Class of 2017 Results

I am pleased to advise that during the course of their senior year the Class of 2017 has demonstrated higher growth than any year group over the past decade.

Our median ATAR was 84.8, up four full points from a year ago and our highest median since 2011.

3.1% of the ATAR cohort received a score of over 99. Kok Hong (Jacky) Thong received an ATAR of 99.90 (which included a scaled score of 100% for Maths Methods), Arthur Ho received an ATAR of 99.75, Benjamin Lundberg received an ATAR of 99.60 (and is the first Indigenous student in at least 20 years to score over 99) and William Churchward received an ATAR of 99.00. A special mention must also go to Leyton Hilmer who has received a prestigious Fogarty Foundation Scholarship to UWA.

Below is a further breakdown of our WACE results:

• 17% of the ATAR cohort scored between 95 and 99 (placing them in the top 5% of the state)
• 34% scored over 90
• 65% scored over 80
• 82% scored over 70 (which is the score required to standard entry into Curtin, Murdoch, ECU and other universities. It is also the highest since 2009)

In terms of VET qualifications, a total of 76 certificates were awarded (47 of these were Cert III’s with 1 Cert IV). Eight students also competed workplace Learning Units (INSTEP) and three of those students have been offered apprenticeships at their respective workplace.

We have maintained our philosophical approach to not mandating certain pathways based on results (i.e. students and parents still choose). We have, however, increased the levels of accountability where those students have chosen to remain on the ATAR pathway.

Of the 34 students who started Year 12 on our ‘at risk’ list, 26 chose to remain on an ATAR pathway. Of these, three students’ final ATAR score was more than 23 percentile points above their predicted score. Another ten improved by between 9 and 20 percentile points. These are remarkable improvements, very rarely witnessed, and will go down as a highlight of my tenure as Headmaster.

We had a lower than usual graduation rate, which was expected. The students who didn’t achieve their WACE passed a sufficient number of courses to graduate but didn’t meet the Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment requirements. All of these had significant learning challenges or language barriers, and are students of whom I could not be prouder and more thrilled to call Wesleyans.

With the WACE results coming out before Christmas for the first time, I want to congratulate all of our Year 12 students for their hard work and various successes across so many aspects of College life. The real value of a Wesley education will be evident in a decade’s time when we see the kind of men they have developed into.

I would also like to acknowledge the incredibly hard-working team of teachers and support staff, who make this College what it is today. There is no doubt that we were all feeling under pressure leading into this year and I am so proud of their efforts, again across so many facets of College life.

I wish you all a safe and blessed Christmas period. Enjoy the time with those closest to you!

Mr David Gee

Headmaster