ALL Saints’ College has signed off its 144-year history with outstanding results in the 2018 Higher School Certificate.
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The school has recorded one of its strongest ever HSC results to be ranked 104th in the state and first across the Central West.
Charles O’Neill was the standout performer, picking up Band 6 results in chemistry, advanced English, mathematics extension 1 and modern history for an estimated Australian Tertiary Admission Rank of 99.40.
The marks should be enough for Charles – the winner of a $21,000 a year Tuckwell Scholarship to attend Australian National University – to study law and environmental science.
He said it was a relief to finally see his marks.
“I kept trying to tell myself it would be all right no matter what and people say it’s just a number, but it’s a number that helps you get places,” he said.
“I did a lot of hours of study but a lot of people also said to me it’s important to maintain perspective so I still went out with friend and played basketball, and things like that.”
Elysia Chua hopes to study medicine at University of NSW or University of Adelaide after picking up Band 6s in ancient history, biology, chemistry, mathematics and mathematics extension 1 for an estimated ATAR of 96.60.
“I thought I would get a low-90s ATAR so when I got my estimate the first thing I thought was, ‘yes, I get sibling bragging rights’,” the youngest of four said.
“The result I was most pleased with was extension maths. That’s the one I was least confident in walking out of the exam so I was very happy to get 47/50.”
Elysia said upheaval at All Saints’ over the past 12 months as the final details of a merger between All Saint’s and The Scots School were finalised had not impacted on the Year 12 group.
“The whole school community has been amazing,” she said.
“Even with the merger happening we all just stood by one another and that really pushed me to perform well.”
Acting head of college Greg Jones said the 2018 Year 12 cohort had been one of the best All Saints’ had seen.
Students achieved a total of 44 Band 6 (or Band 6 equivalent) results and 27 per cent of students had achieved at least one Band 6.
Up to 14 of the 55 students will receive an ATAR in the 90s.
Mr Jones said it was a pleasing way for All Saints’ to finish as a stand-alone school.
“One of the things we wanted to do as a staff at the start of the year was to support the kids to ensure what was happening inside the classroom was not impacted by what was going on outside,” Mr Jones said.
“This group of young people is not only a very intelligent group of young people but also a lovely bunch of kids.
“These results are really testimony to the capacity of the students to just focus on what they wanted to achieve and also testimony to the staff and their professionalism and dedication to the students.”
Mr Jones said the 2018 Year 12 cohort had been a tight-knit group that brought out the best in each other.
“We absolutely had some outstandingly capable students but also some really hard workers and plenty who are a combination of both,” he said.
“The whole group not only pushed each other but was really supportive of each other along the way.”
Other outstanding performances included:
- Rose Denovan (ATAR estimate 98.00): Band 6 in economics, mathematics extension 1, modern history.
- Beatrice Humphries (97.80): Chemistry, English extension 1, mathematics, mathematics extension 1, physics.
- Victoria Westenfelder (97.00): Biology, modern history.
- Declan Duncan-Keen (96.00): Business Studies, mathematics.
- Lucy Corbett-Jones (95.90): Biology, mathematics, music 1, personal development, health and physical education.
- Rachel Corbett-Jones (95.70): Biology, chemistry, legal studies, mathematics.
- Gabrielle Burge (95.50): Chemistry, mathematics extension 1, physics.
- Ella Lewis (94.80): Business studies, geography.