University High School, Melbourne

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For other schools of the same name, see University High School.
The University of High School
University High School Logo
Strenue Ac Fideliter
(Latin:"With Zeal and Loyalty")
Established 1910[1]
School type Public, Co-educational, Secondary, Day school
Principal/
Headmaster		 Mr. Robert Z. Newton
Location Parkville, Victoria, Australia Flag of Australia
Coordinates 37°47′50″S 144°57′19″E / -37.79722, 144.95528Coordinates: 37°47′50″S 144°57′19″E / -37.79722, 144.95528
Campus Suburban
Enrolment ~1,200 (7-12)[2]
School colours Brown, Black & Green             
Homepage www.unihigh.vic.edu.au

The University High School, (UHS or Uni High) is a public, co-educational high school, located in Parkville, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

Established at Carlton in 1910,[1] the school currently caters for approximately 1,200 students [2] and is one of the highest-scoring state schools in Australia,and one of the highest performing non-selective state schools in Victoria.

In 2001, The Sun-Herald ranked University High tenth in Australia's top ten schools for the education of girls, based on the number of its female alumni mentioned in the Who's Who in Australia.[3][a]

Contents

[edit] History

Founded in 1893 from a disused Teachers College, the privately owned "University High School" was situated on the corner of Swanston and Grattan Streets, Carlton. In 1900 the school was moved to Victoria Street and then in 1912 it was closed down. In 1910, the "University Practising School" was opened in a former primary school on the corner of Lygon and Lytton Streets, Carlton. In 1913, it changed its name to "The University High School" after the closure of the private school.

University High School at Story Street, 1949
University High School at Story Street, 1949

Since 1930, the University High School has occupied a site in Story Street, Parkville, adjacent to the Royal Melbourne Hospital and in close proximity to the University of Melbourne and the Central Business District.

During World War II, the United States Army set up a camp on the school oval. Additionally, 240 extra students from MacRobertson Girls High School transported to UHS for schooling as their buildings were also seized by the military.

Today the school caters for approximately 1,200 students,[2] most of whom reside in the local area. A proportion of the school's enrolment comes from further afield, either to participate in special programs like music, the Acceleration Program or as a result of sibling claims. The population is socio-economically, culturally and ethnically diverse and claims a commitment to tolerance and to this diversity.

The recent completion of the $AUD7 million upgrade of the school facilities was completed in 1997. The school experienced major disruption and change during the previous years through dislocation of classes and staff. The completion of the works has given the school modern facilities with appropriate specialist rooms.

[edit] School structure

The school is structured within a 7 to 10 vertical sub-school framework and a VCE sub-school, consisting of Years 11 and 12. This vertical structure does not extend to the delivery of curriculum which is based on a horizontal year level program.

Years 7 to 10 have three sub-schools, Brookes (Red), Sharman (Blue) and Chapman (Green), named after previous Principals of the school. Students in Year 7 enter a sub-school and stay with this cohort for their management and pastoral care until year 10. Each of these units has a Head of sub-school and three sub-school Co-ordinators, to look after approximately 250 students.

[edit] Sharman

The Sharman sub-school was named after Mr Matthew Stanton Sharman who was principal at the school from 1915 to 1941. The sub-school's colour is blue.

[edit] Brookes

The Brookes sub-school is named after Mr L. R. Brookes who was principal from 1941 to 1951. The sub-school's colour is red.

[edit] Chapman

The Chapman sub-school is named after Mr R.E. Chapman who was principal at the school from 1952 to 1960. The sub-school's colour is green.

[edit] Bryce

The Bryce sub-school is named after Mr P.D.A. Bryce, Principal from 1985 until 1996, and consists of over 450 VCE students in years 11 & 12. The Head of the Bryce VCE sub-school works with a team of seven sub-school Co-ordinators and with the Work Education Co-ordinator. The sub-school's colour is yellow.

[edit] Curriculum

[edit] Acceleration program

University High School students in a History class, 1930s
University High School students in a History class, 1930s

University High School has a scheme for willing, academically able students which allows them to potentially complete their high schooling in 5 years. The curriculum of years 7-10 is completed in 3 years, which approximately corresponds to one year's worth of curriculum completed every 3 terms. In reality, different subjects are accelerated different amounts. In particular, almost all students complete the pre-VCE Mathematics curriculum in the first two years (normally completed in four). AP students are also the only students to take three years of Latin. For simplicity, they are considered to have done years 7, 9 and 10. After their third year at UHS, they graduate into VCE and complete years 11 and 12 normally. To partake in this program, a student must undertake a test in their final year of primary schooling (usually grade 6). The sub-school chosen to house the accelerated students is rotated each year between Chapman, Sharman, and Brookes; once VCE is reached all students are housed into Bryce. Acceleration program students are better known as 'the Taskies', as the program was formerly called the 'Task Force Program'. From 2006, the school began to take on two acceleration classes per year.

[edit] Buildings

The University High School is divided into 10 sectors: West, North, South, East, Music, Hall, Gymnasium, Quadrangle, Oval, and GTAC.

The North building was constructed in 1930 during the Great Depression. Because of this, no additional facilities were constructed and therefore assemblies were held in other venues. The north building has four levels, and contains the rooms numbered 108 through 401.

The South Building is the next largest building containing the Library and VCE centre. The East Building is primarily used for Art and Technology classes and is the third largest of the four buildings. The West Wing is the smallest of the buildings, but is conjoined with the Music Wing.

The Music Wing was developed, planned, constructed and funded by ex-students and ex-teachers, including Mrs. Stella Langford and Mr. J. Economo.

Early in 2004, a new Gene Technology Access Centre (GTAC) was opened for use by staff and students from across the state. This allows students from throughout Victoria to have direct exposure to cutting edge research in the genetics field.

An extension of the canteen has recently been completed in the last quarter of 2006 which connects to the hall.

The fourth level extension to the South Wing has been completed early in 2007. This extension has been made for VCE students and extra VCE classes.

The Music Wing will undergo further extensions and redesign in 2008 after the reconstruction of the school's front wall is complete.

[edit] Notable alumni

Academic and medicine
  • Professor Ruth Curtain, (mathematics)
  • Norman Greenwood, Emeritus Professor of Chemistry, Leeds, UK
  • Professor David Oberklaid, (medicine)
  • Professor Frank Oberklaid OAM, (paediatrics)
  • Melissa Raine, medieval expert
  • A. T. S. Sissons, pharmaceutical scientist, Dean of the Victorian College of Pharmacy
  • Gillian Triggs, Dean, University of Sydney Law School


Business
  • Simon R Jones, 3rd Richest man in Victoria
  • Richard Pratt, businessman


Media, entertainment and the arts


Science


Politics and the law


Sport


Other

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b School Profile. Profile. University High School. Retrieved on 2008-02-24.
  2. ^ a b c University High School. Schools Online. Victorian Government Schools. Retrieved on 2008-02-24.
  3. ^ Walker, Frank. "The ties that bind", Sunday Life, The Sun-Herald, 2001-07-22, p. 16. Retrieved on 2007-09-12. 

[edit] See also

[edit] External links