The King’s School is Australia’s oldest independent school and perhaps its best known. Founded in 1831 by command of King William IV of England, King’s was established as a boys’ school that would provide Australia with its next generation of leaders. Situated on 300 acres of beautiful parkland in the demographic centre of Sydney, King’s has endeavoured to give educational leadership by contributing richly to educational and social debate. Its teaching resources, particularly in the area of boys’ education, boarding and the developing of leadership skills, are used around the world.
An academically strong school, King’s has a reputation for adding value, with most students characteristically going on to university or college. The school has an outstanding gifted and talented program affording the best features of an academically selective school (enriched teaching and sound scholarship designed to realise academic potential), with the best features of a non-selective school (a balanced education and the capacity to improve a boy’s academic standards).
The 2013 HSC exam results at King’s were terrific and suggest a strong commitment to good teaching and a student body that places primacy on learning. The school obtained 299 Band 6 results from 202 Year 12 boys. This puts King’s 38th on the HSC league table. “For a non-selective school like King’s, to make it into the Top 50 is a great achievement,” says Headmaster Dr Timothy Hawkes. “We’ve managed a Top 50 place four times in the last six years.
Facilities: Rugby fields, football fields, crosscountry tracks, 50-metre swimming pool, heated pool, sports centre, advanced cricket facilities, rowing, indoor rock climbing, indoor shooting range, mountain bike track, tennis and basketball courts, information technology centre, 150-seat “blackbox” drama studio, science centre, 320-seat professional theatre, centre of learning and leadership incorporating a computerised library, comprehensive music centre, boat shed on Parramatta River, historic sandstone chapel.
Electives Years 8 to 10: In addition to the core subjects of English, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, PD/Health/PE and Biblical Studies, the following elective courses are offered — Agricultural Technology, Chinese, Commerce, Design and Technology, Drama, French, German, Geography Elective, Graphics Technology, History Elective, Industrial Technology, Music, Technical Drawing, Visual Arts, Physical Activity Studies, Information Software Technology and Open High School Languages are also offered.
Electives Years 11 and 12: English (all courses and extensions), Mathematics (all courses and extensions), Agriculture, Ancient History (and extension), Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Chinese, Design and Technology, Drama, Earth and Environmental Science, Economics, Engineering Studies, French (and extension), Geography, German (and extension), Industrial Technology, Information Processes and Technology, Legal Studies, Modern History ( and extension), Music (and extension), PD/Health/PE, Physics, Senior Science, Software Design and Development, Studies of Religion, Visual Arts, VET courses through a variety of TAFE institutions, Open High School Languages, SSCL Languages.
Extracurricular activities: Cadets, Mock Trial, debating, choir, music, theatre, school band, The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme and some 20 other co-curricular clubs and activities are offered. Special features: Excellent academic results, an abundance of leadership opportunities, gifted and talented programs, focus on public speaking, Transition year for Year 7 to ease boys into Senior School, fulltime chaplain and school counsellor. Lunch is provided every day in the dining room for all students, while breakfast is available on request. Evening dinner for day boys and supervised homework is available for day students on a per-night basis.
Boarding facilities: Boys can live in as weekly boarders, full-term boarders or shortstay boarders. An extended day caters for parents of senior school students who want to collect their sons after dinner between 8.30pm and 9.00pm. Warmth, security and a strong sense of community are features of the seven residential houses. Senior boys have individual bed/study rooms. Set homework periods, the assistance of live-in tutors and access to the school’s state-of the-art intranet focuses each boy on academic goals. Attention is also given to organisational skills. A large range of sport and after-school activities exists. Outstanding dining room facilities with four full-time chefs and a fulltime butcher provide nutritious food. A hot lunch in the dining room is provided every day for boarders, day boys and staff.
Special features: Financial assistance in the form of bursaries, scholarships and awards exists for tuition, boarding and a combination of boarding and tuition.
From the school: The King’s School, Parramatta — Australia’s oldest independent school — is a leader in educating boys, leadership development in students and boarding. Situated on 120 hectares at North Parramatta, the geographic centre of Sydney, the school offers a broad range of curricular and extra-curricular activities for the development of the whole student and takes enrolments from Kindergarten to Year 12. In 2012, The King’s School ranked in the top 50 NSW schools based on HSC performance — a significant achievement for a non-selective school. Academic and leadership scholarships are offered dependent on high-range academic results and demonstrated leadership potential in creative and performing arts, sport and the community. The school offers flexible boarding — short-term, weekly and full-term boarding — and day students also have access to school facilities before and after school, including all meals.
Headmaster: Dr Timothy Hawkes