Caringbah High School

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Caringbah High School
Location
Map
Caringbah, Sutherland Shire, Sydney, New South Wales

Australia
Coordinates34°02′06″S 151°07′16″E / 34.035°S 151.121°E / -34.035; 151.121
Information
TypeGovernment-funded co-educational academically selective secondary day school
MottoLatin: Omnia Vincit Diligentia
(Diligence conquers all)
Established10 August 1961; 62 years ago (1961-08-10)
PrincipalAlan Maclean
Years7–12
Number of studentsc. 907
Colour(s)Orange & green   
Websitecaringbah-h.schools.nsw.gov.au
Map

Caringbah High School is a government-funded co-educational academically selective secondary day 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 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[edit]

Before 2010, the school was split across two locations, the southern campus (on higher ground, known colloquially known as "top school") and the northern campus (on lower ground, know 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[edit]

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]

Regeneration area[edit]

The school also has a "regeneration" area, where plants from pre-European settlement times grow. Seeds from trees and original native grasses populate the area, with students working to ensure the area remains free of introduced grasses and weeds. The area was formerly the driveway for teacher's cars between the two campuses. This area is one of only 3 in the Sutherland Shire and helps increase the biodiversity of the school, attracting a range of native animals including birds and possums. In September 2015, the school planted a wollemi pine in this area.

Cultural exchange[edit]

In Year 10, students who have chosen to study French have the opportunity to go on a school trip to France. Additionally, in 2014, the school ran a trip to China, available to students in Years 10 and 11.

Caringbah High School maintains sister school relationships with several other schools internationally:

  • Lycée St-Denis in Loches, France
  • Gymnasium Raubling in Raubling, Germany
  • Xiaoshan no. 3 High School in Hangzhou, Beijing, China
  • Oita High School in Oita, Japan (note that students do not visit this school on their Japan trip however students from Oita annually travel to Caringbah and stay with CHS students)

Information Technology course[edit]

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]

Co-curricular[edit]

Caringbah High School provides various extra-curricular activities, such as public speaking, debating, Tournament of Minds and HSC distinction courses.

Music[edit]

Caringbah has eighteen 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.

Sporting teams[edit]

Caringbah fields many sporting teams which compete in many sports including water polo, rugby league, soccer, cross country running, lawn bowls, field hockey, mountain biking, tennis, cricket (boys and girls) and squash.

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[edit]

Caringbah High School has competed in the Tournament of Minds for over 12 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 currently in the process of progressing to the State Final[12]

Green Edge[edit]

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[edit]

The school maintains several debating teams consisting of students from all grades, participating in regional debating competitions. In 2014 a team of Year 10 students won the grand final of the Les Gordon History Debating Competition.[13]

Duke of Edinburgh Award[edit]

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[edit]

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]

  • 2007: 26th
  • 2008: 20th
  • 2009: 31st
  • 2010: 35th
  • 2011: 28th
  • 2012: 52nd
  • 2013: 57th
  • 2014: 38th
  • 2015: 36th
  • 2016: 29th
  • 2017: 39th
  • 2018: 40th
  • 2019: 48th
  • 2020: 30th
  • 2021: 44th
  • 2022: 34th

Notable alumni[edit]

Business[edit]

Entertainment, media and the arts[edit]

Politics, public service and the law[edit]

Medicine and science[edit]

Popular culture[edit]

The 2012 Australian television series Puberty Blues was filmed on location at Caringbah High School.[20]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ ACARA. "Caringbah High School, Caringbah, NSW". My School. Archived from the original on 13 November 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ "ETendering - Customer Service - Archived Tender Detail View - 0801912".
  4. ^ "$22 million upgrade opened for Caringbah High School".
  5. ^ Walker, Ian; Samuel, Johnson (20 November 2014). "Creepy Caringbah campus a ghostly reminder of old school days". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  6. ^ "Old Caringbah school site fire suspicious". 2 April 2013.
  7. ^ "Second fire at old Caringbah High south campus". Archived from the original on 31 August 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  8. ^ Kolimar, Eva (24 October 2018). "Student solar powers his school, slashing thousands off the energy bill". St George & Sutherland Shire Leader. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
  9. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 March 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. ^ "Computing 1 – COMP1917". University of New South Wales. 8 August 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2019.
  11. ^ "McDonald's Performing Arts Challenge 2009". Archived from the original on 4 July 2009. Retrieved 8 July 2009.
  12. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 September 2018. Retrieved 2 September 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. ^ "Caringbah High School | Year 10 History Debating Team". www.caringbah-h.schools.nsw.edu.au. Archived from the original on 21 March 2016. Retrieved 2015-09-18.
  14. ^ "Co-Curricular Opportunities – Caringbah High School". caringbah-h.schools.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  15. ^ "Duke of Edinburgh Awards, Caringbah High School". archival.sl.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  16. ^ "Caringbah High School – A Selective and Co-Educational High School". Archived from the original on 14 May 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-19.
  17. ^ Family, Wang. "HSC School Ranking – 2014". bettereducation.com.au. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  18. ^ "Lang Walker". Forbes. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  19. ^ Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology. "Collins, George – Person – Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation". www.eoas.info. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  20. ^ "Creepy corridors where memories of children still linger". The Daily Telegraph. 20 November 2014. Retrieved 1 April 2017.

External links[edit]


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