Presbyterian Ladies' College Melbourne

141 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia

Early Learning to Year 12

Independent day and boarding school for girls

Australia

Presbyterian (Christian)

The school provides a connected learning journey from Early Learning Centre to Year 12 on a single-site campus. Across every age and stage, the curriculum balances academic excellence with creativity, character and care. Focused learning is delivered through explicit teaching, with individual learning pathways and structured progression that guide increasing independence and leadership. Cross-age connections are fostered through a House system, student-led clubs and cross-year mentoring, complemented by integrated wellbeing programs such as Empowered Changemakers, Wellness in Motion and Faith in Life. The school prepares girls for life after school through a holistic approach, with graduate outcomes defined as Scholar, Thinker, Citizen, Advocate and Leader.

The school offers both the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) and International Baccalaureate (IB) pathways and publishes results for these programs. Graduate outcomes are defined as Scholar, Thinker, Citizen, Advocate and Leader. The College maintains relationships with tertiary institutions, notably Melbourne and Monash Universities, and provides Higher Education Studies (University Extension) for academically gifted students.

Programs for academically gifted students are offered throughout PLC, with opportunities to explore interests and talents beyond the curriculum through extension studies and co-curricular activities. Extension programs include competitions and activities such as da Vinci Decathlon, Tournament of Minds, and Future Problem Solving.

The school has a pastoral program embedded across the College. The pastoral program includes age-appropriate education and information sessions for students to understand, identify, discuss and report child safety matters, and to develop resilience, self-identity, leadership and healthy relationships. Assemblies promote student voice and leadership, with committees giving students a say in school life. The College has a zero tolerance for bullying and harassment and runs policies and programs to mitigate these behaviours, including online safety guidance and consent education delivered from Years 5 to 12. The College is committed to diversity and equity, supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, students with a disability, students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and LGBTQIA+ students through inclusive practices.

The school teaches English As An Additional Language as an English subject option in the VCE and IB programs. The Learning Enhancement Department provides EAL support for Years 7–12, offering communicative and academic language skills, study skills and cultural transition. The Learning Enhancement Department assists in identifying learning needs and shares this information with teachers. An EAL course of study is available for students who qualify or are recommended for EAL status, with small group classes and curriculum modifications carried out in collaboration with subject teachers. Students may self-refer or be referred by teachers or wellbeing staff for EAL support.

The school has a Counselling Department staffed by qualified, registered psychologists and mental health professionals who provide short-term counselling and support services to all students and their families. They identify areas of student need and collaborate with staff to support and address social, emotional, educational and psychological needs, and work with staff in developing Wellbeing programs. The school runs a Wellness in Motion wellbeing program to help students balance academic success with personal wellbeing. Pastoral care and wellbeing are embedded across the year levels, with support structures in place to promote healthy development.

The school has a comprehensive Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy that consolidates policies to provide a safe environment and protect the emotional, psychological and physical wellbeing of students. The policy commits zero tolerance for child abuse and aims to promote a child safe culture across the College, including the Boarding environment. The College appoints a Senior Child Safety Officer and several Child Safety Officers, with contact details provided for reporting concerns. Staff, volunteers and external providers undergo induction and mandatory training on child safety and protection, including Working With Children Checks and annual training. The policy sets clear reporting procedures for allegations of abuse, including reporting to the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) or the Police, and it supports student safety through governance, pastoral programs, and family involvement in safety matters.

Step 1: Apply. For ELC applications, complete the ELC online application. For Prep to Year 12 applications, complete a Prep to Year 12 online application and pay AU$150 non-refundable application fee. Applicants will be advised of the documents required during the application process; these typically include copies of the applicant's birth certificate, passport and most recent school report, and NAPLAN report if applicable. The boarding enrolment process follows the same steps as the standard enrolment process; boarding applications are accepted for students entering Year 7 to Year 12 and applicants can indicate boarding in the online application, with the rest of the process remaining the same.

Step 2: Application confirmation. You will receive a confirmation email upon successful completion of the online application. At this stage, your daughter will be placed on a waiting list.

Step 3: Offer. A formal letter of offer will be sent via email if a place is available for the specified intake year. PLC commences offering places according to the timings below: Prep – three years prior to the planned commencement year; Year 5 and Year 7 – two to three years prior to the planned commencement year; Years 9 to 11 – 18 months prior to the planned commencement year. Offers are made at non-intake years as places become available. If you submit an application for a non-intake year, your daughter will automatically be added to the waiting list and the Admissions Team will contact you directly should a place become available.

Step 4: Acceptance and confirmation of enrolment. Complete the Acceptance of Place Offer by the due date outlined in the letter of offer and pay a non-refundable enrolment fee of AU$1,500.

Step 5: Holding deposit. A holding deposit is charged one year prior to commencement to confirm enrolment for Prep, Year 5 and Year 7. The holding deposit is credited back to school fees in Term 2 of the year a student commences.

Step 6: Pre-commencement meeting. In the year prior to enrolment, students entering the Junior School will be invited with their families to a meeting with a member of the Junior School Leadership Team. Students in Years 7 to 11 will be invited to an online meeting. The aim of these meetings is to understand your daughter's interests, talents and needs to support her successful transition to PLC.

Types of scholarships: academic scholarships, general excellence scholarships, music scholarships, boarding scholarships, and means-tested scholarships; Old Collegian/Helen Hailes Memorial Scholarship is also offered. Eligibility: current PLC Year 6 students are eligible to apply for entry into Year 7; students currently attending PLC Senior School are not eligible to apply for Years 8–11; candidates must be Australian citizens or hold a Permanent Resident visa; late applications are not accepted. Value: PLC scholarships may cover up to 50% of the basic annual tuition fees; boarding scholarships cover up to 50% of the boarding fees to the end of Year 12; means-tested scholarships are awarded based on financial need. Scholarship process: Academic and General Excellence scholarships rely on ACER exams and consideration of the most recent school report and, in some cases, an interview; Music scholarships may include an audition; Boarding scholarships involve ACER exam and, in some cases, an interview; Helen Hailes Memorial Scholarship is for daughters or granddaughters of Old Collegians and is not offered every year. Entry for 2028: Scholarship Exam Date is TBA (Term 4, 2026). For more information, contact PLC Admissions at +61 3 9808 5811 or admissions@plc.vic.edu.au.

Applicants who complete the online enrolment application are placed on the waiting list. PLC commences offering places when places become available. For intakes, Prep is offered three years before commencement; Year 5 and Year 7 are offered two to three years before commencement; Years 9 to 11 are offered about 18 months prior. If applying for a non-intake year, the daughter will be automatically added to the waiting list and the Admissions Team will contact you directly should a place become available.