Indeed the school's first classes were held in hired premises, the Macquarie and Jubilee Halls -- in Macquarie Street Parramatta. Five classes were held in the halls, four separated by calico curtains and the fifth on the stage itself.

The school's first headmaster, W.L."Tommy" Atkins remarked in his address at the end of the year on the number of students who had enrolled but had failed to finish the year. This was due in no small part to the fact that "the idea of High School subjects and High School effort was very new". No doubt hot summer afternoons absorbing Latin was also a contributing factor. As there was no playground or washroom students marched to the south school to go to the toilet; and to play, marched to Parramatta Park.

In all, 190 students started school that year with 160 still there at the end. They came from all over the Sydney basin and as far away as the Blue Mountains. (Even in 1939 the school was receiving students from Eastwood and Epping, as far west as Richmond and as far south as Mittagong). Mention is made of students travelling on the now-defunct train from Baulkham Hills and Castle Hill and, (current students take note) - "the long dusty walk from the station" to school. It should be noted, though, that the train from Castle Hill terminated in Briens Road near the present site of the Coca Cola factory (some 3km from the school).

The official opening of the school took place on 22 February 1913, attended by such government luminaries as the Minister for Public Instruction, Mr A.C.Carmichael and Mr P.Board, Director of Education. There is historical dispute over the official capacities of members of "the distinguished gathering of the citizens of Parramatta".

One version lists the mayor as A.H.Collett whereas another eyewitness identifies the mayor as Mr Graham while a third refers to the unavoidable absence of the Mayor, Mr A.Graham.

On 14 February 1914, after some "acrimonious debate" in Council, building commenced on the present school site, on the corner of the Great Western Highway and Pitt Street, in a disused shale quarry.   (There is some conjecture about whether it was a quarry. Another source refers to an old brick pit). Public opinion held that the school should stand on a beautiful and historical site. The views were indeed commanding and until the early 1970s Sydney Town Hall could be seen quite clearly from the school. The foundation stone was officially laid on 3 April 1914, again by Mr Carmichael.

The school's motto: fax mentis incendium gloriae was chosen by the first headmaster W.L.Atkins in 1915. The school colours, light and dark blue, were adopted from the blues of Oxford and Cambridge Universities (in line with the plan for Parramatta High School to be the "Oxford of Australia")

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