th century who, under the banner "Votes for Women", fought for the right to vote in public elections in the United Kingdom. The term refers in particular to members ...

and the first woman to stand for election to the Federal Parliament of Australia.

Notes

* Who's Who of Girls' School Rankings, 2001: 1. PLC Melbourne 2. SCEGGS Darlinghurst 3. MLC Melbourne 4.

PLC Sydney The Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney (PLC Sydney) is an independent school, independent Presbyterian Church of Australia, Presbyterian Single-sex school, single-sex Pre-school education, early learning, Primary school, primary and Secondary sc ...

5. Melbourne Girls Grammar School 6.

Mac.Robertson Girls' High School , motto_translation = Mastery of self , established = , type = Government-funded single-sex selective secondary day school , principal = Sue Harrap , location = South Melbourne, Victoria , country = Australia , coordi ...

North Sydney Girls High School , motto_translation = Towards Higher Things , established = , type = Government-funded single-sex academically selective secondary day school , gender = Girls , oversight = New South Wales Department of Education , principal = Megan Co ...

8. Sydney Girls High School 9. MLC Sydney 10. University High School, Melbourne

References

External links

Presbyterian Ladies' College official websitePresbyterian Church of VictoriaGirls Sport Victoria
{{Authority control Girls' schools in Victoria (Australia) Educational institutions established in 1875 Boarding schools in Victoria (Australia) Private schools in Melbourne Presbyterian schools in Australia Junior School Heads Association of Australia Member Schools * International Baccalaureate schools in Australia 1875 establishments in Australia Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia School buildings completed in 1958 Buildings and structures in the City of Whitehorse