In 1910, the "University Practising School" was opened in a former primary school on the corner of Lygon and Lytton Streets, Carlton. In 1913, it changed its name to "The University High School" after the closure of the older private school. Since 1930, the school has occupied a site in Story Street, Parkville, adjacent to the Royal Melbourne Hospital and in close proximity to the Royal Children's Hospital, newly built Royal Women's Hospital, the University of Melbourne and the Central Business District.
The school has been a pioneer in the education of gifted and talented students in Australia. Its acceleration program for gifted students, which began in 1981, is the longest running and most stable program of its kind in Australia.[4]
An A$8 million upgrade of the school facilities was completed in 1997. The school experienced major disruption and change during the previous years through dislocation of classes and staff. The completion of the works has given the school modern facilities with appropriate specialist rooms.[citation needed]
During the 2020/21 school holidays, an electrical fire consumed much of the south building, destroying the second (600s) and third (700s) floors of the building as well as damaging the first (Library, 500s) and fourth (VCE Center) floors. The VCE Center, 600s rooms and the library reopened at the beginning of the last quarter of the year with a new refurbished design whilst the third floor (700s) are yet to reopen.[5]
Academics
VCE studies offered by the school:
Accounting, Algorithmics (HESS) (2022), Australian and Global Politics, Australian Politics, Biology, Business Management, Chemistry, Economics, English, English (EAL), English Language Extended Investigation, French, Further Mathematics, General Mathematics, German, Global Politics, Health and Human Development, History: 20th Century (1900–1945), History: 20th Century (since 1945), History: Revolutions, Information Technology, Latin, Legal Studies, Literature, Mathematical Methods (CAS), Media, Music Performance, Outdoor and Environmental Studies, Philosophy, Physical Education, Physics, Product Design and Technology, Psychology, Specialist Mathematics, Studio Arts and Visual Communication Design.[6]
The University High School was ranked in the top 200 public secondary schools in Australia based on academic results in 2009.[7]
University High School was ranked number 70 out of all state secondary schools in Victoria based on VCE results in 2021.[9]
House structure
The school has four different houses also known as sub-schools. They each have their own distinct colour and are named after the school's alumni. They are:[10]
Coleman (green) – named after Australian footballer John Coleman
The University High School is divided into eleven areas: West, North, South, Art/Tech, Music, Hall, Canteen/Gymnasium, EBS, GTAC and the portables.
University High School students in a history class, 1930s
The North Building was constructed in 1930 during the Great Depression. Because of this, no additional facilities were constructed and therefore assemblies were held in other venues.[citation needed] The North Building is connected with the West and Music wings. The north building has three levels, and contains the rooms numbered 100 through 405. The first floor (100s) holds the main entrance to the school as well as most administrative facilities. Inside the main foyer one can see a collection of photographs commemorating pupils and teachers from the school who were killed in the First World War. Also many plaques are hanging from the walls that honour achievements made by students and state principals and other important administrative roles. There are many banners that show sports achievements, as well as sub-school names that recognise past principals. The 100s also contain the English Office, General Office, Performance Center, food technology classrooms, general classrooms and the student services counter. Minor renovations were made to the bottom floor of the North Building to construct a food technology classroom and kitchen. The second floor (200s) consists of the junior science laboratories, well-being rooms, the Science Office, the Well-being Office and the sub-school offices. The third floor (300s) contains the Maths Office, the LOTE Office, the computer classrooms, mathematics classrooms, LOTE classrooms and English classrooms. The 400s are part of an extension of the third floor and consists of EAL classrooms which are converted into praying rooms during specific times.[citation needed]
Portraits of students who served in WWI and banners of the former school houses on display
The West Wing is the smallest of the buildings, but is conjoined with the Music Wing. The west wing features many lockers, mainly for the younger students (Year 7–8) as well as English/Humanities classrooms. The Music Wing was developed, planned, constructed and funded by ex-students and ex-teachers, including Stella Langford and Jim Economo. The Music Wing consists of music classrooms, composition classrooms, practice rooms and the Music Office. Rooms in the West and Music wings are numbered as part of the 100s and 200s as they are connected to the North Building. A series of building works were undertaken from 2010 to 2014. In 2011, the West Wing was gutted and the interior was completely rebuilt, allowing for more classroom space.[citation needed]
The Sharman Hall serves as the school's hall. The hall is used for school assemblies and performances. The Sharman Hall is attached to the Canteen/Gymnasium building. The canteen floor has the school canteen as well as indoor seatings and lockers. Rooms located within the canteen are numbered as part of the 100s. Above the canteen is the school gymnasium which holds the Sports Office. An extension of the canteen was completed in the last quarter of 2006 which connected it with the M.S. Sharman Hall.[citation needed]
The South Building is the next largest building containing the Library and VCE Centre. The building consists of four levels with rooms numbered from 500 through 724 and VCE1 through VCE5. The first floor (500s) contain the library as well as lockers. The second floor (600s) contain the Humanities Office as well as humanities classrooms. The third floor (700s) contains the senior science laboratories, general classrooms and lockers. In late 2009 the school unveiled a new bridge linking the North and South Buildings from the west-end of the 700s corridor (South Building) to the centre of the 300s corridor (North Building). As of 2023, the third level (700s rooms) is closed due to fire damage sustained during the 2020/21 school holidays.[citation needed] A fourth level extension to the South Wing was completed early in 2007 and was named the VCE Centre. The extension was made for VCE students. It has classrooms specifically for VCE students and the VCE Sub-school Offices are located in the centre.[citation needed]
The Gene Technology Access Centre (GTAC) was opened for use in early 2004 by staff and students from across the state. This allows students from throughout Victoria to have direct exposure to research in the genetics field. The GTAC building consists of science and research laboratories as well as the school's Fitness Center on the first floor.[citation needed]
The Art/Tech Building is primarily used for Art and technology subjects as well as general classes. It is the third largest of the four buildings and has three levels with roomed numbers from 800 through 909. The first floor (800s) contain the visual arts classrooms, woodwork classrooms and the Arts and Technology Office. The second and third floors (900s) contain more woodwork classrooms as well as sewing rooms and the Careers Office. Lockers are also located within the 800s and 900s. A dedicated art classroom for VCE students was also constructed, above the existing 900s.[citation needed]
In conjunction with the University of Melbourne, a new dedicated academically selective science subschool/program was created for students in year 11 and 12, on space previously occupied by the university's Veterinary Science buildings. It is called Elizabeth Blackburn Sciences (EBS), named after a former student of University High School. Rooms in EBS are numbered from EB10 to EB24. The first floor (EB10s) consist of a lecture room (EB10), EBS Office, the main science laboratory and lockers. The second floor (EB20s) consist of general classrooms, another lecture room (EB20) as well as outdoor spaces and lockers. Prospective students looking to enrol in Elizabeth Blackburn Sciences must sit an entrance exam testing their knowledge in literacy, numeracy and science.[citation needed]
In 2021, portable classrooms were added to increase the school's capacity after the temporary closures of the South Building and the rising enrolment numbers. The portables are numbered from rooms 1001 through 1012.[11]
In 2001, University High was ranked tenth in Australia's top ten schools for the education of girls based on the number of female alumni in the Who's Who in Australia.[12]
Rupert Balfe, AFL footballer (University FC), also Military (killed in Gallipoli on the landing)
Neil Balme, former Richmond AFL Footballer, premiership player in 1973 & 1974, Coached Melbourne FC, Football Administrator at Collingwood, Geelong and Richmond.
Brent Crosswell, AFL footballer (Carlton, Nth Melbourne and Melbourne), a freakishly talented and charismatic footballer (4 times premiership player, Carlton 1968 & 1970 and Nth Melbourne 1975 & 1977), cousin of Craig Davis (Carlton, Nth Melbourne, Collingwood & Sydney Swans).
^Walker, Frank (22 July 2001). "The ties that bind". Sunday Life. The Sun-Herald. p. 16. Archived from the original on 29 October 2010. Retrieved 12 September 2007.
