Pittwater High School, (abbreviation PHS) is a school located in Mona Vale, New South Wales, Australia, on Mona Street and Pittwater Road. It is a co-educational high school operated by the New South Wales Department of Education with students from years 7 to 12. The school was established in 1963.

Pittwater High School
Pittwater High School Crest
Location
Map
,
New South Wales

Australia
Coordinates33°40′5.89″S 151°18′8.75″E / 33.6683028°S 151.3024306°E / -33.6683028; 151.3024306
Information
TypePublic, secondary, co-educational, day school
MottoTruth, Courtesy, Courage.
EstablishedJanuary 1963; 61 years ago (January 1963)[1]
PrincipalAlison Gambino
Years offered7–12
Enrolment932[2] (2011)
Colour(s)Maroon and blue   
WebsitePittwater High School

History and name

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Pittwater High School was established in 1963. It is named after Pittwater, the body of water extending south from Broken Bay parallel to the coast. The waterway was surveyed by crew members of HMS Sirius in 1788, and named "Pitt Water" after British Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger.

Due to its location the school has a rich sporting history, producing many Olympians, especially in both swimming and sailing, and for many years had its own yacht, "Kalori", which was built and sailed by students and staff.[3]

The school also has a strong musical tradition, with internationally renowned jazz musician James Morrison and his brother John Morrison both students at the school in the 1970s, along with the children of Australian rock singer Johnny O'Keefe and Keith Potger of the Seekers. The school has been involved in the Rock Eisteddfod Challenge since its inception in the early 1980s, winning the 1987 Sydney challenge, despite a disastrous school fire the night before the final.[4]

In August 1986, the school's Binishell Dome collapsed after a PDHPE lesson due to errors in the curing process.[5] This caused a decline in popularity of Binishells across NSW public schools.

PHS joined the Peninsula Community of Schools in 2008. The uniform is also used on the Seven Network TV show Home and Away. PHS is the sister school of New Trier High School in Chicago, America.

Notable alumni

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Pittwater High". Government Schools of New South Wales from 1848. NSW Education and Communities. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
  2. ^ "Pittwater High School". School Locator. NSW Public Schools. Retrieved 8 November 2011.
  3. ^ "The Kalori – Pittwater High School Yacht". Piitwater Online News. 2 February 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
  4. ^ "The Three Rs – Reading, 'Riting and Rock 'N' Roll". The Age. 4 September 1987. Retrieved 2 October 2013.
  5. ^ "Pittwater Online News". www.pittwateronlinenews.com. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  6. ^ "The paradox of Courtney Barnett". 26 March 2018.
  7. ^ "Distinguished Achievers List - 2014 Higher School Certificate". Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  8. ^ Keoghan, Sarah (22 June 2019). "From Pittwater High to Origin stardom: the Trbojevic brothers' high school mentors". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  9. ^ "Michael Stead".
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