Yesterday, the 2023 VCE results were released. As Year 9 and 10 students during the pandemic, we have been conscious of this year group’s disrupted learning during the formative years of their VCE studies. We are very pleased for them as they now set forth towards tertiary studies, work and first career opportunities.

As has been the case in recent years, and increasingly so with each passing year, we are limited by what we can report in terms of the details of the results released. The results are, rightly, treated by VCAA (subject results) and VTAC (ATAR calculations) as the student’s property. (Please see the footnote for further explanation).

Here are the details of our students’ performances as we are able to report them – we appreciate the students’ willingness for these to be shared:

Sam Parsons, one of our College Captains, is the College Dux for 2023 (with an ATAR of 98.85), Jedi Lau placed second and Duncan Lee third. Each of these students placed within the top 2% of all Year 12 exam candidates across Australia
In offering considerable breadth onsite, in terms of the subjects studied, it was pleasing to see students achieving consistently strong results across a suite of subjects which they had been able to choose as appropriate to their personal interests and future aspirations
This year one-sixth of our students attained an ATAR in the 90s
Over one-third of our students had an ATAR at or above 80. Half of our students had an ATAR at or above 70.

As a school community, we thank and congratulate Year 12 2023 on their considerable influence within our College community over the past 13 years. Not only have they applied themselves diligently, they have – through their endeavours and engagement – helped us as we commit to the classrooms of our future Year 12s to provide strong, deep and Spirit-filled experiences.

To Sophie Harrisson and Sam Parsons, I extend a personal, heartfelt thank you for your committed, cheerful, hope-filled and Christ-focused leadership of the student body this year. Your focus on our community life together has been a hallmark of a strong student leadership group with whom you planned and delivered many positive and uplifting events in the school calendar. You both showed remarkable wisdom and insight as you exercised leadership beyond your years.

Year 12 blessed us by their generosity of spirit, creative approach and calm disposition in the face of all the circumstances they encountered. They were kind, willing and thoughtful, maintaining humility at all times.

Donvale Christian College’s approach to Year 12 continues to be much broader than purely the results published at this time of year. Each Year 12 cohort is a unique blend of individuals, experiencing life together in a different combination of events, social and societal dynamics.

This is seen in the diversity of study programs for our students, who presented for assessment in 51 different VCE Unit 3-4 subjects and 17 different VET certificate courses.

We pray that they will have grown in their emotional intelligence, resilience, resourcefulness, and spiritual discernment – to name a few intangibles – through their time as members of our student body.

A hallmark of discussions with parents as their children finish Year 12 this year has been the joy they have seeing them genuinely live out Micah 6:8, and the hope they have for this class of graduates as future parents, employers, church leaders, community members and policy shapers. They have been well equipped to take the next steps as they set forth into adulthood.

Alongside many tertiary study options across most of Victoria’s universities and in every conceivable area of study, we are always pleased to see that apprenticeships, employment, or entry to a Bible College or TAFE course are futures pursued by those whose goal in completing the VCE was not to go to university. Please uphold each of our Year 12 2023 students as they await advice in the weeks ahead, regarding studies and other possibilities in their near future.

Wishing you every good blessing for Christmas and the New Year ahead!

Shalom.

*FOOTNOTE: It is important to acknowledge that the results reported here are the property of each individual student, named or described within groups. It is their decision whether their results are reported within and beyond the Donvale Christian College community. Only the results of students who have given permission to the College and external publications are reported here.

As such, specific values of collective results are not always listed, as these numbers would be skewed – and not represent actual outcomes – because some results are withheld from the overall numbers described. We recognise that each student’s individual circumstances will inform their decision and thank members of the College community for their understanding in this matter.

Secondary Life