James Ruse Agricultural High School

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Gesta non Verba
(Actions not Words)

School Song "Gesta non verba"
Established 1959
School type Public (Selective Agricultural)
Principal Michael J Quinlan
Deputy Principals Greg Wearne and Kerrie Wratten
Location Carlingford, New South Wales
Enrollment 845 Students (Years 7 to 12)
School Colours Green and Gold
Website www.jamesruse.nsw.edu.au

James Ruse Agricultural High School is an agricultural and selective co-educational public high school in Carlingford, New South Wales in Australia. It is one of Sydney's top selective high schools, consistently achieving highly in the New South Wales Higher School Certificate. For ten consecutive years, the school has ranked first in number of merit list mentions.

Name

James Ruse Agricultural High School was originally named Carlingford Agricultural High School with James C. Hoskin as headmaster of the school. When Hoskin was studying Agricultural History in University, he had been interested in James Ruse due to his significance to agriculture in Australia, and also because "both Ruse and I [Hoskin] are of Cornish extraction".

HSC Merit List Mentions
Year Top School Second Third
2000 JRAHS (306) NSGHS (176) SBHS (146)
2001 JRAHS (585) NSGHS (422) BHHS (409)
2002 JRAHS (664) NSGHS (555) BHHS (515)
2003 JRAHS (740) NSGHS (539) BHHS (504)
2004 JRAHS (813) NSGHS (587) BHHS (570)

Mr Hoskin questioned the name of the school as he believed that it was inappropriate. The school was barely serving Carlingford where there were only a small number of students from Carlingford at that time. In April 1959, Mr. Hoskin put forward a proposal to the Department of Education and Training (DET) outlining two new names for the school: Sydney Agricultural High School and Ruse Agricultural High School; eventually, the DET agreed to a modification of the latter. Hoskin's namesake at the school is the J.C. Hoskin Auditorium, the school's main assembly hall.

Results

Since 1996, James Ruse has been the state's top achieving educational institution, as measured by the number of mentions in the Board of Studies' HSC Merit List. The school also claims good UAI results, e.g. for 2004 it claims a median UAI of 99.5, and 8 of the state's 21 UAIs of 100 (however as students' UAIs are not released either publically or to schools these claims are based on voluntary reports by former students; as such the mean result may be skewed).

Campus

James Ruse is situated on the corner of Baker Street and Felton Road in the suburb of Carlingford, with its main entrance facing south-west. There are a number of smaller entrances on its southern and eastern boundaries. The campus is focussed on a quadrangle bounded by the Year 12 Common Room to the west, the Cameron Block to the north, the Library Block to the south, and Powe Block to the east.

File:JRAHS Barrengarry House.jpg
Barrengarry House, The Administration Block

North of the main buildings is a sporting oval. Several unsuccessful attempts have been made over the years to turn the oval into a luscious green field. Drought conditions in Australia have not assisted these endeavours. However, a project is again underway to try and grow grass particularly patchy areas over the summer holidays, involving the importing of top soil. The oval now has a set of soccer goal posts thanks to the 2005 SRC.

Since the mid-90s, James Ruse has undergone an extensive building works program funded by both parents of students and the State and Federal Governments. 1997 saw the completion of Stage 1 of the building program encompassing a new Library block and English classrooms which replaced the old Anderson building. The building is located east of the Barrengarry House administration block, and is the most prominent building seen when entering the front entrance. Also unveiled was a new building containing classrooms and the Art department; a renovated Powe Block with the former library on the top floor converted into two new science laboratories and a preparatory room; and an elevator at the eastern end of Perrau Block.

File:JRAHS Technology Wing.jpg
Technology Wing

Stage 2 of the program was begun in late 2000 and the first completed building unveiled in late 2001, when work was completed on a 180-seat Lecture Theatre. It was named the M.A. Canty Lecture Theatre, after a long-serving teacher and deputy principal. In 2004 the Technology Wing was completed and opened. It replaced the aging Francis block. A new, self-serving canteen was completed in 2004, improving the speed at which food is delivered to the students, and also removing any need for the demountable classrooms, which were soon removed. The final aspect of Stage 2 involves the construction of a Gymnasium. Work has not started on this building yet, although through the fundraising efforts of the school community, enough money has been raised to begin building in the not too distant future. Once completed, it would lessen pressure on the J.C. Hoskin Auditorium, which currently functions a dual purpose as the school's main assembly hall and for Physical Education classes.

Students

There are currently 845 students enrolled at James Ruse in years 7 through to 12. James Ruse is an academically selective high school and only accepts 120 students in year 7, based on performance in a academic ability test in year 6. A small number of students are accepted into years 8 to 11, but application must be made directly to the school. No students are accepted into year 12.

The 120 students entering year 7 are split into four classes of 30 students each. These classes also correspond with student assignment into sporting House teams - Jones, Rassack, Mullavey and Toft. As the school receives a steady intake of students as the years progress, the form year is split into five classes in year 9. Each class elects a Class Captain and Vice-captain who represent them on the Student Representative Council (SRC).

James Ruse has a prefect body elected from the year 11 students by students and teachers to promote student welfare and organise popular social events. Their terms are served partially concurrently with their year 12 colleagues.

Departments

Teaching at James Ruse is divided between 11 departments, each teaching one or a variety of related Board of Studies endorsed subjects. The departments are:

Agriculture

The school teaches agriculture as a compulsory subject from years 7 to 10. It was formerly compulsory for senior years, but this was changed with the introduction of a new HSC curriculum by the Board of Studies. However, the school accelerates students in this area so that they may finish the HSC course in Agriculture by the end of Year 11.

The school leases approximately five hectares of land from the neighbouring electricity sub-station for use in practical agriculture lessons. The farm land is situated north of the general school buildings, extending north to Lynch Close and east to Jenkins Road. The farm is arranged to include a vegetable garden, a classroom, a glasshouse and nursery, a greenhouse, an orchard, experimental plots, an area for field crops and a livestock section, among others. It also contains some riparian land which is undergoing revegetation to its native state by the Waterwatch group.

A significant amount of the farm land is set aside for student plots. Part of practical agriculture lessons involves students growing and maintaining their own crops. Mature crops in the students' assigned plots of land are then the students' to take home.

In addition to its use for educational purposes, the farm also supplies a wide variety of agricultural produce including:

  • Aquaculture - Silver Perch for onsite consumption (orgonoleptic experiment).
  • Cattle - Angus stud, which undergo artificial insemination to produce young which are consequently sold by private sale (young bulls) or at Camden saleyards (cull cattle). In 2005, a bull was acquired for use in breeding.
  • Sheep - First-cross Ewes (Border Leicester x Merino) and a Poll Dorset ram (which was purchased recently), and prime lambs sold at Camden saleyards.
  • Eggs - Barn and Free-range eggs sold onsite.
  • Poultry Meat - Broilers raised and frozen onsite. Sold to interested members of the community.
  • Oranges - Washington Navel, sold onsite.
  • Peaches - Flordagold and Sherman's Red varieties, sold onsite.
  • Sweet Corn - Shimmer variety, sold onsite.
  • James Ruse Gold Rose - privately crossbred and rights donated to school.
  • Apiary - Honey sold onsite in 500g jars.
  • Potatoes - Pontiac variety (However this changes each year to try minimise harm through diseases that may be brought in from outside suppliers through particular varieties of potatoes.

Various groups of students have been set up to look after these usually during lunchtime, such as the Poultry Squad and a Weatherwatch group to maintain farm weather records.

In the past, the farm also housed a large number of Merino and Border Leicester sheep for wool-shearing, named the Sharlea Sheep. This aspect of the farm was closed down due to spiralling production costs. It was replaced by the Aquaculture venture, which has met with limited success.

Co-curricular activities

A variety of co-curricular and sporting activities are available to students.

The James Ruse Award Scheme

The James Ruse Award Scheme is a system implemented to recognise all-round involvement and participation by within the school community. The Awards are presented at a Formal Assembly.

There are 8 sections to this Award, and qualifying in 5 categories will earn the student a "Bronze" Award. If the student has already achieved the "Bronze" Award twice, then he or she eligible to earn "Gold" Awards instead. For those who completely satisfy all 8 categories, then the student will be presented with a "Distinction" Award at a special Presentation Ceremony.


The 8 categories are as follows:

1. Academic Excellence: Performs highly in class and examinations.

2. School Curriculum Involvement: Participating in academic enrichment activities.

3. Interschool Representation at Sport: Representing the school at sporting competitions and carnivals.

4. The Creative Arts: Participation in the Annual School Musical, or in Drama Productions.

5. Music Activities: Participation in at least two of the many musical groups available in the school.

6. Involvement in School Life: Participation in many social groups and clubs, including the Interact Club and the Chess Club, as mentioned below.

7. School Service: Active participation in the school community, including volunteer work such as the Working Bees.

8. Outdoor Activities: Participation in one of many activities, including the James Ruse Cadet Unit, caring for the school farm animals, or completion of a Duke of Edinburgh Award.

The award scheme is quite popular with students, many of whom achieve awards each year in the belief that such awards would be beneficial for future career paths.

It has been announced that for 2005, 20% of the student population had achieved an award.

Waterwatch

Waterwatch, formerly known as Streamwatch, is a group that work with the Upper Parramatta River Catchement Trust to monitor vital indicators of water quality in 2 sites of the local catchment. The group at James Ruse AHS is the most successful in the region, being awarded the Platypus Award for the students' contributions to the local community and environment in 2003, and receiving the award for best group in Baulkham Hills Shire in 2004. It is successfully run by the students and has a membership of about 30. Its members have gone on to achieve further recognition in community service in other areas. Other activities that the group participates in are National Tree Day, Clean Up Australia Day, Spring and Autumn Bug Counts and the Upper Parramatta River Catchment Creek Day, which involves educating local primary school children on water quality and the environment.

Sport

A range of summer and winter sports are offered to students from years 9-12. Girls' and boys' teams (with Under 15's and Opens) compete each week on Wednesday afternoons with other schools in the zone. Boys' sports include baseball, cricket, basketball, touch football, hockey, volleyball, soccer and rugby, whereas girls' sports also include netball, but not rugby. The school also operates a mixed water polo team. Additionally a range of recreational sports are offered for those who are not admitted into a team, with emphasis on the recreational aspects rather than competition, with sports such as tennis, table tennis or gym.

Each year, swimming, cross-country and athletics carnivals are held. Sporting activities such as knock-out teams are also in operation within the school. Some students are selected to represent at the zone or regional level every year in a variety of sports.

Cadets

The Cadet Unit was established in 1961. It usually numbers 80 – 120 cadets, and entrance is restricted to members of the school; consequently the unit is a “Limited Support Unit”, receiving no financial assistance from the government.

The unit conducts four weekend bivouacs and one annual camp (7 or more days) each year, with a strong emphasis on bushcraft and navigation skills, as well as RATEL (radio-telecommunications) and first aid. Recently, the school has re-engaged in regional annual camps, such as those at Singleton Army Barracks. Cadets also receive training in army drill, first aid and ceremonial parade drill. Participation in ANZAC Day, VP Day and Remembrance Day ceremonies and parades outside of school is encouraged, and the school also runs its own ANZAC Day Parade and Assembly. The other notable ceremonial parade that is held within school grounds is the Annual Ceremonial Parade and assembly, in which year 12 cadets 'pass out' of the unit. Home Parades are conducted fortnightly on Mondays after school, where the cadets are instructed in theory lessons and take part in unit-run courses.

Interact Club

The James Ruse Interact Club is the longest established such club in a NSW high school. Sponsored by the Parramatta Rotary Club, its purpose is to give students greater opportunities for fellowship and service.

I.S.C.F.

I.S.C.F. (Inter-School Christian Fellowship) is a broad-based, largely Protestant Christian group within the school, open to students of any denomination.

The group conducts weekly lunch-time meetings on Fridays, Bible studies for each grade during the week (Focus), and organises a number of well attended activities after hours (such as Jiffy [Jamesruse Iscf Fellowship For Youth] - an after school youth group). There is also a barbecue for students at the end of each term, and a Houseparty late in term 4.

Music

A wide range of musical activities is offered including:

String Orchestra, String Ensemble, Concert Band, Stage Band, Woodwind Ensemble, Recorder Ensemble, the School Choir and Jazz Ensemble (the Senior vocal group), which meet before school and lunchtimes to rehearse.

There is an Annual Musical Production, which has occurred since 1963. There are also Composers and Performers evenings held each year and a multicultural musical evening.

Challenging repertoires are undertaken to produce performances such as Les Miserables and Crazy for You. Participation is high with a majority of students undertaking some musical endeavour. The school musical alone had a cast of more than 150 persons in the chorus.

Rural Youth

Rural Youth involves students from years 7-12 who work before school on the farm where activities include feeding, grooming and leading cattle which they exhibit at Agricultural Shows.

Student Representative Council

The SRC, has been in operation since 1960, and provides student opinion and advice on a wide range of school activities. Meetings are held monthly and membership consists of all class captains, representatives of the prefect body and organisations within the school. The SRC is represented on all school steering committees and given full voting rights. Within the SRC, 5 executive members are elected to run the SRC body for that year. These executive members include the: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary and Minutes Secretary.

Prefects

The school has currently inducted 33 prefects for 2005-2006. The prefects vote amongst themselves for the School Captain, School Vice Captain, Senior Prefect and Sports Captains.

Their aims are to promote school spirit and to organise a number of activities to help charities. Annual events run by the prefect body include the Valentines Day service and the Daffodil Day Appeal.

In December 2005, a Games day was organised by the prefects in which the Houses competed.

Peer Support

James Ruse has a Peer Support program involving Yr 11 mentors assisting new Yr 7s in their transition from primary to high school. It has run successfully for many years, and concludes with a camp at Vision Valley which is attended by the year 7 students and their year 11 mentors, supervised by the school staff. The mentors are selected by members of the staff based on performance at a two day training course.

Chess Club

The James Ruse Chess Club is managed annually by a group of 3 to 4 Senior students. The club organises a small tournament every school term of 10 weeks, whereby students are encouraged to participate to improve their chess ability.

Alumni

Notable James Ruse alumni include:

See also

External links

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