The suburb of Merewether is named after Edward Christopher Merewether, who began his working life in Australia as aide-de-camp to three Governors of New South Wales between 1842 and 1861. He was appointed Superintendent of the AACo in Newcastle in 1861 and became a significant landowner and local benefactor. The school's E.C. Merewether Award for Creative Endeavour and the shield, which adorns the school's front foyer, were inaugurated in honour of Merewether. From 1952 until 1976, the site, enclosed by School Street, Awaba Street, Chatham Street, Pokolbin Street and Melville Road, was occupied by Newcastle Technical High School. The school included an industrial arts block, K Block, two bike sheds and a canteen. L block was added in the 1960s. The school merged with Cooks HillGirls High School in 1976 to form a comprehensive co-educational high school, which drew students from the suburbs of Carrington, Wickham, Hamilton and Merewether. A building programme commenced just before the merger, with new blocks being constructed, and blocks F–G being added later.. The final principals of both schools are memorialised in the naming of the Bensley Hall and the Foley Library on the present campus. Since 1989 enrolment is determined by an academic selection process. The school has a planned capacity of 1,080 students. It first reached its enrolment capacity across all years in 2005. Many buildings sustained severe damage in the 1989 earthquake, but were repaired thereafter. Another more recent event that affected the school was the floods of June 2007, which toppled trees and required the replacement of carpets in some blocks' lower floors.
Curriculum
The college follows the mandated statewide curriculum developed by the New South WalesBoard of Studies. Students in Years 7 to 10 undertake studies in mathematics, English, science, history, geography, music, film studies, visual arts, dance, Technological & Applied Studies, languages, and Personal Development, Health and Physical Education. Year 11 and 12 students work towards the Higher School Certificate, in which they achieve some of the best results in the region. Students may opt for units developed by the Open High School as correspondence courses.
Selective high school
As an academically selective high school, Merewether High School takes enrolments through a statewide process. In the final year of primary school, students are assessed and enrolled by the school on the basis of their achievement across the curriculum and on the Selective Schools Placement Test. After the beginning of Year 7, students are placed into the selective classes by the college on a student-by-student basis.
Extra-curricular activities
Merewether offers many extracurricular clubs and activities to its students, many of them musical ensembles, including: string ensemble, orchestra, jazz band, concert band and guitar ensemble facilitated by the honourable Brian Saxby BMus. Other activities include a chess club and the robotics club. Merewether High School has participated in Odyssey of the Mind since at least 1992 and have had many successes in this pursuit, including a team of year 9 students winning the Ranatra Fusca Creativity Award in 2008. There are also various sporting teams including: cricket, soccer, basketball, rugby union, rugby league, Australian rules football, hockey, netball, volleyball, rowing, aerobics team, softball and baseball.
Elected student representatives
The school SRC consists of six students from each year, elected by their peers. In Year 7 one student from each class is elected; in the remaining grades, six students from each year are elected, regardless of class. The SRC nomination process begins in term 2, so members terms are across two years. The Prefect Body is also elected by the students, of which four are chosen to be the captains of the school.
