New Schools

It was a very big week in the McPherson household as both Tess and Tom started at new schools.  

Tess started at Queenwood School for Girls in Mosman which is a 10 minute drive from our house towards the City.  We chose Queenwood because it has excellent academic results, the new Principal is an extremely impressive lady who believes in opening the minds of the girls to the wider world around them (i.e. beyond Australia), it has excellent sporting facilities including it's own pool and tennis complex and it offers the International Baccalaureate which Tess may be suitable for.  There are 9 girls from Balgowlah Heights Public School who started at the same time so it will be a very easy transition. 

 I reckon Tess will be taller than me in about a months time!

Sophie Stone,  Lucy Forrest, Tess, Becky Connor, Isabella Rose, Lily Barkhausen, Jemima Close, Hannah Stasmeare (Lilly Still was missing from the photo)

Tom started at Pittwater House which is a co-ed campus with single sex classrooms situated a 15 minute drive away further up the northern beaches.  We chose Pittwater House because it is a very nurturing school with small class sizes (there are 21 in Tom's class compared to 31 last year), excellent integration of technology within the curriculum and a strong focus on water sports including surfing.  There was 1 other boy from Tom's school who has also started at Pittwater House but Tom knows a number of boys already there through rugby and surfing so again it will be a relatively easy transition for him.  

 Tom was very excited to be wearing a tie but he struggles with the long socks

With all Tess' friends starting at different schools we invited some families round on Saturday night for dinner and a catch up.  I assured everyone that it would be an early night to make sure the girls got a good nights sleep before their first full week of high school.  We were playing air guitar and singing until 11pm - perhaps not so responsible of us!  Midway during the evening a massive hail storm hit with hail the size of grapes.  

 The Rivers, Christensens, Watts and Burgesses

 Look at that hail!

Tom protected from the hail

It was another early start for us on Sunday morning with Nippers followed by water polo training for Tom at Fairlight pool.  It was such a beautiful day we persuaded Tess and Ruby to join us.  

Ruby and Tess