Established in 1912, this selective high school has a strong academic, cultural and sporting tradition. While academic achievement is central to the school’s activities, there are numerous opportunities for students in diverse extracurricular areas.
Facilities: Seven science laboratories, three music rooms, rehearsal room, three visual arts rooms, three technics workshops, assembly hall, separate gymnasium, tennis and weights and cardio room, cricket nets, driver education, drama room, computer laboratories, library/audio-visual block, on-site canteen, uniform shop.
Electives Years 7 to 10: Latin, French, German, Greek (Classical), Japanese, Indonesian, Information Processes and Technology, Software Design and Development, Technics (Metal and Wood), Food Technology, Physical Activity and Sports Studies, Music, Technical Drawing, Commerce, Visual Arts, Design and Technology, Drama, Photography, Video and Digital Imaging and Power Systems. All students study English, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, Personal Development/Health/Physical Education in Years 7 to 10, as well as Music, Visual Arts, and Design and Technology in Year 7.
Electives Years 11 and 12: English (2 Unit, 3 Unit and 4 Unit), Mathematics (2 Unit, 3 Unit and 4 Unit), Ancient History, Biology, Business Studies, Classical Greek, Chemistry, Drama, Economics, Engineering Studies,PD/H/PE, Geography, French, German, Indonesian, Japanese, Latin, Legal Studies, Modern History, Music, Physics, Information Processes and Technology, Software Design and Development, Visual Arts. Senior Science, are offered to Year 11 students.
Sport: The school enters teams in the Metropolitan North West Zone competitions on Wednesday afternoons. There is also a comprehensive social/recreational sports program. Sports available include tennis, rugby, hockey, oztag, soccer, cricket, water polo, volleyball, squash, basketball, futsal, badminton, swimming, cross-country, athletics, table tennis, lawn bowls, fencing, rock climbing and ice-skating. Students may also choose to play in weeknight and weekend teams organised and managed by parents in cricket, tennis, basketball, futsal, table tennis, orienteering, tae kwon do and soccer.
Extracurricular activities: As befits a school with a high-achieving student body, there is a rich and active extracurricular student life. The school’s music groups achieve remarkably high standards and include choir, orchestra, vocal ensemble, string ensemble, concert bands, stage bands, dance, guitar ensembles, and jazz groups. Other active groups are debating, public speaking, Mock Trial, chess, Young Achievers, Charities Committee, The Falcon Yearbook, Environment Team, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme, Robotics group and Student Representative Council.
Welfare and personal development: The school provides a caring environment involving Head Teacher Welfare, Year advisers, a school counsellor and a careers adviser, utilising programs such as peer support, which assists Year 7 in settling into the school, peer mediation, leadership training, work experience, outdoor education program (Years 7 to 11), and a merit award scheme. School uniform is compulsory.
Special features: Several programs are conducted in association with North Sydney Girls High, including an annual musical production, annual musicale, co-educational days, Senior “challenge” days, and dances. A sporting/cultural exchange with Melbourne High School takes place annually. There are regular overseas visits, such as to Japan and Europe. There is a school council, strong parental involvement through the P&C and the auxiliary, and an active old boys’ union.
Famous ex-students: More than 120 former students are listed in Who’s Who in Australia including Peter Sinclair (former Governor of NSW), cricketer Allan Border, and John Prescott. Two ex-students, Michael Fullilove and Marc de Rosnay, were awarded Rhodes scholarships in 1996.