Student opportunities and activities
At Granville Boys High School, we offer a diverse range of programs tailored to our students’ interests and abilities, helping them build new skills, make friends, and explore new interests.
Our initiatives include:
The Granville Boys High School Pipe Band is an acclaimed, student-led musical ensemble established in 2022 under the initiative of our principal, Mr Noel Dixon.
Open to students from all year groups, the band has become a source of pride for our school and the wider community. Leadership roles such as Pipe Major and Drum Major are held by students, supported by expert instruction from teacher and tutor Mr Glynn Potter.
Members perform at a range of school, community, and interstate events, including ANZAC Day services at the Granville War Memorial, the Condobolin Tattoo street parade, and the Bundanoon Highland Gathering.
Joining the Pipe Band is a unique opportunity to develop musical talent, teamwork, and leadership while representing Granville Boys High School with distinction.
The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award (The Duke of Ed) program is offered at Granville Boys High School. Students in Year 9 to 11, aged 14 years and above, are able to join the program.
The Duke of Ed is a self-development program available to all young people and is recognised internationally. The program is non-competitive and encourages young people to set and achieve goals at a level appropriate to their needs.
Award framework
The Duke of Ed Award Framework consists of three levels – Bronze, Silver and Gold. Our students will begin the program on the Bronze level. To obtain the Bronze Award, the boys must complete the following four sections:
Skills
A cultural or social activity must be pursued leading to a deeper knowledge of the subject and the attainment of a reasonable degree of skill. There are many examples of this including playing a musical instrument or learning robotics.
Physical recreation
Participation in an individual or group physical activity for example walking, rugby league, cricket, yoga, swimming, etc.
Volunteering
Voluntary unpaid community service spread for example participating in a peer mediation program, mentoring primary students in robotics, volunteering at a local organisation or raising funds for a cause.
Adventurous journey
Completion of two overnight camps.
Cost
The cost of registration for the Duke of Edinburgh program is $130 paid directly to The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award office in NSW.
This includes insurance and administration by the NSW Department of Sport and Recreation (Office of Sport) and all certificates and badges.
More information
To learn more about The Award please refer to the official Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award website.
The Granville Boys High School Student Representative Council (SRC) is made up of students elected by their peers to represent the student body. Working democratically, the SRC contributes to school decision-making and organises opportunities for students to participate in and enjoy school life.
Main purpose
The main purpose is to give students an opportunity to develop leadership by organising and carrying out school activities and service projects.
In addition to planning events that contribute to school spirit and community welfare, the student council is the voice of the student body.
Being a member of the SRC requires specific skills and qualities such as leadership, honesty and integrity.
How to be an SRC member
Students wishing to nominate for the SRC have to complete a profile form demonstrating why they would be a valuable student representative.
Students are then required to deliver a speech to their peers outlining how they will represent the needs of their cohort.
Students vote for who they feel would represent them and communicate their ideas, views and concerns to the school executives, and the principal and staff oversee this part of the process.
SRC member responsibilities
As a member of SRC, students have the following responsibilities:
- Be positive role models
- Organise fundraising activities for charitable projects
- Be active in school community
- Be involved in public speaking.
The SRC of Granville Boys High School aims to do the following to make this school a better place:
- Identify problems and generate creative solutions
- Address issues with different groups
- Consider multiple opinions
- Navigate and learn from success and failure
- Balance competing priorities and responsibilities.
SRC coordinator
Ms. Margaret Kiran
Granville Boys High School is proud of its rich and dynamic sporting culture. Our continued success in organised sporting events, grade, knockout teams and recreational activities highlight the passion and sporting ability of our students.
Students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of sports from individual, team and representative activities. Sports and Recreational activities offered include:
Integrated Sport
Granville Boys High School has integrated sport timetable to further enhance the participation and skill development of students.
This structure allows for better use of our equipment and facilities resulting in enhanced sporting sessions for our students. Integrated sports allows students to refine their skills and techniques in a variety of sports, with each school term having a specific focus on core activities.
Grade Sport
Granville Boys High School students enter grade sport teams in the Prospect Zone sporting competition.
Students have the opportunity to participate in a trial event for their chosen sport. Finalised teams will participate in a number of training sessions prior to competing against schools within the Prospect zone.
- Term 1: Jnr/Snr OzTag, Jnr/Snr Basketball
- Term 2: Jnr/Snr Soccer, Jnr/Snr Touch
- Term3: Jnr/Snr OzTag, Jnr/Snr Basketball, Jnr/Senior Volleyball
Sporting Carnivals
Swimming, Athletics and Cross Country Carnivals are always a feature event of the school calendar.
Students that perform well at our school carnivals will be eligible to represent the school at the Zone and Regional levels.
Knockout and Gala Day Teams
Each year, Granville Boys High School enters teams in a variety of sports, including basketball, AFL, soccer, rugby league, cricket and touch football, for the Sydney West Knockout Competition and local Gala Days.
These competitions are open to all schools within the Sydney West Region and are generally structured as knockout tournaments. Successful teams progress through each round, with top-performing teams earning the opportunity to represent their school, zone, and state at the highest level.
Recess Competitions
The PDHPE staff organise a number of mini sporting competitions for all students to participate in during recess.
These sports include basketball, indoor soccer, touch football, badminton, volleyball and cricket.
Granville Boys High School established the first school-based Barber Shop in Australia, in collaboration with our community partners at Information and Cultural Exchange (ICE) Parramatta.
The Barber Shop Program teaches students practical haircutting skills, along with competencies in personal presentation, customer service, and respectful expressions of masculinity.
The program has delivered positive outcomes for participating students, including improved self-esteem, increased engagement across all areas of learning, and significant improvements in behaviour and attendance.
Granville Boys High School offers free Saturday tutoring in English and Mathematics for Selective, Enrichment, and mainstream students.
Sessions run from 8:00am to 11:00am every Saturday during the school term and are led by qualified tutors.
These sessions aim to help students strengthen their skills and reach their full potential in these key learning areas.
Granville Boys High School offers a Peer Mediation program which provides students with the opportunity to resolve a low-level conflict dispute. This initiative empowers students to amicably settle their differences with the assistance of our trained student mediators. These mediators remain impartial, guiding the students through a structured and fair process. The goal is to facilitate a conversation that leads to a mutually acceptable resolution, through the power of communication.
Benefits
The Peer Mediation program has been running successfully at Granville Boys School High for a number of years and is designed to contribute to a positive, caring and safe school environment.
The process of Peer Mediation has many benefits. Students not only resolve their conflict but also develop skills in:
- Active listening
- Communication
- Empathy
- Critical thinking
- Leadership
Dr Nicky McWilliam
The program is run under the guidance of Dr Nicky McWilliam, Research Fellow at the Faculty of Law, University of Technology Sydney.
Nicky has conducted extensive research in the area of mediation. She has a Masters of Law majoring in dispute resolution and has a PhD in law in mediation and dispute resolution, authored peer reviewed papers on this topic, and presented at conferences both here in Australia and overseas.
Dr McWilliam has been working with Granville Boys High School, facilitating peer mediation courses for hundreds of our students. Dr McWilliam regularly attends our school to mentor our student mediators and to provide guidance during student mediations.
Student mediators can contribute their volunteer hours in The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award (The Duke of Ed) program. If you are interested in volunteering to be a student mediator, please see ms donnelly.
The Duke of Ed program
Student mediators can contribute their volunteer hours towards The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award (The Duke of Ed) program.
We hold Chess Club training sessions that are led by a highly skilled chess teacher with a strong ELO rating. These sessions support our students in learning the game and developing their strategic thinking.
Granville Boys High School regularly participates in external competitions such as the Interschool Chess Challenge Local Heat and the Metropolitan Chess Competition.
Mathematics Teacher, Mr Koh, runs a University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) training session every Tuesday in Room 515, from 2:30pm to 3.30pm.
The UCAT is a computer-based admissions test for students applying to study medicine, dentistry, and clinical science at university after completing high school.
Granville Boys High School’s Pulse Café was first established in 2012 and has since become a vibrant social hub, integral to daily school life. Over the years, the café has grown in both size and popularity, and is now located at the Trade Skills Centre.
Students who join the café team receive training in all aspects of café operations. Under the supervision of our teachers, the café is open from 7:45am to 8:45am, and warmly welcomes members of the local community to enjoy a delicious range of healthy breakfast options, including toasted sandwiches, breakfast cereals, barista-made coffees, milkshakes and hot chocolate.
It’s a welcoming space where students and staff can relax, connect, and prepare for the day ahead.
Contact us to learn more about what’s available and how your child can get involved.
Our extra-curricular highlights
Robotics STEM Program
The Robotics STEM Program is open to students from all year groups. Students collaborate in teams to participate in in-school robotics challenges and prepare for upcoming tournaments.
The Duke of Ed
An internationally recognised self-development program for students in Year 9 to 11 (aged 14+), encouraging boys to set and achieve personal goals at a level appropriate to their needs.
Sports Programs
Students can compete in school and inter-school events across various sports. The school features top-tier cricket facilities, indoor and outdoor basketball courts, and expansive sporting fields.
Barber Shop Program
Our comprehensive music programs features a concert band, drumming band, Polynesian dance group, and a traditional bagpipe band.
Creative & Performing Arts
Our comprehensive music programs features a concert band, drumming band, Polynesian dance group, and a traditional bagpipe band.
School Representative Council
The SRC is made up of students elected by their peers to represent the student body. The SRC gives students an opportunity to develop leadership by organising and carrying out school activities and service projects.
Facilities and resources
Learn how our spaces and tools support every subject and learning style.
Events
Find out about school events, celebrations and what’s coming up.