Best Selective Schools in North Shore: What Sets Them Apart?

A Sydney parent invested more in housing within North Shore rather than opting for private education elsewhere, because of the best selective schools in the area.
 “Selective Schools in North Shore are exceptional and was one of the reasons I forked out more on my mortgage than paying for a private school in the west,” he said.

But, what sets these schools apart? Why exactly are families willing to go the extra mile just to live in NorthShore? We explain in this comprehensive guide.

North Sydney Boys High School

Academic Excellence: In 2023, it achieved the status of being the top-ranked school in New South Wales, a testament to its high level of academic performance. Students at North Sydney Boys High School have expressed immense pride in this accomplishment, highlighting the school’s culture of hard work and determination. This environment is conducive to academic excellence, as evidenced by the significant achievements of its students, including seven students attaining the top ATAR of 99.95, and 24 students scoring 99.85 and above.

Holistic Approach to Education: Established in 1912, this best selective school in North shore has expanded its curriculum to include a wide array of subjects and a strong emphasis on technological and applied studies. Its holistic approach is reflected in diverse co-curricular activities and outdoor education programs, fostering a balanced educational experience.

The enrichment program at NSBHS is expansive, encouraging students to develop skills beyond academics. Activities range from sports to arts, intellectual challenges, leadership programs, and more. The Falcon Sport program, in particular, offers a wide variety of sports options, fostering teamwork, sportsmanship, and a healthy lifestyle. These extracurricular offerings ensure that students receive a well-rounded education, preparing them for various life challenges and opportunities.

State-of-the-Art Facilities: Significant upgrades have been made to enhance the learning environment, including modernized science labs, a new library, and improved sports facilities. The school’s commitment to comprehensive education is evident in these developments.

A parent’s insight notes that the school is known for being “all-round, with a wide choice of co-curricular” activities. 

Sydney Girls High School

Consistent Top Performance: This school is regularly among the top NSW schools based on HSC results, with a curriculum that caters to a broad spectrum of interests.

Inclusive and Supportive Learning Environment: Emphasizing personal development, this  best selective school in North shore offers extensive co-curricular programs to foster leadership, resilience, and adaptability among students. Parental involvement and community engagement play a significant role in the school’s ethos.

North Sydney Girls High School provides a differentiated and conceptually based curriculum emphasizing higher order critical, creative, and collaborative thinking skills, tailored to enrich and extend the gifted learner. The learning experiences inside the classroom are complemented by an extensive range of co-curricular sporting, cultural, and leadership programs. Emphasizing personal best and self-reflection, the school fosters a supportive and inclusive learning environment.

The school’s ethos includes developing skills in resilience and adaptability, promoting positive mental health, and empowering students with social skills and confidence for future success. The school community is built on common values of resilience, responsibility, confidence, kindness, compassion, independence, courage, and diligence.

Technological Integration: The school is at the forefront of integrating technology in education, providing students with resources and tools necessary for a modern learning experience.

As a parent notes:

“North Sydney Girls High School is not just a school; it’s a beacon of enlightenment and empowerment, a sanctuary of knowledge and personal growth. It’s where the promise of today becomes the reality of tomorrow, and where young women embark on a journey to become the leaders, thinkers, and changemakers of the future.”

Normanhurst Boys High School

Academic Focus and Rankings: Consistently ranking within the top 20 schools in NSW, Normanhurst Boys High School offers a curriculum that meets the needs of gifted and talented boys, with a focus on various key learning areas.

Curriculum and Learning Opportunity: This best selective test school in North shore offers a comprehensive curriculum covering key learning areas such as Visual Arts, Music, Engineering Studies, Information Technology, French, Japanese, and Latin. The curriculum is tailored to address the needs of gifted and talented boys, with a particular emphasis on strategies for high potential students in a boys’ selective school context.

The school places a strong emphasis on student wellbeing and leadership development. Normanhurst Boys High School has an inclusive welfare policy to ensure the physical, social, and emotional needs of each student are catered for. The school fosters leadership skills and social justice awareness, preparing students to make meaningful contributions to society.

Student Wellbeing and Leadership: The school places great emphasis on student wellbeing and leadership development, offering inclusive support to cater to the physical, social, and emotional needs of each student.

“The quality of education of this school was superb it offered many subjects and great extra-curricular activities to participate in. the school produced minimal Behavior issues.”

Chatswood High School

Diverse Curriculum and Academic Programs: The school offers education from Year 7 to Year 12, following the Australian Curriculum. It emphasises a variety of subjects including English, Mathematics, Science, Creative & Performing Arts, and more, catering to a broad academic spectrum.

Supportive Learning Environment: The school is dedicated to student health and safety, providing a nurturing environment that supports diverse learning needs.

Wide Range of Facilities: Chatswood High School boasts a comprehensive array of facilities, including an extensive range of sports facilities like aerobics, archery, athletics, and more. The school also has well-equipped educational facilities, such as libraries, digital libraries, and various labs (like language, maths, computer, and robotics labs), and visual and performing arts facilities.

Enrichment Activities and Clubs: Chatswood High School provides a variety of extracurricular activities and clubs, including a mock trial, a co-curricular music program, dance, environment and bushcare groups, and the Duke of Edinburgh Award. Such activities play a significant role in the holistic development of students.

 Inclusive and Supportive Environment: The school is committed to supporting student health and safety, offering inclusive learning support and a range of student wellbeing programs.

Cultural Diversity: Chatswood High School is known for its multicultural diversity, providing a rich and inclusive environment for students.

“This school is great!!! Awesome atmosphere as well as a good amount of competitiveness. So many multicultural activities!!!! What’s more is that the teachers and staff are so polite!!!!,” a parent pointed out.

Hornsby Girls High School

Curriculum and Co-Curricular Activities: Hornsby Girls High School is recognized for its academic achievements and a wide range of subjects and extracurricular activities, contributing to the all-round development of its students.

Community Engagement: The school maintains strong ties with its alumni and community, fostering a supportive network that enhances the educational experience.

“Hornsby Girls is a great school that teaches a wide range of subjects in fun and creative ways. The uniforms are comfortable, the teachers are helpful and the administrative staff are very nice,” a student pointed out.

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