Ryde Secondary College

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Ryde Secondary College

Leadership, Respect, Co-operation and Responsibility
Established	1965
School type	Public selective
Principal/ Headmaster	John Hughes
Location	Sydney, NSW, Australia
Campus	Urban (Ryde)
Enrollment	Approx. 840
School colours	Navy Blue, maroon and white
Homepage	http://www.rydesc-h.schools.nsw.edu.au/

Ryde Secondary College is a co-educational public high school in Ryde, Sydney, Australia. It is unique that it is one of the few schools in New South Wales (or perhaps anywhere either in Australia, or the world) which takes enrolments for mainstream, Support Unit (special education) & Selective stream students. Since 2002, the school has undergone major renovation and transformation, with a heavy emphasis on incorporating Information Technology as part of their curricular structure. It also has a Sister High School called Bushukan High School located in Tokyo, Japan. Year 7 to year 11s get to choose to go to the homestay of the Bushukan High School students.

1 History
2 Re-Establishments and Sucesses
3 Buildings
4 Faculties
5 Sport Houses
6 School Captains
7 Interesting Facts
8 See also

[edit] History

The school opened in 1965, originally named as Malvina High School - which was chosen due to the school's location (at 5 Malvina Street, Ryde NSW 2112), and the fact there was a Ryde High School open at the time, located nearby at Small's Road (subsequently closed in the mid-1980s due to declining numbers). It has always operated as a co-ed school, but for most of its history as a mainstream secondary school only. The Support Unit was introduced in 1999, after the closure of Peter Board High School at North Ryde, where the Unit had previously been.

In 2001 it was announced that Malvina High School (as it was still known) would finally receive a multi-million dollar upgrade promised to it for years, under the New South Wales Government's controversial "Building The Future" plan. From 2002 the school was renamed Ryde Secondary College, to properly identify the school to its suburb locality - although some people feel that changing the name from Malvina High stripped the school of its traditions. The school also took on a selective stream of students from 2002, and has taken on new Information Technology infrastructure which will be linked to Macquarie University. Also a new building, known as H Block, has been constructed to facilitate a new IT room and audio visual theatre. Ryde Secondary College also performs well in grade sports competing with other schools in the area. Ryde Secondary College is also the champion school for zone swimming and athletics.

It is only one of three surviving co-ed secondary schools in the Ryde/Hunters Hill district, along with Marsden High School at West Ryde and Hunters Hill High School. The aforementioned Ryde High School and Peter Board High School have closed due to declining student numbers, with the gradual increase in popularity of local single-sex and private secondary schools. Hunters Hill High was to be shut as part of the "Building The Future" plan, citing 'declining student numbers'. However after protests from the Hunters Hill High School community and a New South Wales Upper House inquiry, the decision was overturned. Since 2002, Ryde Secondary College has had a healthy increase to its student numbers, after many years of battling to stem a declining student population.

[edit] Re-Establishments and Sucesses

There were many Re-establishments of the school especially the name change. The re-establishment of the school lead to a good enrolment and increase of student population.

2001 - Name Change and Uniform Change in the Building the Future Plan

Became one of the Selective High Schools out of the 28 were available.

2002 - The first Year 7 with a Selective stream and a full enrolment of 150 was introduced.
2004 - The college band was re-established at the end of 2004.
2005 - A key year proven to Ryde Secondary College-

The first cohort of selective students and mainstream sat at the School Certificate and were extremely better than the previous years. The college band has been developed through-out the year. The H-block; Drama theatre and Computer Lab has been developed.

2006 - After 4 years of disruption, the school has finished reconstruction their multi-million dollar project assigned by the NSW government. This includes the new toilet block, H block, MPC, School resources, new desks and tables, Greek theatre and the re-construcion of the playgrounds. They have also re-introduced the prefect system due to the increasing numbers of students.
2007 - A higher HSC is in demand for the selective cohort of students.

[edit] Buildings

A-Block - Music, Mathematics, English, School Office, ICT Facility (computer lab)
B-Block - Design & Technology, Languages, Hospitality, English
C-Block - Canteen, Basketball Courts (also acts as another PE area)
D-Block - English, Social Science, Visual Arts, Science Laboratories
E-Block - Staff rooms, Science Laboratories, PDH and Gym Room)
F-Block - Library, Seminar Room, Meeting Rooms
G-Block (MPC) - PDHPE, PDHPE staff room, PE change rooms, Assembly Hall
H-Block - Human Movement Studio, Theatre, Multimedia Studio (computer lab)

Facilities

Elevator - Located in E-Block
Mini Elevators - Located in B-Block, D-Block, and G-Block (MPC) for disabled persons
Large Photography Darkroom - Located in D-Block
Audio Visual Theatres - Located in G-Block (MPC) and H-Block
Cricket Nets - Located behind D-Block
Outdoor Basketball Courts - Located behind G-Block (MPC)
Ramps - for disabled people for easier assess
Toilets - newly refurbished toilets (without papertowels or soap)

[edit] Faculties

English, History, Drama
Mathematics
Science
Social Science, Language
PDHPE
TAS (Design and Technology)
Teaching and Learning
Careers
Library

[edit] Sport Houses

Buffalo: House Colour - Black
Cressy: House Colour - Yellow
Forrest: House Colour - Green
Malvina: House Colour - Red

All Houses are derived from street and road names in the surrounding areas of the school. House points may be earned by outstanding sporting achievements, work for charity, and extracurricular activities.

[edit] School Captains

2002/2003: James Kang, Nathan Sales
2004/2005: Brendan Carrigy, Chrysanthe Diamond
2005/2006: Rajan Chandrasekaran, Elmira Zolpiranni
2006/2007: Senal Jayawickrema, Vivian Yue[1][2]]

[edit] Interesting Facts

The school did not have a hall until the construction of G-Block (Multi-Purpose Centre) in 1988. All school assemblies were held either outdoors in the upper/lower quadrangles, or C-Block (Canteen).
In the late 1970s, there was a proposal to construct a 25-metre swimming pool in the vicinity of G-Block. Despite the school undertaking fundraisers, the pool never eventuated.
The bell tower in the upper/lower quadrangles originally doubled as an incinerator.
Along with the name change, the school's colours and uniform also changed. The original colours of Malvina High School were maroon (predominant) with sky-blue and white.
The school has become a partially selective school along with the building the future plan in 2001. The first year 7 with a selective stream was in 2002.
In the future, if there are more selective students applying for Ryde Secondary College, there is a possibility that this school will turn to a fully Selective High School. This will total an enrolment from 60 selective students to 150.