‘Results like these mean something to us’: Schools join VCE’s 30 club

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‘Results like these mean something to us’: Schools join VCE’s 30 club

By Madeleine Heffernan and Craig Butt

As South Oakleigh College grows, so too does its academic achievements.

For the first time, the government school has achieved a median study score of 30 – the marker of an academically solid school and the key to joining the VCE’s coveted “30 club”. The school’s average ATAR of 72.2 topped the state, too.

South Oakleigh College principal Helen Koziaris with year 12 students Charlotte Syer, Cayla Kingsley, Yi Wei (David) Mao and Nguyen Anh Ngan (Tris) Phan.

South Oakleigh College principal Helen Koziaris with year 12 students Charlotte Syer, Cayla Kingsley, Yi Wei (David) Mao and Nguyen Anh Ngan (Tris) Phan. Credit: Penny Stephens

Principal Helen Koziaris said this year’s graduates were motivated to achieve high marks after two years of on-off remote learning during the pandemic.

“They really wanted to use one of the school’s key values – resilience – and make it happen,” she said.

“It wasn’t about the ATAR. It was about getting what you can with the resources we have, to get where you want to go.”

The multicultural school in Melbourne’s south-east farewelled 65 year 12 students this year and will welcome 170 year 7 students next year.

Many of the new students will come from Oakleigh South Primary School, a government school with exceptionally strong NAPLAN results.

Koziaris said her school’s enrolment growth was driven by its culture of high expectations and gradual improvement.

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“Nothing happens overnight,” she said. “So, we started small, and now we’re getting bigger.”

South Oakleigh College is one of only six schools to join VCE’s 30 club this year.

Sacred Heart College in Yarrawonga is another. Its phone was running hot after Monday’s strong VCE results, which included 13 per cent of students achieving study scores of 40 or above.

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Principal Lew Nagel said the results reflected the work ethic of the students and the dedication of teachers, who ran homework classes during holidays and homework club during the week.

“Results like these really do mean something to us,” said Nagel.

Thirteen per cent of students achieved study scores above 40 and two students received perfect scores.

The Catholic co-educational school introduced years 11 and 12 only a decade ago, in an attempt to retain students who would otherwise move to the local state school or a Melbourne boarding school for their senior secondary years.

Further west, along the Victoria-NSW border, Kerang Christian College achieved a median study score of 33 not long after its town was inundated with floodwater.

Principal Wayne Barker said a combination of capable students and motivated teachers helped lift results this year.

“I know one teacher who did about 16 practice SACs [school-assessed coursework] for one subject – that’s unheard of,” Barker said.

“One of the biggest issues for year 12 students is getting them to believe in themselves ... so just being there to say, ‘Keep going, don’t give up’ is so important, not just for every student, but for every school.”

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The remaining 30 club members are Al-Taqwa College in Melbourne’s western suburbs, McClelland Secondary College in beachside Frankston and Warracknabeal Secondary College in Victoria’s wheat belt.

Al-Taqwa College vice principal Mohammad Hallak said the Islamic school was “over the moon” with its 2022 VCE results.

“This year’s results give us great hope and confidence for the future, and this group’s success will inspire the students coming after them,” he said.

With Nicole Precel

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