This school’s multicultural character is reflected in the 31 linguistic and culture groups that make up the student body, and in the languages of Chinese, French and Arabic offered by the languages faculty. The school caters for the special needs of gifted children, of students from non-English-speaking backgrounds and those with learning difficulties. The school also runs an integration program, a social skills program, and parent classes in English language and computing. The school recently received a National Literacy Teaching Award.
Facilities: The school has four main computer laboratories as well as smaller subject-specific computer kiosks. All are networked with access to a multimedia server, a curriculum server, and the Internet. It also has a library, a gymnasium, a weights gym, indoor and outdoor basketball courts, a volleyball court, and an industrial kitchen.
Electives Years 7 to 10: Audio Engineering, Commerce, French, Arabic, Sports Science, Visual Arts, Graphics, Wood, Food, Electronic and Metal Technics, Music, Technical Drawing.
Electives Years 11 and 12: All English courses, all Mathematics courses, Software Design and Development, Information Processes and Technology, Business Studies, Economics, Legal Studies, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Modern History, Ancient History, Music, Visual Arts, Engineering Studies, Design and Technology, PD/Health/PE, Chinese, Arabic, Photography. VET courses — Hospitality, Information Technology, Retail, Multimedia, Timber and Furniture, Building and Construction. TAFE courses are available, as is religious education (through weekly scripture classes).
Sport: Basketball, rugby league and union, water polo, baseball, volleyball, cricket, touch football, tennis, table tennis, soccer, squash, swimming. There is an extra charge for some sports. The school offers Targeted Sports Programs (TSPs) under the leadership of a school-based sport director, within a professional coaching framework, and across a variety of sports.
Extracurricular activities: Student council, Double Helix club, prefects, Australian Stock Exchange competition, Polynesian club, Youth Rock, “circuit breaker”, audio-engineering, chess, debating, Australasian Schools computing, mathematics competitions, after-hours homework centre.
Welfare and personal development: The school is committed to the welfare of all its culturally diverse students. A discipline policy features extensive awards and rewards along with a levels system for student management.
A school counsellor is also available. The wearing of the school uniform is endorsed by parents and required by the school. There is student leadership through the SRC and the prefect body.
Special features: A proud tradition of academic and sporting achievement, a developed climate of inter-cultural respect and tolerance, central involvement each year in a state-wide production of Youth Rock, a strong focus on literacy skills development (led by a full-time literacy officer), an effective student welfare program. The school has in recent years achieved exceptional results in computing (medals), mathematics (medals), and in visual arts (ArtExpress and NSW Art Gallery), and HSC merit listings in mathematics. In 2005, the school received the National Excellence Award for NSW in the annual Literacy and Numeracy Week.