High Notes - ��logo

High Notes, Vol 27 No 32, October 23 2026

2026-10-23T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

High Talent

The Junior Secondary Speaking Award was established in 1995 as the Legacy Junior Public Speaking Award and renamed in 2024. It consists of two tests. First, a prepared speech of five minutes is delivered on a topic of the competitor’s choosing. Second, competitors are given five minutes to prepare a 2-minute impromptu speech on the same topic. High has won the state competition only twice – Alexander Bodman (1996) and Thomas Kaldor (2002). NSW winners have gone on to win the national competition nine times.

At the state final, held in Parliament House, Lucas Tran (7E) won the title. Given the standard of the competition, this win was historical. Our congratulations are extended to him, his coach, Ryan Allen (12E), and to Ms Julie Eggleton, MIC of Public Speaking, who gives of her time so freely for gifted program participation by our students.

Policy on Misogynistic/Sexist Behaviour

The Secretary of the Department of Education, Murat Dizdar, wrote to all principals and staff on Monday, October 19, concerning the increase being experienced in misogynistic attitudes and behaviours directed at female staff and students in schools. Social media influencers propagate and reinforce online content and messaging that seek to normalise disrespect towards women. This behaviour has no place at High.

Acts of violence do not emerge spontaneously. They begin with “unchallenged attitudes, sexist language and jokes, disrespect, unwanted attention and the objectification of women and girls”. When schools do not address these behaviours promptly, and treat them seriously, behaviours can “normalise and escalate into more serious forms of violence”. Our school response to such behaviour will be to take a hard-line, ‘zero tolerance’ approach when implementing negative consequences. Our response matrix for emerging, repeated and serious incidents was published and propagated earlier in the year.

We are communicating again with our broader school community at all levels, so that every student understands what we expect of them and why we expect it. Bullying, sexualized behaviour and misogyny directed at staff, students or anyone in the community, will not be tolerated. Such behaviour will result in referral to a Deputy Principal, interview and contact with parents via an Intention to Suspend letter. A second occurrence of misogynistic or sexist utterances will result in a suspension from school for up to five days.

Let us all work together to reinforce positive behaviours and be respectful in our utterances at all times.

Multipurpose Sports Centre

The long-awaited Multipurpose Sports Centre construction is finally underway. The security fencing, extending from the corner of the demountable classroom to the trees next to the basketball courts and along the border with SGHS, is a large area, but should be self-contained for materials and equipment storage during the project. Our event parking spots will be reduced by around 50 – even more reason for volunteers to adhere strictly to the parking map to park as many cars as possible on site on big-event days. The contractor will deliver a building the same size as was intended originally, hence the delay while architectural drawings were amended. The construction will be staged, with no noise until the end of the HSC examinations. The bulk of the work will be done in December and January. The sign off should occur in April. Our long-suffering table tennis competitors will have a home base in Term 2, 2027. In the interim, students are asked to respect the boundaries of the compound and stay away from them.

Upcoming events

Year 8 should be preparing for their assessment block which commences on Monday, October 26.
Unusually, we are holding a GPS fixture on Wednesday, October 28. First and seconds basketball will play in the evening, and tennis will be competing during sports time, but with an early start. Students will be expected to catch up on work missed if they are involved in these fixtures.
Year 9 subject acceleration applications for 2027 Year 10, are due on Friday, October 30. Applicants are advised that Head Teachers of the Faculty delivering the stage 6 course for which they are trying to qualify, must sign off support for their applications. Parental support and approval must also be included on the form. Completed applications have to be delivered to the Principal’s Assistant, Ms Stephanie Diamantis, by close of business on the Friday.

Dr K A Jaggar
Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 31, October 16 2026

2026-10-16T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

Welcome back to Term 4

This week the Year 12 students are sitting examinations for a wide variety of courses. We all wish them the best of luck during the stressful weeks ahead. I trust they will check in with each other and communicate with their teachers for any assistance they may need. The curriculum for 2027 will be firmed up during the next few weeks, so students need to concentrate on choosing the most appropriate subjects or courses that align with their abilities and interests.

Staff Changes for Term 4

I will go on leave again as from Monday, November 2 for the rest of the term. Mr George Barris will be relieving Principal. Mr John Prorellis is on leave until Monday, October 26 and Ms Sarah Kim is relieving as Head Teacher Administration. Ms Natalie Luu remains as relieving Deputy Principal for Years 8,10 and 12; Ms Kerryn Ibbott continues as relieving Deputy Principal for Years 7, 9 and 11; Mr Jeremy Ohlback stays on as relieving Head Teacher, Teaching and Learning; and Mr Matthew Hood stays as relieving Head Teacher Science.

High Talent

Chris Li (11S) is a Gold Medal winner in the National History Challenge for 2026. His entry was deemed best in New South Wales in the Sport category. Congratulations on your fine achievement, Chris!

I am pleased with the popularity and success of the highly regarded Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme, managed for our students by Ms Joanna Chan and delivered by an outside provider. Recent awardees were Sajan Thiagalingam (Gold); Max Feng, Caleb Ma, Christian Paipetis, Zihan Chi, Ryan Zhao (silver); Nadisha Don, Dhanush Ganapathy, Justin Ip, Jad Jaber, Jackson Lai, Vincent Lee, Robert Lei, Chi Ling, Charlie Liu, Danny Long, Justin Mao, Jason Nguyen, Ahad Rahman, Ahaan Sharma, Krishna Soundapparaju, Tavish Tewari, Justin Vuong, Abeeshnan Varathan and Eric Zeng. Well done, lads! During the holidays, sailing ace, Ben Hunter, competed in the Australian Youth Regatta and placed 3rd in his class at the under 23 level. Great result, Ben! Our State Finalist in the JSSA (Junior Secondary Speaking Award) being held in Parliament House, is Marcus Tong (7T). An impressive effort!

Foundation Day Assembly 2026

My speech to the assembly is reprinted below:

"Good morning to our special guest, Mr Michael Christie SC (SHS – 1976), parents of Prefect Interns, staff and students, welcome to our Foundation Day Assembly. We also welcome; School Council Life Governors – Mr Geoff Andrews and Mr Dennis Briggs; Ms Jocelyn Yem (SBHS P&C President); Professor Ron Trent (SBHS School Council President); Old Boys Union representative Mr Fred Bolling; Order of Australia recipients – Professor Minas Coroneo AO, Emeritus Professor Geoffrey Kellerman AO (SHS-1942), Mr Chris Brown OAM, Mr Graham Gard OAM; Mr Jin Shim (School Captain 2025), Mr Liam Nottage (Vice Captain 2025); Past Senior Prefects - Mr John Fang (2025), Mr Ron Schwarz (1962); the SGHS 2027 School Captain, Ms Ashling Considine, Vice- Captain, Ms Jenny Zhou and Senior Prefect, Ms Vivienne Zhang; and finally, the Class of 1976 - Dr Ian Kamerman, Mr Chris Kyriacou, Mr Steve McFarlane, Mr David Morrow, Mr Simon Swifte, Mr Steve Wells and Mr John Wing.

"As close as possible to the day our school opened on October 1, 1883, we try to hold an assembly to celebrate our traditions, reflect upon our vision and values and to pass on the leadership baton to a new cohort of school leaders. Customarily, I have used this occasion to highlight High achievements and people from 50 years ago, in order to make the case for our intergenerational continuity of ethos at High. The attendance today of such a large number of Old Boys from many different decades, makes a strong affirmation about the impact of the High experience for all of us here today.

"We were established to send matriculants to the University of Sydney, the only university in Sydney at the time. Once the school established a routine, the student body wanted to play organised sports. The student union was the driving force because, initially, teachers were not allowed to participate, so our self-help culture was born. I believe we still have that personal responsibility attitude to learning in respect of our total curriculum. We have a long and consistent history of high academic achievement. Our membership of the GPS since 1906 demonstrates our commitment to sport. We moved locations twice to gain better access to sports fields, in order to join. I have felt that our school pride and hopeful positivity have grown over the last twenty-seven years of my principalship.

"Margaret Wheatley is an American academic who specialises in corporate leadership and management. She made an observation which resonates with me: ‘there is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about’. At High, we care about nurturing scholar-sportsmen, we also care about enlarging ourselves through co-curricular activities. Through our developing relationships with our teammates, coaches, teachers and our contributing parents and Old Boys - we have built our community capacity to change lives for the better. To do that, we have cared for each other consistently and built lasting relationships. Our successful 75-and- 50- year reunions of Old Boys, demonstrate the longevity of valued relationships we develop at High.

"Paul J. Meyer was an insurance salesman who became a millionaire at 27. In that line of work, he must have been extraordinarily adept at quickly forming relationships with his clients. He was sure that ‘communication - the human connection - is the key to personal and career success’. We offer multiple opportunities for our students to make these human connections. The success of our alumni is a testament to what they learned during their school years about communication and a sense of belonging to a community of purpose. Our history is built upon the foundation of caring for and believing in one another. We are not a ‘swat factory’ but we are a compassionate community supported by our understanding of what we care about. On the 143rd anniversary of our foundation, let us remember what unites us, and where our striving is taking us. It is not in our stars, but in ourselves, where we will find unique ways of how to apply in life, what we cared deeply about while at school."
Dr K A Jaggar
Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 30, September 25 2026

2026-09-25T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

High Talent

Congratulations to the following students who had Music Performances that have been nominated for possible inclusion in ENCORE:

William Cahyadi
Roger He
Om Kothari
Jiajin Li
Alexander Wu

Congratulations to Chris Li (Year 11) who won the runner up prize in the Senior section of the Spirit of Normandy Trust, Young Historian Project in the UK.

Year 12 Farewell

Thank you to the staff, parents and students for making the Year 12 farewell such a special event. Ms Joanna Chan organised a great event that was supported by the P&C. It was great to farewell Year 12 in such a special way. The Year 12 group finished their last weeks with grace and humility and showed how to end their time at school in a harmonious and respectful manner. Well done to the departing Year 12 group for their continued positive behaviour throughout their time at the school.

GPS Athletics Carnival

Well done to all the competitors that represented High over the past weekend. All students worked to the best of their abilities on the day with numerous PBs and very high placings for our 4*100m relay teams. A huge congratulations to MIC Kurt Rich for another well organised season.

Department of Education New Screen Guidelines from 2027

From Term 4 2026 both libraries will become a device-free space for all students during recess.

Junior Library

Year 7–9 students are not permitted to use their personal laptops, notebooks, or other devices before school, during recess and/or lunch.
Year 7-9 students may use the school-based computers in the Junior Library for schoolwork and/or printing before school and/or during Lunch 2 only.

Senior Library

Year 10-12 students are not permitted to use their personal laptops, notebooks, or other devices at recess.

From Term 1 2027 – All classrooms
Maximum time students can spend on their individual devices, such as laptops, desktop computers and iPads:

Up to 25% of lesson time per subject for Years 7 to 10.
Up to 50% of lesson time per subject for Years 11 and 12.
In all cases, these maximum usage times should be considered on average over one week.

Exemptions
Faculties may apply for an exemption to commence this process in 2028 rather than 2027.
George Barris
Relieving Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 29, September 18 2026

2026-09-18T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

Open Day

Last week, more than 800 people visited the school for our annual Open Day.

Our Prefects did a wonderful job leading tours, while each sport and co-curricular activity showcased the many opportunities available at High.

Our musicians filled the campus with outstanding performances, and the P&C seemed to provide an endless supply of food throughout the day. Prospective students and their families gained a firsthand insight into the rich academic and co-curricular life of the school.

A special thank you to Merinda Kavich for her outstanding work in organising such a successful event.

Interpreting Semester 2 Year 12 Reports

All Year 12 students were scheduled to meet with me to get their final reports this week.

The ATAR estimate on the Semester 2 report is calculated using Trial HSC examination results only. This provides students with the clearest indication of where they currently stand and, historically, these estimates have proven to be remarkably accurate predictors of final HSC outcomes. For some students, particularly those who have performed more strongly in assessment tasks, practical projects or performances than in examinations, this method may produce a lower estimate than anticipated. However, HSC examination performance remains the most significant factor in determining final outcomes. Without stronger examination results, those differences cannot be recovered. The good news is that there is still time.

Students who respond to the feedback provided by their teachers, address areas of weakness and commit to a disciplined study routine can make substantial gains. A focused month of consistent effort can have a significant impact on examination performance and ultimately on ATAR outcomes. Students are encouraged to work collaboratively. Revising with peers, sharing strategies, discussing course content and practising responses together can strengthen understanding and improve results for everyone. Parents are encouraged to speak with their son about his study plan between now and the commencement of the HSC. The most effective study is regular, purposeful and consistent. Small, disciplined efforts made every day over the coming weeks will deliver far greater results than last-minute preparation.
George Barris
Relieving Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 28, September 11 2026

2026-09-11T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

High Talent

Congratulations to the following boys on their Duke of Ed achievement:

Jaydon Liu -- Bronze
Lucas Ji -- Bronze
Kuzma Tkachenko -- Bronze
James Young -- Bronze
Jeffrey Yang -- Bronze
Isaac Hu -- Bronze
Harley Xiong -- Bronze
Logan Huwazan -- Bronze
Pramit Sanjay Balaji -- Bronze
Callum O'Loughlin -- Bronze
Jay Li -- Bronze
Jasper Bai -- Bronze
Yun-xi Wang -- Bronze
Joshua Yu -- Silver
Youshang Zhu -- Silver
Gavin Cheng -- Silver
Keiran Tedjasaputra -- Silver
Christopher Pan -- Silver
Mekaeel Khan -- Silver

Congratulations to the following students who trained for the National Chinese Eisteddfod with Ms Zhang since the start of Term 2 with multiple lunchtime trainings every week. Their dedication allowed for strong achievement in the competition:

Individual Category

16-18 Age:
Matthew Zhang (11S) – 1st
Ricky Luo (11R) – 2nd
Nicklas Li (11F) - 3rd

13-16 Non-native:
Macallister Giles (11F) - 1st

13-15 Age:
Ivan Shi (09S) – 1st
Brishen Xue (09R) - 4th
Alex Zhou (09F) - 4th

Group Category
The 13-15 age group placed 3rd. Congratulations to: Marcus Chen, Andy Gao, Anthony Jiang, Haoyang Jiang, Jayden Lee, Evan Ma, Ivan Shi, Alex Wang, Brishen Xue, William Wang, Kevin Xu, Morgan Yao, Joey Zhou, and Alex Zhou.

External Validation

On Tuesday the school went through the External Validation Process. External Validation (EV) is the NSW Department of Education's process for independently checking a school's self-assessment against the School Excellence Framework (SEF). Schools undergo the process once every five years. An independent panel reviews the school's evidence and determines whether it supports the judgements the school has made about its performance. There are two parts to the EV process:

Annotated documentation and analysis of key areas
3.5-hour submission meeting to justify the school’s placement against the SEF

I would like to thank Jeremy Ohlback and Natalie Luu for their work in preparing the documentation for the EV meeting. The External Validation included over 19 annotated documents that centred around three keys areas:

Effective pedagogy
Wellbeing and Engagement
Collaborative Practice

The school scored itself at a variety of sustaining and growing and excellence levels against the SEF. The panel agreed with the school’s self-assessment.

A sample of the analysis in the area of Effective Pedagogy is below:

Throughout the 2022-2026 School Excellence Plan, ��logo has iterated upon and refined a strategic approach to pedagogy and curriculum reflective of evidence-informed best practice. A planned whole school approach to lesson sequences, assessment design and the evaluation of practice using school and system data is delivered through tiers of leadership to continually enhance student learning outcomes.

An analysis of these practices has informed our determination that in the elements of Curriculum, Assessment, Reporting and Student Growth and Performance, the school is Excelling. In the elements of Effective Classroom Practice and Data Skills and Use, the school is Sustaining and Growing. The practices implemented at ��logo include a coherent, evidence-informed curriculum framework integrating purposeful lesson planning, assessment, and feedback that directly supports student growth. Teachers align curriculum design closely with syllabus outcomes and whole-school initiatives, adjusting lessons responsively to meet diverse student needs through ongoing reflection. Faculties engage in collaborative evaluation and revision of scope and sequence documents based on student engagement data and their own experiences, as illustrated by the revision of faculty programs to increase authenticity and purpose. At the whole school level, clear assessment handbooks, scheduling systems, and feedback policies provide consistent expectations and enable students to engage proactively with their learning. Robust tracking and triangulation of data from both school and system sources inform targeted interventions and differentiated teaching, supported by leadership-driven systems that delegate clear responsibilities and provide organised sequences of professional development. Together, these processes create a responsive school environment focused on the continuous enhancement of teacher data skills to improve student outcomes.

The whole school initiative of targeting NAPLAN weaknesses proved an effective strategy for curriculum planning and lesson design.

As a result of this approach our system data metrics reflect consistently positive outcomes.

The 2025 NAPLAN Value-Added results have progressed into the Excelling category, while in 2026, 91% of Year 9 students achieved results in the Exceeding range for the Reading domain.

The school’s performance surpasses that of its Statistically Similar School Group in nearly all NAPLAN domains (with the exception of Year 7 Writing), Year 8 and 10 VALID assessments, and 72% of HSC courses, an improvement from 57% in 2023.

We identified transparent, consistent, and rigorous assessment practices, individual feedback and student reflection standards, and reporting cycles as key contributors to this enhancement in expected student academic success. Teacher evaluation of student literacy and numeracy progress can be better supported at the planning level to ensure all classrooms are proactively differentiated based on students' literacy needs.

Positive individual NAPLAN scores emerging from the Small Group Tuition program, currently in its second of 4 years, are encouraging; in order to best leverage our allocated funding and impact more students positively, we will review the implications of an expanded model. A new planning cycle provides an opportunity to renew emphasis on our Shared Understanding of Effective Classroom Practice and consolidate whole-school initiatives, particularly those that strengthen core instructional strategies such as HPGE Differentiation, Explicit Teaching, and targeted areas of identified literacy need. As the school continues its pursuit of aspirational academic goals, we will continue to evaluate our internal success measures.
George Barris
Relieving Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 27, September 04 2026

2026-09-04T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

High Talent

Congratulations to Jasper Bai, who has recently been nominated to represent NSW in the U15 age group at the Australian National Junior Table Tennis Championships.

AI Policy

This week, NESA announced changes that limit the number and proportion of take-home assessment tasks that may be used in Preliminary and HSC courses.

��logo has operated with similar limits for some time. This approach supports academic integrity by reducing concerns about the authenticity of student work and helps prepare students for the demands of HSC examinations.

The following courses offered at the school are exempt from these limits:

Visual Arts
Drama
Music 1
Music 2
English Extension 2
History Extension
Music Extension

The following are excerpts from the school policy on AI that was introduced in July this year:

Students

Students may only use GenAI, when directed by teachers, with approved tools, such as NSWEduChat, and to support their own learning.

Students Must:

Review inputs and outputs carefully.
Avoid entering personal identifying information, sensitive/confidential data, or their own work into unapproved tools.
Use conscientious and ethical judgement.
Critically analyse the quality and integrity of the information provided.
Rewrite all content in their own words unless directed otherwise.

Where possible, formative and summative tasks will adapt the DoE’s 5 levels of AI use:

No AI
AI Assists with Editing
AI Assists with Ideas and Planning
AI Completes Part of the Final Task
Full AI Use to Generate Final Content

When GenAI content is submitted, students must disclose use of AI in their work by notifying their teachers. This includes formative tasks such as summarising study notes, research, definition of key terms or structuring a text. They should do this by citing the GenAI platform accessed and the date and time the output was retrieved. Students may additionally be asked to provide a brief summary of the prompts provided to the AI tool and any modifications made to its output.

Assessment task notifications should explicitly state whether department-approved GenAI tools can be used by students at school or home in completing the task. Assessment tasks cannot require that students use generative AI tools other than NSWEduChat and other approved tools, as this would conflict with the department’s value of equity.

All work presented in assessment tasks and external examinations (including submitted works and practical examinations) must be a student’s own or must be acknowledged appropriately.

Enrolment 2027

We received 95 applications for Year 8 with eight students placed on a Reserve List. There were 267 applicants for Year 9. Thirty offers were made and eight placed on the Reserve List. 43 students applied for Year 10. Four were placed on the Reserve List. For Year 11, there were 43 applications. Six offers were made and two placed on the Reserve List. I was very pleased with the interest in enrolling in High across greater metropolitan Sydney. Thank you to Maria Glenn for her expert recording and processing of the data and for her liaison with parents of applicants. Thank you to our 20+ Assessors for their prompt attention to the task of assessing and ranking up to 30 applications overnight. Thank you also to our non-staff Selection Committee members - community representative, Jocelyn Yem, and Old Boy representative Paul Almond. We look forward to welcoming these new students to High next year to enhance our scholar sportsman ethos.
George Barris
Relieving Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 26, August 28 2026

2026-08-28T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

High Talent

Congratulations to the following boys on their outstanding results in the UNSW Maths competition:

Credits to William Tran, Jason Van, Lin Le, Michael Zhuo and Aaron Huang. A Distinction for Brooklyn Su. High Distinctions for Vladimir Loukine, Wensen Dong and Terence Wang.

Athletics Season and Summer Trials

With the winter sport season ending in week 4 attention now turns to the GPS Athletics season, culminating in the AAGPS Athletics Carnival Saturday September 19, 2026.

Summer sport begins in week 7, with trials during sport time in weeks 7 and 8.

GPS athletes will keep their after school training during those two weeks while still trialling for summer sport.

Summer teams will be finalised by the end of week 8.

Multipurpose Centre

The contract for the multipurpose centre has been awarded.

Construction will commence in late September and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2027.

This is welcome news for our Table Tennis program, which has been without a dedicated training venue since the loss of its previous facility.

Students studying Design and Technology contributed initial concept designs for the project several years ago.

The Multipurpose Centre will be used for:

A Table Tennis facility.
An additional site for under cover meetings.
An additional site for Fencing during winter.
Other educational needs that require a large under cover venue.

George Barris
Relieving Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 25, August 21 2026

2026-08-21T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

High Talent

Congratulations to the Volleyball program that achieved GPS Co-Premierships in both First and Second Grade. An outstanding achievement.

Congratulations to the U16 Epee Team who won the NSWSFL competition: Akiese Bravo Da Rosa 10M, Bill Han 10T, William Huang 10F and Jackson Lai 09F.

NAPLAN 2026

The 2026 Year 7 and Year 9 data show strong achievement across all domains. In Year 7, 100% of students were recorded in Exceeding for Numeracy and Reading, with strong results also recorded in Spelling where 93% were in Exceeding, Grammar and Punctuation where 92% were in Exceeding, and Writing where 72% were in Exceeding. In Year 9, Numeracy was the strongest area, with 99% of students in Exceeding. This was followed by Reading at 91%, Grammar and Punctuation at 88%, Spelling at 87%, and Writing at 72%. The Year 9 data show positive movement in Writing, Reading and Numeracy, with more students reaching Exceeding than in 2025. Spelling and Grammar and Punctuation remain strong, although Exceeding percentages were lower than the previous Year 9 cohort. The average-score data is more cautious, showing lower value-added growth from Year 7 to Year 9 than the previous cohort comparison. Our focus is to maintain strong top-band achievement while improving growth across the full cohort.

Social Media Ban

Recent reporting by the ABC and education media has highlighted concerns about the effectiveness of Australia's social media ban for under-16s, noting that many young people continue to access social media platforms despite the restrictions. The emerging evidence suggests that legislative measures alone are unlikely to eliminate young people's exposure to online risks. The most significant influence on a child's online behaviour remains their parents and carers. Parents need to take an active role in monitoring online activity, setting clear expectations regarding device and social media use, utilising available parental controls, and maintaining regular conversations about appropriate online behaviour. Developing responsible digital habits requires ongoing supervision and guidance. Ultimately, the evidence reinforces that online safety begins at home, with parents actively guiding, monitoring and supporting their children to make safe and responsible choices online.

Device Use for Junior Students

We are seeking your insights on students’ use of technology during break times. We are seeing an increasing number of junior students visit the junior school library during recess and lunch times to use their devices. If you are a parent of a Year 7-9 student, please complete the survey below, it should take 2-3 minutes to complete.

https://forms.gle/729iCHumMsGFTj7m6

George Barris
Relieving Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 24, August 14 2026

2026-08-14T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

High Talent

Congratulations to fencing on their strong results over the weekend at the NSWSFL U14 Epee Team League Premiership: SBHS Epee U14 Gold medal team - Ryan Truong 09S, Danny Long 09T, Owen Jiang 08F, Xaviell Wang 08M. Also, Gold in the NSWSFL Sabre Team Premiership U19 - Ethan (F) Li 12F, Jio Oh 11F, Ryan Zhao 10E, Oliver Xie 11R. Congratulations to Kenzie Yuan 11S who won a Silver Medal at the NSWSFL Sabre Individual Competition the previous weekend.

Well done to Rohan Narushima as the point guard for Sydney Comets who are State Champions U18 Div 1.

Prefect Elect

Congratulations to the 2027 Prefect elects, who takeover as the Prefect group from this week. A special mention to Jun Shim, who with his brother Jin Shim (2025), become the first set of brothers to Captain the school since the Horner brothers in 1933/1934.

School Captain: Jun Shim
Vice Captain: Lucas Chen
Senior Prefect: Charlie Cheshire

CARO Charlie, CHAI Ryan, CHEN Lucas, CHESHIRE Charlie, DAVE Om, FAULDER Stephen, FINN Sebastian, FLOCARD Adam, GAUTAM Anay, GHOSH Aryan, HAQUE Ahyen, HE Roger, HUANG Franklin, KOTHARI Om, KUO Joshua, LUO Ricky, LY Anthony, MAHIDADIA Alay, MAI Tuyvan, MATHER Ryan, MIAO Jiekai, RETNASINGHAM Aarya, SHIM Jun, SOO-LEUI'I Jett, THIAGALINGAM Sajan, WANG Yuhai, YE Tom, ZHENG Thomas.

HighHelp – A Year 11 SRC initiative

Six months ago, a group of Year 11 students launched a web platform, HighHelp, to aid the 27' Cohort’s transition into their senior years. The platform aims to address genuine cohort needs by integrating school systems like Canvas and Clipboard with assessment schedules. The project aims to remove academic barriers by providing peer-sourced resources and feedback channels that build cohort unity and collaboration. By leveraging machine learning, HighHelp is capable of generating topic-specific mock exams with past HSC questions, demonstrating how technology can meaningfully and appropriately assist students.

Backed by unwavering guidance from teachers and feedback from classmates, HighHelp’s achievement is already evident with its 210 onboarded students. The success of collective resourcing and the variety of features further reflects the prominence of innovation and collaboration within Sydney Boys culture. Presently, as the Class of 2027 transitions into the critical Year 12 HSC period, HighHelp is exceptionally well-positioned to serve as a reliable, scalable, and continuously improving support system, empowering students to achieve their highest academic potential as a cohort.

We wish to highlight the exceptional contributions of: Lucas Chen (11T), Aryan Ghosh (11S), Franklin Huang (11M), Jasper Kim (11T), Joshua Kuo (11R), Nicklas Li (11F), Ricky Luo (11R), Jun Shim (11F).

NSW Public Schools Survey (NPSS)

The 2026 NPSS results show that Sydney Boys High continues to perform strongly across most measures, with notable improvements in teaching quality, high expectations and student wellbeing. The largest gains were in students' perceptions of high expectations, safety and support, and explicit teaching. Areas for further attention are student motivation (still 20% above the state mean), student voice (still 17% above the state mean) and perceptions of support from adults at school (still 10% above the state mean), all of which declined compared to 2025.

To address these areas, the school will work with students and the wellbeing team to better understand the factors contributing to lower levels of motivation, perceptions of adult support and student voice. Student feedback will be used to identify practical actions that can strengthen engagement, increase opportunities for student voice and ensure that every student has a meaningful connection with a trusted adult at school. The school will continue to monitor these measures closely.
George Barris
Relieving Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 23, August 07 2026

2026-08-07T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

High Talent

Congratulations to Ian Huang (10T) who was invited to compete in the second round of the Junior Science Olympiad. At the Australian All Schools Volleyball Championships Joshua Chen (10E) was selected for the Australian U16 volleyball team – a great achievement! There were some strong fencing results from last Saturday. U19 Sabre - Ethan Li (12F) gold, Ryan Zhao (10E) and Oliver Xie (11R) bronze eq. In Under 16, Henry Yang (10T) earned a bronze. In U14 – Cam Traynor (8T) gold, Harold Jiang (9M) and Conan Li (8S) bronze eq. At the final NSWSFL Foil Teams Competition for the season, our U14 ‘A’ team – Morgan Yao (9E), Tony Zhou (9F) and Yuwei Chen (8T) won a bronze medal.

Prefect Elections

This week the ballot list for School Prefects was finalised after a previous Executive meeting discussed the qualifications of candidates. Some were vetoed due to not meeting the academic standard. For others, it was a lack of Student Awards Scheme points. For yet others, the issue was attendance or disciplinary matters. The rejected students who believed they had a case for reinstatement participated in the Appeals Process – involving the Principal. The final list of eligible candidates was published, along with their one paragraph election ‘manifestos’. The Prefect Election Ballot was held during this week for those allowed to put their names forward. The ballot closes on Friday. Results will be announced next week.

Education Week – what are we trying to achieve?

At High, we have reframed the moral commitment ‘to prepare young people for rewarding lives as engaged citizens in a complex and dynamic society’ in terms of enlargement of the individual.

We theorise that enlargement in the school’s IPEC model of educational practice. We seek to expand the IQ, PQ, EQ and CQ of every student. Our premise is that these intelligences are separate but often correlated abilities and that they develop with age. The four intelligences – intellectual ability, physical development, emotional intelligence and cultural awareness – are enlarged through challenging curriculum offerings, competitive sports participation and physical awareness, co-curricular and cooperative activities designed to maximise collaborative engagement with others, and interaction with communities around us, first at the level of the school and then with the local community and beyond. Nurturing the pursuit of excellence in a wide range of endeavours is our goal. In addition, to be at the forefront of educational practice, we need to contribute to the world as scholars, sportsmen, educators and leaders. We try to make every week at High, Education Week, by loading our calendar with activities and opportunities for students and staff as well as involving our wider school community.

Financial Responsibility and Accountability

Public Education expenditures are coming under increasing scrutiny. In response, financial oversight is becoming stronger. The Secretary changed some protocols this week, along with an exhortation for all financial managers ‘to be considered and disciplined in our spending, to maximise the educational benefits to our students’. The number of Pcards that we have issued has grown significantly in recent years. All transactions will now be limited to $10,000. Thereafter, the Director, Educational Leadership will need to approve expenditures. It will be necessary for us to manage our larger payments via purchase orders or Director approval. It is a code of conduct violation to split invoices to work around this limit.

As a policy imperative we need to ask ourselves, ‘Is this expenditure necessary to promote student wellbeing or learning?’ There is a culture of buying things late in the year in order to expend the entirety of a budget allocation. The implication is that if some of the budget remains unspent, the quantum will be lowered for the next year. This is not how budget allocations are decided. We allocate on the basis of need but do not punish financial managers because they overspent their budgets. Towards the end of Term 4, the school will impose a blanket ban on Pcard purchases without permission from the Principal. The rationale is, how can this expenditure benefit current students in this calendar year? We all will have to be a little more careful and frugal in our efforts to provide for our students. It is time to ‘trim the fat’.

Volunteer of the Year

As seen in the High Notes last week, Grace Guan received the Public-School Volunteer of the Year Award. She received this award from the Secretary of the Department of Education, Murat Dizdar, on Monday August 3, 2026, at Town Hall.
Dr K A Jaggar
Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 22, July 31 2026

2026-07-31T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

High Talent

Grace Guan has been honoured with the 2026 Public School Parent and Volunteer Award. The Public Education Awards officially launches Public Education Week and celebrates the remarkable achievements of students, staff, parents, volunteers and schools across the NSW public education system. Through close collaboration with the P&C, school staff, executive and fellow parent volunteers, Grace has helped strengthen canteen services that support student wellbeing, community participation and an inclusive school environment for six years. Since 2022, she has volunteered 142 days of service, while also taking on the substantial responsibility of coordinating volunteers and supporting canteen operations as Canteen Volunteer Coordinator. In addition, she has supported Open Days, Orientation Days and Graduation Ceremonies, and contributed to both the Basketball and Rugby Sub committees, including coordinating basketball canteen activities and helping organise the annual Basketball Dinner. She is certainly a very worthy recipient of this award.

Our High Volleyball team was successful in the CHS Knockout Competition last week, defeating Chatswood High School to regain the state title that we like to think is one we can win each year. Roger He was judged Most Valuable Player of the tournament. The High team comprised: Athithan Mayuran 12F (Captain), Luke Liu 12F, Axel Lam 11E, Adam Flocard 11E, Anthony Ly 11E, Aaron Jin 11R, Roger He 11E, Ethan Huynh 11M, Ethan Yu 11F, Kevin Bui 11R, Rihu Kim 11M, Kevin Lin 10S and Isaiah Goh 10E. Our congratulations are extended to these boys, along with their coach, David Zhou, and team Manager, Wesley Beare. Well done, indeed!

Our Target Rifle Shooting Team was runner-up in each of the GPS matches contested last week – Rawson Cup, NRA Shield and Buchanan Shield. The boys shot very well, with scores in some matches that would have won in most years. This year, SGS set a record in second grade and beat High narrowly in each of the three first grade matches held at Hornsby Rifle Range. Lachlan Yuen was selected in the Combined GPS team – a significant achievement. The boys shot well – very consistent, disciplined, supportive and methodical. They brought honour to our school in their team demeanour, sportsmanship and results. Our second-grade boys set a new school record of 525.24/560. First Grade: Tristan Dean (Captain), Lachlan Yuen (Vice-Captain), Felix McAllan-Yem, Om Kothari, Muhammad Zeeshan, Matthew Ryder and Jensen Wang. Second Grade: Anderson Lee (Captain), Marcus Zhu (Vice-Captain), James Diao, Avneet Singh, Lance Denigan, Owen Trinh, Ethan Trinh and Sidney Bi. Congratulations to Mr Terry Fong for his success in his first year as MIC of Rifle Shooting and thank you to our multiple long-term coaches and volunteer Old Boys.

Congratulations to our latest Duke of Edinburgh Awardees: gold - Oliver Boije (12M), bronze – Jason Kwok (10S), Tenzin Lama (10F) and Daniel Qian (10M).

Mobile Phone Policy

At our Staff Development Day, we renewed our SBHS Mobile Phone Policy, because staff were concerned at the number of recorded breaches of the protocols by students. DOE Policy is that the use of mobile phones is banned in NSW Public Schools. Students and parents need to know and respect these restrictions on mobile phone use. Our School Policy states that students may carry mobile phones, but they must be ‘off and away’ (in school bags) during our school day, usually 0850-1510. Our response to breaches by students has four phases.

First breach – negative incident recorded in Sentral and teacher detention. Second breach – negative incident recorded in Sentral and Head Teacher detention. Third breach – negative incident on Sentral and Deputy Principal detention and student completes Reflection and Agreement - Breach of Mobile Phone Policy on school grounds. Fourth breach, Negative incident recorded in Sentral and referred to Deputy Principal who issues an Intention to Suspend letter and contacts the students’ parents. This policy is quite lenient on the face of it, but if a student has four breaches in one or two days, our response will be escalated to the Intention to Suspend level, because incidents are cumulative in effect.

Public Education Week- August 3 – 7

The Public Education Week 2026 launch video is a celebration of Public Education during this first week in August every year. This year’s theme is Inspiring Excellence – a concept at the core of the ethos at High. During next week we should take time to promote the achievements of public education, particularly its positive impact on so many lives. We expend many resources, human, physical and financial, endeavouring to inspire excellence in our boys, supported by our heavily engaged parents and dedicated Old Boys. The High diaspora can be justly proud of the outcomes.

Valé Steve Ashcroft

The High tennis community was saddened by the sudden passing of veteran tennis professional Steve Ashcroft. Steve was licensee of the nearby tennis courts on Cleveland St. for many years. Our students still play tennis there on weekdays and Saturday mornings, but there is now a new licensee. Not only was Steve a very good coach, but also a strong supporter of public education. Often, he would fail to send an invoice for the hire of the tennis courts for our summer program – a considerable saving for us. He just loved tennis and coaching people a lot more than he loved money – a rare and admirable characteristic. He was still coaching casually with David Deep on the school courts until his passing. A good man gone.
Dr K A Jaggar
Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 21, July 24 2026

2026-07-24T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

Welcome back to Term 3

Welcome back to Term 3 – a term when we reach out to parents with parent teacher nights and information evenings. Students in transition from Year 8 to 9, 9 to 10 and 10 to 11, need to be informed about how curriculum will be delivered for 2027 and what their options might be. It is a time for Year 12 to prepare and test themselves at the Trial HSC. During Term 3, winter sport culminates in finals for rifle shooting, cross country and fencing and final fixtures for football, volleyball and rugby. The Regional CHS athletics competition is held. Students make transitions to summer sport and GPS athletics competition. In late September we finalise elective preferences and farewell the Class of 2026.

Staff Changes

We welcome Ms Henny Shah who will be filling in for Ms Kety Manolios in Science. I will be on leave from August 10 until the end of term.

High Talent

Congratulations to all our fencers who competed in the Australian Schools Senior Fencing Championships in Melbourne during the holidays. Our senior foil team (Benjamin Dang 12R, Tom Ye 11T, Lyndon Chow 12E and Xavier Xie 9T) won silver. Our senior epee team secured the gold medal - Ben Wu 12F, Daniel Zhu 11R, Oscar Lee 10M and Lucas Wang 12 R). Our senior Sabre team won gold – (Ethan Li 12F, Oliver Xie11R, Jio Oh 11F, and Ryan Zhao 10E) and silver (Kevin Yin 10T, Kenzie Yuan 11S, Justin Lee 9M, and Henry Yang 10T). In individual events, Ethan Li and Oliver Xie earned equal bronze in sabre. In the senior epee competition, Benjamin Wu won equal bronze and was awarded the inaugural Matthew Baker Fencing Prize for 2026, by the school.

Good luck to all our Year 11 and 12 Olympiad Competitors in Science who are sitting examinations next week - physics on Monday (13 entrants), biology on Tuesday with 4 and chemistry on Thursday with 11. These are prestigious competitions in which being invited to compete is a worthy academic achievement.

Well done to the boys in the Full-Bore Rifle Shooting Team who had a clean sweep (1st, 2nd and 3rd) in the Fiona Reynolds Memorial All Schools Target Rifle Shooting Competition Teams event last weekend. Individual aggregate results – Lachlan Yuen 3rd, Ethan Trinh 4th, Tristan Dean 5th.

It is great to receive positive feedback about our volunteer student parking attendants! One customer emailed me… ‘I am writing to you to commend the students and staff member who were manning the entry of the car park last Friday night, July 17, at around 6:50pm. As the Sydney Swans and Sydney Roosters were playing that night, you can only imagine the traffic chaos, with cars banked up Cleveland Street. When our car finally arrived at the car park entry, your students and staff member were so calm and well-mannered and "on top of matters", despite the realistic pressures. Your students and teachers should be commended on how well they manage the processes and procedures of the car park- on such busy nights... ‘Congratulations to all involved!

Staff Development Day

We started off the term with a deep dive into Artificial Intelligence. Led by Mr Jeremy Ohlback and Mr Brett Jackson, the school has developed a Generative AI Policy. The rationale for a school policy and the details about the policy, were discussed in an extended, varied, clear and well-received presentation by Mr Jackson. AI tools are of variable quality. The school endorses the use of NSWEduChat by staff and students. A list of permissive uses and prohibitions in the policy was discussed, along with an assessment of the ethical implications of AI usage against the yardstick of our school values. The staff were recommended to employ the DOE’s 5 levels of AI use when giving instructions to students about the permitted use of Al in tasks.

These instructions are: no use of AI; editing assistance using AI; AI assistance with ideas and planning; completion of a part of the final task; full AI use to generate final content. academic integrity, accountability and monitoring, data privacy and ethics and wellbeing. This rubric is a useful tool for establishing the context of the task to be attempted. In the second session, staff understanding of AI tools and uses was deepened by a self-directed session during which two MyPL modules were completed from four options – academic integrity, accountability and monitoring, data privacy and ethics and wellbeing.
Dr K A Jaggar
Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 20, July 03 2026

2026-07-03T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

Careers Expo

Thank you to Careers Prefect, Ryan Allen, and Careers Adviser, Mr Cotton, for working with the OBU to facilitate this wonderful event on Friday June 26. With over 1000 attendees I am sure it will be repeated for years to come.

Why Exercise Matters – Especially During the Holidays

Regular exercise is important for all students.

It supports learning, wellbeing, and personal growth.

It is not just about fitness. It directly impacts how students think, feel, and perform at school.

Exercise improves cognitive function.

Memory, attention, and problem solving all benefit. These are the core skills students rely on every day.

Physical activity also supports the development of new neural pathways, strengthening learning and recall.

Students who are active are better prepared to meet academic demands.

Exercise also plays a critical role in mental health. Adolescence brings pressure. Stress, anxiety, and low mood are common. Regular physical activity helps manage these. It improves mood, reduces stress, and builds self-esteem. Students who feel better are more engaged in their learning.

There are also simple physical benefits that matter. Exercise helps regulate sleep. It gives students an outlet for energy. This leads to better focus and consistency in their work.

Just as important as exercise itself is routine. During the school term, students benefit from structure. They know when they train, when they study, and when they rest. That routine supports both their academic and personal habits. The holidays present a risk. Without structure, routines can quickly fall away. Sleep patterns shift. Activity drops. Motivation declines. Once routine is lost, it is hard to regain. The start of term becomes harder. Students often struggle to reset.

Maintaining exercise during the holidays helps protect routine. It does not need to be complex. Regular activity and consistent habits. This keeps the body active and the mind disciplined. Exercise also reinforces key life skills as it builds discipline. It teaches students to show up, even when it is difficult. These habits transfer directly to school and beyond.

Students who maintain routine over the holidays return ready and they re-engage with the schoolwork faster.

Exercise is not optional. It is a foundation. During the holidays, it becomes even more important.
George Barris
Relieving Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 19, June 26 2026

2026-06-26T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

High Talent

Well done to our U19 Epee Teams at the NSWSFL event that concluded on Saturday 20 June 2026:

Our U19 A Team came 1st with Gold, and our U19 B Team came in 2nd with Silver.

The Team Members Are:

U19 A Team: Ben Wu 12F, Hudson Cai 12M, Daniel Zhu 11R, Oscar Li 10M.
U19 B Team: Lucas Wang 12R, Jiekai Miao 11E, Andrew Gu 11E, Daxton Sor 10M.

Congratulations to the cadets on their passing out parade on Tuesday 23 June 2026. Congratulations Delbert Zou, Benjamin Dang and George Mermelas for their six years of service.

Interpreting Year 10 Reports – Semester 1

Semester 1 reports have now been issued to Year 10 boys following consultation with the Principal.

Year 10 is a key year. It is a time to test electives and begin to shape Stage 6 choices.

Some courses confirm genuine interest. Others confirm what students will not pursue.

Above all, electives should be chosen because the student enjoys the content and the work.

Parents should note that the method for calculating rank order in Year 10 has changed. High Distinctions and Credits are no longer combined into a single score. Instead, we use the individual marks provided by teachers. PDHPE is included as 30% of a two-unit subject.

This reflects its four-period structure and practical assessment in Year 10. PASS continues to be calculated in the usual way. Students who are strong in PDHPE and who elect PASS may see an advantage in their ranking.

Rank movement between Year 9 and Year 10 can be significant. There are several reasons. Students take on additional electives. These do not need to include History or Geography. Over 50 boys are also accelerating in Stage 6 courses. These are assessed against more demanding criteria. At times, students overcommit to these courses. This can impact performance in other subjects and affect overall rank and ATAR estimates. Some Stage 5 electives, such as Commerce, Robotics and Filmmaking, include elements of Stage 6 content. The Online Elective is calculated differently. As a mastery-based course, it is reported as the average of a student’s other results. This can either lift or reduce a student’s rank.

Science is delivered in modules—Chemistry, Biology and Physics. Engagement can vary across these areas. Some students are more invested in one module than another. In some cases, students disengage from subjects they do not intend to continue in Year 11. This may include electives chosen for interest but no longer valued, or courses in which engagement has declined.

When reviewing the report, please consider these factors:

Speak with your son about his three electives.
Ask how he is engaging.
Ask whether he is enjoying them.
Ask how they are informing his Stage 6 selections.
Also review his Learning Behaviours profile.

This provides a clear view of how his teachers are seeing his engagement across subjects.
George Barris
Relieving Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 18, June 19 2026

2026-06-19T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

High Talent

Well done to our first Senior TheatreSports team to make it to the semi-finals in the state-wide TSC comp that we hosted last Friday 12 June 2026:

Mac Giles, Ahyen Haque, James Carmichael, Theodore Hui.

The team played alongside the Senior team from SGHS strengthening the collaborative nature of the performing arts between both schools.

Thank you to Ms Anna Barry for arranging such a wonderful opportunity for the boys to work alongside SGHS.

Joint P+C meeting - Digital Nutrition Webinar

Thank you to the P&C for organising this valuable parent session on digital wellbeing during the joint P+C meeting on Wednesday June 10, 2026.

The Digital Nutrition webinar, by Jocelyn Brewer, emphasised that the key issue is no longer screen time, but how and why students use technology. Families are encouraged to build intentional habits rather than rely on restriction.

The session focused on three priorities:

Calm – support sleep, reduce over-stimulation, and build emotional regulation.
Connected – prioritise real relationships and time together over online interaction.
Capable – encourage independent thinking, effort and resilience, particularly in the age of AI.

Parents were encouraged to shift from control to conversation, involve students in setting expectations, and model strong technology habits.

Interpreting Year 11 Reports – Semester One

All Year 11 students will have received their reports by Friday 19 June 2026.

The first semester report is based on limited evidence. In some courses, this may reflect one or two skill areas, a small number of topics, or a single task. If a student has missed the only task, an estimate will appear.

Teacher marks are entered and processed through an ATAR predictor. Raw marks are scaled per unit.

Scaled marks are calculated per unit out of 50, with the best 12 units counting. Accuracy improves in Year 12 when only the best 10 units are counted.

Students studying external courses are assigned an average per unit across their remaining subjects.

Scaling compares a student’s performance in each course against all other students in that course and against their results across subjects.

The model aligns current data with the last three year’s HSC results at the school. It assumes that, as a cohort, performance will be broadly similar to the previous three-year period. As a result, internal ranking patterns tend to reflect eventual HSC outcomes.

Estimates can shift if students miss tasks across multiple subjects. Individual courses may perform differently from year to year; however, the ATAR predictor is generally accurate within approximately one point.

We use all 12 Preliminary units to calculate an indicative ATAR.

This provides a clearer picture of current progress and allows students to see their relative strength across subjects. It also supports informed decisions about course selection for Year 12. Students only count 10 units for the HSC. Movement from Stage 5 to Stage 6 often brings changes in rank. Courses become more demanding, and the workload increases. Extension courses are especially challenging.

Fluctuations in rank are normal. The purpose of this report is to identify strengths, highlight areas for development, and support informed decision-making.

Parents are encouraged to discuss both the learning behaviours and recommended next steps with their son. This will support stronger outcomes in Stage 6.
George Barris
Relieving Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 17, June 12 2026

2026-06-12T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

High Talent

Congratulations to Leon Park (8T) who won three gold medals at the 2026 Judo Australia National Championships on the Gold Coast.

Interpreting Semester 1 Year 7 Reports

All Year 7 boys should have seen me to receive their reports by Friday 12 June 2026.

Reports use a points scale: HD (6), D (5), C (3), PM (2), P (1), U (0).

Boys are expected to reach 30 points, or 10 credits, to meet the school standard.

Reports also include the Proficiency in Employability and Work Capabilities (PEWCC) skills, such as Problem solving and critical thinking, Evaluating, Working with others, Communicating ideas, and Creating and innovating, are also reported.

Progress in these skills is tracked across subjects and over time. Further information is available on the PEWCC reporting page.

Learning behaviours are assessed on a four-point scale: rarely, sometimes, usually, consistently. These behaviours are within a student’s control. Attention to them will improve outcomes. Teachers also provide clear next steps to guide improvement.

Year 7 is a significant transition year. To support this, class ranks are not issued in the first two reports. High-performing students are recognised on the Academic Achievement List. Families of boys in the Academic Support Group (27 points or below) will be contacted.

Support may include targeted workshops, Diary Club, meetings with the Year Adviser, referral to the School Counsellor, or, in rare cases, external support. Interventions are tailored to individual need. Unless we hear otherwise, we will proceed using our professional judgement to support your son.

Parents are encouraged to discuss the report with their son before booking Parent–Teacher interviews. Your son’s Year Adviser can provide guidance on next steps.
George Barris
Relieving Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 16, June 05 2026

2026-06-05T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

High Talent

Congratulations to the Jazz ensemble who collected first place in the Sydney Eisteddfod Jazz Band category. Thank you to Ms Suzanna Lim for continuing to support these students with such passion.

Congratulations to the Stage Band who collected first place in the Sydney Eisteddfod Premium Stage Band category. Another huge thank you to Ms Suzanna Lim for arranging the event.

Well done to the following Fencers who achieved wonderful results at the NSW Schools’ Fencing League Foil Team fixtures for U16 and U19 Foil:

U19 A Team: (Bronze) - Lyndon Chow 12E, Benjamin Dang 12R, Tom Ye 11T, Ty Traynor 11F.
U16 A Team: (Bronze) - Ian Huang 10T, Keiran Tedjasaputra 10F, Xavier Xie 09T, William Tran 10R.

In the NSWSFL Epee U14 Individual competition the following boys achieved outstanding results:

Ryan Truong 09S (Gold - 1/28)
Owen Jiang 08F (Silver - 2/28)
Danny Long 09T (Equal Bronze - T3/28).

Staffing Changes

Congratulations to Ms Hannah Jackson in receiving the substantive position of HT Sport through the merit selection process.

Interpreting Year 9 Reports – Semester 1

By Friday, 5 June, all Year 9 boys should have seen me to collect their reports. Parents should note that Year 9 has fewer compulsory subjects: English, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography and PDHPE. Students now study two electives alongside these core subjects, having completed Music, Visual Arts and Technology in Year 8.

All Stage 5 requirements for History and Geography are completed in Year 9. There is significant content to cover and a range of skills to develop. As a result, students may receive warning letters if they miss tasks required to meet these compulsory requirements.

The benchmark for Year 9 is a total of 24 points (equivalent to eight credits). Small mark differences around cut-off scores can lead to large changes in points and ranking. The addition of 30 new students to the cohort further increases movement in rankings. Some students may also rise this year if they previously underperformed in subjects they did not intend to continue. Conversely, the increased demands of Stage 5 or an unsuitable elective choice may negatively affect results, particularly for those who performed strongly in practical subjects in Year 8.

Students in Year 9 are expected to develop increasing independence. They should manage their workload, plan ahead and keep track of upcoming commitments. Parents are encouraged to check their son’s organiser—electronic or paper—to see how well he is managing his time. Weeks should be planned in advance to balance school requirements with family, social and leisure commitments.

Parents should also review their son’s learning behaviours profile and the teachers’ next-step recommendations. Strong progress relies on a consistent partnership between school and home, with clear expectations and boundaries to support focus, behaviour and achievement.
George Barris
Relieving Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 15, May 29 2026

2026-05-29T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

High Talent

Congratulations to our School Captain, Jude Ou, on his selection in the Australian Schools Debating Team. He will represent Australia at the World Schools Debating Championships in Africa. A rare achievement, indeed! Well done to Ben Wu (12F) who won gold at the NSWFL U19 Epee Individual Championships last Saturday. Great news for Jack Yong (SHS-2025) whose clay work was short-listed and selected for exhibition in the international Clay Gulgong festival in the Holtermann Museum. Congratulations to the 14 Legal Debating boys, who spent Thursday - Sunday last week competing at Harvard Model United Nations. There were nearly 500 students at the event, from all around the country and some international teams. Our students came away with a quarter of the awards, as well as the overall best delegation award. Well done to - Aarav Shah, Akshobya Kumar, Maxi Ibrahim, Charlie Cheshire, Alay Mahidadia, Vivaan Wadhwa, Om Dave, Tilak Patel, Tuyvan Mai, Aarya Retnasingham, Sharvil Pande and Hriman Joshi. All these boys are developing valuable life skills through this program. Thank you to Hazel Stephens who is a quiet achiever in legal debating and MUNA.

Interpreting Year 8 Reports Semester 1

All boys in Year 8 should now have their reports. Parents need to know that a few marks up or down near cut-off scores for Distinctions or High Distinctions can make a big difference in their son’s points’ totals. Also, these grades are sometimes calculated from only one or two snapshot assessment tasks, thus providing a narrow view of achievement. When moving from Year 7 into Year 8 students get to make a decision – one language or two? As a consequence, some boys do ten subjects as in Year 7 and others, nine. To calculate the boys’ scores, their best 9 subject outcomes are counted (27 points at credit level). So, boys doing more subjects may have an advantage. Conversely, they may be disadvantaged by having more subjects to master. Language choice can affect ranking outcomes. For example, some boys chose Chinese Advanced. Some chose Latin, others chose Latin and Classical Greek. These are demanding subjects. Getting Distinctions in these subjects is harder – fewer students do them, too. Boys not doing two languages have to have their PE results counted.

Sometimes boys in Year 8 start to think about what electives they might do in Year 9 and what the compulsory subjects there are. These projected future choices might affect their motivation to succeed in some of the compulsory subjects that they are doing currently. Because of the semesterisation of history and geography, students who perform much better in one of these disciplines more than the other can produce big swings in points earned at the half yearly or yearly report. Quite a few boys who have done well in their Yearly Report in Year 7, take their foot off the accelerator and coast through semester one, with effects on their ranking. Often, they get back on track by the time of the Yearly Report again. In short, there are many reasons for big swings in rank. I think that greater than +/- 20% of the cohort (36+) positions of swing means that something has altered. Their biggest issue usually is distraction, due to gaming, unrestricted device use, social media immersion or other myriad teenage activities.

Often, big positive or negative fluctuations are due to changes in learning behaviours: boys listening in class, acting on teacher feedback, being organised and managing their commitments, taking good notes, doing homework, accessing past papers and revising before assessment periods. Alternatively, if they stop doing these things, their results may decline. Circumstances in their domestic life may affect their learning concentration or motivation and result in big swings in the rank order also. Despite the shortcomings identified, our stable statistical expectations over more than two decades provide a fairly reliable overall academic profile for students and parents to consider. Also included in the reports are teacher statements about recommended next step/s for students to improve their learning. We hope parents will discuss these suggestions with their sons and encourage them to implement them.

Student Leave Requests – Reminder

There is a Department of Education and school policy on Student Leave of Absence – Extended Leave Travel requests. This applies to leave that is five school days or more in duration. Parents are reminded that as a matter of policy leave may not be processed or approved unless four weeks’ notice has been given. Also, cogent reasons for travelling during school term need to be supplied. The effect of this decision is that all leave requests that involve that last four weeks of term should have been lodged with the Principal for approval by the end of week 6, each term. If you are planning to travel during the school term you need to download, complete and submit the form for approval by the closing date.
Dr K A Jaggar
Principal

Assembly: 2026 National Day of Healing

"Good morning, I would like to begin by acknowledging the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we meet today. I pay my respects to Elders past and present. I extend that respect to any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people here with us today. This assembly falls during an important historical period for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Yesterday was National Sorry Day. It recognises the Stolen Generations. Children who were forcibly removed from their families and their culture was disrupted.

"Sorry Day asks us to acknowledge that truth and to recognise the ongoing impact of the decisions made in the past.

"Today, National Reconciliation Week begins. Today is historically important as on May 27, 1967, an important referendum occurred. One that saw a record 90.77% of voters vote "Yes" to amend the constitution regarding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, specifically to include them in the census and enable the Commonwealth to create laws for them. A moment when Australia voted to remove discrimination from the Constitution. Reconciliation week ends on another historically significant date – 3 June - as it marks the anniversary of the Mabo decision. A decision that recognised Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ rights to land. Reconciliation is about stronger relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and all other Australians. It recognises that our history includes dispossession, violence and racism. It recognises that while progress has been made, there is more to do.

"This year’s theme is All In for Reconciliation. Being all in means we do not stand by and allow reconciliation to happen without us. We commit to it, each day, in our words and in our actions. We show respect through the way we speak and behave. We deepen our understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. As a society, each of us has a responsibility to act and to contribute to meaningful change. Thank you."
George Barris
Deputy Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 14, May 22 2026

2026-05-22T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

High Talent

Well done to Arjan Walia (7E) who demonstrated his community spirit by volunteering his time during Term 1 and school holidays to assist the Kids Giving Back organization. Their work is important in helping people in necessitous circumstances with food or care packages. At the NSW Fencing Roberta Nutt Shield, Ethan Li (12F) won silver in the U19 Men’s Sabre. In U19 Men’s foil (36 competitors) Tom Ye (12E) won a bronze medal eq. Congratulations to our fencers!

Valé Nikhil Autar (SHS-2011)

This week Nikhil lost his 15-year battle with leukaemia. He was unable to sit his HSC examinations in 2011 due to the onset of this debilitating disease. He struggled manfully to live a fulfilling life, being active and original in his social wellbeing efforts. He visited High on several occasions over the years to inspire us about investing in hope, social advancement and compassion for others. He loved basketball. He was adjudged Young Australian of the Year for his community work. Despite family tragedy, he achieved his life-long goal to qualify as a doctor. He valued life intensely and lived it to the full. Our condolences are extended to his family at this very sad time.

Financial Support for School Capital and Operational Projects

I am pleased to note that despite our voluntary contributions being capped at the 2025 level, 79% of these items have been paid. I encourage all parents who can help to make these contributions to ensure our school thrives. In respect of our tax-deductible items, the response to the Sydney High Advancement Fund request has been very strong at 77%. Our co-curricular supervision and technology levies have been paid by 84% of families – an encouraging level of support. However, our tax-deductible Library Fund (Student Research and Resources) is not faring as well, with a 55% response. We have a facility to purchase textbooks and accession them into the library stock and then loan them to students on an annual basis. These loans could be soft as well as hard copy. More support before June 30 tax time would help us purchase more new texts, which are so important as we implement new syllabuses across the school in 2026 and 2027.

Governors Centre Operating Committee Meeting

At last week’s meeting of the Operating Committee of the Governors Centre, it was agreed that we should spend up to $100k to have a landscape gardener refresh the Cleveland St. garden area. It has overgrown and been hard to maintain for some time. The work will improve the public facing view of our Governors Centre. As the facility has been in use for more than five years, we need to provide for a lifecycle (sinking) fund to repair or replace equipment, especially AV. Four significant term deposits, managed by Governors Centre Ltd, are in place to meet future financial obligations to maintain the building. The Governors Centre is in heavy demand by community hirers, due to its location, flexible use possibilities and competitive hiring fee. Thank you to Lisa Jennings, who manages all the bookings and to Michael Silva for his services to our clients as the Venue Services Coordinator for hirers.

Winter Sports Assembly 2026

My address to the assembly is reprinted below.

"Good morning to parents, staff, guests and students. Welcome our special guest, Judo dual Olympian, Nathan Katz (2016 and 2020) as we celebrate students selected in our GPS teams for Football, Rugby and Cross Country, at our first Winter Sports Assembly. We congregate before the first official matches of the GPS competition each winter season, to honour our elite sportsmen and also to thank all those people who give their time to support them.

"This winter our Football program is being guided by our new MIC, Jake Rowlands (SHS-2017). We wish him the best of luck for the season. I should acknowledge the great work of Sam Higgins who brought our program back from 0 wins in 8 open teams, 8 years ago, to winning a premiership in 2024. Thank you to our coaches Peter Denyer (first grade), Bruno Pivato (second grade) and Liam Cowan (3rd grade). Thank you to our staff coaches, Matthew Hood (16As and Bs) and Richard Gifford (13As). Jake will be assisted on Saturdays by staff members Shane Jennings, Jeremy Ohlback, Lauren O’Sullivan and Joyce Wang. Thank you to them and to our committed Football Committee, particularly Gilbert Parazza (President), Nicki Dadic (Vice President), Nikos Paipetis (Secretary) and Rajesh Lucknauth (Treasurer).

"Thank you to Edison Dorahy (SHS-2019) who has taken over from Viv Paul as MIC of Rugby. We thank Viv for his service and passion for rugby. Staff supervising rugby this season are Viv Paul, Matt Cotton and Matthew Bowman. Jack Bowditch has signed up for another season as first XV coach, assisted this year by Ethan Cusick (2020) and Saxon Gerstl (2023). Nelson Cheng (SHS-2022) is our medic and trainer. Guiding the 16s are Tom Britton (SHS-2022) and Oscar Greville (SHS-20023). Kridaya Singh (SHS-2024) and Jeremy Lu (SHS-2024) have the 15s group. On 14s are Joe Britton (SHS-2024) and Quan Nguyen (SHS-2023). Our 13s beginners are mentored by Jin Shim and Naeer Nibras (SHS-2025). Thank you to our team of Old Boy coaches and to our parents serving on the Rugby Committee (Andrew Kuo, Peter and Louise Zeng, Kelland He and Yves Stenning. We are looking forward to a season of fun and camaraderie in the traditional sport in winter at High.

"Thank you again to Kurt Rich, our cross-country MIC. He is managing our large contingent of runners with the help of staff members Lena Park and Lilly Gavin. Our coaches this year are Ren-Shyan Balnave (SHS-2018), veteran Neil Song (SHS-2015), Tanish Sarathy and Aaron Chu (SHS-2025). We have seen consistent mid-table results in the cross-country program for some seasons, thanks to good coaching and dedication by our participants.

"Today, my message is about the power of self-belief in sport. Most of my experience at High has been observing individuals or teams being intimidated by their GPS opponents, making a difficult contest even harder for them. Performing at your best is hard at any time without carrying the additional burden of disrespect from opponents. I have seen many teams underperform in the pressure cooker environment of GPS sport. Just as confidence and self-belief are eroded by sledging, mistakes and misfortune, so are the chances of success in sporting contests. Of late, some teams have built an admirable collective self-confidence which becomes contagious to its members – examples are our 2024 football premiership win, the recent CHS knockout victory in cricket and the improved performances of the rowers at the Head of the River. Our 15A cricket team has won 28 consecutive matches in GPS competition. As flowers bloom in the desert after rain, so repeated success reaches a tipping point at which self-belief carries teams to even very unlikely successes. It’s about building and maintaining high expectations and confidence that you can perform the basic skills repeatedly. Above all, we are there to compete until the end.

"As we approach this winter season, we need to emphasize the skills we have and what we do competently as teams. Doing the basics right every time is a good place to start to build self-confidence and team cohesion. At training this winter, we are trying to increase the intensity of the work we do. We want to emphasize skills training in our 4 x 15 minutes model – warm up, skill 1, skill 2, game simulation. If everyone trains hard and the drills and equipment are ready in advance, one hour ought to be enough for teenage bodies to exercise. Our Head Teacher Sport, Ms Jackson, has oversight of this new training approach, across our winter sports. If boys are disciplined and committed, skill development will happen, with accompanying gains in self-belief. Strength of mind and positivity go a long way in sport. Most of all, sport should be fun, even if you are up against more skilled opponents.

"Congratulations to all boys selected in the representative teams for the 2026 season."
Dr K A Jaggar
Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 13, May 15 2026

2026-05-15T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

High Talent

Congratulations to Sharvil Pande (11S) who competed at the prestigious Rostrum State Quarter Final Public Speaking Competition. He was adjudicated as runner up – a great effort!

Staffing Changes

Thank you to everyone who is filling a higher position during my periods of extended leave, particularly George Barris, who is Relieving Principal. I hope these experiences will deepen the strength of leadership in our school. The success of any succession plan is measured by the quality of the continuity of programs, policies, processes and activities during the absence of the leader. Gaining leadership experience at the next level is also vital for professional growth as a potential leader. During the next few weeks, we plan to keep everyone in their current positions for the sake of continuity for the boys, who are always at the centre of our work. Mr Barris and I will work in parallel and share tasks.

Facilities News

There has been a great deal of work funded by DOE to upgrade our buildings – carpeting in blocks A + B and painting in the Junior Library – for which we are grateful. The P&C Association has assisted the Rifle Shooting Program with $20K to offset the rising expenses of consumables. It has also donated $78K to complete our 3-year laptop renewal program – a vital component of our blended ICT delivery system. We thank the P&C for getting behind important school projects. The ��logo has made significant investments in school facilities. The tennis courts’ surfaces have lasted well past their normal life and were re-painted during the holidays at a cost of $55K. The Foundation is also committed to our network modernisation program to be completed in the medium term (2026-2030) at a cost of $80K per year. The Foundation Board approved a donation of $455K to enable a tender to be chosen for the construction of a Multi-Purpose Sports Centre on The Flat. This is a major project expected to cost c $1,100,000. The Foundation previously donated $500K. There are always variations and overruns – e.g. the increase in the price of steel – so we are asking parents to get behind our special appeal to finish off the project by donating to The ��logo Building Fund, suggested $250 (tax deductible), before June 30. This facility is of particular importance to the 80+ table tennis families, given that there are emerging problems regarding venues being available next year to accommodate our large program. We hope to have the building ready by June 2027.

At this week’s meetings of the P&C and SBHS School Council, Mr Barris outlined the school’s policy on bullying, for which we have zero tolerance. Once the boys had a better understanding of the definition of bullying used in DOE surveys, emphasizing the repeated use of a power imbalance to inflict psychological or physical harm to another, the school survey revealed a lower incidence of perceived bullying around 18% of boys. However, the obstacle is getting boys to report bullying incidents. Fear of revenge by the bully or social ostracizing for reporting, impacts on willingness to report. Another problem is a lack of confidence that the system can actually stop the bullying. We need to talk about our response, which should address both the victim and the bully focusing on identifying the social issue and addressing it to reach an acceptable solution. We need to raise our behavioural expectations and intervene earlier and more comprehensively, whenever bullying is observed or reported.

UNSW Co-op Applications

Students should be aware of what happens to UNSW Co-op applications, considering how popular they have been at High. I haven’t got the 2025 figures but Australia-wide in 2024, 1003 applications were submitted from 277 schools but another 1,596 remained in draft form and so were never officially submitted. At High in 2024 there were 31 applications in draft and 30 were properly submitted [Takeaway –that was our best ever conversion rate. Once you begin a project, finish it!]. There were 320 interviews held for just 280 applicants. More than forty scholarships were offered. From High, there were nine interviews, with five short listed and two students received offers - Fynn Hopkins (Data Science and Decisions) as well as Justin Nguyen (Electrical or Telecommunications Engineering) [Takeaway – if you are really interested in a course, research it and put significant effort into your application because nearly every year someone from High is successful]. I do not have to process these applications until the last week in September. You need to complete your application and notify the Principal as explained by UNSW by email. Once all the applications are in, I can begin to complete the Principal’s form and upload your individual reference, once it is finalised. Please deal directly with the University and submit your application on time. You can liaise with Mr Cotton, our Carers Adviser, if you are unsure of how to complete your form.
Dr K A Jaggar
Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 12, May 08 2026

2026-05-08T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

Leadership Assembly 2026

"Staff, students, parents and Prefects of Sydney Boys High, welcome to our formal recognition of student leadership and to the investiture assembly for our 2026 School Prefects.

"I acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation as the traditional custodians of the land and waterways on which we meet. I pay my respects to Elders past and present, the keepers of culture and law. I extend that respect to any Aboriginal people with us today.

"Thank you to the many students who have served our school in leadership roles this year. The Prefects, SRC, Community Service, Peer Support, Equality, PAWS and the Wellbeing Team. You have led through service and influence. Putting your name forward takes courage. Doing the work well takes grit and time. You should be proud of what you have contributed.

"The strength of our Prefect body reflects our commitment to leadership for service. We want our most engaged and capable students to nominate as Prefect Interns. When students vote thoughtfully, we achieve a strong and diverse leadership team. Our Prefect traditions matter. They connect us to our history. At the same time, each cohort has the opportunity to build something new. Many fine Prefects have served this school. That legacy sets a high standard for those who follow. The tradition of our Prefects and Year 12 volunteering started in 2001, when then school captain Nick Armstrong became disillusioned with what was going on in other schools and changed muck up day into what is now the volunteer day. That day Nick organised a charity collection on Anzac parade and had a live cross with 2GB radio to explain how students could serve a purpose before finishing school, rather than creating havoc.

"The 2026 Senior Prefect leadership team has been active and innovative. School Captain Jude Ou, Vice‑Captain Arif Mohamed and Senior Prefect Eric Liu have strengthened ties with Sydney Girls High School through the High Stakes events. They expanded careers pathways seminars with the OBU, increased volunteering and engaged old boys to support academic progress.

"Our long‑serving Prefect MIC, Ms Rigby, continues to mentor and support generations of Prefects. She sets high standards and holds students to account. She does this with care, professionalism and commitment. She is a trusted confidant to our boys. I thank her for her dedication, her judgement and her leadership.

"To progress from Prefect Intern to School Prefect and to receive their perpetual badges today, students had to meet demanding requirements. Academic standards had to be maintained. Participation in school life was essential. Two GPS sports were required. Students had to earn a Student Awards Scheme Award in their final year. Behaviour, dress and punctuality had to be exemplary from the beginning of Year 10. Any serious disciplinary issue resulted in disqualification. These expectations are clear and non‑negotiable.

"Sydney Boys High Prefects are positive, respected and trusted leaders. They have earned their place in the history of this school. Congratulations to all students receiving their Prefect badges today. You will now sign the Prefects Register, a tradition since 1955. We thank you for your service to High and to your peers."

Year 12 Reports

All Year 12 students should now have their reports. For the first time in their schooling, students receive an ATAR estimate based on their best ten units. It is important to understand the limits of this estimate. At this stage, not all course content has been assessed. The first full examination of HSC courses occurs at the Trial HSC in August. So far this year, only a small number of topics have been completed and, in most courses, only one or two assessment tasks have been undertaken. Any prediction about final performance must therefore be treated with care.

Despite these limitations, the May report is an important indicator of possible HSC outcomes. Each year, many students improve significantly on these early estimates as they refine their study habits and preparation. However, where there is no meaningful change in approach to study and revision, early ATAR indicators tend to be broadly accurate, particularly if this year’s pattern of results aligns with that seen in previous HSC cohorts.

NSW Public School Parent Survey

Please complete the NSW public school parent survey.

https://sbhs.co/npsp

The NSW Public School Survey is a survey tool used by the Department of Education, and by extension, ��logo to gauge your experience with the school. Responses are confidential.

NSW Public School Student Survey

All students will be undertaking the student survey.

Parents can opt out of this by completing the form: https://sbhs.co/npssoo
George Barris
Relieving Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 11, May 01 2026

2026-05-01T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

High Talent

Congratulations to Maxi Ibrahim who was part of Sydney University team that recently won Gold at the Australian Youth Water Polo Championships (16 and U Male Green Division) held in Brisbane.

Study Skills

Study skills are built on habits, not intelligence. Students who make steady progress tend to have clear routines for homework, revision, and rest. The biggest challenge we see is not difficulty with content, but difficulty managing time and attention. Excessive computer gaming and unstructured screen time fragment focus and reduce the quality of study, even when total study time seems adequate.

Good study habits are predictable and planned. They involve starting work at a set time, studying in a defined space, and working in focused blocks without interruption. Late nights on games or unrestricted screen use disrupt sleep and reduce stamina the next day. Over time, this creates a cycle where students feel tired, rushed, and behind, despite being capable. Consistency matters more than intensity.

Exercise plays a critical role in learning. Regular physical activity improves concentration, sleep, and emotional regulation. Students who move daily generally study more effectively and cope better with pressure. Families can support strong study habits by setting clear limits around gaming on school nights, encouraging device‑free study blocks, and prioritising exercise as part of daily routines. Balanced students are better learners.

NSW Public School Parent Survey

Please complete the NSW public school parent survey. The NSW Public School Survey is a survey tool used by the Department of Education, and by extension, ��logo to gauge your experience with the school. Responses are confidential.

https://sbhs.co/npsp

NSW Public School Student Survey

All students will be undertaking the student survey. Parents can opt out of this by completing the form.

https://sbhs.co/npssoo

George Barris
Relieving Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 10, April 24 2026

2026-04-24T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

High Talent

Congratulations to Jad Jaber who was part of UNSW West Black team that recently won bronze at the Australian Youth Water Polo Championships (14 and U Male Green Division) held in Brisbane.

Congratulations to the following boys who completed their Bronze Duke of Ed recently:

Rhys Chen
Alexander Hwang
Ritaz Alam
Mohit Kapoor
Arnav Dixit
Yicen Shen (Yr 9)
Siddhanth Shankhla
Jason Niu
Jayden Lee
Ryan Liu

Congratulations to the following boys who completed their Silver Duke of Ed recently:

Leo Varthakavi
Wesley Hamilton
Zibo Ye

NSW Public School Parent Survey

ANZAC Day Address

"Distinguished guests, staff, and students, welcome to our ANZAC Day assembly.

"We meet today on the traditional lands of the Gadigal people. I pay my respects to Elders past and present and to any Aboriginal people with us today.

"We hold an assembly for ANZAC day because remembrance matters and it deserves time and attention. ANZAC Day is a day of reflection. A day to remember those who served, those who sacrificed, and those who never returned.

"Since 1915, Australians have served in wars, peacekeeping missions, and humanitarian operations across the world. Many paid the ultimate price. Many returned home changed by their service. All deserve our respect.

"It is also important to remember that service did not end in the past. Australians continue to serve today. Some are deployed in regions of instability. Others are preparing for conflicts that are only now emerging. They serve in a world that remains uncertain and complex. Given the current political climate, we do not know when the next armed conflict will occur, nor do we know whether we will be involved. Our armed forces must live in waiting to find out what their future looks like and where they will be stationed.

"We hold this assembly to remember what ANZAC spirit is about, it is about character. It is about how you treat others. How you respond when things are difficult. How you support those beside you, and, how you act when the right choice is not the easy one.

"In a moment, we will observe a period of silence.

"During that time, I ask you to reflect on the sacrifices made for the freedoms we enjoy. On the values that matter and on how you honour that legacy in your daily actions.

"Lest We Forget."
George Barris
Relieving Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 9, April 03 2026

2026-04-03T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

School Cross Country Carnival

Thank you to Mr Kurt Rich for organising another great carnival. It was wonderful to see so many students enjoy the outdoors and get some long distance running in before the holidays. Well done to Nestor Chan on winning the Opens Cross Country division at the school carnival.

School Holidays and Student Wellbeing

School holidays can feel very different from the school term. Routines relax and screen times often increase. For many children, especially teenagers, this can lead to sleep problems, irritability, or conflict at home. This is common and manageable.

Children do best when some structure remains. You do not need a strict schedule. Focus on a few non‑negotiables. Keep sleep and wake times reasonably consistent. Eat meals at regular times. Set clear limits for screen use, especially at night. These anchors help children regulate mood and energy.

Regular physical activity is especially important during the school holidays. Research consistently shows that when the school day structure is removed, students tend to move less and spend more time sedentary. This can affect mood, sleep, and energy levels. Daily movement supports physical health and also helps regulate behaviour and emotions. Exercise does not need to be formal or competitive. Walking, cycling, swimming, or informal sport with friends all make a difference. Encouraging regular activity during the holidays helps students return to school more settled, focused, and ready to learn.

Social Media Policy

It is against school policy for students to post any photos in school uniform on personal or non-school-affiliated social media accounts.

There are only two (2) official and approved accounts which are overseen by the IT administrator and Deputy Principals:

The ��logo Facebook AND The ��logo Instagram account.

If students wish to operate a social media account that represents ��logo in any way, they are required to complete the following steps in accordance with the School and DoE policy:

Seek approval from the Principal first.
Change the title/name of the account to include “UNOFFICIAL”.
Ensure an MIC previews posts.
Turn off comments on all posts.

George Barris
Relieving Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 8, March 27 2026

2026-03-27T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

High Talent

Congratulations to the 1st XI cricket team for winning the Davidson Shield. It is the first time in 46 years we have won this event. A truly amazing effort from our 1st XI players, coach – Billy Barge and MIC – David Smith.

Congratulations to the 1st VIII who achieved their best result in 21 years. The crew consisted of Ethan Wilkinson, Alexander Lau, Jun Shim, Andrew Gu, Max McLeod, Gabriel Zhang, Roy Zhang, Roman Samsonov and Thomas Zheng. Coached by Gordan Su and Daniel Xu.

Head of the River

The school recorded an outstanding set of results at this year’s Head of the River. The 1st VIII finished within +5.5% of the winning time, only slightly over the +5% benchmark. This confirms the crew’s competitiveness at the highest level of school rowing and reflects sustained improvement across the season with a 12 second personal best on the day.

Across the regatta, five crews defeated at least one other crew. This is also the strongest overall result in 21 years. The school entered the highest number of crews for Sydney Boys High at a Head of the River Regatta, highlighting both depth and participation in the program. Collectively, these results demonstrate the strength of the rowing program and the positive impact of long‑term development and commitment.

Award Scheme

The ��logo Student Recognition and Awards Scheme recognise students who show sustained commitment to school life. It values academic effort, co‑curricular involvement and service. The scheme is designed to encourage boys to take responsibility for their own engagement across multiple areas of the school. Students earn points in eight categories, including academics, sport, leadership and community service. Points reflect dedication over time and accumulate across a student’s school journey.

The scheme is student‑managed. Nominations are processed periodically during each school term rather than immediately after an activity concludes. Students should expect completed programs to appear in their records by the end of the relevant term. For example, summer sport points should be visible by the end of Term 1, once data has been finalised and processed. Students are expected to monitor their own records and raise any queries directly with the teacher responsible for the activity, not with the Deputy Principal who manages the Award Scheme process. Parents are asked to support students in this process but not to contact staff regarding Award Scheme points.
George Barris
Relieving Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 7, March 20 2026

2026-03-20T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

High Talent

Congratulations to our 1st XI Cricket team who chased down 90 runs in 16 overs to progress to the Final of the Davidson Shield. A big effort travelling to Dubbo and taking the win. Well done to Nehan Hossain collecting figures of 3/14.

Good luck in the final next week in Bathurst.

Jameson Vu was selected in the GPS 1st Grade Tennis team. He is only in year 9 so to be selected, a fine effort from this talented sportsman.

Rowing Assembly 2026

"Special guest, Andrew Bowey (SHS-1977), rowers of Head of the River crews, parents, students, teachers, welcome to our 2026 rowing assembly. We come together on the traditional day before the big event to honour and congratulate our crews as they prepare for their extreme test at the Head of the River regatta tomorrow.

"Rowing participation is at an all-time High. Irrespective of the racing results, lots of boys are benefitting physically, socially and emotionally from their participation in the program. Tomorrow will be the first time we compete in the 3rd VIII race, and we have the honour of hosting two boats in that race.

"Twenty-six years ago, High boated 2 VIIIs, 4 IVs and 2 Junior VIIIs at the Head of the River in 2000. Tomorrow we will have an additional two eights competing at the Head of the River. The 1st VIII placed 7th in a time of 6.16.24 (winner’s time +5.09%) and the 2nd VIII were also seventh in 6.23.15 (winner’s time +5.32%). Since that day at SIRC, the first VIII performance has only been beaten once in 2005 and the second VIII effort twice, in 2005 and 2017. For the 1st VIII to match that they will likely need a time of 6:12 or better and the 2nd VIII a time of 6:19 or better. A tough ask as the top end is higher than it ever has been before, but I know these crews will do their best to try to attain this significant PB.

"I want to congratulate all the boys who have been selected to compete for High. Set your own goals and have fun. Your season of training comes down to less than 7 minutes on the water. I wish all crews the best of luck on Saturday and hope that the eight can beat 6 minutes and 17 seconds – a barrier we have not broken through since 2016 when one of the current 1st VIII coaches Daniel Xu was coxswain. Remember to make tomorrow better than today."

Online Safety

We are aware of a rise in harmful online content aimed at boys and young men. Some of this content promotes disrespectful language and attitudes towards others.

Our expectation is clear. Students must treat others with respect and behave appropriately online and at school. Sexist or harassing behaviour is not acceptable and will be addressed in line with our behaviour and anti‑bullying procedures.

The school continues to teach respectful relationships and critical digital literacy so students can recognise misinformation and make safe choices online. We ask parents to discuss online behaviour with their sons and to contact the school if there are concerns.

Wellbeing Ambassadors

Congratulations to the wellbeing ambassadors on running the digital wellbeing day on Tuesday March 17. It is great students are sharing important messages with other students. “Scroll less. Live more. Digital balance isn’t about quitting screens: it’s about choosing your peace of mind”.
George Barris
Relieving Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 6, March 13 2026

2026-03-13T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

School Athletics Carnival

It was wonderful to see over 1050 students attend and take part in the school athletics carnival. The heat did not deter Year 12 from dressing up for the 100m race. The event was run with precision due to the careful planning of MIC Athletics Mr Kurt Rich and valuable assistance from teachers and athletics coaches. The annual Jaggar gift was a close finish, but the stagger was too much for fast finishing Nestor Chan (12R) with Wynston Lu (7R) getting the victory.

A special mention goes to Jusin Mao (9M) who broke the under 14 long jump record with a jump of 6.16m.

School Swimming Carnival

Over 1000 students participated in the school swimming carnival. Year 12 still dressed up for the 50m race with multiple heats of superheroes. The event went smoothly thanks to MIC Swimming Mr Jake Rowlands and support from teachers and coaches.

More records tumbled in the swimming carnival:

Kester Jan - 16 years 50m breaststroke - 31.96
Mark Yan - 17 Years 50m Breaststroke - 33.33
Joshua Park - 17 and Over 200IM - 2:32.68

The Duke of Edinburgh's Award

Thank you to Ms Chan for making the Duke of Ed process so clear for our students. In 2025 we had 45 students complete the bronze award and 7 complete the silver award. Over 90 have shown interest in this process in 2026.

How to Stay Safe Online

Staying safe online means being informed and setting clear boundaries. The eSafety Commissioner encourages parents to take an active role by understanding the apps and platforms young people use and by applying strong privacy and security settings. Families should agree on clear expectations about respectful and responsible online behaviour. Students should be reminded not to share personal information and to think carefully before posting or responding online. If something does not feel right, they should speak up early and seek support. Practical advice and reporting options are available through the Australian eSafety Commissioner website: https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents
George Barris
Relieving Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 5, March 06 2026

2026-03-06T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

High Talent

Congratulations to Saharsh Subramanian who made it to the All Schools U15 Merit team in the National U15 Cricket competition. He finished as 4th highest wicket taker in the competition.

Iftar Celebrations

It was a privilege to be able to observe the evening prayers and share a meal to celebrate Iftar, on Tuesday evening in the Great Hall. The High Islamic Society has been a vibrant group of students for twenty years. The Old Boys sponsor the evening’s food, and the current students serve and clean up. Thank you to Ms Luu for her coordination of the event.

A special thanks to these teachers for supporting on the night - Peter Loizou, Kerryn Ibbott, Jessica Christodoulou, Lena Park, Neill Song.

Invoices for Summer

Invoices for summer activity co‑payments have now been emailed to families whose sons participate in activities with term‑by‑term commitments. These statements cover Term 1 activities.

Although these charges appear on your statement, most activities are significantly subsidised by the school. This support comes through direct budget allocations (including voluntary contributions), MIC allowances, Saturday supervision by teachers, WHS compliance costs, access to facilities and grounds, first aid services (co‑curricular supervision levy), and parking allocation support. Co‑payments are used primarily to fund coaching. In basketball alone, more than 35 staff, students, Old Boys, coaches, parents, and volunteers contribute to delivering the program and enriching your son’s school experience.

We would appreciate prompt payment of co‑payments for your son’s summer sport and co‑curricular activities. Thank you for your continued support of the scholar‑sportsman ethos.

Social Media

Social media continues to play a major role in the lives of everyone, but it also brings serious risks when it is used in ways that exploit others or spread misinformation and inappropriate content. When students follow, like, share, or post harmful material, the impact on both students and staff is significant. It damages trust, creates unsafe environments, and goes directly against three of our core school values: integrity, respect, and compassion. If it is likely to hurt someone, don’t post about it and don’t like such material. Don’t follow accounts that are doing these types of things.

Using or distributing images of others inappropriately is not just a school issue—it is a criminal offence. People who break this law could face:

up to three years in prison
a fine of up to $11,000

Law against image-based abuse | Communities and Justice

GPS Swimming Carnival

In his second year as MIC Jake Rowlands ensured a strong team was ready for the GPS carnival.

Congratulations to the following boys who did exceptionally well:

Kester Jan – 16 Years 50 Breaststroke championship 1st place.

Ryan Chai – 16 Years 50 Backstroke championship 1st place.

Joshua Chen – 15 Years 100 Freestyle Championship 2nd place.

Ryan Xu – 15 Years 50m Backstroke Championship 3rd, 1st place in the 15 Years 50 Butterfly Division.

Daniel Choi – 16 Years 50 Breaststroke Division 1st place.

Johnathan Zhou – 18 Years 50 Breaststroke division 1st place.

These boys have all qualified for the GPS team to compete at CIS:

Ryan Chai, Kester Jan, Maksim Kireev, Joshua Chen, Ryan Xu, Robert Lei, Will Meng, Marcus Wang, Archie Pham.
George Barris
Relieving Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 4, February 27 2026

2026-02-27T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

High Talent

Jiekai Miao (11E) has been invited to sit the Australian Mathematical Olympiad examination, a very prestigious selection. We all wish him good luck!

2025 Budget Summary

Balance brought forward was $118,498. Total revenue was $19,038,613. The appropriation from DoE was $14,329,474. Total income from school and community sources was $5,518,208, including school generated revenue ($5,301,036); donations and individual contributions ($217,132); sale of goods and services ($62,708) and investment income ($28,223). Total expenses were $20,089,022, predominantly salaries and wages for staff ($16,063,210). This was an increase of $766,098 (5%). Operating expenses were ($4,025,811). This was a decrease of $597,926 (12.9%) including fees for service rendered ($174,098) and other operating expenses ($2,253,440) - teaching and learning ($263,506); property maintenance ($344,619); furniture and equipment ($219,169); and computer costs ($357,082). Deficit for the year was $150,408. The carried forward figure of - $30,910 does not include the unspent contract for ($450k), nor the building fund capital ($150k), that will be expended on the proposed Multipurpose Sports Centre.

Overall, expenses as a percentage of revenue were 101%, meaning we spent more than we earned. Salaries were again increased for teaching and support staff during the year without a budget adjustment. Our wages costs were again affected by rising oncosts (now >20%), including annual leave loading for casuals who are not entitled to receive it. We had capital infrastructure projects in the pipeline that we completed. We committed to using our carried forward buffer to preserve all our services to our boys and complete the projects. All the funds we received were spent to benefit your sons. We started 2026 with a negative balance of $255,000. We will have to cut some programs and services in 2026 to address the shortfall. We will have to increase income and reduce expenditure again to try to make sure we break even this year. We have no opex reserves. At High, the very strong reliability of our income flows from parents through donations and contributions, has allowed us to maintain an extremely high expenditure percentage for 26 years. I am counting on that great support continuing in 2026!

Foundation Grant

At the ��logo. Board meeting this week, a further grant of $300k was made towards the school’s Multi-Purpose Sports Centre. Together with the initial grant of $500k made in 2022, we have sufficient funds to build a slightly smaller version of our original concept design. The QS report is in, and we will need $951k to build the centre, payable upfront. We have $100k in the DGR 8137 Building Fund, so there is a significant shortfall still, which will have to be made from school funds. I urge all parents to get behind our capital raising tax deductible ASHSF Advancement Fund to assist us to deliver this important project this year.

Junior Awards Assembly 2026

Our new Student Awards Scheme commenced for Year 7 last year. It will take a few years before the legacy points of the previous system are absorbed. It was somewhat harder to achieve the first nominations with 30 points. However, by Year 9, participants catch up. My speech to the Junior Awards Assembly is reprinted below:

"Good morning and welcome to our Awards Assembly for the Junior School, held on Gadigal land, to whose elders past and present I pay my respects as traditional custodians of the land and waterways on which we work and play. At these assemblies it is pleasing to see so many boys being recognised. We value integrity and dedication. You have shown them in your wide participation in school life. When the Student Awards Scheme is taken up seriously by our students, we also do better academically. High participation rates in the Student Awards Scheme help both co-curricular and academic success.

"We want all Year 7 and later-enrolling students to take up the challenge to participate in school life. There are five good reasons you should participate. First, you will develop your social skills more quickly in more contexts and you will build positive relationships with more people. Second, you will learn how to manage your time better because you will be busy. Third, you will be able to explore a wide range of interests. Fourth, you will learn the value of commitment to an activity over time - ie dedication. Finally, your self-esteem and self-confidence will be lifted by your involvement with others as you grow a stronger sense of connection with High.

"The Student Awards Scheme at High evolved from a six-level system with an honour board entry for all school trophy winners, when Nathan McDonnell (SHS 2008) earned so many extra Award Scheme points that we set up a 7th level for him. The McDonnell Award then became the honour board level. Shuming Wang (SHS-2013) earned so many extra points that an 8th level was added, named after the first Principal of High, Joseph Coates. An extra honour board was added for this award in recognition of the wonderful involvement in school life demonstrated by the recipients. Beyond that level, recognition is sought for boys at a state level.

"How the scheme works is if you earn 30 points within a category (there are seven categories) then you are awarded a nomination for that category. If you achieve three nominations, you will receive a Bronze Award. Eight nominations earn a Silver Award and 13 nominations, a Gold Award. It is possible to earn a maximum of two nominations in one category in any one year. This restriction preserves some breadth of participation in the Awards Scheme. The administration of the scheme is electronic, with a running tally of points being kept for every student. For any discrepancies discovered with a student’s individual tally, the student must contact the teacher in charge of the program. The closing date for adjustments to be made to a student’s tally is by Friday Week 9 of Term 4 in the corresponding calendar year. No retrospective points can be allocated once a calendar year concludes.

"Last year, students in Years 7 & 8 were awarded 118 bronze medallions (2024 -138) (2023-153); 42 silver (2024-43) (2023 - 54) and 7 gold (2024 -7) (2023 -11); and 1 platinum – making 221* awards in all - (2024 -181) (2023 - 217). [*New scheme]

"I want to thank each student receiving an award today. You showed by your broad participation in school life that you understand our driving purpose here – to enlarge ourselves as people, in our IQs, PQs EQs, CQs - as citizens, caring about other people and collaborating or cooperating with them. The Student Awards Scheme helps to develop character (strong mental and moral qualities). Above all, let’s show respect for one another as individual people. Our goals are collegial as well as individual. We want you to be dedicated students and participants. We hope you will show compassion through school or community service or just helping out a friend. Get involved this year for the first time or stay committed to the Scheme if you are in it. Show integrity by sticking with your activity. If you do, you will feel a greater sense of belonging to the school; and you will also understand better what we mean when we say, that we have High spirit."
Dr K A Jaggar
Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 3, February 20 2026

2026-02-20T00:00:00Z

From the Principal

High Talent

Anosh Sivashanmukurajah (SHS-2008) was awarded the Royal College of Physicians Trainee of the Year Award, for an extraordinary contribution to the RACP. Only one trainee is picked from Australia and NZ annually for this award. Congratulations, Anosh. Jameson Vu (9T) is competing at the CHSSA tennis championships next week. Good luck Jameson! Well done to Leon Park (8T) who won a silver medal at the Judo Canberra International U15 U73kg class.

Staff changes

Regrettably, Mr Kay is unwell and will require treatment for leukemia for several months. He is looking forward to his return when he recovers. I will be on leave from March 3 until May 8. Mr Barris will be relieving Principal. Ms Luu will be relieving Deputy Principal for Years 8,10 and 12. Mr Ohlback will be relieving as Head Teacher, Teaching and Learning.

Presentation Night 2026

Guest speaker, Professor Ron Trent, spoke about changes in academic directions and in working life and how these applied to his own history as well as to his son Tim – an Old Boy. He outlined how resilience can be developed and applied throughout a career and how sometimes the long and more difficult path may lead to greater personal and professional satisfaction along the way. He stressed that above all, a happy family life is anyone’s crowning achievement. My speech is reprinted below:

"Special guest, Professor Ron Trent and Dr Pit Trent, Ms Angela Lyris OAM, Director of Educational Leadership, Department of Education, Ms Rachel Powell, Principal SGHS, Mr Richard Luxford, General Manager of ��logo, Ms Jocelyn Yem (President SBHS P & C), Mr Jacob Ezrakhovich (President of SHSOBU), Life Governors - Mr Geoff Andrews, Mr Dennis and Mrs Linda Briggs, Lieutenant Sunny Liu, OC Sydney High Cadet Unit, Ms Virginia Flint and Ms Lisa Deroux, representing Sir Roden and Lady Cutler Foundation, guest presenters Mr Peter Kampfner, Ms Megan Morgan and Richard Halliday, Old Boys, staff, parents and prize winners – thank you all for joining us for this evening of celebration of student achievement at High.

"DP Jamie Kay’s two-week timetable was well received in 2025 and contributed to teachers being able to finish teaching their HSC courses comfortably. I think this extra time flowed into improved English and mathematics results at the HSC. The afternoon assembly roster worked well on Tuesdays. The built-in free period for lectures or meetings via a booking system, proved useful also. We are now in our final year of the teacher laptop renewal program, funded by the P & C, to whom we extend our heartfelt thanks.

"My thanks go to John Prorellis, Jim Crampton and Daniel Xu for the great planning and execution of our major works around the school in 2025. Finally, The Cooler Classrooms project has been completed and signed off. The re-roofing and internal and external painting of B-block (The Killip Wing) was a major investment by DOE, for which we are grateful. New furniture, wired up for desktop use, was installed in the Junior Library. We have a design for the new Table Tennis Centre next to the COLA. Shortly we will have a QS report and a price estimate for two options.

"In our last year of focusing on sentence conscious pedagogy, ‘closer reading, clearer writing,’ we made another big investment in literacy workshops, pull-out programs and remedial software. The language of our pedagogy is more consistent across faculties. We have developed materials and have strategies in place, reflected in our program modifications for all Years 7-10. Wellio software was deployed to Values Education classes, with some positive engagement by students. We are pivoting towards reading with more explicit teaching of super six reading strategies to be written into our programs for students 7-10. This year we have an external validation process.

"Our overall HSC results for 2025 were impressive. High was ranked 6th in the League Tables. High boys earned 649 band 6/E4s which was our highest number since 2017. The ATAR average for 2025 was 93.64 (SD 7.88) calculated for 208. The students who enrolled in 2020 earned a mean ATAR of 94.04. The later-enrolling students earned 91.89. 47 students scored 99 or higher - our best result since 2015; 80 earned ATARs between 95 and 98.95 – our equal highest number since 2015; 82.13% scored 90 or above – our best result since 2015. In terms of Band 5 and 6 percentages per course, 5 courses were at 100%, 8 at 95 to 99%, 5 at 90 to 94% and 12 below 90%. Our 2025 course means compared to 2024 – 15 increased and 8 decreased, and one was the same. When comparing High with a Statistically Similar School Group of selective schools, 18 courses were above the SSSG mean and 8 below. Our average school course mean was 89.16 (2024-88.49), compared to the SSSG of 87.60 (2024-87.09).

"Individual HSC results - top 10 in a course – Brendan Woo (Classical Greek 2nd, English Advanced 15th); Andrew Pye (Software Engineering -2nd); Xavier Perry (Mathematics Extension 2 – 4th); Arnav Agrawal (Mathematics Advanced-6th); Arin Bhargava (Business Studies 9th) and Liwen Deng (Geography – 9th). Musical performances nominated for possible selection in ENCORE: Jerry Chen, Liam Grreacen, Jacob Jim, Ryan Kirkland, Oscar Kuo, Kevin Liu, Andrew Yao and Jason Yu. For composition: Marley Masya and Vincent Wang. James McLoughlin had his major work in English Extension 2 nominated for inclusion in HSC Young Writer’s Showcase – a first at High in my time! Boris Zhang had his work nominated and selected for exhibition in ARTEXPRESS. Jerry Du had his flute and piano Sonatina nominated and selected for performance at ENCORE. Congratulations to all these highly talented students!

"Our boys won a GPS Premiership in Second Grade Volleyball. Axel Lam (C), Branson Chan, Kevin Bui, Ethan Yu, Isaiah Goh, Ethan Huynh, Anthony Ly, Eugene Cho, Ariz Mahmud, Kevin Lin, Kirby Li and coach Edward Ly, brought home The Trinh Loi Shield. Since 2006, High has missed out only twice on securing the GPS second grade premiership – an impressive demonstration of depth in the sport managed by Michael Kay. One student represented at international level. Three individuals and three teams competed at state level. A selection of significant individual and team achievements for 2025 is presented for you to peruse at the end of your program.

"In conclusion, I want to make you aware of the re-making of the geopolitical structure that you will work in. The era of Pax America, dominated by internationalism, free trade, a liberal world order and US nuclear supremacy, was forged between 1945 and 1990, flourished between 1991 and 2010 after the US victory in the Cold War, and has eroded since then, due to the rapid rise of China, the complacency of Europe, asleep under the USA’s nuclear umbrella, and the gradual dominance of nationalism over internationalism. Revivalist strongmen rule USA, Russia, China, Turkey and India – emphasising uniqueness, cultural exceptionalism and the once and future greatness of their nations. Instead of liberal internationalism and free trade, we see nationalism and weaponised trade, using the supply of oil, rare earth magnets, even lobster, red wine or barley, to coerce trading partners. We need to manufacture more at home, reshore critical industries, build our renewable energy capacity and pursue middle power trading alliances. There will be much for your generation to do to lift our productivity as a nation.

"Good luck to you all and stay connected. It has been my great honour and privilege to serve you as your principal."
Dr K A Jaggar
Principal

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High Notes, Vol 27 No 32, October 23 2026

From the Principal

High Talent

Policy on Misogynistic/Sexist Behaviour

Multipurpose Sports Centre

Upcoming events

High Notes, Vol 27 No 31, October 16 2026

From the Principal

Welcome back to Term 4

Staff Changes for Term 4

High Talent

Foundation Day Assembly 2026

High Notes, Vol 27 No 30, September 25 2026

From the Principal

High Talent

Year 12 Farewell

GPS Athletics Carnival

Department of Education New Screen Guidelines from 2027

High Notes, Vol 27 No 29, September 18 2026

From the Principal

Open Day

Interpreting Semester 2 Year 12 Reports

High Notes, Vol 27 No 28, September 11 2026

From the Principal

High Talent

External Validation

High Notes, Vol 27 No 27, September 04 2026

From the Principal

High Talent

AI Policy

Students

Enrolment 2027

High Notes, Vol 27 No 26, August 28 2026

From the Principal

High Talent

Athletics Season and Summer Trials

Multipurpose Centre

High Notes, Vol 27 No 25, August 21 2026

From the Principal

High Talent

NAPLAN 2026

Social Media Ban

Device Use for Junior Students

High Notes, Vol 27 No 24, August 14 2026

From the Principal

High Talent

Prefect Elect

HighHelp – A Year 11 SRC initiative

NSW Public Schools Survey (NPSS)

High Notes, Vol 27 No 23, August 07 2026

From the Principal

High Talent

Prefect Elections

Education Week – what are we trying to achieve?

Financial Responsibility and Accountability

Volunteer of the Year

High Notes, Vol 27 No 22, July 31 2026

From the Principal

High Talent

Mobile Phone Policy

Public Education Week- August 3 – 7

Valé Steve Ashcroft

High Notes, Vol 27 No 21, July 24 2026

From the Principal

Welcome back to Term 3

Staff Changes

High Talent

Staff Development Day

High Notes, Vol 27 No 20, July 03 2026

From the Principal

Careers Expo

Why Exercise Matters – Especially During the Holidays

High Notes, Vol 27 No 19, June 26 2026

From the Principal

High Talent

Interpreting Year 10 Reports – Semester 1

High Notes, Vol 27 No 18, June 19 2026

From the Principal

High Talent

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