Prospectus

The Sydney Public Free Grammar School opened in 1825 with L. H. Halloran as Head Master. In 1830 Sydney College was founded. Sir Francis Forbes, Chief Justice, became President of the College and laid the foundation stone of the present building in College Street on 26 January, 1830. In 1835 Sydney College opened in this building with W.T.Cape as Head Master. In 1842 he resigned and was succeeded by T.H.Braim. In 1850 Sydney College was closed.

In 1854 Sydney Grammar School was incorporated by Act of Parliament and acquired the land and building in College Street which had been temporarily occupied by the newly-founded University of Sydney in 1852. It was opened on 3 August 1857.

The Act for the incorporation of the School states in its preamble that: "it is deemed expedient for the better advancement of religion and morality and the promotion of useful knowledge to establish in Sydney a public school for conferring on all classes and denominations of Her Majesty's subjects resident in the Colony of New South Wales without any distinction whatsoever the advantages of a regular and liberal course of education."

The Act provides that "the Governor of the Colony for the time being shall be the visitor of the said School with the authority to do all things which pertain to visitors as often as to him shall seem meet." It also provides that the Trustees shall comprise certain official representatives of the Legislature and of the University as well as other gentlemen elected by the Trustees. Although established by Act of Parliament, the School is in no sense under the control of the Government and receives no financial aid from any governmental source except such as is available for independent schools generally.

The School is an academically selective day school for boys. It is secular in character. The secondary school is at College Street. Boys in the Lower School (Form I) are under the care of the Master of the Lower School and a Tutor. In the Upper School (Forms II to VI) each boy is a member of one of ten Houses, with a House Master and a Tutor responsible for him during those five years.

Sydney Grammar St Ives Preparatory School, 11 Ayres Road, St Ives, takes boys from the age of 4 years and 4 months and Sydney Grammar Edgecliff Preparatory School, Alma Street, Paddington, takes boys from the age of 4 years and 9 months.

Application must be made on the appropriate form to the Headmaster of the Preparatory School in which parents wish their son to begin or, in the case of College Street, to the Master of the Lower School. When an application is accepted, a booking fee must be paid and this is not refunded. Parents will be asked by letter to present their sons for examination and, if necessary, an interview in the year preceding the proposed year of entry. It is therefore important to keep the School informed of changes of address. Before a boy is admitted to any part of the School, an entrance fee equal to one sixth of the annual tuition fee in Form I is payable.

Promotion from year to year and retention of places in the School depend on satisfactory performances in examinations and class work and on satisfactory attitude and conduct. This is especially important on entry to Form V at College Street.

The Preparatory Schools

The curriculum in the lower classes is based upon the primary curriculum of New South Wales. Upper classes depart from this and are of a more advanced standard. The normal music, arts, crafts and sports are taught to all. There is also tuition in a wide variety of instruments as well as the normal music syllabus. Over 100 boys in each school learn musical instruments.

College Street

The curriculum for Forms I to IV leads to the School Certificate Examination in Form IV. In Forms V and VI courses of study lead to the Higher School Certificate Examination. Five or six subjects will normally be studied in Form V; and four, five or six subjects in Form VI. Please see the curriculum page for further information.

Extra Tuition

Extra tuition, out of school hours and for a fee, can usually be arranged in examination subjects when this is recommended by the Headmaster or the Subject Master concerned. The School has a strict rule that parents must make application in writing either to the Master of the Lower School or to the boy's Tutor.

Many extra-curricular activities are available.

Music is strongly supported and it is possible to learn most ordinary musical instruments. There are numerous choirs, orchestras, concert and jazz bands as well as several smaller, specialised instrumental and vocal ensembles. More than 500 boys learn instruments.

There are many clubs and societies in the School, including drama, chess, audio-visual, and computer clubs. Debating is well provided for and encouraged, as are Army Cadets and the Air Force Cadets.

Sport is compulsory up to the beginning of Form V in both summer and winter. In GPS the summer sports available are cricket, rowing, basketball, tennis, rifle shooting, and swimming; in winter rugby, soccer, cross country and rifle shooting are offered. Athletics is also offered in Term III. Boys may also compete in inter-school competitions in fencing and volleyball. The gymnasium, weight training area and other facilities, is available for use by all boys.

In the preparatory schools cricket, softball, tee-ball, tennis, basketball, swimming, cross country running, rugby, soccer and athletics are offered, thus ensuring a balanced programme of physical activities.

A full list of scholarships is available here.

A list of fees for each school is published here.

The main school is situated at College Street, Darlinghurst and extends eastwards to Yurong Street. The original building, of which the chief part is the Big School, dates from 1830. A classroom block and other buildings were added later in the nineteenth century. Since 1953 there have been added the War Memorial building, the Science Block, containing eleven laboratories, four of which are for advanced work, a large lecture theatre and several other classrooms.

A building which provides a gymnasium, language laboratory, subject classrooms and a lecture theatre was erected in 1976 on the Yurong Street frontage. This replaced the old Palladium building.

There is a large building which contains general classrooms and modern facilities for music and art teaching, and also an auditorium for the proper performance of music and drama, opened in 1982. In 1992 a new extensive library was built.

The Weigall Ground at Neild Avenue, Rushcutters' Bay, is of about four hectares. It serves both the main school and the Edgecliff Preparatory School. There are a pavilion and changing rooms, tuck-shop, three football grounds, cricket pitches and practice pitches, tennis courts and basketball courts. The Edgecliff Preparatory School is in Alma Street, Paddington, adjoining the Weigall Ground. The St Ives Preparatory School, in Ayres Road, stands in an area of 6½ hectares, with large playing-fields and a swimming pool.

The boat shed is at Wharf Road, Gladesville. Members of the crews are able to board there during the January camp and for the last part of the rowing season, under the supervision of the Rowing Master.

Since there are always some annual changes of staff in a school of this size a list is not included here. It is, however, published in the Speech Day booklet and in the The Sydneian. At College Street there are about 1,100 boys, 130 masters and over 40 part time instrumental and vocal teachers. At St Ives there are about 420 boys, 28 full time masters and 5 part time music teachers. At Edgecliff there are about 300 boys, 18 full time masters and 5 part time music teachers.