Balwyn High School

Balwyn High School is a state-run high school (years 7-12) in the Melbourne suburb of Balwyn North, in Victoria, Australia. It was established in 1954. As of February 2013, it had 1948 students, making it the fourth largest secondary school in Victoria.^[1]

The postwar student population expanded. The school assembly hall was built with assistance from parents and is named after a former principal, Archibald M. Rogers. Managing the large class sizes of the era, the school developed a strong science education at senior levels that saw many of its graduates pass into senior academic, government and private sector positions.

The school buildings were redeveloped in 1994 after merging with Greythorn High School. Since 1996 the school has operated an International Students Program.

Academic achievements

In 2006 the median ENTER (precursor and equivalent to the current ATAR) was 85.70, 40.06% achieved an ENTER at or above 90 and 5.07% achieved an ENTER at or above 99. In 2004, 55 students attained ENTER scores in excess of 97 and the median ENTER was 86.95.^[2]

Extracurricular program

The school runs co-curricular programmes, including music, sport, debating, cheerleading and community programs. Its music programme, which comprises many string orchestras, includes Beginner Strings (Novice), Junior Strings (Junior), Newitt Strings (Intermediate) and Senior Strings (Advanced), concert bands, choirs, stage bands, a full symphony orchestra, a smaller chamber orchestra and many other privately formed smaller groups.

Its chess teams have consistently reached state level competitions, while the school's cheerleading squad, the Skyraiders, earned two gold medals in Pom and Stunt and finished second (Level 2 Cheerleading/Scholastic) at the 2007 National Cheerleading Championships.^[3]

Sport

Balwyn High School has a sports faculty, with many interschool sport teams representing the school in numerous sports, some at elite levels, like many other schools around Victoria.^[4]

International Students Program

Balwyn High School runs an 'International Students Program'.^[5] In 2007, there were 107 international students at Balwyn High School, who pay $11,800 per year, compared with the local students' voluntary school fees of around $900 per year. Balwyn earned 1.2 million from those international students in 2007.^[6] Victoria's Education minister Bronwyn Pike denied that it was a "money-making scheme for schools", though Australian Education Union state president Mary Bluett said, "Certainly this has become a financial incentive for schools."^[6]

Other

The school has four houses - Churchill, Strathmore, Windsor and Edinburgh. It also recently introduced a "Safe School Policy" against cyber-bullying.^[7] In 2009, the Victorian Budget 2009-2010 has allowed the school to commence "Stage 3" building project which will include art facilities and the replacement of two old blocks.^[8] The state government allocated $11.2 million for "school modernisation" of the facilities.^[9]

Notable alumni

• Peter Cullen - water scientist^[10]
• Neil J. Gunther - scientist
• Steve Hooker - pole-vaulter^[11]
• Will Hull-Brown - drummer of The Cat Empire
• Michael Theoklitos - Brisbane Roar Goalkeeper, former Norwich City Goalkeeper and Melbourne Victory Goalkeeper
• Malcolm Speed - former CEO of ICC and Australian Cricket Board ^[12]
• Ernie Merrick -Wellington Phoenix Former Coach of the Melbourne Victory now coach of Wellington
• Zhou Quan - filmmaker

Notes