Riverside High School first opened its doors to Grade Seven students in 1962. It was one of a number of co-educational, comprehensive high schools that were established in Tasmania in the same era. It occupies a large area of gently sloping land in an outer suburb of Launceston. and now caters for approximately eight hundred and twenty students from Grade 7 - 10. Students at the school have access to a wide range of opportunities in the formal and informal curriculum.

We encourage and support academic excellence. Our students' subject results are consistently above the State average, as they are for literacy and numeracy. We run a marvelous music program consisting of class and individual tuition, a small concert band, various ensemble groups and some rock bands. We do very well in eisteddfods and this year, one of our bands – Major Murphy – won the State Rock Challenge. Our drama performances are wonderful and the effort put into both prepared and impromptu work is enormous. Our debaters and public speakers can hold their own in any verbal joust.  We hold public exhibitions of students' Art work, and the success of others in Mathematics, Computer, English and Science competitions attest to our strengths in these areas. In 2005, our Science and Engineering team came second in the National Grand Challenge in Newcastle.  This year the team has again won through to the National finals in Tamworth.

On the sporting field we are very successful in all the Inter-High carnivals and usually win a number of team premierships. Many individual students represent Tasmania at the national level. In addition we have an active rowing team which although small in number at present, is extremely competitive at the Tasmanian All Schools Regatta, against some highly credentialed private schools.

The school challenges individuals to reach their personal best. It provides the educational opportunities and the necessary technological infrastructure to allow everyone to be competitive, happy and successful people in the rapidly changing society of the twenty-first century. We encourage a love of learning and the development of a resilient attitude which will assist our students to cope with whatever the future offers them.