Applecross Senior High School is a publicco-educationalhighday school, located in Ardross, a southern suburb of Perth, Western Australia. Founded in 1958, Applecross Senior High School has traditionally been one of the leading public high schools in Western Australia, and consistently ranks academically within the top ten secondary schools in the state. Applecross has produced two Rhodes Scholars. Applecross runs dedicated art, tennis and chess programs, and has traditionally been dominant in these areas. It also runs Academic Extension classes, for those students talented in the areas of English, Maths, Science, Society and Environment, French and Japanese. Like many WA high schools, Applecross is a partially selective high school with out of area students being accepted on a number of criteria, including being "gifted and talented" students.
History
The school was opened in 1958 to service the rapidly growing south-of-the-river suburbs of the city of Perth. approximately 1,600 students from Years 7 to 12 attended the school. In 2009 the WA Government allocated $56 million for the re-development of the school. A competitive tender process was completed in April 2010. The original school 'H' block, science block, swimming pool, and the 1970s gymnasium were retained. All other existing buildings were removed. A new south wing on the site of the existing tennis courts was designed to house a new administration area, library, resource centre, science, home economics and health and physical education wings. A new design and technology centre was constructed to the east of the swimming pool and a new visual arts centre was located on the site of existing basketball courts. The gymnasium was converted into a performing arts centre, while the original ‘H’ block was refurbished for use by business/information technology, careers & vocational education, english, languages, mathematics, society & environment and student services.
School crest
The school crest is a combination of a black swan holding a book, signifying the proximity to the Swan River, with a hand holding a scimitar, emerging from a five-pointed crown, the crest of the Chief of the Matheson clan. Sir Alexander MathesonBt of Lochalsh, a property developer who in 1897 initiated the subdivision of the suburb of Applecross, became Chief of the Clan in 1920 on the death of his brother, the 2nd Baronet.
Academic ranking
The Year-12 cohort at Applecross perform consistently well in the WACE school rankings, and the school ranks well when compared to other schools in Western Australia. WA school ATAR ranking
Year
Rank
Median ATAR
Eligible students
Students with ATAR
% students with ATAR
Notes
2017
25
86.15
229
158
69.00
2016
24
85.10
237
175
74.76
Year 12 student achievement data
Year
Rank
% +75 in WACE
Rank
% +65 in WACE
% graduates
Notes
2015
33
13.54
28
39.05
97.71
2014
>50
<10.03
40
34.94
100
2013
41
10.98
46
31.75
100
2012
>50
<9.88
45
35.64
100
2011
35
13.54
41
44.68
97.51
2010
33
13.22
48
43.61
98.47
2009
26
38.54
25
44.39
98.42
Beazley Medals
2014: Robert Rubery won the Beazley Medal for the top ranked Vocational Education & Training student.
1993: Bertrand Sze Yu Lee won the Beazley Medal for the top ranked TEE student.
Notable alumni
Dean AlstonWalkley Award winning newspaper cartoonist
Steve Wardboat builder; built 1983 12-metre classAmerica's Cup winner Australia II, and challengers Australia, Australia III, Australia IV, Challenger 12 & South Australia.
