Type Public, Co-educational Principal M. Pikoulas Campus Suburban Phone +61 2 9871 7718 | Established February, 1962 Enrolment ~769 Colour(s) Green, White & Brown Founded January 1962 | |
Address 183 Pennant Hills Rd, Carlingford NSW 2118, Australia Motto Finis Coronat Opus (Latin) Similar James Ruse Agricultur, Muirfield High School, Baulkham Hills High School, Castle Hill High School, Model Farms High School | ||
Cumberland High School is a co-educational comprehensive secondary school (high school) located in the north-western metropolitan Western Sydney region of New South Wales, Australia.
Contents
History
Cumberland High School opened in January 1962 with an initial intake of 270 students in First Form (now known as Year 7). This student cohort commenced high school under the Wyndham Scheme, which extended New South Wales high school from five to six years and placed a greater emphasis on science and mathematics.
The foundation headmaster was George Heery (1962–1965), who was responsible for the selection of the original school colours (brown, green and white), the school motto "Finis Coronat Opus", ("the end crowns the work") and the Cumberland school song.
In addition to students from Carlingford, early students were drawn from as far afield as Pennant Hills, West Pennant Hills, and Beecroft to the north; from Epping, Ermington and Rydalmere to the east; from Dundas, Dundas Valley and Telopea to the south; and North Parramatta to the south-west. Subsequently, the student catchment area contracted with the establishment of nearby high schools, particularly Castle Hill High School (1963), Pennant Hills High School (1966), Carlingford High School (1968), and Muirfield High School (1976).
In 2008, four Cumberland students took part in the Beijing Olympics, as members of the Olympic Games Orchestra.
Campus
Cumberland High is located at 183 Pennant Hills Road, Carlingford, New South Wales.
The site was originally part of portions 100, 101 in the Parish of Field of Mars, County of Cumberland. Portion 101 was granted to William Evans by Lieutenant Governor Francis Grose on 11 April 1794. The grant is described in the Grant Register as "laying and situated at The Ponds adjoining Carver's Farm". Portion 100 was granted to William Butts on 19 November 1794, and described in the Grant Register as "laying and situated in the district of The Ponds".
The site is separated with blocks lettered with a certain letter. A Block: (Used for Food Technology and Art on lower floor;Second Floor used for History, Computing and Drama) B Block: (Used for Toilets, Gym and Canteen) C Block: (Used for Computing, Metalwork and Woodwork ) D Block: (Used for the office ; Second Floor used for Music, Language, Geography, Business Studies, Legal Studies and Society and Culture .) E Block: (Used for English, PDHPE and Science on first floor; Maths and a dedicated Learning Centre on the second floor.) F Block: (Used for the hall ) and G Block: (Used for Science Labs downstairs and Library.
The toilets have undergone significant renovations, and a Gym has been added to B Block as well.
The current principal for Cumberland is Mechel Pikoulas.
A number of positive changes have taken place over recent years including more than $2M spent on new playground surfaces and equipment, rain-water tanks, air-conditioning of the entire school, as well as new computers, an interactive, online classroom and one of the fastest internet connections of any school in NSW.
Student profile
The school has a traditional format and organization. Its administration places emphasis on discipline and requires students to wear a school uniform. The school is populated with 35% of students coming from outside the school's designated local area. Students come from families that are very diverse, socially and economically. In recent years, there has been an increase in enrolment by non-English speaking students (56% in 2005) with 35% of all students receiving English as a second language (ESL) program support. In 2005, 37 international students were enrolled, out of a total of 769. The International Students Program has been established at Cumberland High School with the work of Ms S. Kitson being showcased by the International Student Centre as an example of excellence in the education of international students.
Through involvement of students and staff from many cultures, Cumberland High School has experienced a massive celebration of multi-culturalism in Harmony Day and Multicultural Day. Students from many backgrounds have also developed the educational achievements of all students, with 1 in 5 students achieving a UAI above 90 at the HSC 2007
Recently, Cumberland has involved 4 of its students in a revolutionary Science program in partnership with Lachlan Macquarie College, Merck Sharpe & Dohme and Western Sydney University, with the students attending sessions at Western Sydney University: Hawkesbury Campus to utilise state-of-the-art equipment in a research program. In addition to this, one of the Science teachers, Mrs. K. Stead organises annual Science showcases to coincide with National Science Week and "tours" around local primary schools to try and engage younger children in Science.
In 2009, Cumberland's neighboring school, James Ruse Agricultural High School came 1st in the HSC rankings, along with Baulkham Hills High School in the same region, coming 2nd, displaying the community's eagerness to achieve high results and constant encouragement of the students.
Student government
Cumberland students are encouraged to develop leadership skills in various ways. Student leadership roles include the Prefect System, peer support program, and student representative council. The school also provides a comprehensive welfare program focusing on peer support/mentoring and conflict resolution, anti-bullying and anti-racism, which relies heavily on student involvement in running workshops for the rest of the student body.
Arts
The Faculty of Arts provides a broad range of high level opportunities for all students at Cumberland High School. Students can participate in one of the many ensembles such as Concert Band, Stage Band, String Ensemble, Drumline, Rock Ensemble, Guitar Ensemble while private music tutors provide individual music tuition for Piano, Flute, Clarinet, Alto and Tenor Saxophone, Bass Clarinet, Trombone, Trumpet, Classical and Rock Guitar, Composition and Bass Guitar.
Each semester the Ensembles travel to many local primary schools to perform an hour show. The Band Tour also extends to rural schools.
The annual art exhibition and performance evening, MAD, includes all students from Years 7 - 8 (for whom music, art, and drama form a compulsory part of the curriculum), as well as the elective music, art and drama classes from Years 9 - 12. The finale for each show comprises all participating students in a performance of a classical massed choral and orchestral work.
Students from The Faculty of Arts have travelled to Beijing as part of the Olympic Games Orchestra, performed in the backing choir for Australian Idol finals at the Sydney Opera House. In 2008 Seungmin Oh left Cumberland High School to take up a position at the Juilliard School in New York where he continued his piano studies.
Sports
Cumberland High School boasts a long tradition of achievement in inter-school sports competition. Cumberland was one of eight schools that comprised Cumberland Zone as part of the New South Wales Combined High Schools Athletic Association. Using the same name for both the school and the zone caused confusion, however.
Cumberland partakes in the yearly carnivals of Athletics, Swimming and Cross-Country, where students have the opportunity to compete and represent their houses: Cumbora - Red, Derringbong - Green, Brigalow - Yellow and Algona - Blue. Students who place in these events go on to represent the school at further levels.
In the first semester of the year, Cumberland High School and rural Wauchope High School compete in an inter-school sporting competition. This event consists of a team of 100 students from one School travelling to the other for 3 days, where the students not only compete in Rugby, Soccer, Netball, Basketball, Tennis, Volleyball, and Athletics, but also have the chance to socialise and form friendships as a result of billeting at student's houses and attending the 'disco', held on the second evening of the visit. The Cumberland/Wauchope Visit is a highlight of Cumberland's sporting calendar. For more than 30 years the two schools have made the annual visit - a tradition unparalleled by other schools in Australia.
Another Annual Tradition is the sporting Gala Day between Cumberland High School and their neighbours, James Ruse Agricultural High School. The Gala day is held in the final term, and teams consist of the schools' year seven students. The students participate in various sports throughout the day, walking from one school to another under teacher supervision. As Year Seven students are unable to compete in Grade Sport, this is a highlight in their calendar.
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Social Events
Cumberland celebrates a range of social events including: