Parade College Preston’s new pathway program to university reignites ATAR debate

A program allowing students access to university without the stress of year 12 exams has been hailed as the future of education — so what does it mean for the ATAR system?

Schools are introducing new programs to give their students the opportunity to thrive.

Parade College’s new tertiary pathway, which offers students guaranteed admission to university without an ATAR, has reignited debate over the effectiveness of the tertiary ranking system.

The catholic school is offering a new program for students who want to attend university without the stress of year 12 exams or doing a scored Victorian Certificate of Education.

News of the program comes amid more students choosing unscored VCE studies while leaders at some of the state’s top-performing schools are calling for a revamp of the tertiary admission ranking system.

Year 12 students who pursue their Victorian Certificate of Education acquire an ATAR at the completion of their studies, which is then used by universities to determine which high school graduates are eligible for their courses.

Parade College has introduced a new tertiary pathway to both female and male students, which will give them access to La Trobe University without an ATAR.

But Carey Baptist Grammar School principal Jonathan Walter is one of several educators spearheading the push for the system to undergo a shake-up, arguing ATARs don’t “fully capture the breadth and depth of students’ skills and strengths”.

“I do not believe we should scrap the ATAR, but rather add to it,” he said.

“We have more information on each of our students, which provides insights into their resilience, ethics, strengths, passions and beliefs, as well as their ability to cooperate and collaborate.

“We should recognise (these skills when) they graduate from school.”

La Trobe School of Education lecturer in Assessment and Pedagogy Dr Kate Lafferty also described the ATAR as an “efficient method” for tertiary institutions to select high-achieving students, but said it didn’t show their full potential.

Through her research with colleague Associate Professor Melissa Barnes, Dr Lafferty concluded students’ competencies and skills outside their academic success should be considered when determining whether they’re a suitable candidate.

“There is more that needs to be considered than the ability to succeed in the conditions and contexts leading to an ATAR,” Dr Lafferty said.

“Will (the ATAR) disappear? Probably not, but I think we will see more variation in entry pathways that reduce the emphasis on it.”

Carey Baptist Grammar School principal Jonathan Walter said more elements should be added to the current ATAR system.

Carey Baptist Grammar is working alongside the University of Melbourne and 40 other schools nationally on new metrics that highlight students’ strengths in what Mr Walter has called “ATAR+”.

“The ATAR remains crucial, but alongside this, we recognise the global trend towards not just ranking students but finding holistic measures to better match them with suitable pathways post-school,” he said.

Victoria University (VU) said it also offered non-ATAR pathways to help students access its courses.

Through its new Early Entry initiative, senior school students gain accelerated entry into VU, access to scholarships and a tailored course plan when they receive their year 12 results.

“At Victoria University, we believe an ATAR is not the arbiter or determinant of a person’s potential, as it doesn’t provide insight into a student’s drive, commitment, skills, or the challenges they faced in Year 12,” a VU spokeswoman said.

RMIT University also offered certificates, diplomas and advanced diplomas that act as an entry point into other degrees.

Despite the push to change the system, a Department of Education spokesman said the ATAR will “continue to be an important pathway into university”.

The Parade College students enrolled in the new pathway will be able to study a range of undergraduate courses in the Health Sciences, Humanities and Business schools at La Trobe University.

Schools race to provide the best programs

Schools are partnering with top sporting teams and offering exclusive co-educational opportunities to differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive educational environment.

Public, Catholic and private institutions statewide are thinking outside the box to provide students with the chance to thrive.

At Ivanhoe Grammar School, secondary students can experience life in the army through the Australian Army Cadet Corps.

The co-ed school has the largest cadet unit in Victoria with the program teaching students “invaluable skills (for) their life beyond school”.

Mentone Grammar and Peninsula Grammar also offer students an extensive program with the Australian Army Cadets.

Meanwhile, Catholic Regional College Sydenham launched its Sports Academy pathway this year, which enables students to balance their athletic development alongside their academic studies.

Assistant principal – resilience and wellbeing, Shane Hart, said: “We wanted to give (students) the best chance to be successful in their chosen pathway and offer a more engaging and tailored education program to better meet their needs”.

On completion of the program, students can opt to study a range of sport and health science courses at Victoria University.

Ivanhoe Grammar School offers students the opportunity to experience life in the army through the Australian Army Cadet Corps. Picture: Ivanhoe Grammar School / Facebook

Ave Maria College in Aberfeldie also offers a tertiary preparation program for its year 12 students through RMIT while eligible students at Melton’s St Francis Catholic College have access to Australian Catholic University’s step up program.

Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools director of education excellence Dr Mary Oski said such opportunities send the message “it isn’t the end of the world if students don’t get the ATAR they want”.

A number of independent schools also have partnerships with professional sporting organisations, including Liverpool Football Club International Academy which has ties with Salesian College and Padua College.

Last month, Trinity Grammar School and Tottenham Hotspur also announced a multi-year football coaching partnership.

As for public schools, a Department of Education spokesman said “Maribyrnong Secondary College and Rowville Secondary College are two examples of government schools that run AFL pathways programs”.

“Victoria continues to expand the opportunities offered in government secondary schools that help lead students to successful pathways after school,” he said.