Blakehurst High School, established in 1960, was award the title Specialist Languages High School as part of the Outstanding Schools Program 2000. Within a comprehensive and supportive learning environment, the school offers a broad curriculum that includes the choice of seven languages for study. The school’s value statement, collaboratively developed by the whole school community, emphasises a commitment to high‑quality student learning, student responsibility, a professional, committed staff, and involved, active community support.
Facilities: Modern library with multimedia centre, specialist industry‑standard computer rooms, auditorium, sporting courts, language-learning lab, computer‑aided drafting laboratory, extensive computer network throughout the school, modern science laboratories, open learning centre where students achieve learning outcomes independently, making use of technology such as the extensive use of the internet and multimedia facilities, new gymnasium, and a free homework tutorial centre two afternoons per week.
Electives Years 7 to 10: Archaeology, Careers, Commerce, Design and Technology, Drama, Electronics, Food Technology, French, Geography, German, Health Studies, History, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Living Skills, Modern Greek, Photographic and Digital Media Studies, Music, Technical Drawing, Technics, Textiles and Design, Visual Arts, Work Studies.
Electives Years 11 and 12: Ancient History, Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Chinese (Background Speakers), Community and Family Studies, Design and Technology, Drama, Earth and Environmental Science, Economics, Engineering Science, Food Technology, French, Senior Science, Geography, German, Industrial Technology, Wood, Graphics, Information Processing and Technology, Italian, 1‑Unit courses (Interpreting and Translating, Japanese for Tourism), Japanese, Legal Studies, Mathematics (all levels), Modern History, Music, Physics, Society and Culture, Visual Arts. Vocational courses include Building and Construction, Business Services, Hospitality, Information Technology, and Work Studies. TAFE courses are also provided.
Sport: Sport is an integral and important part of the curriculum and students participate in grade sport competitions within the St. George Zone in a variety of team sports, including table tennis, cricket, rugby, soccer, basketball, netball and water polo. In addition, the school enters teams in all state knock‑out competitions. A variety of leisure activities, such as dance groups, bowling and surfing, is also offered.
Extracurricular activities: Debating, Mock Trial, public speaking, chess, photography, media group, Interact, concert band, rock groups, string groups, Streamwatch.
Welfare and personal development: All BHS students wear a modern, smart uniform as the outward representation of a strong disciplinary code of personal responsibility, respect and tolerance. The largest staff team in the school is the welfare team of teachers who work together to support all students to learn effectively. Peer support, peer mediation, SRC, prefects, DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) groups, peer tutoring in literacy and numeracy, a camping program, a festival, and other special programs all contribute to a harmonious, secure and academically challenging learning environment.
Special features: An international student exchange is given considerable emphasis and the school seeks to give education a multi-cultural perspective. Receiving languages high school status has made BHS far more popular, creating intense competition for limited out‑of‑area vacancies and attracting many international students who study at BHS.