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Australia, Adelaide
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The school has a broad slate of intellectual and academic co-curricular activities. It includes a range of competitions and clubs such as the Da Vinci Decathlon, Philosophothon, Linguistics Olympiad, Mock Trial and Debating and Public Speaking, along with Science/STEM clubs, Chess, and Writers' Group. The program also features Oliphant Science Awards and an Entrepreneurs' Club. These activities extend classroom learning and challenge students to apply knowledge creatively.
The school has Arts activities across Music, Drama, Film, Visual Art and Dance beyond the classroom. Music offers ensemble and solo opportunities, with choral, band, orchestral and contemporary performances and an Artist-in-Residence program. Drama and Film include the Middle School Musical every second year, as well as opportunities in lighting, sound, set design and film-making, with IB/SACE theatre productions and the Unreel Film Festival. Visual Art provides ceramics, drawing, life drawing and watercolour, with exhibitions and Artist-in-Residence or Visiting Creatives programs, while Dance offers performances across all year levels and related study options.
The school has a language program with Spanish from ELC to Year 12; co-curricular languages in Mandarin, French, Italian and Hindi are offered in the Junior School. The French Semi-Immersion Program accelerates learning with CLIL-style instruction, including up to two daily French lessons and subject offerings taught in French. The Community Languages Program offers Italian and Hindi, with Latin as an elective in Years 5–9, and plans to expand to other languages; Beyond the Classroom includes language and cultural immersion trips and exchanges. Language offerings and immersion experiences also include Spanish, German and Kaurna-based activities, plus international trips such as Spain, France, Germany and China.
The school has Clubs and Societies featuring a Teddy Bear-Making Program, a dedicated Scout Group (Joeys, Cubs, Scouts and Venturers) and a large Duke of Edinburgh's International Award program. A wide array of activities, competitions and opportunities includes Chess, Debating and Public Speaking, Film Club, Podcast Club, da Vinci Decathlon, Pride Pals, Yoga, and other interest-based clubs. These offerings foster collaboration, creativity and social connection across year levels.
The Teddy Bear-Making Program donates thousands of bears to children in need, reflecting Pembroke's service ethos. The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award emphasizes community service and volunteering as a core component, supported by staff leaders. Other groups such as the Environmental Group and Service Society contribute to community and environmental initiatives, while the Community Languages Program links cultural learning to service in local communities.
The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award is a prominent leadership and service program, with many students engaged across years 7–12. The Entrepreneurs' Club and various debating, mock trial and public speaking activities provide leadership development, teamwork and professional communication skills. Old Scholars' clubs and student-run initiatives also contribute to leadership opportunities across Pembroke's co-curricular landscape.
The vibrant sporting life supports student development and wellbeing from beginner to elite levels. The sport program offers a wide range of activities and emphasizes an inclusive, supportive culture that promotes personal bests and mental and physical health. The Athlete Development Program provides an individualized high‑performance pathway for Years 9–10, with further pathways for senior athletes across the School.
Pembroke School is a co-educational, non-denominational day and boarding school located in Kensington Park, Adelaide, South Australia. It offers the IB Primary Years Programme in the Junior School alongside the Australian Curriculum, and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in the Senior School together with the South Australian Certificate of Education. Pembroke was South Australia's first IB World School, establishing the IB Diploma Programme in 1989, and has a long history of boarding with students from across Australia and the world. The school operates on two connected campuses, King's Campus (Middle School) and Girton Campus (Junior and Senior School), linked by Kensington Oval, with the Haslam Oval Precinct planned for future sports development. The Shipsters Road Building (opened 2019) houses Middle School Art, Science, Design and Digital Technology, and features learning hubs and Balnaves Place for lectures and collaborations. A broad co-curricular program includes The Arts, Sport, Technology, Clubs and Exchanges, plus pathways such as the Athlete Development Program and Resident Creatives.
