Xavier College accused of unfairly awarding school prizes

Two parents were dubbed “tiger parents” after they raised concerns about how elite boys’ school Xavier College was deciding academic awards and grades.

Xavier College has been accused of unfairly awarding school prizes, miscalculating grades and poorly maintaining academic records. Picture: Mark Stewart

Leading Catholic boys’ school Xavier College has been accused of unfairly awarding school prizes, miscalculating grades and poorly maintaining academic records.

The father and mother of a year 12 student were dubbed “tiger parents” by one state ­official after they complained about the subjective nature of the elite school’s academic grading and award system.

The parents have complained to the Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission about how the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority failed to hold Xavier College to ­account for alleged failures in record-keeping of grades and its handling of complaints.

They have also complained to the Victorian Ombudsman and the Office of the Information Commissioner as a ­result of their treatment by a range of church and educational organisations.

The state official from schools regulator the VRQA denies they used the term “tiger parent”.

Xavier College is one of Victoria’s most elite schools. Picture: Mark Stewart

Issues emerged in 2020 when the student – substantially an A and A+ achiever – was not awarded a special distinction prize at the end of year 10, and again in year 12.

This led to his parents raising concerns with teachers over the awarding of marks for individual as well as group ­assignments, along with the lack of procedural fairness and transparency associated with assessments and prize-giving.

The family argued there was a lack of transparency and objectivity in the way the school “determined gradings, rankings and alleged ‘academic’ awards”.

In a letter to the school board, the parents said: “This complaint started off as merely my family seeking clarity on the outcomes of my son’s ­results and the rationale for the outcomes of the 2020 Award Giving. In the process, my interactions with the relevant staff members have uncovered material process and governance failures which ­potentially jeopardise the school’s registration”.

The parents said they had spent $180,000 on fees and should be “treated fairly as with any other company providing a service”.

The school could not substantiate their son’s results, which had detrimental effects on his mental health.

The parents are also concerned about privacy, alleging protected information including about their son’s mental health was shared between the principal, some staff, the ­Society of Jesus and others in violation of the Privacy Act.

A VRQA spokesman said the Catholic Education Commission, as the approved ­review body for Catholic schools, investigated this matter at the request of the VRQA.

“The investigation identified some opportunities for Xavier College to strengthen its complaints policy,” he said.

An IBAC spokesman said “as a matter of practice, IBAC does not comment on whether it has a complaint or investigation before it”.“Every complaint IBAC receives is assessed in accordance with the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Act 2011 to determine whether IBAC will investigate, refer it to another organisation for investigation, or dismiss it. IBAC communicates its decision directly with all complainants and notifying bodies.”

Xavier College declined to comment. It is understood to be supporting the student.

IBAC was contacted for comment.