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Balwyn High School
Address
Buchanan Avenue, Balwyn North Melbourne, Victoria, 3104 Australia
Coordinates	37°47′54″S 145°04′33″E / 37.79833°S 145.07583°E / -37.79833; 145.07583
Information
Other names	BHS, Balwyn High
Type	State school
Motto	Latin: Constanter ac Fideliter (Constantly and Faithfully)
Established	1954; 70 years ago (1954)
Principal	Deborah Harman
Years	7 to 12
Gender	Co-educational
Number of students	2,100+
Colour(s)	Navy blue, gold, bottle green
Mascot	Lion
Publication	The Lion (fortnightly online newsletter)
Yearbook	The Buchanan
School Song
Website	www.balwynhs.vic.edu.au

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

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

The school buildings were rebuilt in 1994 after merging with Greythorn High School. Since 1996 the school has housed international students in their recently formed international student program.

Academic achievements

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

Balwyn High School was ranked fifty-fourth out of all state secondary schools in Victoria based on VCE results in 2023.

Extracurricular programmes

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

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

Balwyn High School also has a range of student-led clubs that include Social Justice, SRC (Student Representative Council), Chess and Anime.

Sport

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

International Students Program

Balwyn High School runs an 'International Students Program'. In 2017, there were 100 international students at Balwyn High School, who pay $10,000 per year, compared with the local students' voluntary school fees of around $900 per year. Balwyn earned $1 million from those international students in 2017.

Student services

Balwyn High School values student's well-being and mental health. A collaborative team operates through the whole school education program including team members of psychologists, counsellors, chaplain, and administrative staffs.

Other

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

Notable alumni

• Peter Cullen – water scientist
• Steve Hooker – pole-vaulter
• Malcolm Speed – former CEO of ICC and Australian Cricket Board
• Connor Downie – Hawthorn Hawks player
• Robert Richter – Australian barrister
• Thomas Sewell – leader of the far-right White nationalist extremist groups National Socialist Network and European Australia Movement

References

1. "International Students – Balwyn High School". www2.balwynhs.vic.edu.au. Archived from the original on 23 March 2019. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
2. "A class of their own", Herald Sun 1 September 2013 p. 18. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
3. "Balwyn High School Primary/Secondary Education". Linked in.
4. Balwyn High School, "Annual Report to the School Community", 2006
5. "VCE Public School Ranking - 2023 - Better Education". Better Education. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
6. "Music – Balwyn High School". Retrieved 1 September 2019.
7. "2007 Australian Gymsport Spectacular". Gymnastics Australia. Archived from the original on 16 April 2008. Retrieved 7 April 2008.
8. "Victorian Secondary Schools' Sports Association". VSSSA.org.au. Archived from the original on 8 December 2008. Retrieved 13 December 2008.
9. "International Students". Balwyn High School. Archived from the original on 21 January 2012. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
10. Walker, Tony (16 October 2017). "Balwyn High School in Melbourne sparks property boom as parents fight to get in". Domain Group. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
11. "Student Services – Balwyn High School". Archived from the original on 23 March 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
12. Balwyn High School, Anti Cyber-Bullying Policy Archived 19 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine
13. Harman, Deborah, Principal’s Perspective – Stage 3 Funding Success, 14 May 2009
14. 2009/2010 Victorian Budget Fact Sheet
15. "Took the water war to the wallies". The Age. Melbourne. 18 March 2008. Retrieved 7 April 2008.
16. "Athletics". Disease and disorder Information. 31 July 2008. Archived from the original on 10 July 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2008.
17. "The Lion". Balwyn High School. Archived from the original on 19 July 2008. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
18. "x.com". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 1 June 2024. "Congratulations to Balwyn High School student Connor Downie selected by Hawthorn with pick 35 in the 2020 AFL Draft. Recruiters highlighted his dedication, maturity and leadership – Connor is a credit to Balwyn High School and the Vic Government School system. #AFLDraft @DETVic".
19. Lawrence, John (April 2011). "CLANT Bali conference 25 years on..." (PDF). Criminal Lawyers Association Northern Territory (CLANT).
20. Fox Koob, Simone (12 November 2023). "Why it's so hard to stop neo-Nazi public hate parades". The Age. Archived from the original on 3 February 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
21. Tozer, Joel; McKenzie, Nick (27 January 2021). "Neo-Nazis go bush: Grampians gathering highlights rise of Australia's far right". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
22. "The Lion". Balwyn High School. 6 August 2009. p. 11. Retrieved 8 March 2021.

• Public high schools in Melbourne
• Educational institutions established in 1954
• 1954 establishments in Australia
• Buildings and structures in the City of Boroondara