Founded in 1911 as part of Sydney Technical College, the school was one of the six original New South Wales selective schools and consistently ranks well in yearly Higher School Certificate (HSC) results.
The school motto is "Manners Makyth Man" and was derived from a well-known saying of William of Wykeham. The school is colloquially abbreviated to "Sydney Tech" or simply "Tech" among the school community.
History
Sydney Technical High School building, 1925
One of the reforms advocated by the 1903 Royal Commission into NSW Education was the establishment of classes providing courses which would involve technical subjects. Consequently, Continuation classes for students interested in technical subjects commenced at the Sydney Technical College.[1]
In April 1911, these Continuation classes were given the status of a high school and Sydney Technical High was established. Originally the school was co-educational with 113 boys and 15 girls. In February 1913 the girls were transferred to Fort Street Girls' High and from then on the school became for boys only.[1]
Since 1911, the school has been located at three Sydney sites:
Ultimo House - Mary Ann Street - This was the "country" home of Dr. John Harris, Surgeon of the New South Wales Corps. The property was bought by the Government in 1899 and used by Technical Education for many years before being used by Sydney Tech High from 1911 to 1924.
Paddington - Albion Street - In 1925, with an enrolment of 421, Sydney Tech High was transferred to Albion Street, Paddington. Although it was a note of expansion, it was a vigorous P&C campaign that encouraged the State Government to fund an entirely new site for the school.
Administration Office and Auditorium
Bexley - Forest Road - The Old McConnachie's Paddock was occupied and first stone for the school's foundations was laid in March 1955, with the school completed and occupied by September 1956. The official opening for the school's new facilities was on 2nd August, 1958, with four units: the administration block, general classrooms ('A block'), manual training block and the auditorium and gymnasium. Throughout the years numerous additions have been made to the site. The School Pool was opened in 1966, the Kingsford-Smith Library and Laboratries in 1975 and a brand-new administration block in 1998.[1]
Facilities
Administration Office
The current grounds at Bexley include the following physical facilities:
Quadrangle - handball courts, outdoor assemblies
Upper courts - basketball courts for Years 7 to 9
"The Cage" (Lower courts) - basketball courts for Years 10 to 12
Cricket nets - located between Lower courts and Back oval, 3 cricket batting nets
Botanical and Rainforest areaFile:DSC03367.JPGThe Quadrangle as seen from the back oval
Swimming pool - 25 metre, 6 lane swimming pool with diving blocks, surrounded by a 'man proof' fence. Since 2005, the pool has regularly been in a state of disrepair. Despite receiving a grant from the Department of Education and Training, along with voluntary donations from parents, the amount raised was deemed insufficient to the renovation costs. In 2006 the principal Ms Lynne Irvine decided that the funds were not raisable, and better spent in other areas. It was then officially closed, and plans have been made to concrete over it.
Business Studies, Economics, Geography, Legal Studies
Industrial Arts & Computing Studies
Design & Technology, Engineering Studies, Information Processes & Technology, Information Technology (VET), Software Design & Development, Graphic and Computing Studies
Extra-curricular activities
Extra-curricular activities offered to Sydney Technical High School students include:
Front oval, Auditorium and Swimming Pool
Prefect and executive positions
P&C Association and Student Fundraising
Debating Teams
Student Representative Council
Interact - A group dedicated to charity fundraising
School Intranet Team
Sound and Lighting crew - A group of students who, under teacher supervision, dedicate their time to the continued maintenance and functioning of the auditorium systems.
FRED - The school newspaper run solely by Years 9,10 and 11 students at the school. FRED is back after remaining dormant from 2005 to 2008 however will only be run as an extracurricular activity instead of as a "Sport" choice.
Public Speaking - including Inter-School and grade-wide competitions
Chess - Inter-School Chess Competition also in session.
Writers in Residence - A ten week course, held annually, in which a professional writer helps to hone students' writing skills, temporarily cancelled due to lack of participants.
Committees of Year 12 organisation - for collaborating the Year 12 Yearbook, Formal, Year 12 End of Year Video and Jerseys
School Bands - Beginner, Intermediate, Concert, Stage, String Ensemble
Chemistry Titration Competition
Sport
Tech is in the St George Sports Association for boys. The school has been the district champions for swimming, cross country and athletics for the past 32 years without opposition.[citation needed]
SRC Week - Various activities such as Pizza Day, Talent Quest and Fashion Parade
Year 12 Formal (Formal Committee)
Fundraising
Fundraising activities include:
Mufti Days (Interact, SRC) - Mufti days and sausage sizzles are often held on the same day.
Charity Fundraising (Interact on behalf of various charities)
Year 12 Fundraising - Various fundraising activities to raise funds for the year 12 gift to the school each year
Prefects
24 Prefects are elected from the senior years each year. The School Captain, Vice-Captain and Senior Prefect are selected from the 24 prefects elected. The prefects have morning tea meetings on Thursdays at recess with the school executives, which is known as Thursday Morning Tea. In recent times the role of the greater prefect body has been rather limited, although the school captain and vice captain have many duties, including the captain's duty to run the weekly school assemblies. All prefects that are not part of the Prefect executives do canteen duty during recess and lunchtimes as well as bus duties.
Student Representative Council
Five SRC members are elected annually from each year; from the elected members, the SRC votes internally to determine the positions of SRC president, SRC vice-president and SRC treasurer. The SRC has a staff advisor — the current co-ordinator is R. Carter. The stated role of the SRC is to organise and raise funds for equipment and facilities for the school.
A total of 27 students are elected from the senior years, of whom 15 students are from Year 12 and 12 students from Year 11. The School Captain, Vice-Captain, 4 Senior Prefects are selected from the year 12 students elected. Two students are also elected from the 12 elected students in Year 11 to serve on the roles of SRC Treasurer and SRC Secretary. These 27 students are known as the "Prefects" in the new student body.
From the 4 elected Senior Prefects, each Senior Prefect has a different area of responsibility. These responsibilities include Prefect duties, SRC events, SRC management and Year 12 committee organisation. The School Captain retains the duty of running the weekly school assemblies.
The new student body also incorporates the SRC and the members who form the SRC section are from the junior years (8, 9 & 10). Five SRC members are elected annually from each year group to represent their year in the student body.
House system
A reintroduced house system, consisting of 6 houses. These correlate with the six Roll Call classes and are named, Williams, Turner, McMullen, McKinnon, Broome and Gotto. The House Captains come from year 10 and 12.
Associated schools
St George Girls' High School is considered to be the female counterpart or 'sister school' of Sydney Technical High School. Sydney Technical High School and St. George Girls' High School often engage in Student Representative Council fundraising activities, as well as Parents and Citizens meetings.
