Fort Street High School

Fort Street High School
The Wilkins building of the present Fort Street High School, and the first building to be constructed on the current site.
Location
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Australia
Coordinates33°53′24″S 151°9′10″E / 33.89000°S 151.15278°E / -33.89000; 151.15278
Information
Other nameFort Street High School, Petersham
Former nameFort Street Model School
TypeGovernment-funded co-educational academically selective secondary day school
MottoLatin: Faber est suae quisque fortunae
(Each person is the maker of their own fortune)
Established1849; 175 years ago (1849)
Sister schoolSuginami Sogo High School, Tokyo, Japan[1]
Educational authorityNew South Wales Department of Education
School code8504
PrincipalJuliette McMurray
Deputy Principals
  • Rebecca Cameron
  • Joel Morrison
  • David Sherwin (relieving)
  • Carolyn Mattick (relieving)
Staff13 (non-teaching)
Teaching staff63
Years712
Enrolment912[2] (2021)
Campus typeSuburban
Colour(s)Maroon and white   
AlumniFortians
Websitefortstreet-h.schools.nsw.gov.au
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Fort Street High School (FSHS) is a government-funded co-educational academically selective secondary day school, located in Petersham, an inner western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Established in 1849, it is the oldest government high school in Australia and, notably, the first school not founded by a religious organisation.[3][4] Today, it remains a public school operated by the New South Wales Department of Education. As an academically selective secondary school, it draws students from across greater metropolitan Sydney.

To avoid confusion arising from the school's history of separation, amalgamation and relocation, the present school is designated Fort Street High School, Petersham for official government purposes.

The school's Latin motto is Faber est suae quisque fortunae, translated as "Each person is the maker of their own fortune", a phrase attributed to the ancient Roman Appius Claudius Caecus.

Fort Street High School has a sister school, Suginami Sogo High School, in Tokyo, Japan.[1]

In 2010, The Age reported that Fort Street High School ranked equal fourth among Australian schools, based on the number of alumni who had been honoured as a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC).[5][note a]

  1. ^ a b 姉妹校関係締結の調印式 (in Japanese). Suginami Sogo High School. Archived from the original on 13 May 2010. Retrieved 30 July 2009.
  2. ^ "2021 Fort Street High School Annual Report" (PDF). Fort Street High School. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  3. ^ Clark, Manning. A History of Australia: The Earth Abideth Forever 1851–1888. Vol. 4.
  4. ^ "Aircraft Noise Levy Collection Amendment Bill 2001: Second Reading". Archived from the original on 9 November 2007.
  5. ^ Topsfield, Jewel (4 December 2010). "Ties that bind prove a private education has its awards". The Age. Australia. p. 11.