In August, Hunter Sports High School (HSHS) in Lake Macquarie, NSW, was recognised on the national stage when it took out the awards for Secondary School of the Year – Government, and Australian School of the Year.
The Awards were presented at the Australian Education Awards 2024, held at the Star Event Centre in Sydney in front of nearly 800 attendees.
At the heart of the school’s success, says Principal Rachel Byrne, is its innovative approach to personalised student learning pathways.
“We put the kids at the heart of every decision we make, so all the programs that we run, and all the teaching and learning is absolutely around personalising the learning for our students, to make sure they’re the best they can be,” Byrne told The Educator.
Central to the school’s ethos is its focus on tailoring education to meet the individual needs of all students, fostering both academic achievement and student wellbeing.
The school, which operates on a semi-selective model, serves a diverse cohort, with 60% of students enrolled in selective sporting programs and 40% coming from the local area.
Indeed, HSHS faces the unique challenge of being situated in a low socioeconomic area, with an ICSEA score of 938 and nearly half its students in the lowest socio-educational advantage quartile.
Despite these challenges, the school has experienced a surge in enrolment, a testament to its growing reputation, says Byrne.
“A key driver behind this reputational change has been our Academies, which are a series of initiatives aimed at enhancing student engagement through deep, authentic learning experiences,” Byrne said.
First introduced in 2012 with the “Big Picture” model, these Academies have now expanded to include 19 advisories, offering pathways that move beyond traditional HSC subjects and towards further education and employment.
The impact of HSHS's efforts was highlighted during a visit in 2023 from renowned educator Professor Pasi Sahlberg, who recognised the school as a national leader in addressing learner disengagement. Professor Sahlberg commended the school’s focus on student voice and agency, calling it “an inspiring model for inclusive education”.
But HSHS’s achievements extend far beyond praise.
In 2023, the school earned a place on The Educator's 5-Star Innovative Schools List, and Byrne was recognised on the National Edleaders Impact List. The school has also been endorsed as an Olympic Pathway School by the Australian Olympic Committee and is part of the Melbourne University New Metrics Partnership, which aims to rethink assessment and reporting.
The school’s academic success is equally impressive. HSHS has dramatically improved its NAPLAN performance, now ranking in the top 10% for value-added results, a significant leap from the bottom 10% in 2016. In 2022, the school achieved its highest results in the top two NAPLAN bands for numeracy and reading, as well as the best HSC outcomes in a decade. Moreover, the school’s suspension rates have dropped by an astounding 91% since 2013.
Speaking to The Educator after accepting her awards, Byrne said a crucial factor in the school’s success has been the support of her staff and the broader community who make the HSHS what it is today.
“I’ve got wonderful staff that have supported me, and a wonderful, supportive community who have always believed in what we do in terms of being innovative, doing what’s right for our kids, and preparing them for the complex world that they’ll enter once they leave school.”