Associate Principal, Operations Report

We have been rightly celebrating the successes of our top VCE performers this week.

Congratulations to our Scholars – that is those with an ATAR above 95 and/or those who received a perfect Study Score of 50 in any subject.  Seven names will be added to the Honour Board in the Simons Auditorium on the basis of their ATARs; well done to: Maddy Bradbeer, Elly McLean, Lukas Egger, Cass Chellis, Nikki Bedworh, Bridie Kelly and Claire Paulet.  Maddy will be the first dual-Scholar, having been added last year for her 50 in Visual Communication Design, achieved when she was in Year 11.  Our eighth Scholar was in Year 11 this year and also achieved a 50 – in Studio Arts.  Well done to Pippa Gan!

Many other VCE students achieved fine results; our results were very pleasing and we hope the tertiary offers in January allow students to move on to courses they desire.  This week, our international students received their early offers and it is pleasing to see that all have been offered a course high on their list of preferences or a university pathway to that course.

Towards the end of the year, I happened to be passing a Year 8 class which was reviewing their examination results.  I dropped in for a few minutes to hear how they had fared and to point out what an exciting twelve months they have ahead: including Melbourne, China and the Otways.  I also pointed out that the exams were important and asked them whether they were able to look themselves in the mirror and honestly say they had done their best in terms of preparation and approach.  If they could, I suggested they should be very proud of the result, whatever it was.

The same message is true for the Year 12 students.  The Year 12 group of 2017 was a fantastic group of young people.  They have set a fine example to those who follow in so many ways.  I hope each of them is able to say “I gave it a good go this year.”  If they can, they – and we – should be very proud of each one of them. 

Next year’s Year 12s also make up a great group.  I had the pleasure of taking them to China in 2015; they impressed greatly then through their willingness to try new things and to work together.  They too can be fine leaders within the school … and they have already started.  I was delighted to see at the Year 5 Dinner that four of the six students who acted as waiters for the night were new Prefects, for Service and Leadership tend to run together.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

Atar 2019

Parents and students are advised that the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) has advised that there will be a change to the rules on how unscored studies can contribute to the calculation of ATARs from 2019.  Students entering Year 11 in 2018 will therefore be affected by this change.

The new policy will see unscored studies, which currently contribute 10% of the average of the primary four results, will from 2019 be calculated using 10% of the lowest study score in the primary four.  This will apply to unscored VET courses and block credit arrangements.

For example: with scaled study scores of 30.16 for English, 32.08 for Further Mathematics, 31.59 for Visual communication and 30.12 for Literature, a student would gain an aggregate of 127.05 with the addition of 3.10 as 10% of the average of the four primary subjects.  From 2019, the calculation will result in an aggregate of 126.96 with the addition of 3.01, being the 10% of the lowest score in the primary four.

VTAC advises that the change is due to studies undertaken which shows that this process is a closer match for processes relating to scored studies.

Mr Neil MacLean