Class of 2021 

Congratulations to Jake Fitzgerald and Ben Churilov who are the joint Kilvington Grammar Duces for 2021.  

Jake Fitzgerald - 2021 Dux

Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where and what are you currently studying?

A: I am currently studying a Bachelor of Law and International Security at the Australian National University. Overall, I am enjoying the sea change and meeting like-minded students from across Australia. 

Q: What was the biggest highlight of your time at Kilvington?

A: Undoubtedly, the biggest highlight for me was playing ‘Scorpion soccer’ in Year 10. The atmosphere was amazing, and it was great to play it in the recently opened Sport Centre. Achieving three perfect 50 study scores (English, Biology and Psychology) and a Premier’s Award in Year 11 was also quite nice. 

Q: What do you think enabled you to achieve such a great result at School?

A: A few factors helped me achieve my result. Staying on top of the work, asking plenty of questions, completing lots of practice exams, and the support of my family through two years of frequent lockdowns were all vital. 

Q: What did you find most challenging and how did you deal with this?

A: Something which was challenging for me, especially in Year 12, was balancing content revision from earlier in the year while also preparing for upcoming assessments. Not leaving study to the last minute and making the most of the holidays and weeks without many SACs, helped me to manage this challenge.

Q: Do you have any advice for students studying their VCE?

A: Regarding academics, I would say that it’s important to focus on the subjects you have a proclivity for, not just the ones that scale best. Also, make sure to utilise your teachers and ask questions as much as possible. In general, having a routine or schedule for both School 

and extracurricular activities and aiming to adhere to it as much as possible is a big help.

Ben Churilov - 2021 Dux

Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where and what are you currently studying?

A: I have been fortunate enough to get accepted into the Bachelor of Medical Science/Doctor of Medicine course at Monash University, which has been my dream course for a while now, and I am really enjoying it so far.

Q: What was the biggest highlight of your time at Kilvington?

A: It’s definitely one of the School camps, but I’m struggling to rank one over the rest. Going on a gruelling hike and eating canned food for dinner while it’s pouring with rain was a rather niche way to bond with friends, but oddly enough, when I think back to those hours of wet and cold, I remember them only with fondness. Dry and warm cabins are nice too.

Q: What do you think it was that enabled you to achieve such a great result at School?

A: I don’t think I can pin it down to one thing because it was definitely a combination of elements working in tandem. Maintaining friendships that were authentically supportive and meaningful; making the most of my teachers’ knowledge and willingness to help, by asking for help when I needed it; involving myself positively in extracurricular activities; and making the school environment feel as comfortable as possible for myself … I would say these were probably the main things that helped me.

Q: What did you find most challenging and how did you deal with this? 

A: Staying consistently focused and motivated with my studies at home was definitely challenging, and honestly, an emotionally-taxing goal. In saying that, I found the best way to cope was reminding myself that ‘a goal’ is all it was. Allowing myself to rest when I felt genuinely tired, and not feeling guilty for investing time in things other than schoolwork, enabled me to study in a more refreshed and motivated state.

Q: Do you have any advice for students studying their VCE? 

A: Don’t rely on cramming. Having a few weeks of ‘free time’ feeling guilty and increasingly overwhelmed by content you’re not staying on top of, really isn’t worth it. Studying incrementally over time is much less stressful, makes the content more digestible, and will give you many more opportunities to receive and implement feedback from teachers.

Outstanding VCE results

Huge congratulations to our joint Duces of the School, Ben Churilov and Jake Fitzgerald, who achieved an ATAR of 99.90, and to Arianna Hearst for achieving an ATAR of 99.15. 

Further congratulations to Kilvington students who achieved perfect scores of 50 in English, Further Mathematics and Psychology. Absolutely outstanding!

Here is a summary of the 2021 results: 

• Joint Duces, Ben Churilov and Jake Fitzgerald, achieved an ATAR of 99.90.
• 4% of our students were in the top 1% of the State.
• 17% of our students were in the top 5% of the State.
• 36% of our students were in the top 10% of the State.
• 70% of our students were in the top 20% of the State.
• The Median Study Score is 34.
• Perfect Study Scores were achieved in English, Further Mathematics and Psychology.