Marsden High School aims to foster personal success, confidence and fulfilment through quality performance and participation within the school community.
Facilities: 160 computers networked to the Internet, library and specialised information technology labs, music and drama rooms (with individual tutorial rooms available), commercial kitchen, two ovals, undercover sporting facilities, assembly hall. As of 2010 students from Years 9 to12 will progressively be given a laptop for personal use (Federal Government program).
Electives Years 9 to 10: Chinese, Commerce, Computing Studies, Drama, Food Technology, Industrial Technology: Engineering, Graphics, Leather, Metal and Wood, Japanese, Korean, Music, Photography and Digital Imaging, Physical Activity and Sport Studies, Textile Technology, Visual Arts, Visual Design, Work Education and VET Construction.
Electives Years 11 and 12: Ancient and Modern History, Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Chinese, Community and Family Studies, Exploring Early Childhood, Design & Technology, Drama, Earth and Environmental Studies, Economics, Engineering Studies, Food Technology, Geography, Industrial Technology: Timber Products and Furniture Industries, Information Processes & Technology, Japanese, Korean, Legal Studies, Marine Studies, Mathematics, Music, PD/Health/PE, Photographic, Video and Digital Imaging, Physics, Senior Science, Society & Culture, Software Design and Development, Sport Lifestyle and Recreation, Studies of Religion, Textiles Technology, Visual Arts, Visual Design and Work Studies plus vocational courses in Building and Construction, Hospitality and Retail. In addition, approximately 60 TAFE-delivered courses are offered in conjunction with Meadowbank, Hornsby and Ryde TAFEs.
Sport: An integrated sports program provides students with skills in areas such as aerobics, basketball, cricket, golf, netball, rugby union and league, soccer, tennis, swimming, water polo, softball, volleyball, table tennis and hockey. Teams enter state-wide knockout competitions in a variety of sports and Marsden has representation in state sporting teams.
Extracurricular activities: Band/ensembles, music lessons, debating, chess club, choir, drama, dance, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme, Tournament of Minds, performing arts nights, Premier’s Reading Challenge, Mock Trial, public speaking, annual visual arts and photographic night, Ryde Schools Spectacular, NSW Schools Spectacular, Bushcare, ASX Sharemarket Game, Year camps and SRC.
Welfare and personal development: Student and teacher teams operate in Year 7 to ensure that students have a smooth transition to high school. An empowered SRC encourages student leadership through a well-organised prefect system. Peer support leadership training is provided for Year 10 students along with peer mediation. Marsden offers a comprehensive career education program which includes one lesson per fortnight for every Year 10 student, fortnightly meetings for all Year 12 students, work experience for Years 10 to11, Volunteer Week, TAFE courses, first-year university lectures and tuition by Macquarie University students, School To Work Planning, vocational testing and parent seminars.
Special features: Extension programs are offered in all Key Learning Areas by staff trained in gifted and talented education. Students experience success in state-wide competitions in English, Maths, Science, Commerce, Geography and Visual Arts. The average class size is 20. Marsden Intensive English Centre, located in the school grounds, provides intensive English lessons to newly arrived migrants.