Merewether High School

Merewether High School
Location
130 Chatham Street, Broadmeadow, New South Wales Australia
Coordinates	32°55′47″S 151°44′7″E
Information
Type	Government-funded co-educational academically selective secondary day school
Motto	Latin: Scientia ac Labore
Established	1977; 48 years ago (1977)[1]
Educational authority	New South Wales Department of Education
Principal	Rochelle Dooley[2]
Teaching staff	70 FTE (2020)[3]
Grades	Year 7–12
Enrolment	1,071[3] (2020)
Campus	Urban
Houses	Baartz   Jensen   Norris   Richards
Colour(s)	Navy blue and sky blue
Website	merewether-h.schools.nsw.gov.au
[4]

Merewether High School (abbreviated as MHS) is a government-funded co-educational academically selective secondary day school, located in the suburb of Broadmeadow in the city of Newcastle, Australia. It was established in 1977 following the merger of Newcastle Technical High School and Cooks Hill Girls High School. The school is named in honour of Edward Merewether, a prominent businessman and civil servant in the Colony of New South Wales who later became the Superintendent of the Australian Agricultural Company in Newcastle.

The school enrolled approximately 1,070 students in 2020, from Year 7 to Year 12, of whom two percent identified as Indigenous Australians and 25 percent were from a language background other than English.^[3] The school caters for students from a wide area within the Greater Hunter Region.^[5] The school is operated by the NSW Department of Education; the principal is Rochelle Dooley.^[6][7]

Merewether High students have consistently achieved some of the highest results in the Higher School Certificate, outperforming other schools in the Greater Hunter Region^{[citation needed]}, with many students achieving state rankings in select courses.

History

The suburb of Merewether is named after Edward Merewether, who began his working life in Australia as aide-de-camp to three Governors of New South Wales between 1842 and 1861. He was appointed Superintendent of the Australian Agricultural Company in Newcastle in 1861 and became a significant landowner and local benefactor. The school's E.C. Merewether Award for Creative Endeavour and the shield, which adorns the school's front foyer, were inaugurated in honour of Merewether.^{[citation needed]}

From 1952 until 1976, the site, enclosed by School Street, Awaba Street, Chatham Street, Pokolbin Street and Melville Road, was occupied by Newcastle Technical High School. The school included an industrial arts block (now the covered outdoor learning area (COLA)), K Block (the library), two bike sheds (since removed) and a canteen (since pulled down and a new canteen built in its place). L Block was added in the 1960s.^{[citation needed]}

The school merged with Cooks Hill Girls High School in 1976 to form a comprehensive co-educational high school, which drew students from the suburbs of Carrington, Wickham, Hamilton and Merewether. A building programme commenced just before the merger, with new blocks (A–D) being constructed, and blocks F–G being added later. The final principals of both schools are memorialised in the naming of the Bensley Hall and the Foley Library on the present campus.^{[citation needed]}

Since 1989, enrolment is determined by an academic selection process. The school has a planned capacity of 1,080 students (180 from each year from 7–12). It first reached its enrolment capacity across all years in 2005.^{[citation needed]}

Many buildings sustained severe damage in the 1989 earthquake, but were repaired thereafter. Another more recent event that affected the school was the floods of June 2007, which toppled trees and required the replacement of carpets in some blocks' lower floors, including K Block and the Foley Library.^{[citation needed]}

In 2020, asbestos was found in the roof cavity of K Block, necessitating air monitoring and ceiling encapsulation works. The inspection of the building found that the asbestos levels were below detectability, allowing classrooms to remain in use.^[8]

Selective high school

As an academically selective high school, Merewether High School takes enrolments through a statewide process. In the final year of primary school, students are assessed and enrolled by the school on the basis of their achievement across the curriculum and on the Selective Schools Placement Test.^[9] Only 180 places are offered for Year 7 students, with the minimum score required for admission in 2015 being 180.^[10] After the beginning of Year 7, students are placed into the selective classes by the college on a student-by-student basis.^[11]

Extra-curricular activities

Merewether High School offers many extracurricular clubs and activities to its students, many of them musical ensembles, including: string ensemble, percussion ensemble, orchestra, jazz band, concert band, saxophone quartet, flute quartet, clarinet quartet, vocal ensemble and guitar ensemble,^[12][13] formerly facilitated by the honourable Brian Saxby BMus. Other activities and clubs at the school include a chess club, art club, and robotics club.

Merewether High School has participated in Odyssey of the Mind since at least 1992 and have had many successes in this pursuit, including a team of Year 9 students winning the Ranatra Fusca Creativity Award in 2008.^[14]

The school has many various sporting teams including: cricket, association football, basketball (The Weathers), rugby union (Merewether Moos), rugby league, Australian rules football, hockey, netball, volleyball, rowing, aerobics team, water polo, tennis, table tennis softball and baseball.^[15]

Merewether High School regularly participates in the World's Greatest Shave, with several staff and students shaving their hair to raise money for leukaemia research. In 2021, the school raised over $78,000.^[16] In 2022, the school was able to raise over $100,000, the most of any school in Australia.^[17]

Merewether High School was one of the schools that competed on the Network 10 programme Shaun Micallef's Brain Eisteddfod.^[18]

Notable alumni

• Tim Ambrose, former cricket player^[19]
• Manu Bennett, actor^[20]
• Chris Brown, veterinarian and television presenter^[21]
• Sarah Halvorsen, Australian rules football player^[22]
• Gordon Hamilton, director of The Australian Voices^[23]
• Erin James, actress^[24]
• Iain Jensen, professional sailor^[22]
• Harry Johnson-Holmes, rugby union player^[22]
• Sarah Kendall, stand up comedian and actress^[25]
• Justin Norris, butterfly and individual medley swimmer, bronze medal in the 200m butterfly at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and YouTuber^[22]
• Nathan Power, water polo player^[22]
• Anna Rose, environmental activist^[26]

See also

• List of Government schools in New South Wales
• List of selective high schools in New South Wales

References

1. Barcan, Alan (2007). "Comprehensive Secondary Schools in Australia: a View trom Newcastle, New South Wales" (PDF). Education Research and Perspectives, Vol. 34, No.1, 2007. p. 157. Retrieved 7 November 2014. Newcastle Girls' High and Hunter Girls' High merged in January 1976 as Newcastle High School. A year later Newcastle Boys' High merged with Wickham Girls' High to become Waratah High, while Newcastle Technical High merged with Cooks Hill Girls' High to become Merewether High School.
2. "Key Staff Roles - Merewether High School". merewether-h.schools.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
3. "Merewether High School, Broadmeadow, NSW: School profile". My School. Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
4. "Merewether High School". School Locator. NSW Public Schools. Retrieved 21 February 2008.
5. "Our School". Merewether High School. Archived from the original on 28 September 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
6. Branley, Alison (14 March 2009). "Entry easier at Merewether selective school". Newcastle Herald. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
7. "Key Staff Roles – Merewether High School". merewether-h.schools.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
8. Kelly, Matthew (10 September 2020). "Friable asbestos found in Merewether High School roof cavity". Newcastle Herald. ProQuest 2440995650. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
9. "Selective High Schools and Opportunity Classes - Some Facts" (PDF). Retrieved 26 May 2011.
10. Gregory, Helen (27 May 2015). "High school's high bar: Merewether entry score exclusive". Newcastle Herald. No. 16. ProQuest 1683276853. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
11. "Selective High Schools Years 8-12 Placement". Archived from the original on 27 October 2009. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
12. MHS - The Annual Record: Vision 2019. Newcastle: Merewether High School. 2019. pp. 62–63.
13. "Merewether High School - Creative Arts". Retrieved 19 February 2022.
14. "Odyssey Of the mind". Archives of the NSW Legislative Council. 6 May 1992. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
15. MHS - The Annual Record: Vision 2019. Newcastle: Merewether High School. 2019. pp. 72–83.
16. "Merewether High School 2021". Retrieved 15 September 2021.
17. Hamilton, Ethan (24 March 2022). "Merewether High students have raised over $100,000 for the World's Greatest Shave". The Singleton Argus. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
18. "Students play for laughs and learning on new TV show". State of New South Wales (Department of Education). 19 July 2022. Archived from the original on 26 July 2022. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
19. Dillon, Robert (22 June 2007). "Warne helps Ambrose to fulfil dream". Newcastle Herald. Australian Community Media. p. 66. ProQuest 365323196. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
20. Proudman, Dan (20 September 2015). "Newcastle-raised actor, Manu Bennett charged in Texas with assault". Newcastle Herald. Australian Community Media. ProQuest 1714084913. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
21. Lazarevic, Jade (10 July 2010). "Pet Propelled". Newcastle Herald. Australian Community Media. ProQuest 607023322. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
22. ""Personal Development, Health and Physical Education"". Merewether High School. Archived from the original on 28 September 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
23. "Merewether High School - Creative Arts". Retrieved 19 February 2022.
24. MHS - The Annual Record: Vision 2000. Newcastle: Merewether High School. 2000. p. 62.
25. "Merewether High School - Creative Arts". Retrieved 19 February 2022.
26. MHS - The Annual Record: Vision 2000. Newcastle: Merewether High School. 2000. p. 65.

External links

• Merewether High School website