MansfieldState High School is an independent public, co-educational secondary school of approximately 3500 students located in Mansfield, a suburb in Brisbane, Australia. The school established and opened in 1974. In recent years, the school has become prominent in the south side region for its academic performance, as well as its specific programs including the french immersion, Music and Information Technology programs.
Campus
The school has a sole campus in Mansfield, adjacent to neighbouring Mansfield Primary School. A new building, C Block, was constructed in late 2014 to accommodate the introduction of 300 Year 7 students, who have joined the secondary school in a statewide effort to bring Queensland's education system in line with other Australian states. The new building features over 40 new classrooms, including computer labs, graphics classrooms and science laboratories. A second J Block has been added and was ready for students in the early weeks of term one, 2020. SC block has been built, as well as a new sports hall. Constrution for a new assembly hall is also underway.
Academics
In 1990, six students received the highest possible Tertiary Entrance score possible – 109. Before that the highest number of students gaining 990 in one year, was four, which had occurred twice. In 2007, 20 people received high distinctions for the English Competition. In 2013, 15 Year 12 students at Mansfield State High School attained an OP 1. In 2015, the school produced an average NAPLAN score of 602, the highest in the southside patch, outperforming the Anglican Church Grammar School and the Brisbane Boys' College. 31% of graduates in 2015 received an OP 1–5. Mansfield's curriculum covers a range of disciplines including: Music; Mathematics; Film, Television and New Media; Science; English; Computer Technologies/Studies; Manual Arts; Health and Physical Education; LOTE ; Business Enterprise; Art; Home Economics and SOSE.
Music
Ensembles
The school's premier ensemble, Concert Band, has won the Queensland Music Festival for several years and in 2006 made it to the Grand Final of Fanfare. In the pastthe band has been requested for performances such as the Commonwealth Games Torch Relay, Anzac Day ceremonies as well as private events. In 2013, under the direction of choral conductor Margaret Long, the school's Chorale performed in the biannual Education Queensland Choral Fanfare Gala Concert In 2015 the Senior Choir Chorale participated in the Creative Generation State Schools on stage production as a feature choir ensemble.
Musical
The school produces a musical biannually.
Principals
The previous principal, Murray Kay, joined the school in 1990, the same year that the school's French Immersion program commenced. In 2011, James Sloman became the principal after Kay retired in 2010. In 2014, Sloman oversaw the school's transition to an Independent Public School, before leaving. In 2015, Karen Tanks became the principal after occupying the same role at Rochedale State High School for the previous five years. In 2018, she controversially oversaw a "clean shaven" policy for school photographs.
Sport
Many Mansfield sport teams have competed in Metropolitan Finals and the school has also produced students and graduates who represented Australia in international events – one Mansfield alumni student was gold medal Olympic diver, Matthew Mitcham.
Houses
Mansfield students and teaching staff are allocated a house in which they remain for their entire enrolment period at the school. This allocation is organised by the first letter of their family name. The four houses are named after people renowned for their work in peace:
The members of the successful bands The Jungle Giants and Violent Soho attended Mansfield State High School in their youth. Mansfield has also had four divers go through the school, now all representing Australia at an international level, Loudy Wiggins, Matthew Mitcham, Sharleen Stratton and Scott Robertson.
