It is yet to have a name, a uniform or a school logo but it already has 100 students on its enrolment books.
The first new high school on Sydney's north shore since 1961 will open on the Bradfield TAFE campus at Crows Nest next year after a long campaign from parents.
The last school to open in the area was Mosman High School, but several schools have closed since the 1980s.
Census figures show as few as 22 per cent of students on the lower north shore stay in the public system for high school but the Department of Education says demand has been strong for the new school, with about 100 students already signing up for the 120 available places.
The school will open its doors next year with only year 7 students but will progressively grow each year to become a year 7 to 10 college, while the department is still considering the options for a senior college for years 11 and 12.
A consultation process with families from nearby primary schools is under way to come up with a name, uniform colours and a school motto.
The deputy principal of North Sydney Girls High School, Kathy Melky, has been appointed the principal of the Crows Nest school.
Ms Melky said she was attracted to the job because of the opportunities students would have at a new school.
"There is lots of light and colour in the design, we will have less formal traditional classrooms and the school will be very innovative," Ms Melky said.
"This is a great opportunity to build a public school from the ground up in an area where there is a need for public education."
The Pacific Highway site will be refurbished, with classrooms, the canteen, science labs, kitchens and outdoor play areas upgraded.
Sharon Sands, a director of NSW public schools for the north Sydney area, said the heritage site was perfectly suited to a comprehensive school and would combine "the old and the new".
"This will be a 21st century learning environment, with break-out spaces for students, appropriate furniture and not necessarily about the teacher standing out the front of a class," Ms Sands said.
She said the local community would be very involved in helping the school grow.
Bradfield College will move to St Leonards next month to be part of the new Learning and Innovation Campus, part of the Northern Sydney Institute of TAFE.
