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In this High School Guide, we profile James Ruse Agricultural High School - NSW's highest performing and most consistent High School.
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Interested in finding out more about James Ruse Agricultural High School and why it is consistently number 1? In this overview, we look at its history, famous alumni, and the experience of past students.
All of our information is sourced from the NSW Department of Education website: James Ruse Agricultural High School.
We’ve created this Guide to provide information to parents and students so they can make an informed decision about applying for James Ruse.
James Ruse Agricultural High School has ranked as NSW’s top school for 25 consecutive years, based on student performance in the HSC. The school is built on the land of the Darug people of the Eora Nation, who are its Traditional Custodians. James Ruse is an academically selective high school, and one of four government agricultural high schools in NSW.
Students can gain entrance into year 7 through the Selective High Schools Test, while a smaller portion of students are admitted in years 8 to 11 by directly applying to the school.
The school initially formed a part of Carlingford District Rural School in 1956 with Charles Mullavey as the Master in Charge. However, by 1959, the school became independent of the Carlingford District Rural School and gained a full high school status as “Carlingford Agricultural High School”. In April the same year, the school was renamed to what we know it as today: “James Ruse Agricultural High School”.
The change was inspired by the then Headmaster, James C. Hoskin. He had become interested in James Ruse, a Cornish farmer who significantly contributed to Australia’s early agricultural development after his arrival on the First Fleet. Moreover, Hoskin noted that the school was serving more than just the Carlingford area, contrary to what its name suggested.
The school was established as a boys’ selective school in 1959, but it gradually became co-educational after an initial intake of 24 female students in Year 11 in 1977. During Hoskin’s time as headmaster, James Ruse Agricultural High School developed its reputation as a quality selective, agricultural and public school. For Hoskin’s service which extended until his retirement at age of 65 in 1978, he was awarded the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal in 1977 and the Order of Australia for Services to Education in 1990.
In 1996, James Ruse AHS placed first in the HSC rankings and has continued to maintain this rank for 25 consecutive years to this day. Since its modest beginnings as a wooden five-room classroom block, a small staff-room and ablution facilities, James Ruse AHS has continued to solidify its reputation as NSW’s best performing high school under its current principal, Rachel Powell.
James Ruse is responsible for producing some significant public figures in government, politics, science, arts, and business.
Alumni | Contribution |
Scott Farquhar | Co-CEO of Australian software company Atlassian |
Andrew Leigh | Economist and Federal Member for Fraser |
Cleo Loi | Astrophysicist: mapped atmospheric plasma tubes aligning with Earth’s magnetic field |
Elizabeth New | Chemist and associate professor at University of Sydney, recipient of RSC Dalton Young Researchers Award |
Dhananjayan Sriskandarajah | Rhodes Scholar, Director General of the Royal Commonwealth Society, CEO of CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation |
Mark Taylor | Prosecutor and State Member for the Electoral district of Seven Hills |
Justin Wolfers | Professor of economics and public policy at the University of Michigan |
Eddie Woo | Mathematics teacher known for Wootube (online mathematics lessons) |
John Ho | Chairman of Bellamy’s Organic, Board Member of Vocus Group, Founder and Chief Industrialist Investor of Janchor Partners |
Alumni | Contribution |
Ronald Jackson | Swimmer, Commonwealth Games Gold Medalist for 1650 yard freestyle (1966) |
Natalie Bates | Cyclist, Commonwealth Games Gold Medalist for Women’s Road Race (2006) |
Andrew Leeds | Footballer, member of the Australian National Rugby Union team |
Greg Mail | Cricketer, opening batsman for the New South Wales Blues |
Alumni | Contribution |
Greg Anderson | Anglican Bishop of the Northern Territory (2014 – present) |
Chris Edwards | Anglican Bishop of North Sydney (2014 – present) |
Gary Koo | Anglican Bishop of the Western Region (2019 – present) |
Stuart McMillan | President of the Uniting Church in Australia (2015 – 2018) |
Steve Chong | Founder of RICE Movement (2001-present) |
Alumni | Contribution |
Trevor Jones | Deputy Chief of Navy and Former Chief of Staff of Headquarters Australian Forces in Middle East |
Mark Kelly | Repatriation Commissioner and Former Commander of Australian Forces in Middle East |
Alumni | Contribution |
Aravind Adiga | Journalist, author, and 2008 Man Booker Prize winner |
Joh Bailey | Celebrity hairdresser |
Kate Fagan | Folk singer and poet |
David Fung | Concert pianist, laureate of the 12th Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Masters Competition, Tel Aviv (2008), and winner of the 2002 ABC Symphony Australia Young Performer of the Year Award |
Antony Green | ABC election analyst and commentator |
Jason Davis | Radio and television presenter, actor |
Maha Koraiem | Co-founder of swiish.com and co-author of Super Green Smoothies |
Kate O’Toole | Journalist, host of Hack on Triple J |
Magdalena Roze | Television weather presenter and meteorologist |
Katrina Warren | Television veterinarian |
How many students go to James Ruse? What’s the student diversity like? How does it perform? Let’s take a look.
The total number of students enrolled had stayed relatively consistent over the years, as has the ratio of female and male students. There was approximately 23% more male students compared to female students in 2019.
Year | Total number of students | Females | Males |
2019 | 835 | 375 | 460 |
2018 | 835 | 375 | 460 |
2017 | 841 | 378 | 463 |
2016 | 843 | 371 | 472 |
These results are a snapshot of the consecutive 25 years that the school has led the HSC results. James Ruse Agricultural High School students also make up a significant portion of the top performers for each subject (having achieved a state rank). The full list of school rankings can be found here.
Year | Rank | B6/E4 results | Unique B6/E4 students | State ranks | Success rate (%) |
2020 | 1 | 705 | 234 | 21 | 68.47 |
2019 | 1 | 717 | 225 | 36 | 72.79 |
2018 | 1 | 748 | 224 | 23 | 74.73 |
2017 | 1 | 785 | 220 | 25 | 77.42 |
2016 | 1 | 768 | 221 | 25 | 73.06 |
Note: If you want to learn more about what high school rankings, including what Unique B6/E4 students and success rates mean, check out our Beginner’s Guide to High School Rankings.
Acceleration | Subjects offered |
Accelerated by one year (complete HSC in Year 11) |
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Accelerated by two years (complete HSC in Year 10) |
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These subjects are typically not available for accelerated students, however, faculty heads may permit exceptional students to join a class taught at a higher year level. This may include Olympiad students, or students who have transferred from other schools at which they undertook an accelerated subject.
Faculty | Subjects offered |
Maths |
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English |
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Science |
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Creative and Performing Arts |
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Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE) |
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Languages |
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Now that you know a little bit about James Ruse, do you want to attend it? Well, in the next article, we go through the entrance requirements for James Ruse High School! Read now.
Written by Matrix Education
Matrix is Sydney's No.1 High School Tuition provider. Come read our blog regularly for study hacks, subject breakdowns, and all the other academic insights you need.© Matrix Education and www.matrix.edu.au, 2023. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Matrix Education and www.matrix.edu.au with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.