North Sydney Boys High School
Encyclopedia
Selective school (New South Wales)
Selective schools in New South Wales, Australia are government high schools operated by the New South Wales Department of Education and Training, that have accepted their students based upon their academic merit...
, public high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
for boys, located at Crows Nest
Crows Nest, New South Wales
Crows Nest is a suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Crows Nest is located 5 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of North Sydney Council.-History:...
in Sydney, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
History
North Sydney Boys began off site in temporary classes in 1912. At the end of 1914, 89 boys transferred to the permanent home on the corner of Falcon Street and Miller Street, Crows Nest. The School chose the Falcon as its logo according to the location of the school on Falcon Street, even going as far as to name its Old Boys Alumni "Old Falconians" in 1933. After years of controversy, it has been decided to celebrate the centenary in 2012.The first headmaster was Nimrod Greenwood. He had been headmaster of the North Sydney Superior School before the establishment of the High School and had 33 years of service as Headmaster of the two schools. On his retirement in 1915, he was succeeded by C R Smith
Charles Rattray Smith
Charles Rattray Smith taught in Britain before emigrating to New South Wales where he taught classics and languages at various public schools. He was the inaugural headmaster of Newcastle High School from 1906...
who had founded Newcastle High School
Newcastle High School
Newcastle High School can refer to:*Newcastle High School in Newcastle, Nebraska*Newcastle High School in Newcastle, Oklahoma*Newcastle High School in Newcastle, Texas*Newcastle High School in Newcastle, Wyoming...
and was to go to head Sydney High School in 1918. Smith was succeeded by the headmaster who had replaced him at Newcastle High School, William Williams, who guided the school for the next 13 years. On his promotion to Inspector, Williams was succeeded also succeeded by the then Headmaster of Newcastle Boys High School, R F Harvey, in 1932; Harvey was head until his death in 1947.
Curriculum
The school has a history of academic excellence prompting Sir James DarlingJames Ralph Darling
Sir James Ralph Darling OBE was the Headmaster of Geelong Grammar School , and Chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Commission .-Early life:...
, Headmaster of Geelong Grammar School
Geelong Grammar School
Geelong Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, co-educational, boarding and day school. The school's main campus is located at Corio, on the northern outskirts of Geelong, Victoria, Australia, overlooking Corio Bay and Limeburners Bay....
, to reflect that "North Sydney is the equal of, if not better than, any private school in Australia". He was referring to a 'golden era' in the 1950s and 60s when school's students set numerous records in the published results of the old NSW Leaving Certificate.
North Sydney still performs well in Higher School Certificate results today. In the NSW Higher School Certificate, North Sydney Boys is consistently one of the top ranked boys schools, and in 2004 it had the 6th highest number of recipients of the Premier's 'All Rounders' Award in the state. According to The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
's Top 120 Schools, North Sydney Boys High School was ranked 3rd in the 2003 HSC, with 41 students achieving a University Admissions Index (UAI) of 99 or higher.
Departments
Teaching at North Sydney Boys High is divided amongst 10 departments, each teaching a variety of related Board of Studies endorsed subjects. The departments are:- EnglishEnglish studiesEnglish studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
- MathematicsMathematics educationIn contemporary education, mathematics education is the practice of teaching and learning mathematics, along with the associated scholarly research....
- ScienceScienceScience is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
- Languages (LOTE) including Latin, Ancient Greek, French, German, Japanese, and Indonesian
- Social Sciences (HSIE)Social sciencesSocial science is the field of study concerned with society. "Social science" is commonly used as an umbrella term to refer to a plurality of fields outside of the natural sciences usually exclusive of the administrative or managerial sciences...
- Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) including Music, Visual Arts, and Drama
- Industrial Arts (Design and Technology)Industrial artsIndustrial Arts is an umbrella term originally conceived in the late 19th century to describe educational programs which featured fabrication of objects in wood and/or metal using a variety of hand, power, or machine tools...
- Personal Development, Health, and Physical EducationPhysical educationPhysical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
- Computing Studies & IT
- Careers
Sport
The School participates in sport against other schools in the Sydney North West Metropolitan Zone.Other extracurricular sporting activities include:
- Falcon Sport (program of weekend sport)
- Crawford Shield, an annual sporting and cultural exchange with Melbourne High School
- Sports Carnivals (Cross Country Running, Swimming and Athletics Carnivals)
Outdoor education
An outdoor education program involving annual school camps is promoted as encouraging a 'Challenge by Choice' mentality. This program includes camps to:- Year 7 - Wombaroo, with Year 11 Peer Support Leaders
- Year 8 - Point Wolstencroft
- Year 9 - Castle Mountain
- Year 10 - Coolendel
- Year 11 - JindabyneJindabyne, New South WalesJindabyne is a town in south-east New South Wales, Australia that overlooks Lake Jindabyne near the Snowy Mountains, in Snowy River Shire. It is a popular holiday destination, especially in winter, due to its proximity to several ski resorts throughout the Kosciuszko National Park, including...
Snow Camp, which is usually in conjunction with Burwood Girls High SchoolBurwood Girls High SchoolBurwood Girls' High School is a public, comprehensive, secondary, day school for girls, located in Croydon, an inner western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
All camps with the exception of the Year 11 camp are outsourced to Optimum Experiences Outdoor Adventures.
North Sydney Boys High School also encourages students to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.
Music and Drama
The School is also home to a comprehensive and highly regarded jazz music education program. Performance groups from this program have toured internationally, and are regularly requested to play at a variety of public and private functions. The Big Band 1 was the equal first Australian school jazz band to be invited to perform at the annual International Association of Jazz EducationInternational Association for Jazz Education (IAJE)
International Association for Jazz Education , formerly a not-for-profit corporation based in Manhattan, Kansas, was a volunteer-run organization that, among other things, allocated student scholarships through its approved festivals program. Its annual conference was a gathering point for...
conference in 2004. The jazz bands perform annually at the Merimbula Jazz Festival, on the New South Wales south coast.
Other music and drama related extracurricular activities include:
- Concert Bands, Big Bands, Orchestra, Choir, Jazz Combos
- Combined Vocal Ensemble with North Sydney Girls High SchoolNorth Sydney Girls High SchoolNorth Sydney Girls High School is an academically selective, public high school for girls, located at Crows Nest, on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
- Combined Annual Musical with North Sydney Girls High School
- Drama Troupe
- Page to Stage
Enrichment
- Debating in which North Sydney Boys High School has a strong tradition having won a large number of major competitions over the years including the Hume Barbour trophy several times. Recently this has included the Intermediate (Years 9 and 10) NSW Premier's Debating Challenge (in 2004 and 2005) and the Karl Kramp Debating Competition (in 2006). The Hill Competition is an after-school competition with Wenona Girls and North Sydney Girls High School for years 7-10. It was resurrected in 2009.
- ChessChessChess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
- The NSW Representative of the Australian Schools Teams Championships, came second behind Scotch College, MelbourneScotch College, MelbourneScotch College, Melbourne is an independent, Presbyterian, day and boarding school for boys, located in Hawthorn, an inner-eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
. The school has also won numerous state competitions, including the Normanhurst Boys tournament, Scots College Invitational, and placing highly in the Secondary Schools State Champs. The coach of North Sydney Boys is International Master George XieGeorge XieGeorge Xie is an Australian chess player and 2009 and 2011 Joint Australian Open Chess Champion. He became an International Master in 2006 is ranked 3rd in Australia. He was a board 4 member of the Australian national team at the 2008 Dresden Olympiad.He gained his first GM norm at the 2009 Sydney...
. - Public Speaking Club with North Sydney Girls High School
- Dance Group
- Mock Trial
- Science Olympiad Training with North Sydney Girls High School taught by ex and current NSG and NSB students.
Student exchange
- Cultural European Tour with North Sydney Girls High SchoolNorth Sydney Girls High SchoolNorth Sydney Girls High School is an academically selective, public high school for girls, located at Crows Nest, on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
- Japanese Language Exchange with Kokusai High School in TokyoTokyo, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... - Melbourne High SchoolMelbourne High SchoolMelbourne High School is a selective entry state school for boys in years 9 to 12 located in the Melbourne suburb of South Yarra. Being a selective school, it is known mainly for its strong academic reputation...
Exchange (Crawford Shield sporting competition). North Sydney Boys has won twice in a row, in 2009 and 2010, the first time in many years there has been a back to back victory. Melbourne High School currently holds the Crawford Shield after winning in 2011.
Other
Other extracurricular activities include:- Annual Yearbook Production named "The Falcon" magazine. This magazine is designed mainly by a group of students under the supervision of a teacher and/or consultant.
- Environmental Group
- Charities Committee
- Multimedia Group
- Walkathon
- Junior and Senior disco/dances with North Sydney Girls High SchoolNorth Sydney Girls High SchoolNorth Sydney Girls High School is an academically selective, public high school for girls, located at Crows Nest, on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
- Chess Clubs
- Box Strategy
- Debating Clubs
- Balmoral Burn
- City2Surf
- Spring Cycle
- CWK Initiative
Building works
The school community also completed a major upgrade of the AF Henry Hall in 2005 including the addition of a mezzanine, new ceiling, lighting, stage, and stage curtains. In 2007 - 2009 six science labs were completely refurbished costing over $1million.
The school is now planning for an extension and complete refurbishment to the current library with building due to commence in 2012. Plans for the upgrading of outdoor recreation spaces has also begun.
Notable alumni
Former studentsAlumnus
An alumnus , according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is "a graduate of a school, college, or university." An alumnus can also be a former member, employee, contributor or inmate as well as a former student. In addition, an alumna is "a female graduate or former student of a school, college,...
of North Sydney Boys High School are known as 'Old Boys' or 'Old Falconians', and may elect to join the schools' alumni association
Alumni association
An alumni association is an association of graduates or, more broadly, of former students. In the United Kingdom and the United States, alumni of universities, colleges, schools , fraternities, and sororities often form groups with alumni from the same organisation...
, known as the 'Old Falconians’ Union' (OFU). The Union was founded over seventy-five years ago as a way to "promote goodwill fellowship amongst former students of and to provide financial and other support to the School".
In 2010 The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
reported that North Sydney Boys High School alumni ranked equal seventh among Australian secondary school alumni based on the number of alumni who had received a "top" Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
honour behind Scotch College, Melbourne
Scotch College, Melbourne
Scotch College, Melbourne is an independent, Presbyterian, day and boarding school for boys, located in Hawthorn, an inner-eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
,Geelong Grammar School
Geelong Grammar School
Geelong Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, co-educational, boarding and day school. The school's main campus is located at Corio, on the northern outskirts of Geelong, Victoria, Australia, overlooking Corio Bay and Limeburners Bay....
, Sydney Boys High School
Sydney Boys High School
Sydney Boys High School is an academically selective public secondary school for boys, located in the City of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, with 1,180 students, from years 7 to 12...
, Fort Street High School
Fort Street High School
Fort Street High School is a co-educational, academically selective, public high school currently located at Petersham, an inner western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
, Perth Modern School
Perth Modern School
Perth Modern School is an academically-selective co-educational public high school located in Subiaco, an inner city suburb of Perth, Western Australia.The school, established in 1911, now caters for students with high academic ability....
, St Peter's College, Adelaide
St Peter's College, Adelaide
St Peter's College, , is an independent boy's school in the South Australian capital of Adelaide...
; equal in rank with Melbourne Grammar School
Melbourne Grammar School
Melbourne Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school predominantly for boys, located in South Yarra and Caulfield, suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
, and The King's School, Parramatta; but ahead of Launceston Grammar School
Launceston Church Grammar School
Launceston Church Grammar School is a co-educational private school in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia for years kindergarten through to Year 12....
, Melbourne High School
Melbourne High School
Melbourne High School is a selective entry state school for boys in years 9 to 12 located in the Melbourne suburb of South Yarra. Being a selective school, it is known mainly for its strong academic reputation...
, Wesley College, Melbourne
Wesley College, Melbourne
Wesley College, Melbourne is an independent, co-educational, Christian day school in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Established in 1866, the college is a school of the Uniting Church in Australia. Wesley is the largest school in Australia by enrolment, with 3,511 students and 564 full-time staff...
and Xavier College
Xavier College
Xavier College is a Roman Catholic, day and boarding school predominantly for boys, with its main campus located in Kew, an eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
.
See also
- North Sydney Girls High SchoolNorth Sydney Girls High SchoolNorth Sydney Girls High School is an academically selective, public high school for girls, located at Crows Nest, on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
- List of Government schools in New South Wales
- List of selective high schools in New South Wales