Ku-ring-gai High School

Ku-ring-gai High School
Margaret Preston Hall
Margaret Preston Hall
Location
Map
Bobbin Head Road, North Turramurra, Upper North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales

Australia
Coordinates33°41′31″S 151°09′11″E / 33.692°S 151.153°E / -33.692; 151.153
Information
Former nameKu-ring-gai Creative Arts High School (1996–2016)
TypeGovernment-funded co-educational comprehensive and specialist secondary day school
MottoHarmony in Diversity
EstablishedFebruary 1965; 59 years ago (1965-02)
FounderBill Eason
School districtMetropolitan North: Gordon[1]
Educational authorityNew South Wales Department of Education
SpecialistPerforming arts
PrincipalStephen Plummer[2]
Years7–12
Enrolmentc. 600
Area10 hectares (25 acres)
Campus typeSuburban
HousesChurchill, Lincoln, Curie, Tagore
Colour(s)Maroon, navy and green    
Websitekuringgai-h.schools.nsw.gov.au
Map

Ku-ring-gai High School (abbreviated as KHS), formerly Ku-ring-gai Creative Arts High School (1996–2016), is a government-funded co-educational comprehensive and specialist secondary day school with a speciality in creative and performing arts. The school is located in North Turramurra, on the Upper North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The school is set on 10 hectares (25 acres) and located adjacent to the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park.

School catchment area and student selection

As a New South Wales Department of Education public high school, KHS accepts all students in Year 7 to Year 12 living in its catchment area. The catchment covers locations in Ku-ring-gai and Hornsby councils, including Dangar Island.[3]

The school also accepts, if there's space, those who "demonstrate outstanding ability and commitment in the creative arts in either dance, music, drama and/or visual arts ".[4] Students who apply for enrolment under this criterion are required to provide a portfolio demonstrating this ability.[4] The school also takes international and exchange students and is part of the International Students Program of the NSW Department of Education.[5]

Campus and facilities

The school features one of the last remaining Binishells (dome-shaped hall)[6] called the "Margaret Preston Hall" and is one of the few public schools in NSW with a full sized hockey field.[7][8]

In July 2020, refurbishment was completed with the construction of new facilities.[9][10] This included a new multipurpose hall, and the refurbishment of 15 existing learning spaces.[11]

History

The school opened in February 1965[12] with its first group of Year 7 students. Ku-ring-gai was the first of a second wave of new co-educational high schools built in the Sydney suburbs.

The school's first headmaster was Bill Eason,[13] who later went on to found the Australian Independent School at North Ryde.

The four houses, which are still part of the school today, and the names of the four original classroom buildings were set in 1965 - Churchill, Curie, Tagore, and Lincoln. The Churchill House is represented by the colour red; Curie House yellow; Tagore House green and Lincoln House blue. The school colours were originally brown and gold. The Lincoln block was added after 1970. At that time, the grounds included an obstacle course (later dismantled for safety reasons) and three free-standing cottages for creative arts, music and one for senior students.

Ku-ring-gai was a local high school until 1996 when Mrs. B. Peatie became the headmistress and requested permission from the Department of Education to become selective in creative arts. Since then, there have been up to 900 students registered each year. In 2015, it celebrated its 50th year and in 2016 reverted to the name "Ku-ring-gai High School".[13]

Creative arts

The school was formerly creative arts-based.

Members of the school choir as well as a large number of dancers are selected to perform at the NSW Schools Spectacular each year.[14]

Notable alumni

See also

References

  1. ^ "Metropolitan North: Penrith". Finding a public school. New South Wales Department of Education. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  2. ^ "Our staff". New South Wales Department of Education. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  3. ^ "2024 Ku-ring-gai High School Catchment Update". 19 November 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Enrolment & Fees". Archived from the original on 19 December 2010. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
  5. ^ "School Search – International Students Program – NSW Government Schools". Archived from the original on 12 April 2011. Retrieved 4 August 2012.
  6. ^ "Binishells in NSW Schools". Archived from the original on 7 September 2008. Retrieved 13 October 2008.
  7. ^ "Learning facilities – Ku-ring-gai High School". kuringgai-h.schools.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
  8. ^ "Ku-Ring-Gai Hockey Centre". www.gnshockey.asn.au. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  9. ^ "Ku-ring-gai High School $15M Major Upgrade Complete". Alister Henskens SC MP. 21 July 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  10. ^ "Ku-ring-gai High School completed project".
  11. ^ "Ku-ring-gai High School completed project". @NSWDepartmentofEducation. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  12. ^ "Ku-ring-gai High School Annual Report" (PDF). 13 April 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  13. ^ a b readFebruary 24, 2 min; Advocate, 2015-12:00AMHornsby (23 February 2015). "Haven of creativity turns 50". dailytelegraph. Retrieved 9 February 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ "2009". Schools Spectacular. 9 October 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  15. ^ "Our Facilities". Archived from the original on 19 December 2010. Retrieved 25 January 2011.