On the first open night for parents to discuss the logistics of the Georges River College Penshurst move into co-education, the penny dropped for Principal Noeline Ross: this is going to work.

First flagged in 2023 after extensive community consultation, Penshurst Girls and Hurstville Boys were both on track to open their doors to all students for the first time.

As with any major restructure, there were doubts, second-guessing and ongoing detail to be fleshed out but, when returning and potential new families got together to go through the nuts and bolts of the change, that all seemed to evaporate.

“It was at that point I realised our community was coming back to us,” said Ms Ross, an 11-year veteran in charge of the school.

“Families came with their daughters, but now also with their sons.

“Things weren’t going to change but the difference was instead of only serving half our community we could now serve all our community.”

While parents seemed to focus on the small things, like where toilets would go, Ms Ross and her team zeroed in on the bigger issues of culture, identity, and continuity of achievement.

“The school’s identity was as a girls’ school; its culture was as a girls’ school. Everybody had to adjust their ways of thinking,” she said.

“I have to say with great pride, that families and staff embraced it.”

Last year was certainly a tricky one in terms of balancing the needs of the current school and preparing for the most momentous change in its history.

But with the help of staff and the Director Educational Leadership, Joanna French, it was made as smooth as possible.

The result was a cohort of 69 boys joining the 103 girls for Year 7 this year. A small group of boys also started Year 8 with all the remaining years to rollout in 2026 to form a truly co-educational school.

And as far as Georges River College’s Penshurst Campus newest students are concerned, the proof is in the pudding.

“I had lots of good reasons to come here,” said Year 7 student Kobe Daniel, who came to the school from Penshurst West Public School.

“I live nearby and some of my friends are here, and I heard good things about it. It definitely hasn’t disappointed. The teachers here are fantastic and all the kids that were here and the new ones. Everyone has been so inviting and kind, it has been amazing.”

As his classmate Katie Gray points out, having come from Oatley West Public School, sharing their day with boys is what they are used to.

“It’s all been good and really smooth,” she said. “Everyone has been respectful and well-behaved, and the teachers are really nice and lovely. We don’t know any different.”