By Eleanor Wilson
In spite of disruptions to classroom learning born out of the Covid pandemic, Nossal High School has recorded some of its best VCE results since the school was established 13 years ago.
The select entry government school is often regarded as one of the best in the state, yet its 2021 and 2022 VCE results show it is reaching new heights.
The Berwick school recorded a median ATAR of 93.6 and a median study score of 36 – the latter being the best in its history, according to principal Roger Page.
“Our students will always perform well, we’re a select entry school so they come in with high levels of aspiration and capability,” he said.
“But last year we received our best results in our 13-year history and this year was our best median ATAR… and these are the kids that have been most impacted by Covid.”
While the students’ pandemic resilient performance may be surprising to many, Mr Page said the Berwick school was acquainting students with an online learning model before Covid was a blip on the radar.
“I’m very pleased [with the results] but not really surprised, because the kids are very well motivated and prepared for online learning,” he said.
“Prior to Covid lockdown, about five or six years ago we began to establish a set of digital days for the students to complete their learning online.
“The concept for that came from research we were hearing which showed that students were not aptly prepared for university, which takes on more of an online learning approach with online lectures and so forth.
“We wanted to start to prepare our students beyond their secondary education.
“Our focus is not just about the ATAR score, it’s about preparing our students for university and the outside world, broadening their horizons and ensuring they become better citizens as well.”
Of the 2022 Nossal cohort, 11 students achieved an ATAR score of 90 or above, including Shashini Kandamulla, who woke up on Monday 12 December to a score of 99.15.
“I was so nervous to click that button, but I did it because my Dad was standing right behind me,” she said.
“I think my parents were more nervous than I was because they work so hard to support me and my education so there was a lot riding on it for them too.
“I was aiming for above 99 so I was really happy and so relieved to see my score and know all the hard work paid off.”
The Cranbourne resident said she took a bus, two trains and walked a kilometre on foot to get to and from school each day, but maintains the commute was worth it to attend the school.
Shashini hopes to study medicine at Monash University, but dentistry and engineering are also potential career paths for her.
Fellow student Harejen Pasupathidasan said he wasn’t overly confident walking out of his exams, but was pleasantly surprised to discover he had obtained a score of 99.10.
He said subject choice was an important contributor to his final ATAR score.
“Try not to focus on the subjects people say will get you a high score, just do the subjects you enjoy,” he said.
“For me, the subjects I really liked turned out to be my highest scoring subjects.”
Like Shashini, Harejen hopes to study medicine at Monash University, but the pair still need to undertake a series of interviews before they find out if they have been accepted into the course.
