North Sydney Boys High School

North Sydney Boys High School
Latin: Vincit qui se vincit He conquers who conquers himself
Location
Crows Nest, New South Wales, Australia
Coordinates	33°49′46″S 151°12′27″E / 33.82944°S 151.2075°E / -33.82944; 151.2075Coordinates: 33°49′46″S 151°12′27″E / 33.82944°S 151.2075°E / -33.82944; 151.2075
Information
School type	Public, Selective, Single-sex Secondary School
Established	1912[1]
Principal	Robyn Hughes
Deputy Principals	George Rezcallah (Relieving) and Andrew Mitchell (Relieving)
Grades	7-12
Enrolment	~928[2]
Campus type	Suburban
Colour(s)	Bismark, Coral & Gold
Website	www.nsbhs.nsw.edu.au

North Sydney Boys High School front entrance

North Sydney Boys High School is an academically selective, public high school for boys, located at Crows Nest in Sydney, Australia.

In 2010 The Age reported that North Sydney Boys High School ranked equal seventh among Australian schools based on the number of alumni who had received a top Order of Australia honour.^[3]

History

North Sydney Boys began off site in temporary classes in 1912.^{[citation needed]} At the end of 1914, 89 boys transferred to the permanent home on the corner of Falcon Street and Miller Street, Crows Nest.^{[citation needed]} The School chose the Falcon as its logo according to the location of the school on Falcon Street,^{[citation needed]} even going as far as to name its Old Boys Alumni "Old Falconians" in 1933.^[4] After years of controversy, it has been decided to celebrate the centenary in 2012.^[5]

The first headmaster was Nimrod Greenwood.^[6] 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.^[7] On his retirement in 1915, he was succeeded by C R Smith who had founded Newcastle High School 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.^[8] 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.^[9]

Curriculum

The school has a history of academic excellence prompting Sir James Darling, Headmaster of Geelong Grammar School, to write that "North Sydney is the equal of, if not better than, any private school in Australia" (Good Weekend Magazine).^[10] 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 Boys High School cigarette card, c.1920s

North Sydney still performs well in Higher School Certificate results today.^{[citation needed]} 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.^{[citation needed]} According to The Daily Telegraph'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.^[11]

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:^{[citation needed]}

• English
• Mathematics
• Science
• Languages (LOTE) including Latin, Ancient Greek, French, German, Japanese, and Indonesian
• Social Sciences (HSIE)
• Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) including Music, Visual Arts, and Drama
• Industrial Arts (Design and Technology)
• Personal Development, Health, and Physical Education
• Computing Studies & IT
• Careers

NSBHS J Block

Extracurricular activities

Sport

The School participates in sport against other schools in the Sydney North West Metropolitan Zone.^{[citation needed]}

Other extracurricular sporting activities include:^{[citation needed]}

• 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.^{[citation needed]} 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 - Jindabyne Snow Camp, which is usually in conjunction with Burwood Girls High School

All camps with the exception of the Year 11 camp are outsourced to Optimum Experiences Outdoor Adventures.^{[citation needed]}

North Sydney Boys High School also encourages students to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.^{[citation needed]}

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 Education conference in 2004.^{[citation needed]} The jazz bands perform annually at the Merimbula Jazz Festival, on the New South Wales south coast.^{[citation needed]}

Other music and drama related extracurricular activities include:^{[citation needed]}

• Concert Bands, Big Bands, Orchestra, Choir, Jazz Combos
• Combined Vocal Ensemble with North Sydney Girls High School
• 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.^{[citation needed]} 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).^{[citation needed]} 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.^{[citation needed]}
• Chess- The NSW Representative of the Australian Schools Teams Championships, came second behind Scotch College, Melbourne.^{[citation needed]} 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 Xie.^{[citation needed]}
• 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.^{[citation needed]}

Student exchange

• Cultural European Tour with North Sydney Girls High School
• Japanese Language Exchange with Kokusai High School in Tokyo, Japan
• Melbourne High School 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.^{[citation needed]}

Other

Other extracurricular activities include:^{[citation needed]}

• 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 School
• Chess Clubs
• Debating Clubs
• Balmoral Burn
• City2Surf
• Spring Cycle
• CWK Initiative

Building works

North Sydney Boys High School - AF Henry Hall interior

North Sydney Boys High School is undergoing a major capital building program funded by the State and Federal Governments.^{[citation needed]} In DA1, completed in about 2003, the Keele Street Lawn area was acquired and refurbished. In DA2, completed in 2005, new tennis courts and other building works were carried out. A new building that includes music rehearsal spaces, visual art classrooms and design and technology workshops have been finished in term 4 of 2006 and students have moved into the new building, now named 'J Block'. A dedicated music computer lab is also available in the new building.^{[citation needed]}

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.^{[citation needed]} In 2007 - 2009 six science labs were completely refurbished costing over $1million.^{[citation needed]}

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.^{[citation needed]}

Notable alumni

For a list of notable Old Falconians, see List of Old Falconians.

Former students of North Sydney Boys High School are known as 'Old Boys' or 'Old Falconians', and may elect to join the schools' alumni association, 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".^[12]

See also

• North Sydney Girls High School
• List of Government schools in New South Wales
• List of selective high schools in New South Wales

Notes

• ^{^} Who's Who of boys' school rankings: 1. Scotch College, Melbourne, 2.Melbourne Grammar School, 3. Melbourne High School, 4. Geelong Grammar School, 5. Sydney Boys High School, 6. Wesley College, 7. Shore, 8. Fort Street Boys' High, 9. North Sydney Boys High School, 10. Sydney Grammar School

References

1. ^ "North Sydney Boys High School". A Selective School of Excellence. North Sydney Boys High School. Archived from the original on 2011-02-13. http://www.nsbhs.nsw.edu.au/. Retrieved 2009-12-17. 
2. ^ "North Sydney Boys High School". School Locator. NSW Public Schools. Archived from the original on 2011-02-13. http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/schoolfind/locator/?section=showRecord&code=8132. Retrieved 2010-12-10. 
3. ^ Topsfield, Jewel (4 December 2010). "Ties that bind prove a private education has its awards". The Age. p. 11. http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/ties-that-bind-prove-a-private-education-has-its-awards-20101203-18jx0.html?from=age_sb.  The hard copy article also published a table of the schools which were ranked in the top ten places, as follows: (1st with 19 awards) Scotch College, Melbourne, (2nd with 17 awards) Geelong Grammar School, (3rd with 13 awards) Sydney Boys High School, (equal 4th with 10 awards each) Fort Street High School, Perth Modern School and St Peter's College, Adelaide, (equal 7th with 9 awards each) Melbourne Grammar School, North Sydney Boys High School and The King's School, Parramatta, (equal 10th with 6 awards each) Launceston Grammar School, Melbourne High School, Wesley College, Melbourne and Xavier College.
4. ^ "OLD FALCONIANS.". The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) (NSW: National Library of Australia): p. 7. 17 June 1933. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article28029244. Retrieved 17 August 2011. 
5. ^ Falconia – Old Falconians’ Union Journal Issue 41 of March 2009
6. ^ Storey, H. M. (Henry Mackintosh) (ca. 1962). History of North Sydney High School 1912-1962. Crows Nest, New South Wales: North Sydney Boys' High School. p. 2-13. 
7. ^ "MR. NIMROD GREENWOOD.". The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) (NSW: National Library of Australia): p. 15. 25 September 1925. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16244845. Retrieved 17 August 2011. 
8. ^ "HEADMASTER RETIRES.". The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) (NSW: National Library of Australia): p. 10. 2 May 1932. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16859990. Retrieved 17 August 2011. 
9. ^ "HEADMASTER DEAD.". The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) (NSW: National Library of Australia): p. 5. 4 August 1947. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18041140. Retrieved 17 August 2011. 
10. ^ Title of Good Weekend Magazine article is The Man Who Taught The Tycoons by Janet Hawley, senior feature writer at The Sydney Morning Herald. Article appeared in October/November 1988. Exact quotation reads: "The school needs to have a soul of its own and that can only be preserved by Old Boy associations, father-to-son associations, and a few Mr Chips and assistant masters who are prepared to make the school their life. There is no earthly reason why the State school system cannot do all that, if it wanted to. Sadly, only the selective high schools had enough clout to do it - Melbourne High, North Sydney High, are just as good or better than any private school."
11. ^ 2003 HSC Information and Results, The Falcon 2004: North Sydney Boys High School Annual Magazine, 2004.
12. ^ "The Old Falconians’ Union" (PHP). Communities. North Sydney Boys High School. 2006. http://www.nsbhs.nsw.edu.au/communities/ofu.php. Retrieved 2007-09-25. 

External links

• North Sydney Boys High School website
• NSW Department of Education and Training: North Sydney Boys High School
• North Sydney Boys' High School jazz program website