From the Principal

The First Visit

The family had only just sat down on the bench when their child stood up. Year 5, I guessed, hair neatly combed and shoes polished for the occasion. A hand came out, steady and deliberate.

“Hello, Dr Middleton. It is very nice to meet you.”

A small but memorable moment. Behind that handshake was probably a conversation at the kitchen table, perhaps even a rehearsal in the car on the way. Being ten years old and introducing yourself to an adult, in a place you have never been, takes real courage. What confidence! 

Of course, not every child arrives like that. Some are nervous, hiding behind Dad, peeking out from behind a leg. Others cautious, looking around furtively.

Confident or nervous, they share the same thing. It is their first visit to what might become their school, and they feel the moment. Let's call it the moment of "possibilities."

Parents, grandparents and friends feel it too. Families bring a particular energy to a first visit: part nerves, part hope and part quiet calculation. Most have already seen other schools, read the websites and compared the brochures. But what they are really looking for can’t be printed. They want to know our story, and whether their child might belong in it.

This year I have understood that feeling more keenly than ever, because I arrived in January as a new member of our community. I know what it is to walk through the gate for the first time. I know the wondering about how a place will receive you, and the search for small signs that you have chosen well.

The Romans gave doorways their own god, Janus, with two faces, one looking back and one looking forward. A first visit is exactly that kind of threshold. A family carries everything that has brought them to this point and catches a glimpse of who their child might become.

Meeting new families and prospective students is a highlight of the week for me but also a reminder that our current families - every one of you - once made that first visit. You asked your own sensible questions. Your children hid behind you, bolted ahead, or perhaps offered a handshake of their own. Somewhere along the way, something told you this was the place.

You are now part of the story we tell. Prospective families watch our students greet a visitor, hold a door or explain their work with quiet confidence. In those moments they are seeing you all for the choice you made, and the community you have helped to build.

I don’t yet know whether that Year 5 student will join us.

But I will remember the handshake, and the courage behind it, because the first visit is where every one of our stories begins.

Semper Diligens

Parent and Carer Community Focus Group –  Pittwater House Future Direction 

In partnership with Robyn Edwards, Senior Leadership Consultant from the Leadership Centre, Independent Schools NSW, we are designing our next strategy. We are inviting parents, students and staff to help shape our thinking about our purpose, values, mission and vision, and the strategic priorities that should guide us over the next five years. As part of this process, we will be conducting a series of focus groups. We are inviting parents and carers to attend a focus group session to be held on:

Date: Thursday, 12 November 2026

Time: 5.30pm – 7.00pm

Venue: The Great Hall, Pittwater House

Format: In person

Details: Refreshments and nibbles will be provided.

The session will be an interactive and collaborative conversation, providing an opportunity to reflect, discuss and share your perspectives. To support a productive discussion, places in the focus group will be limited.

To confirm your attendance, please RSVP by Thursday, 5 November via this link Pittwater House Parent & Carer Focus group RSVP