The Newtown High School of the Performing Arts is a government-funded co-educational comprehensive and specialist secondary day school in the suburb of Newtown in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is among a few performing arts and visual arts schools in Australia. All students must study drama, music, dance and visual arts subjects as part of the curriculum for the first year of secondary school, and one performing or visual arts subject until Year 11. The school participates in variety of events both on and off campus in all types of performing and visual arts as well as video, technical, costume and design.
In 2016, it adopted an 'inclusive' uniform policy, under which there are separate 'boys' and 'girls' uniforms and students may wear whichever they prefer.
The New South Wales Department of Education runs the school. Dr Susan Green has been principal since November 2023.
The school caters for approximately 1,200 students from Year 7 to Year 12.
Contents
History
The school remains open and accessible to the local population, however a larger percentage of prospective students from outside the local acceptance boundaries can audition to obtain a place at the school.
Extracurricular activities are available; there are ensembles and companies in the music, drama and dance departments.
Alumni
Ralph Myers (1996) – artistic director of theatre company Company B Belvoir
Jac Bowie (1997) – entrepreneur, founder of Business in Heels
Nathan Foley (1997) – cast member of Hi-5
Elle Dawe (1998) – actress
Elana Stone (1998) – jazz singer and band leader
Abe Forsythe (1999) – actor
Virginia Gay (1999) – actress
Tamara Jaber (1999) – recording artist
Emma Lung (1999) – actress
Alyssa McClelland (1999) – actress
Rose Jackson (2002) – former president of the University of Sydney Students' Representative Council and past president of the National Union of Students
Michael Azzopardi (2002) – musician and Musical Director for shows including Hamilton and MJ The Musical
Indiana Evans (2003) – actress
Lindsay Farris (2003) – actor and Artistic Director of the National Youth Theatre Company and founding Chairman of the National Youth Theatre Company Foundation
Yael Stone (2003) – actress
Jessica Tovey (2005) – actress
Jordan 'Friendlyjordies' Shanks (2007) – YouTuber and political commentator
Paddy Cornwall (2007) – Bass player for indie rock band Sticky Fingers
Abby Earl (2007) – actress
Dylan Frost (2008) – Lead singer for indie rock band Sticky Fingers
David Jones-Roberts (2008) – actor
Hanna Mangan-Lawrence (2008) – actress
Julia Jacklin (2008) - solo singer and member of indie garage band Phantastic Ferniture
Alycia Debnam-Carey (2011) – actress
Bree Masters (2012) – Olympic sprinter
Odessa Young (2013) – actress
Christopher Bahng/Bang (2014) – professionally known as Bang Chan; leader of South Korean boy group Stray Kids under JYP Entertainment
Claude Scott-Mitchell (2014) – actress
Bryn Chapman Parish (2015)- actor
Sophie Wilde (2015) – actress
Milly Alcock (2018) – actress
Ed Oxenbould (2019) – actor
Maya Cumming (2019) – former Internet personality and pop musician known as MAY-A
Catherine Laga'aia (2025) – actress