East Gippsland Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) students, who sat their final exams last month after 13 years or more of primary and secondary schooling, received their official ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) scores last Thursday.

Students can put a great deal of unnecessary pressure on themselves to get the ATAR scores, but essentially it is ‘just a number’. It may change the path slightly, but it does not define their entire future.

Bairnsdale Secondary College (BSC) acting principal, Noel Creece, is proud of the more than 100 students who graduated from the college this year, students of both VCE and Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL).

“We’re on a J-curve here at the school and our year 12 results this year are the best they’ve been in a number of years,” he said.
BSC acknowledges that success comes in many forms and congratulates all of its VCAL and VCE students on a successful 2019. The college community is proud of all of the students who are transitioning into employment, further education and training, and university.

“We had two students with ATAR scores in the 90s, and we’re very proud of that,” Mr Creese said.

“We also had a whole bunch of kids getting above the 50 mark. In the 50s is not staggering, but is still a strong score. We had many more students getting over 50 this year than last year.”

Annie Rogers was the recipient of the Townsend Award, which is awarded to the BSC female dux. Thomas Poynton, the recipient of the Fischer Award, was the college’s male dux for 2019. Both Annie and Thomas aspire to further education at university.

The college acknowledges the hard work of the students and the support of their families throughout the later years of their education.

The marked improvement in overall results this year is anticipated to be a continuing trend at the college as it continues to build on and focus on improving academic outcomes.

“We’re very optimistic at Bairnsdale Secondary College around putting a lot of pride in our students, and staff,” Mr Creece said.

“We’ll be changing our VCAL program next year, it will be more project based. We’ll be raising the standard of VCE and VCAL and our year 12s will need to jump through hoops a bit more. That’s not to make it difficult, but we work on the idea that if it’s worth fighting for and doing a good job they’ll be more proud of their efforts in the end.”

Mr Creece said there is a positive vibe around the college and staff are looking forward to 2020.

“We’re looking forward to the break, too. We’re tired, but that’s because we’ve all done the best we can, both students and staff,” he said.

“When I came to Bairnsdale Secondary College earlier this year I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I’ve found the spirit and heart of our students is just beautiful. I’m so proud of them and our staff. I’ll be sad to finish up here at the end of the year.”

HAPPY IN THE HIGH COUNTRY

Along with five graduating VCE students, Swifts Creek P-12 also had four VCAL students, and principal, Robert Boucher, is happy for each one of them.

“We are pleased for the students who were planning to head along a tertiary pathway and are able to do so, and our other students who will head down other pathways including apprenticeships,” Mr Boucher said.

“We are happy our kids are pursuing pathways of destinations of their choice.

“It can be a really challenging day for some when the results come in. What is important is that students realise that a number does not define you. It may be a golden ticket that gives them a great start, but it does not define them or what their futures hold.”

Mr Boucher said he hoped the students, many who have spent their entire schooling at Swifts Creek, have developed a philosophical disposition that will allow them to see that.

“If you define yourself by the results of tests you took at 18 you’re going to live a pretty narrow life,” he said. “We need to get rid of the ridiculous element of pressure students can put themselves under. It’s just not healthy.

“It was great to be able to talk to the students and their parents at their graduation dinner, confident that they have the right disposition to do better than alright.

“We’re sure they will have a positive influence on the people they work with in the future. We have confidence in them and they are good role models for the next kids coming through.”

It can be daunting for those students heading to the city for tertiary studies, but Mr Boucher said the students from his small school are well prepared.

“Going from sitting in a classroom of maybe nine, 10 students to sitting in a lecture theatre with 200 others, it’s a big shift, but we’ve prepared our students, not just in their later school years but right through, with camps and trips, setting up their confidence.”

Mr Boucher said East Gippsland students make some great choices and go in such different directions.

“It’s amazing where some end up. The diversity of East Gippsland students, where they go, is incredible,” he said.

NAGLE IMPRESSIVE

The Nagle College community also commends its year 12 students on their achievements and successful completion of their secondary education.

The outcomes were impressive for the 76 students studying the VCE and the 32 studying VCAL who are now looking forward to moving towards the next chapter of life.

Nagle College principal, Neville Powles, said it was pleasing the cohort of students achieved a higher average ATAR than in recent years, with 16 per cent of students achieving an ATAR above 80.

The higher scores were backed up by the whole student population with 74 per cent achieving an ATAR higher than 50.

“The college is always looking to improve student performances and give them every opportunity to achieve as well as they possibly can,” Mr Powles said.

“Nagle College students have a strong track record of forging successful pathways in further education, training and employment once they finish secondary schooling, and the 2019 group can look forward confidently to taking up opportunities to secure their future options.

“Kelsey Cuttriss was congratulated on being the VCE dux of Nagle College for 2019. She achieved an ATAR of 96, which is our highest score in recent years. Kelsey is looking forward to an exciting and busy 2020. She has accepted entry to ADFA in Canberra where she will undertake a science degree alongside her military training.

“Four students obtained the International Baccalaureate with their high scores acknowledging both personal and academic achievement. We congratulate Matilda Alvin, Rachael Butler, Roni Corby and Gabriella Lightowler. “It was also pleasing to see many students achieving

study scores over 40 across a range of subjects. These subjects included English, outdoor and environmental studies, history revolutions, visual communication design, psychology, religion and society, and sport and recreation.

“While the current focus has been on the students who completed their year 12 VCE studies, there is a significant group of students who completed their VCAL certificates this year. Although it is still early times, students who have been undertaking applied earning programs through VCAL have achieved outstanding outcomes. Students are gaining full time employment, apprenticeships and traineeships.”

Mr Powles congratulated Chloe Laity who was the dux of the VCAL group.

“In a competitive marketplace students are being offered apprenticeships and local employers are pleased to employ Nagle College students,” he said.

“The students are reaping the benefits of an engaging and challenging applied learning program that prepares them with the skills to make an effective transition into the workplace.”

IMAGE: Nagle College VCE Dux for 2019, Kelsey Cuttriss, with college principal, Neville Powles (left), and VCAL coordinator, Tina Sonka, with VCAL Dux for 2019, Chloe Laity (right). (PS)