Caringbah High School is a government-fundedco-educationalacademically selectivesecondaryday school, located in Caringbah, in the Sutherland Shire of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The school was opened in 1960 as a co-educational high school and was nominated to become selective in 1989, over the neighbouring Port Hacking High. As of 2021[update] approximately 907 students were enrolled.[1] Surrounding schools include Endeavour Sports High School, Woolaware High School, and Port Hacking High School. Caringbah High School is the only co-educational selective high school in the Sutherland Shire.
School campus
Before 2010, the school was split across two locations, the southern campus (on higher ground, known colloquially as "top school") and the northern campus (on lower ground, known colloquially as "bottom school" or "the Annexe"). The campuses were linked by a covered walkway and grassed area. The southern campus was the original site which contained an auxiliary administrative office as well as music, industrial technology, applied science classrooms and languages.
As of the 1980s, the junior years were taught in the Annexe and senior years were taught in the older buildings on the southern campus.[2]
However, due to the unstable clay foundation of the "top school", causing the campus to begin sinking, a construction project to consolidate all of the school's facilities commenced in 2007.[3] and was completed in 2012.[4] As of 2010, only the "bottom school" is in use and the abandoned buildings of the "top school" have become a noted site of urban decay and vandalism.[5] On 2 April 2013, the school hall in the abandoned southern campus was destroyed by arson.[6] On 29 August 2015, one of the other buildings in the southern campus was the site of another fire.[7] A year 12 student has secured $100,000 to add solar panels on the roof of the school hall, which is expected to create annual savings of $18,000.[8]
Outdoor Learning Centre
One of the key programs the school's environmental committee "Greenedge" has undertaken is the Outdoor Learning Centre (OLC). Construction started in August 2013. It is located near the site of the former walkway between the two campuses. Students and staff both had significant input into the design, and much of the work was constructed with the help of students and staff. The OLC consists of a central "pod", where classes can be held, and 5 smaller "pods" each based on bush tucker, a xeriscape, a meditative garden, an indigenous garden and a sensory garden.[9]
Information Technology course
Students have the opportunity to complete the 'Talented Computing Program' (TCP) as an elective in years 9 and 10. The preliminary Higher School Certificate course in Information Processes and Technology (IPT) commences on the first semester of year 9; allowing students to complete 2-units of their HSC prior to reaching year 11. Completion of TCP allows the option of undertaking a first-year university level course in computing through the University of New South Wales in year 11 called COMP1917.[10]
Caringbah has twenty-four musical ensembles, of which many compete in regional and statewide events and performances, including the Sydney Eisteddfod McDonald's Performing Arts Challenge.[11] As a part of the consolidation of campuses, a new, "Music Centre" was created, which houses music classrooms and practice rooms, where students from music classes and music ensembles have classes, can store instruments and practice during lunchtimes and before and after school.
In 2023, the Caringbah High School Boys Open Football Team won the NSW Combined High Schools Knockout Competition, winning the competition for the first time in the school’s history.
Tournament of Minds
Caringbah High School has competed in the Tournament of Minds for over 18 years. The school regularly enters two Language Literature Teams, three Social Science Teams and a Maths/Engineering Team. In 2006, the Maths Engineering team, two Social Science teams and a Language Literature team received honours at a regional level. One Language Literature team went on to compete and receive honours at the State level. In 2018, the Social Sciences team won at the Sydney East Regional Finals, and are progressed to the State Final[12]
Green Edge
In 2009, Green Edge, the school's environmental committee began (unnamed until 2012). The aim of the team is to promote environmental sustainability within the school community. It has undertaken activities such as upgrading light switches to energy efficient timers, introducing a worm farm system, and a school garden. After a period of inactivity, the Green Edge team was re-established in 2015 by a Year 11 student.
Debating
The school maintains several debating teams consisting of students from all grades, participating in regional debating competitions. In 2014, and 2018 a team of Year 10 students won the grand final of the Les Gordon History Debating Competition.[13]
Duke of Edinburgh Award
Caringbah High offers the Duke of Edinburgh Award program as a co-curricular activity.[14] In October 1973, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh himself presented the award at the school.[15] Newspaper clippings of the Duke's visit are on display in the Caringbah High School Library.
HSC results
Caringbah High School students achieve consistently high marks in the Higher School Certificate (HSC). In the years 2000–2007, of the 150 student cohort, on average 11 students achieved 99+ (7%), 23 achieved 98+ (15%), and 48 achieved 95+ (31%), with over 98% of students gaining entrance into university. In the 2009 student HSC cohort the average ATAR was 87.8, with 60% of students achieving an ATAR 90+.[16]
The school's HSC rankings from 2007 to 2022 according to Better Education were:[17][18]
^NSW Teachers' Federation; New South Wales Public School Teachers' Federation (November 1982). "Caringbah: High School or TAFE College?". Education: Journal of the N.S.W. Public School Teachers Federation. The Federation. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
