Abbotsleigh Girl School

Abbotsleigh is an esteemed independent Anglican school for girls, located in Wahroonga on Sydney’s Upper North Shore. It offers early learning, primary, secondary day, and boarding education, accommodating around 1,500 students from preschool (Transition) to Year 12. Approximately 170 boarders attend from Years 7 to 12. The school is affiliated with respected educational bodies such as AGSA, AHISA, ABSA, JSHAA, and AHIGS.

Academic Excellence

Abbotsleigh has consistently demonstrated academic excellence, ranking first among NSW independent schools from 2013 to 2015. In 2023, it secured the tenth spot in the Higher School Certificate (HSC).

History

Founded in 1885 by Marian Clarke in North Sydney, the school relocated to Parramatta and later Wahroonga, where it grew significantly under the leadership of various headmistresses. Gladys Gordon Everett, appointed in 1930, initiated many changes including the house system, property expansions, and the celebration of Founder’s Day. Despite World War II disruptions, Abbotsleigh remained open and thriving.

By 1954, the student population had risen to 660, and a separate Junior School was established. Over time, significant buildings such as Marian Clarke Building, Vindin House, Lynton House, and Poole House were developed, some now listed as heritage sites.

Leadership

The school has had 11 headmistresses since its founding. The current headmistress, Megan Krimmer, has served since 2017.

School Structure

Abbotsleigh is divided into Junior and Senior campuses. The Junior School caters from Transition to Year 6, while the Senior School is structured into Middle School (Years 7–8), Senior College Archdale (Years 9–10), and Senior College (Years 11–12). Students are supported by tutors, year coordinators, and Deans.

The majority of Year 7 entrants come from Abbotsleigh Junior School, while the rest join through selective testing and interviews. The school council governs the institution, chaired by Archbishop Kanishka Raffel.

Campuses & Facilities

Junior Campus (Woonona Avenue)
Facilities include:

• Library, school hall, and administration centre
• Poole House (music and after-school care)
• Year 4–6 courtyard center with arts and canteen
• Outdoor pool, tennis courts, oval, play areas
• Early Learning Centre (ELC) for ages birth–5, inspired by Reggio Emilia philosophy

Senior Campus (Pacific Highway)
Facilities include:

• Auditorium, assembly hall, Senior Studies Centre
• Aquatic Centre, gymnasiums, cricket nets
• 11 tennis courts, 25m indoor pool
• Two large sports ovals, synthetic turf field with stands
• Award-winning Abbotsleigh Research Centre (library)
• Grace Cossington Smith Gallery (converted from Vindin House)
• Judith Poole Sports Hall, recognized in the 2018 World Architecture Awards
• Café-style canteen opened in 2008

Motto and Crest

The school’s Latin motto, Tempus celerius radio fugit (“Time flies faster than the weaver’s shuttle”), symbolizes the swift passage of time and the weaving of life’s pattern through people, places, and events. Originally derived from Marian Clarke’s family crest, the motto has stirred debate about its domestic connotations, with some calling for modernization. The school crest incorporates a lion (strength in God), lilies (purity), and fish (Christian baptism).

International Connections

Abbotsleigh maintains exchange programs and partnerships with schools worldwide, including:

• École Alsacienne (France)
• Ohtani High School (Japan)
• Beijing Yucai School (China)
• Schools in Germany, England, Canada, and the U.S.

Students in Years 9 and 10 can host exchange students or study abroad for one or two terms.

Abbotsleigh also shares informal sister-school ties with The King’s School and Sydney Church of England Grammar School—two prestigious Anglican boys’ schools.