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Information About

Sydney Boys High School







''Veritate et Virtute''
(Truth and Courage)




































































Established 1 October 1883
School type Public
Principal Dr. K.A. Jaggar
Enrolment 1140 Students (Years 7-12)
School Colours Chocolate brown and sky blue
School Song Hymn in honour of Voltaire
Faculties 11 Departments
School Motto Veritate et Virtute (Truth and Courage)
Sports Teams 32
Area 15 Acres
Campus Urban Parkland, 34 400 m&2
Location Moore Park , NSW
Website www.sydneyboyshigh.com



Sydney Boys High School is a Secondary School in Sydney , Australia . It is the second highest ranked selective school for boys in the state of New South Wales in terms of academic outcomes. The school has 1,140 students, from years 7 to 12, and is a Selective School catering for the academically–gifted. The school is famous for being the foundation of the New South Wales government–sponsored secondary education system in 1883. As such, it has lately been somewhat anomalous within the NSW Education System and the subject of occasional resentment by the occasionally left-wing NSW Teachers Federation. This has manifested itself in political actions to take way the unique historic nature of various school traditions. These have included stripping use of the term "Headmaster" in favour of "Principal" as well as a change from The Sydney High School, to Sydney Boys High School, resulting in a longstanding difference between the apparent name of the school and the letters appearing on its logo, various plaques and the School Song. The school's name is often abbreviated to SHS, SBHS, Sydney High, The High School or simply "High", a chant which may be heard at various sporting matches.

High is renowned for its academic success, especially in the Higher School Certificate . In particular, it earned a reputation as the finest debating school within New South Wales, having now won the Hume Barbour and Karl Cramp Trophies more times than any other school. It has educated many high–profile and influential individuals who have proceeded to reach the top of their chosen fields at a global level. The school colours of Sydney Boys High are sky blue and chocolate brown; shown most strikingly on the school's striped Rugby jersey.

Sydney High's sister–school is its neighbour at .


HISTORY

The school was founded in 1883, making it the first boys' state school in Sydney. In 1906, the school became a member of the AAGPS (Athletics Association of Greater Public Schools). The school is famous for its high profile and powerful Alumni , many ex–student organisations and as the originator of the NSW government higher education program. It was originally located on Castlereagh Street in the City Of Sydney . Later, it moved to Mary Ann Street, Ultimo . In 1928, the school moved to its current location at Moore Park, on the fringe of the inner city.


DEPARTMENTS

The school is made up of eleven departments (also known as ''faculties''), each teaching one or a variety of related Board Of Studies –endorsed subjects. The departments are:
  • English (Subjects: English, Drama.)

  • Mathematics (Subjects: Mathematics)

  • Science (Subjects: Science, Chemistry, Biology, Physics)

  • Creative Arts (Subjects: Visual Arts, Architecture, Photography, Music). ''Note: The Creative Arts department is split into two subdepartments operating under different regulations and in different parts of the school. One is the Visual Arts subdepartment, the other is the Music subdepartment.''

  • Social Sciences (Subjects: Geography, Commerce, Business Studies, Legal Studies, Economics)

  • Languages Other Than English (Subjects: French, German, Chinese, Latin, Classical Greek, Hebrew)

  • Personal Development , Health and Physical Education

  • Industrial Arts (Subjects: Design & Technology, Technical Drawing, Engineering, Software Design)

  • History (Subjects: History, Wars through the Ages, Empires, Ancient History, Modern History, History Extension)

  • Welfare (Subjects: Character Education)

  • Careers



ENROLMENT POLICY

Due to the fact that Sydney Boys High School is a selective school, it accepts only one–hundred and eighty students in year 7, all of whom have passed an academic ability test in year 6. There is also scope for entry in years 8 to 12 and a reserve list system for those who have not been offered a place in previous years.


NOTABLE FORMER STUDENTS

Former students of SHS who have achieved distinction in various fields include:


Science



Politics/Law



Arts



Business



Sports




SPORTS

Sydney Boys High is the sole state–run member of the GPS (Great Public Schools). It has a wide range of sports offered to its students, one factor distinguishing it from other government schools. Notable differences include the school's possession of rowing facilities, the Outterside Centre at Abbotsford including a dormitory, boat sheds and two pontoons. Along with the sheds at Abbotsford, they leased playing–fields in Centennial Park punctuated by a pavillion and fenced cricket ground, McKay Oval. Almost all sports offered (the exclusion being table tennis) are played against other schools of the GPS. Sydney High is often at a competitive disadvantage against the greater resources of the more sports–oriented private schools in the GPS, however it is joked that this is annually made up for by their comparative results in the Higher School Certificate.

GPS sports offered in Summer include:

GPS sports offered in Winter include:


DEMOGRAPHICS

In recent times, Sydney Boys High School has been known for a high number of people who speak a first language other than English, particularly those of Chinese , Egyptian , Korean , Indian , Sri Lankan and Vietnamese backgrounds. The school takes pride in this cultural diversity, with students hailing from all backgrounds and many religions.

This issue became controversial in 2002 with calls {Link without Title} by prominent Old Boys to return to the earlier system of assigning preference during the selection process to sons of Old Boys, a practice which was stopped by the NSW Department of Education in the late 1990s.


ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF SYDNEY BOYS HIGH

The Islamic Society of Sydney Boys High (or ISSBH) was set up in 2003 as a community for Muslim s at the school.

The Society has come to prominence mainly in its well-organised and well-attended internal seminars for non-Muslim boys. However, it has also received attention in the Australian media, receiving attention in the 7.30 Report on ABC TV and in an article by Miranda Devine which appeared in the Sun-Herald . {Link without Title}

The society, as of 2005, had organised three major seminars, attracting an average crowd of 300 every year. These events have been held at lunchtime breaks at the school. Guest speakers at these events have included prominent Muslim community figures such as Wassim Doureihi, invited on the basis of recommendations from students. Controversy arose regarding the selection of speakers and their alleged affiliation with Islamist groups.


SCHOOL SONG

Come rally round, boys young and old

To swell the happy throng

And sing the song of Sydney High

In measures loud and long


Though many are our tasks severe

With efforts nonetheless sincere

We'll overcome them year by year

With courage, bold and strong


And sound once more the strain

And let the cloisters ring again

With echoes of our school's fair name

The name of Sydney High.


Ring out the name of Sydney High

In peals of joyful praise

The glories of our heritage

Must never fade away


With Truth and Courage as our guide

And minds prepared whate'er betide

When we are scattered far and wide

Our tribute still we'll pay


Then sound once more the strain

And let the cloisters ring again

With echoes of our school's fair name

The name of Sydney High.


SEE ALSO



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