Sydney Technical High School
Encyclopedia
Sydney Technical High School is an academically selective
, state-funded high school for boys in Bexley
, a southern suburb of Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1911 as part of Sydney Technical College, the school was one of the six original New South Wales
selective schools. The school is colloquially abbreviated to "Sydney Tech" or simply "Tech".
, the School Certificate
, and in particular, the Higher School Certificate
(HSC), where its students are regularly ranked in the top ten places in the state across a variety of subjects. On average, over 80% of its students achieve in the top 20% of the state, with a majority gaining an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank
of more than 90.
In 2010, fifteen students from the school's graduating class received Premier's Awards for All-round Excellence in the NSW HSC. The school also won the national championship in the University of Newcastle
Science and Engineering Challenge in 2010.
One of the reforms advocated by the 1903 Royal Commission into NSW Education was the establishment of classes providing courses which would involve technical subjects. Consequently, Continuation classes for students interested in technical subjects commenced at the Sydney Technical College.
In April 1911, these Continuation classes were given the status of a high school, and Sydney Technical High was established. Originally the school was co-educational with 113 boys and 15 girls. In February 1913 the girls were transferred to Fort Street Girls' High and from then on the school became for boys only.
Since 1911, the school has been located at three Sydney sites:
Students also have the choice of participating in the following non-grade sports:
, consisting of 6 houses. These correlate with the six Roll Call classes and are named, Williams, Turner, McMullen, MacKinnon, Broome and Gotto. The House Captains are elected from Years 10 and 12. The roll call classes are arranged according the students' surnames. Students compete together in their houses at athletics carnivals and swimming carnivals etc.
is considered to be the female counterpart or 'sister school' of Sydney Technical High School, and often engages in Student Representative Council activities, as well as Parents and Citizens meetings.
Aviation
Entertainment and the Arts
Politics, religion and law
Sport
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...
, state-funded high school for boys in Bexley
Bexley, New South Wales
Bexley is a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Bexley is located 14 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Rockdale and is part of the St George area.-History:...
, a southern suburb of Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1911 as part of Sydney Technical College, the school was one of the six original New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
selective schools. The school is colloquially abbreviated to "Sydney Tech" or simply "Tech".
Academic achievement
The school consistently achieves strong results in external assessments, such as the NAPLANNAPLAN
NAPLAN, or National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy, is a battery of tests administered to Australian students. These standardized tests assess students' reading, writing, language , and numeracy, and are administered by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting...
, the School Certificate
School Certificate
The School Certificate was a qualification issued by the Board of Studies, New South Wales, typically at the end of Year 10. The successful completion of the School Certificate is a requirement for completion of the Higher School Certificate...
, and in particular, the Higher School Certificate
Higher School Certificate
The Higher School Certificate, or HSC, is the credential awarded to secondary school students who successfully complete senior high school level studies in New South Wales, Australia. It was first introduced in 1967, with the last major revision coming into effect in 2001. It is currently...
(HSC), where its students are regularly ranked in the top ten places in the state across a variety of subjects. On average, over 80% of its students achieve in the top 20% of the state, with a majority gaining an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank
Australian Tertiary Admission Rank
The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank is the primary criterion for entry into most undergraduate-entry university programs in Australia, it was gradually introduced during 2009 and 2010 to replace the Universities Admission Index, Equivalent National Tertiary Entrance Rank and Tertiary Entrance...
of more than 90.
In 2010, fifteen students from the school's graduating class received Premier's Awards for All-round Excellence in the NSW HSC. The school also won the national championship in the University of Newcastle
University of Newcastle, Australia
The University of Newcastle is an Australian public university that was established in 1965. The University's main and largest campus is located in Callaghan, a suburb of Newcastle in New South Wales...
Science and Engineering Challenge in 2010.
History
In April 1911, these Continuation classes were given the status of a high school, and Sydney Technical High was established. Originally the school was co-educational with 113 boys and 15 girls. In February 1913 the girls were transferred to Fort Street Girls' High and from then on the school became for boys only.
Since 1911, the school has been located at three Sydney sites:
- UltimoUltimo, New South WalesUltimo is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Ultimo is located 2 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Sydney....
House – Mary Ann Street – This was the "country" home of Dr. John Harris, Surgeon of the New South Wales CorpsNew South Wales CorpsThe New South Wales Corps was formed in England in 1789 as a permanent regiment to relieve the marines who had accompanied the First Fleet to Australia. The regiment, led by Major Francis Grose, consisted of three companies...
. The property was bought by the Government in 1899 and used by Technical Education for many years before being used by Sydney Tech High from 1911 to 1924. - PaddingtonPaddington, New South WalesPaddington is an inner-city, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Paddington is located 3 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district and lies across the local government areas of the City of Sydney and the Municipality of Woollahra...
– Albion Street – In 1925, with an enrolment of 421, Sydney Tech High was transferred to Albion Street, Bankstown. Although it was a note of expansion, it was a vigorous P&C campaign that encouraged the State Government to fund an entirely new site for the school. - BexleyBexley, New South WalesBexley is a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Bexley is located 14 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Rockdale and is part of the St George area.-History:...
– Forest Road – The Old McConnachie's Paddock was occupied and first stone for the school's foundations was laid in March 1955, with the school completed and occupied by September 1956. The official opening for the school's new facilities was on 2 August 1958, with four units: the administration block, general classrooms ('A block'), manual training block and the auditorium and gymnasium. Throughout the years numerous additions have been made to the site. The School Pool was opened in 1966, the Kingston-David Library and Laboratories in 1975 and a brand-new administration block in 1998.
Facilities
The current grounds at Bexley include the following physical facilities:- Upper courts and Lower Courts ("The Cage") – basketball courts for Years 7–9 and 10–12, respectively
- Elmo Landsberger Cricket nets – located between Lower courts and Back oval, 3 cricketCricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
batting nets & a plaque dedicated to Elmo Landsberger - New courts – A new basketball court as well as 3 small handball courts and a volleyball court has been put in, near the Anderson Street car park. They completed construction in May 2009.
- Botanical and Rainforest area
- Sir Charles Kingsford Smith Memorial Library
- Auditorium for School Assemblies and performances
- Gymnasium with indoor basketball courts
Faculties
| Faculty | HSC Subjects |
|---|---|
| Creative Arts | Music, Music Extension, Visual Arts |
| English | Drama, English (Standard & Advanced), English Extensions 1 & 2 |
| History | Ancient History, Modern History, History Extension, Studies of Religion |
| Languages | French, German, Japanese (Beginners, Continuers & Extension) |
| Mathematics | Mathematics, Mathematics Extensions 1 & 2 |
| PD/Health/PE/Careers | Personal Development/Health/Physical Education & Careers |
| Science | Biology, Chemistry, Physics |
| Social science | Business Studies, Economics, Geography, Legal Studies |
| Industrial arts and computing studies | Design and Technology, Engineering Studies, Information Processes and Technology, Information Technology (VET), Software Design and Development, Graphic and Computing Studies |
Extra-curricular activities
Extracurricular activities offered to Sydney Technical High School students include:- P&C Association and Student Fundraising
- Debating Teams
- Student Representative Council
- Interact – A group dedicated to charity fundraising
- Sound and Lighting Crew – A group of students who, under teacher supervision, dedicate their time to the continued maintenance and functioning of the auditorium and drama studio systems.
- FRED – The school newspaper run solely by Years 9, 10 and 11 students at the school. FRED is back after remaining dormant from 2005 to 2007.
- Public Speaking – including Inter-School and grade-wide competitions
- Links Program – A group of year 9 students work with students from Hurstville Primary School, to show them what happens in high school and create links between the two schools.
- ISCFISCFInter-School Christian Fellowship or Inter-Scholastic Christian Fellowship is a Christian youth group that works with high school students. Often it can be associated with groups such as a local church or a scripture organisation...
– Inter-School Christian Fellowship - 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...
– Inter-School Chess Competition also in session. - Committees of Year 12 organisation – for collaborating the Year 12 Yearbook, Formal, Year 12 End of Year Video and Jerseys
- School Bands – Beginner, Intermediate, Concert, Stage, String Ensemble
- Chemistry Titration Competition
- Rubik's cube competition
- Counterstrike competition
- ICAS competitions
- Rio Tinto Big Science Competition
Sport
Tech is in the St George Sports Association for boys.- Cricket
- Basketball
- Baseball
- Squash
- Table Tennis
- Touch FootballTouch football (rugby league)Touch is a field sport also known as Touch Football, or in some countries as Touch Rugby. Touch is overseen worldwide by the Federation of International Touch . Touch has traditionally been played in Australia and New Zealand but the sport has expanded internationally and features many regional and...
- Volleyball
- Water Polo
- Field Hockey
- Soccer
- Softball
- Tennis
- Australian rules football
Students also have the choice of participating in the following non-grade sports:
- Karate
- Fencing
- Sailing
- Martial Arts
Annual activities
The school's annual activities include:- The "Celebrity" Human Movement Challenge
- Combined SRC Dance between Sydney Tech and St George Girls High School
- Musicale (School Bands)
- Senior Trivia Night (Prefecture)
- Jorge Diaz Wombi Ball Cup (Prefecture)
- SRC Week – Various activities such as Pizza Day, Talent Quest and Counter-StrikeCounter-StrikeCounter-Strike is a tactical first-person shooter video game developed by Valve Corporation which originated from a Half-Life modification by Minh "Gooseman" Le and Jess "Cliffe" Cliffe...
Competition - Year 10 Formal (Formal Committee)
- Year 12 Formal (Formal Committee)
- Annual Talent Quest
- 40 Hour Famine
Fundraising
Fundraising activities include:- MuftiMufti (dress)for more information see civilians Mufti, or civies/civvies , refers to ordinary clothes, especially when worn by one who normally wears, or has long worn, a military or other uniform.-Origin:...
Days (Interact, SRC) – Mufti days and sausage sizzles are often held on the same day. - Charity Fundraising (Interact on behalf of various charities)
- Year 12 Fundraising – Various fundraising activities to raise funds for the year 12 gift to the school each year
Prefects
As of 2008, the Prefect Body has been merged with the year 11 and 12 SRC members. The current system emcompasses School Captain, Vice Captain, and four Senior Prefects. The School Captain runs school assemblies. All prefects that are not part of the Prefect executives do canteen duty during recess and lunchtimes as well as bus duties.Student Representative Council
SRC votes internally to determine the positions of SRC president, SRC vice-president and SRC treasurer. The stated role of the SRC is to organise and raise funds for equipment and facilities for the school.House system
There has been a reintroduced house systemHouse system
The house system is a traditional feature of British schools, and schools in the Commonwealth. Historically, it was associated with established public schools, where a 'house' refers to a boarding house or dormitory of a boarding school...
, consisting of 6 houses. These correlate with the six Roll Call classes and are named, Williams, Turner, McMullen, MacKinnon, Broome and Gotto. The House Captains are elected from Years 10 and 12. The roll call classes are arranged according the students' surnames. Students compete together in their houses at athletics carnivals and swimming carnivals etc.
Associated schools
St. George Girls' High SchoolSt. George Girls' High School
St George Girls High School is an academically selective, Public high school for girls, located in Kogarah, a Southern Suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
is considered to be the female counterpart or 'sister school' of Sydney Technical High School, and often engages in Student Representative Council activities, as well as Parents and Citizens meetings.
Notable alumni
Alumni are referred to as Old Boys.Aviation
- Sir Charles Kingsford SmithCharles Kingsford SmithSir Charles Edward Kingsford Smith MC, AFC , often called by his nickname Smithy, was an early Australian aviator. In 1928, he earned global fame when he made the first trans-Pacific flight from the United States to Australia...
– Pioneering aviator
Entertainment and the Arts
- Alex DimitriadesAlex DimitriadesAlex Dimitriades is a Greek Australian film and television actor.-Early life:Dimitriades was born in Sydney, the son of first generation Greek immigrants and is the youngest of three siblings . He grew up in the suburb of Earlwood...
– Actor - Les GockLes GockLes Gock originally came to prominence when he joined the Australian band Hush in 1972. As well as being a guitarist, Gock was also a writer and co-producer, receiving 12 gold records during his time with the band...
– Musician - Clive JamesClive JamesClive James, AM is an Australian author, critic, broadcaster, poet and memoirist, best known for his autobiographical series Unreliable Memoirs, for his chat shows and documentaries on British television and for his prolific journalism...
– Writer - Patrick MatthewsPatrick MatthewsPatrick Matthews is the former bassist of Australian garage rock band The Vines and currently the bassist of Youth Group. Matthews founded The Vines with Craig Nicholls. The two met while working at McDonald's in Sydney. Matthews stayed with the band for two albums...
– Musician - Leo McKernLeo McKernReginald "Leo" McKern, AO was an Australian-born British actor who appeared in numerous British and Australian television programmes and movies, and more than 200 stage roles.-Early life:...
– Actor - Leonardo NamLeonardo NamLeonardo Nam is an Argentine-born Australian actor of Korean descent.-Early life:Nam was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. At the age of 6, he moved to Sydney, Australia. Nam attended Sydney Technical High School and studied architecture at the University of New South Wales. Nam left Sydney to...
– Actor - Laurie PattonLaurie PattonLaurie Patton is an Australian media, IT and events industry executive. In 2010 he was a member of an Expert Panel for a review of the Australian Government's investment in the Indigenous broadcasting and media sector...
– Journalist, television executive - Imants TillersImants TillersImants Tillers is an Australian visual art artist, curator and writer. Born in Sydney in 1950, Tillers currently lives and works in Cooma, New South Wales. In 1973 he graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture , and the University Medal...
– Artist. Class of 1968 - Mike TomalarisMike TomalarisMike Tomalaris is a Australian sports reporter, presenter and host of SBS Television's cycling coverage.He is one of the longest-serving members of the team behind SBS Sports and is the anchor fronting the Australian public television broadcaster's cycling programs...
– Journalist, TV Presenter
Politics, religion and law
- Sir Robert AskinRobert AskinSir Robert William Askin GCMG, was an Australian politician and the 32nd Premier of New South Wales from 1965 to 1975, the first representing the Liberal Party of Australia. He was born in 1907 as Robin William Askin, but always disliked his first name and changed it by deed poll in 1971...
, Premier of New South Wales - Bruce McDonaldBruce McDonald (Australian politician)Bruce John McDonald, AM was a New South Wales politician, Leader of the Opposition and Leader for the Liberal Party of New South Wales. McDonald was Leader of the Opposition of New South Wales, Australia from 1 June 1981 to 12 October 1981, when he lost the election to Labor Premier, Neville Wran...
– Former Leader of the Opposition of New South Wales (1981) - Stephen LooselyStephen LooselyStephen Loosley was a New South Wales Labor Senator from 1990 to 1995.-References:...
- former Senator - Graham RichardsonGraham RichardsonGraham Frederick Richardson , a former Australian politician, was a Senator for New South Wales from 1983–94 for the Australian Labor Party, a senior minister in Hawke and Keating governments, and is now a political lobbyist, public speaker, and media commentator. During his time in politics,...
– former SenatorAustralian SenateThe Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
(ALP)Australian Labor PartyThe Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
(1983–1994); Environment Minister (1987–1993); Health MinisterMinister for Health and Ageing (Australia)The Minister for Health and Ageing is a portfolio in the Government of Australia with the responsibility for national health policy. The current Minister for Health and Ageing is Nicola Roxon...
(1992) during Bob Hawke'sBob HawkeRobert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister....
term of office as Prime Minister. - Cecil Abbott AO QPMCecil AbbottCecil "Cec" Roy Abbott AO, QPM was the Commissioner of the New South Wales Police in Australia from 30 December 1981 to 7 August 1984.Cecil Abbott joined as a cadet in 1941 and graduated to the Police Force in 1945...
, Commissioner of the New South Wales Police (1981–1984) - Francis Oag Hulme-MoirFrancis Oag Hulme-MoirThe Rt Rev Francis Oag Hulme-Moir was the 7th Anglican Bishop of Nelson whose Episcopate spanned an 11 year period in the mid-20th century. He was born on 30 January 1910, educated at Sydney Technical High School and ordained in 1937. He was a Chaplain to the Australian Armed Forces from...
, 7th Bishop of NelsonDiocese of NelsonThe Diocese of Nelson is one of the thirteen dioceses and hui amorangi of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. The Diocese covers the top part of the South Island of New Zealand, which is mostly the area north of a line drawn from Greymouth to Kaikoura.The diocese was...
Sport
- Reg GasnierReg GasnierReg Gasnier AM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach, regarded as one of the 20th century's finest players. He played in the centres for the St. George Dragons from 1959 to 1967...
– Rugby leagueRugby leagueRugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
player - John KonradsJohn KonradsJohn Konrads is an retired Australian freestyle swimmer of the 1950s and 1960s, who won the 1500 m freestyle at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. In his career, he set 26 individual world records, and after his swimming career ended, was the Australasian director of L'Oréal, as well as campaigning...
– Olympic gold-medallist swimmer and businessman - Stephen WooldridgeStephen WooldridgeStephen Wooldridge is an Australian racing cyclist, an Olympic and four-time world champion on the track.- Palmarès :2002...
– Olympic Cyclist (gold medallist 2004 Olympics). Class of 1995.
See also
- List of Government schools in New South Wales
- List of selective high schools in New South Wales
- St. George Girls' High SchoolSt. George Girls' High SchoolSt George Girls High School is an academically selective, Public high school for girls, located in Kogarah, a Southern Suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
External links
- Sydney Technical High School website
- NSW Department of Education and Training: Sydney Technical High School
- Class of 1984 web site (includes many documents and photographs to do with Sydney Technical High School from 1979 to 1984).