School Highlights
Better Education’s 2023 Top Schools in Victoria
We are thrilled with being named in Better Education’s 2023 Top Schools in Victoria. Better Education is an independent body, comparing school results using various methods including ATAR and NAPLAN scores to assist parents making choices about schooling.
Considering the average cohort of the top 25% is almost twice that of Kilvington’s, we are so proud of our smaller secondary student and teaching bodies' efforts.
‘We are proud that we have been recognised in the Better Education 2023 analysis of the highest performing schools in Victoria.
Principal Rob French reflects:
'We pride ourselves on knowing our students and nurturing their potential every day as we live our mantra: small enough to care, big enough to excel.’
National Mathematics Summer School
Mark Williams, Mathematics Teacher
For the second year in a row, Kilvington students were selected to attend the National Mathematics Summer School in Canberra.
The National Mathematics Summer School is a two-week summer camp that takes place in January every year, with around 80 students from all around the country in attendance. This year, the Camp ran from January 7 to 20 at the Australian National University (ANU), Canberra.
Here are accounts from two of our students on their experience.
Victoria Hu, Year 12
I felt a bit apprehensive in the days leading up to the summer camp - two straight weeks of intensive maths during the holidays? Even the idea of it sounded a bit crazy; maybe even sounding more like a punishment than a privilege from other students' perspective.
However, soon after we arrived at Wright Hall at the ANU, I quickly realised that my initial expectations were far from the truth, and that I was about to have one of the most unforgettable two weeks of my high school journey so far.
Doing nearly seven hours of mathematics each day, I found that a common experience involved getting stuck on the first question, moving on to next question, only to get stuck again!
However, the lecturers were super engaging and we also had the chance to learn about super interesting mathematics that I didn’t even know existed (such as how 2+2 can indeed equal 1, how to prove 0 equals negative 0 and where parallel lines meet).
With students attending from all over the country, everyone bonded through shared passion, and perhaps a mutual experience of 'productive struggle'. In just two weeks, we managed to create countless memories together and forge new connections. We spent hours playing board games, doing puzzles, chatting about both maths-related and non-maths-related topics and exploring Canberra city.
By the end of the two weeks, we were no longer strangers uncertain of what lay ahead, but were an interconnected cohort who had shared laughs, jokes and all kinds of fun and challenging experiences together. The formal dinner and the final concert left everyone with a bittersweet feeling - reluctant to leave but grateful for the shared moments and memories.
Being invited to this Camp was a huge privilege, and I’m super thankful to the tutors, directors and fellow students for such a wonderful two weeks.
Sofia Semechko, Year 12
Although at first it seemed daunting to be invited to this prestigious summer school, I quickly realised that spending my time worrying that I might not connect with people or fit in was completely unnecessary because everyone was there to have fun.
Whether it was learning maths or socialising with like-minded people, everyone came together, and it sure made for an unforgettable two weeks.
Since the very first day of lectures, we were encouraged to 'calculate with our eyes open'. Initially, this phrase seemed like a strange riddle, posing a challenge for me and many others. But in much simpler terms, all the tutors and lecturers had wanted us to do was look for patterns and connections in the work we did.
I felt that that got much easier after the first few days, and spent much of my free time willingly mulling over the questions provided - just like the NMSS website had advertised.
In the lectures, we covered content that I had never questioned before: from finding points where parallel lines meet (they can do that?!) to thinking more deeply about concepts we’d always believed to be true (a + b = b + a ?!). There was never a boring lesson for us.
On the last night, following the concert where people had showcased either their talents, humour, or a creative combination of both, many stayed awake, smiling and laughing with the friends they'd made. Simultaneously, we were saddened by the fact that this wonderful experience was about to be over soon.
I’m really grateful to have had the opportunity to attend the National Maths Summer School and for the wonderful lecturers, tutors and peers who made it so great.
Year 11 excursion to the Malthouse Theatre
Sonia Murr, Academic Dean of English
Recently, I had the opportunity to take some of my Year 11 Literature students to see a play at the Malthouse Theatre titled The Hate Race, which is an adaptation of Maxine Beneba Clarke's book. Since we have been studying Maxine's writing in class, it was an enriching experience for the students.
