Six get full marks for SA 2021 International Baccalaureate

The alternative high school course is designed to get students to push their limits. SA’s best didn’t just stretch, they smashed it.

Six South Australian students achieved full marks in the International Baccalaureate diploma, the alternative to the SA Certificate of Education.

The top performers of 2021 now have their sights on a mix of new horizons, from making movies in SA after studying at Flinders, to seeking out an ivy league destination, to travel in Europe to practise French and Spanish.

The six scored 45 out of a possible 45 in the IB, giving them the maximum 99.95 Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR).

They were among 395 SA students who on Monday received the result of their IB diploma or an IB subject which counted toward their SACE.

They were also among 2644 students nationally and 16,860 globally who took IB courses.

“Many of these students are our best and brightest who choose the IB; it’s seen as an opportunity to stretch themselves,” Education Minister John Gardner said.

“It’s an opportunity to go very deep into a range of subjects and disciplines and critically to challenge themselves in tricky subjects, including a second language.”

Nine SA schools had year 12 students studying IB in 2021.

Roma Mitchell had its first group of year 11s in 2021 and from this year Norwood International High, Aberfoyle Park and Unley will also offer the IB.

Full marks for these IB graduates, Xian Huang, Jasper Dew, Wanran Zhang, Tim Naylor and Will Subramaniam, 18. Picture: Michael Marschall

The top six included Dylan Holland from Prince Alfred College, a consistent academic achiever.

Jasper Dew, 18, a Pembroke School graduate, said he hopes his marks, portfolio and an interview will have won him a place at Flinders University.

“It’s one of the best and I’m not looking to go out of SA at the moment,” he said.

“I’d like to work on independently produced films.”

Tim Naylor, 18, also from Pembroke, is hoping to secure a scholarship for an undergraduate degree at Melbourne Uni in biomedical science and Chinese.

“Then I hope to postgrad medicine or dentistry,” he said.

Wanran Zhang, 19, from Glenunga International High wants to take a gap year travelling in the northern hemisphere before going to Melbourne or Sydney to study chemistry, science or psychology.

Will Subramaniam, 18, from St Peter’s College wants to wander around Europe “to practise the languages I’ve learnt with the IB”.

“Then I’m not certain what I want to study – I’ve applied to do biomedicine in the UK but I’m also interested in languages, so I may do a literature degree,” he said.

Xian Huang, 18, an international student who was also at St Peter’s is looking to a UK or US ivy league institution.

The global director-general of IB, Olli-Pekka Heinonen, said students should feel proud of their achievement, particularly during the pandemic.

“The last couple of years have been incredibly challenging for our students, teachers and schools,” Mr Heinonen said.

“During this time, Australia’s IB students have demonstrated resilience, adaptability, and commitment.”

The IB diploma is an alternative to the South Australian Certificate of Education.

Students take three core elements – an extended essay, theory of knowledge and a project demonstrating creativity or service.

Then they take a subject from each of six areas, including a second language and maths.

Final exams can count for up to 80 per cent of the final grade, whereas exams make up 30 per cent of a SACE stage 2 subject where exams are held.

Because of the pandemic, the IB board allowed schools in jurisdictions where restrictions prevented exams from being held to use alternative assessments based on externally assessed coursework and teacher submissions.

All Australian schools held exams.