Sister schools

Huaibei No. 1 High School, Anhui Province, China

Northcote High School and Huaibei No. 1 High School established a sister school relationship in 1999. In 2015, we extended our sister school agreement to include the Tianyi High School campus of Huaibei No. 1 High School. Since that time, hundreds of students and teachers have visited China and our school. The relationship supports language studies, international studies and history, as well as cultural awareness.

Huaibei has a population of around 1.2 million people and is located 12 kilometres south of the city, east of Hengshui lake. Coal mining is the main industry. Tourists are rare, so our students have the opportunity to encounter a genuine and unique cultural experience.

In 2010, Clifton Hill Primary School also signed a sister school agreement with Huaibei No. 1 Model Primary School and has joined our students on China tours. Alphington Primary School has also established partnerships in Huaibei.

Our music students have visited Huaibei on several occasions to perform jointly with our sister school. Students also visit Huaibei as part of a two-week, four-city tour of China, usually in September.

Huaibei students spend two weeks in Australia each year around August as part of our international exchange program. During exchanges, students stay with families and develop a rich appreciation of each others’ cultures. Occasionally, teachers visit each school to support language study and discuss pedagogy and educational issues.

To find out more about the school, visit Huaibei No. 1 High School.

Francesca Vivona School, Rome, Italy

Northcote High School established a sister school partnership with Francesca Vivona School in Rome, Italy, in 2023. This relationship supports our Italian language program and fosters strong cultural and educational ties between our schools. The partnership offers students the opportunity to engage in language immersion, global citizenship, and cross-cultural learning.

Francesca Vivona is a large secondary school in the heart of Rome, with a focus on humanities, languages, and science. It is located in the southern suburbs of the city, providing students with a uniquely local experience of Roman life, distinct from tourist areas.

Students from Northcote High School travel to Italy as part of our Year 10 Exchange Program and Italian study tours, with Rome as a central destination. They attend classes, explore the historical and cultural richness of the city, and stay with local families, building authentic connections and deepening their language skills.

Italian students from Francesca Vivona also visit Northcote High School as part of a reciprocal program. They attend classes, experience Melbourne life, and stay with Northcote families, promoting mutual understanding and friendship. Teachers from both schools collaborate regularly, sharing ideas about language teaching and pedagogy.

To find out more about the school, visit Liceo Francesco Vivona.