Skip to content
Education Training

The spotlight awaits Newcastle and Hunter students at this year’s Schools Spectacular

NSW Department of Education 2 mins read

The state’s biggest showcase of public education’s creativity and performing arts is turning 40, and schools across Newcastle and the Hunter are joining the ‘Fabulous’ party.

Students from hundreds of schools across the state were chosen to perform at this year’s Schools Spectacular - the world’s largest amateur variety show and one of NSW public education’s flagship arts events.

Five students from Hunter School of Performing Arts and one from Rutherford Technology High School are among more than 150 who will perform as featured artists at this year’s Schools Spectacular.

The local schools whose students will perform at this year’s event include:

  • Hunter School of Performing Arts - 19 students
  • Lambton High School - one student
  • Maitland High School - 10 students
  • Rutherford Technology High School - 10 students
  • Scone High School - one student
  • Whitebridge High School - one student

They will join a cast of thousands of public school students from on stage at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena on Friday 24 and Saturday 25 November for a ‘Fabulous’ display of youth dance and musical performances.

The theme this year is ‘Fabulous’ and celebrates a show that has wowed its audiences for 40 years since its first performance to celebrate the opening of Darling Harbour’s Entertainment Centre in 1983.

This year’s show will feature a 2,600-person voice choir, 2,300 dancers, an 80-piece symphony orchestra, the signing choir, stage band, specialist ensembles and VET crew all under the guidance of more than 600 teachers.

Executive producer, Richard Spiewak, said the one-of-a-kind production gives thousands of public-school students the opportunity to be challenged and engaged through the performing arts.

“The Schools Spectacular is just that – a spectacular display of the incredibly talented students and staff in our public schools,” Mr Speak said.

“To be chosen to perform at this world-class event is not only testament to their talent, but also an opportunity for students to nurture their love for performing while working alongside some of the finest talents in the entertainment industry.

“Congratulations to all the students who have been selected to perform at this year’s event – it is going to be fabulous,” he said.

Tickets for the 2023 Schools Spectacular will be on sale through Ticketek from Friday, July 28.

Schools Spectacular is produced by The Arts Unit at the NSW Department of Education and proudly supported by Telstra, NSW Teachers Federation, School Bytes, RODE, Smartsalary, Teachers Health, Steinway Galleries, Event Partners: Qudos Bank Arena, Seven Network and Ticketek.


Contact details:

Luke Horton | 0436 950 946 | [email protected]

More from this category

  • Education Training, Medical Health Aged Care
  • 10/03/2026
  • 11:33
Doctors For Nutrition

Sydney Hosts Doctors For Nutrition Lifestyle Medicine Conference & Exam: A Prescription for Better Health

Doctors For Nutrition is proud to announce the highly anticipated Doctors For Nutrition Lifestyle Medicine Conference 2026 (DFN LM26), set to take place in…

  • Contains:
  • Education Training
  • 10/03/2026
  • 05:00
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority

SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS SET FOR 2026 NAPLAN TESTS

MEDIA RELEASE 10 March 2026 SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS SET FOR 2026 NAPLAN TESTS The annual NAPLAN assessments begin tomorrow (Wednesday 11 March 2026), with around 1.4 million students expected to take the tests in over 9,400 schools and campuses across Australia. NAPLAN is the only national assessment that helps teachers, parents and carers see how students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 are progressing in literacy and numeracy over time. Once again, students in Years 5, 7 and 9 will be completing a second NAPLAN cycle since the annual test changed to being held in March instead of May…

  • Contains:
  • Education Training, Information Technology
  • 09/03/2026
  • 06:00
Network for Quality Digital Education

New report calls for urgent action on AI in schools to prevent cognitive atrophy

Australian studentsrisk losing cognitive abilities critical to their learning and development unless nationalaction isurgentlytakento guide and structure the use ofartificial intelligence (AI) inschools. A new report,coauthored bycognitivepsychologistProfessorJason Lodgeand Professor LeslieLobleAM, argues that AI can deepen learning but only if governments move quickly toadoptthe draft nationalstandards for safe, educationally sound tools and equip teachers toguide their use. Released by the Australian Network for Quality Digital Education, the report outlines the need for a strong pedagogical response that supports students to offload lower-order tasks to AI while building self-regulated learning capability and critical thinking skills that will help students understand and evaluate…

Media Outreach made fast, easy, simple.

Feature your press release on Medianet's News Hub every time you distribute with Medianet. Pay per release or save with a subscription.