About James Ruse : About our school

		James Ruse Agricultural High School is set in a district rich in colonial history and overlooks the area where James Ruse first grew wheat successfully in Australia. This selective co-educational high school provides metropolitan students with the opportunity to study practical and theoretical agriculture as part of their secondary school studies, for which the grounds and farm are admirably suited.  Located in Carlingford in north west Sydney, the school is surrounded by a 5 hectare farm on which students raise a variety of produce including stud Angus cattle.   The school provides a caring environment in which the pursuit of excellence is complemented by the development of self esteem through achievement. James Ruse benefits from enthusiastic staff, supportive parents and talented students. There is concern for each student through peer support and the provision of a wide range of challenging and enjoyable sporting and co-curricular activities, including Music, ISCF and Cadets which facilitate the development of talents and the pursuit of interests.
		The school comprises a mixture of both new and old buildings built  around a central quadrangle with a very modern, large well-equipped Library as the focal point.  Other buildings include classroom blocks, science laboratories, auditorium and facilities for music, art, technology and computing.  The administration block pictured at left is Barrengarry House built in 1885 for the then farming Felton family.  The Department of Education and Training bought the site in the mid 1950's and became a fully functional agricultural high school in 1959. Students from James Ruse have a proud record of academic achievement. The school has consistently obtained outstanding results in public examinations while excellent performances have been recorded in State, Australian and International competitions in a variety of intellectual pursuits. The majority of James Ruse students proceed to university with considerable success in a broad range of tertiary studies. For further detailed information about the history of the school, please visit James Ruse Pioneers.