From the Principal -
Mr Simon Cobiac
Well done to the Art and Music Departments on a successful Primary Arts Night
Dear Families and Community of Blackfriars Priory School,
“ALARMING SACE FAILURES IGNITE CALL FOR REVAMP”
You may have seen the above headline in the Advertiser (Wednesday 27 July, p12). The article reports on Department of Education (DECD) documents that reveal:
- 34.5% of Year 12 students in DECD State Schools in the most disadvantaged areas achieve the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE)
- 75.1% of Year 12 students in DECD State Schools in the most advantaged areas achieve the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE)
My intent in highlighting these statistics and information, that is now in the public domain, is not to criticise DECD State Schools in either disadvantaged of advantaged areas of South Australia and certainly not to criticise hard working teachers and students in DECD Public Schools. I admire the hard work of all teachers and students regardless of school or system.
My purpose for publishing this recent data is to continue to inform our parent community that enrolment at Blackfriars and completing the Year 12 SACE at Blackfriars is a positive investment in the future of your son(s).
The fact is:
Blackfriars SACE Completion Rate for 2016 99%
Blackfriars SACE Completion Rate for 2017 99%
In other words, boys who complete their education at Blackfriars are almost 100% likely to achieve the SACE certificate; a certificate that opens many doors to future employment and education pathways beyond Year 12.
At the beginning of the year the 2017 ATAR results for Blackfriars were published and made available to the community via the following link: http://www.bps.sa.edu.au/__files/f/27830/BPS-2017Year12Results.pdf
In brief, I provide the following summary:
18 % of Year 12 boys achieved an ATAR of greater than 90
43% of Year 12 boys achieved an ATAR of greater than 80
81 % of Year 12 boys achieved their first or second preference for University Entrance
Furthermore, education at Blackfriars is far more than achieving the SACE or achieving a high ATAR. At Blackfriars, boys have every opportunity to fulfil their academic potential as well as:
- Enjoy an education for the whole person including the spiritual self
- Graduate from a strong community with friends for life
- Have multiple opportunities to learn through sport, drama and music
- Learn leadership skills vital for successful engagement in society
I encourage parents to interrogate the promises made by many schools in a very competitive education market. Schools often offer sporting scholarships and niche programs (STEM). These programs and other such programs are already included and flourishing as part of the Blackfriars educational experience.
Enrolment Contract at Blackfriars
It is my sincere hope that Blackfriars is the school of choice for boys and families and remains the school of choice unless families move interstate or to a distant suburb where transport to Blackfriars is difficult. However, if you are considering a move of school for your son during the remainder of this year or for 2019 for any reason, I encourage you to contact me to confidentially discuss your individual circumstances and the reasons for your consideration of a change of school. Contact can also be made with Mr Frank Ali, Head of Primary or Mr David Ruggiero, [Acting] Deputy Principal of the Secondary School.
Please be reminded of the Enrolment Contract you have signed and the agreement within the contract that when a student leaves the School, the family MUST provide a minimum of one Term’s notice in writing addressed to the Principal. In the event that a student leaves prior to the one Term’s notice, a fee is payable which is the equivalent of one Term’s Fee. The reason for this notice period is that Blackfriars, like any school establishes class sizes, senior SACE subjects and electives based on the subject selection information received from parents during Semester 2 of the previous year. The major cost to our annual budget is the employment of staff which we systematically align to student numbers and classes as calculated following subject selection for the following year. Hence, late decisions by families to leave our school become a major financial problem for Blackfriars as our costs are locked in for the year in advance.
Annual Report to the Community
Parents are invited to read the Annual Report. The report may be accessed by following the link: http://www.bps.sa.edu.au/__files/f/28585/Blackfriars_Priory_School_Annual_Report_2017.pdf
Please contact the Front Office if you would prefer a hard copy of the report.
Term Conclusion
Term 2 has been very fulfilling. Within the 10 weeks of this term students have consolidated their learning and achieved a deeper understanding of the concepts and mastery of a wide range of skills in each subject. Most students have participated in co-curricular activities and developed a closer connection to their peers and experienced the pride of representing Blackfriars in their chosen sport or activity. For all of us it is also a season of change. The weather has changed from the gentle warmth of autumn to the cold, frosty mornings and chill evening air of early winter. We have recently experienced the winter solstice and now look forward to days with gradually extended light, albeit hopefully with periods of rain.
While it has been an exciting and challenging Term, it is little wonder we all feel some level of tiredness and ready for the Term holidays to begin so that we can take time out to relax, reflect, renew our energy levels and plan for Term 3. No doubt senior students will take a well earnt break and combine relaxation with a strong focus on completing assignments and revision of the first semester.
I look forward to seeing our students return to school on Tuesday, 24 July.
Mr Simon Cobiac
PRINCIPAL