Narrabeen Sports High will be expanding its specialty subject offering to include the arts, with funding now provided for them to do so.
The State Government has promised the secondary school a new Performing Arts Hall. The money will also fulfill other planned upgrades which were already underway.
However, the cost of the total project is still confidential at this time.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Education, Prue Car, and Member for Pittwater, Jacqui Scruby, visited the school on Friday, 15 April, for the announcement.
“I think, for Narrabeen Sports High School, it’s time for them to take centre stage and for their students to shine, and that means being recognised locally as a great school for performing arts and for creativity,” Ms Scruby told Manly Observer.
“One of the key policies of the NSW Government is actually to have vibrant nightlife and to support creative industries. Part of implementing that is making sure that we have the talent and fostering that talent, and that starts at high schools like Narrabeen Sports High.”
The new facilities will include space to seat 500 students, two acoustically treated music rooms and a smaller performance space to support dance and other performing arts activities.
The funding will also continue ongoing works across the campus, such as renovated Technological and Applied Studies (TAS) classrooms and refurbished science labs, among other upgrades.
Narrabeen High School Principal, Heidi Currie, says the new Performing Arts Hall has allowed the school to be well-rounded in a variety of subjects.
“We’ve been wanting the Creative and Performing Arts facilities so that we can cater for every student in the school,” Ms Currie said.
“We have great sports programs. We’ve had a real investment in science and STEM and it was just completing that suite of facilities having the CAPA dance performance drama studio spaces, so that all of our students can flourish and develop to their potential.”
New Pathways
The excitement for a new performance space was evident through the stunning dance display Year 8 Narrabeen Sports High students gave Manly Observer in the school’s basketball gym.
A flurry of coordinated flips and interpretive dance movements was evidence enough the students have what it takes to foster their talents into a career – and they knew it.
“I’ve been [dancing] since I was two,” Mia told us after her performance.
“I think it’s special that they’re putting more representation to more arts and as well as sports.”
“It’s really great having more places to [dance],” Mia’s dance partner, Maddison, chimed in.
“We’ll have lots more opportunities since we’ll be able to do dance as a HSC elective now, so that will make us more passion for it, maybe even studying all your life.”
Narrabeen Sports High is known for creating pathways for young athletes – 15-year-old Ruby Trew being the most recent after representing Australia in the 2024 Paris Olympics. The school now wants to provide those opportunities to arts students.
“We’re already future focused, planning to implement dance electives for our students, and we’ve shared that with them,” Narrabeen Sports High Dance Coordinator, Lydia Morocco, told Manly Observer.
“They’re obviously super excited about having that new opportunity, being the first to be able to undertake that elective subject, is really exciting. So that’s going to prepare them for those next steps, HSC, stage six.”
Head teacher for secondary studies, Jacqueline Hampson, added the space sets students up for success after high school within the entertainment industry.
“We have VET entertainment studies and having facilities that are industry level and fit for purpose, I guess that would really get them to be able to coordinate events and to get that industry know how so that it sets them up for success beyond high school,” Ms Hampson said.
“Also with all of the different avenues, it’s not just Creative and Performing Arts. We’re looking at art exhibitions. We’re looking at dance showcases. We have combined band showcases with the parents. We have drone activities. We have robotics challenges and leadership summits as well that we’re planning to use this space for. So it really is going to challenge our students and raise that complexity so that we can develop their talents.”
Planning Better Public Schools For The Future
There have been multiple community representatives calling for better facilitated public schools on the Northern Beaches. Ms Scruby’s first question time as member for Pittwater in parliament addressed the neglect of Narrabeen Sports High to the Education Minster.
Member for Wakehurst Micheal Regan also advocated for Cromer High School, which received $1 million from the Government’s 2024-25 State Budget to build an indoor sports facility, last year in 15 June.
The $8.9 billion the State government dedicated towards upgrading public schools around NSW is a much-needed breath of fresh air, according to P&C President Susie Stanford, who has been gunning for the funding for a while.
“We’ve been pushing for numerous upgrades and infrastructure upgrades. I’ve been for a long time, and so we’re just thrilled at this announcement today,” Ms Stanford said.
“We don’t currently have any CAPA (Creative and Performing Arts) curriculum compliant facilities, so it’s going to mean pride in their school, in their schooling, and they’re going to be able to learn and showcase their talents in a state of the art building which our students and our teachers deserve.”
Construction for the building is expected to start in 2026 with no completion date confirmed. The cost of the hall and upgrades is also confidential at this point, according to Ms Scruby’s office.
In addition to the new Performance Space, new turf has been laid on the school’s sports oval.
Upgrades to 20 classrooms in Block C are also in progress, with final designs nearing completion and construction expected to begin in the coming months.
