Rural Victoria’s top VCE schools revealed

A consistent high achiever and some tiny schools in farming towns are among regional and rural Victoria’s top performing schools in VCE 2020. See every school’s results here.

Tyrrell College celebrates its median VCE study score of 34, putting it firmly in the top 25 per cent of the state’s school by performance. Picture: Rob Leeson

IN AN extraordinary year, some regional and rural schools pulled off equally extraordinary VCE results, outshining highbrow city campuses.

Impressive performer Ballarat Clarendon College was the state’s number one VCE school last year, with its students achieving a median study score of 38.

A score of 30 is the average, and the maximum is 50, with 38 or above indicating a student is in the top 15 per cent of the state.

Small rural schools East Loddon P-12 College at Dingee and Tyrrell College at Sea Lake both did exceptionally well, with median study scores of 34.

With just 230 students from Prep to Year 12, East Loddon had five Year 12 students and 12 Year 11 students sit exams last year.

Senior sub-school leader Sarah Krahe said staff and students were delighted with the results, especially given the disrupted year.

“Last year was a little bit of a different year obviously, because of COVID,” she said. “But our staff and students always aim high.

“We just kept teaching classes … and had that face-to-face contact through the laptop screens.

East Loddon P-12 College Year 12 students Bridget Baker, Oscar Hocking and Zekie Johns each studied two Year 12 subjects last year. They contributed to the school's amazing median study score of 34.

And we just always followed up; tried to keep checking in with them to see how they were going.

“We were anticipating good results, but with the way the year had gone, we were still pleasantly surprised when the results came out. We were so proud.”

TOP 20 REGIONAL AND RURAL SCHOOLS IN VCE 2020

School, Town, Median study score, Per cent of scores 40 and above

1. Ballarat Clarendon College, BALLARAT, 38, 38.4

2. Goulburn Valley Grammar School, SHEPPARTON, 35, 21.6

3. Suzanne Cory High School, WERRIBEE, 34, 19.0

4. St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School, WARRAGUL, 34, 18.1

5. East Loddon P-12 College, DINGEE, 34, 13.9

6. Tyrrell College, SEA LAKE, 34, 12.2

7. Mortlake College, MORTLAKE, 33, 4.3

8. Casterton Secondary College, CASTERTON, 33, 4.2

9. The Geelong College, NEWTOWN, 32, 13.0

10. Girton Grammar School, BENDIGO, 32, 12.7

11. Braemar College, WOODEND, 32, 12.1

12. Sacred Heart College Geelong, NEWTOWN, 32, 11.2

13. Ballarat Grammar, WENDOUREE, 32, 10.6

14. Gippsland Grammar, SALE, 32, 9.8

15. Alice Miller School, MACEDON, 32, 9.3

16. Charlton College, CHARLTON, 31, 11.1

17. Corryong College, CORRYONG, 31, 9.2

18. Geelong Grammar School, CORIO, 31, 8.7

19. Dimboola Memorial Secondary College, DIMBOOLA, 31, 5.9

20. Hopetoun P-12 College, HOPETOUN, 31, 0

Of the five Year 12s who completed VCE at East Loddon last year, two students are enrolled to start university courses, one is attending Longerenong Agricultural College and the final two students have decided to defer their studies.

“They are not 18 yet,” Ms Krahe said. “With where we live, it is easier if you are 18 and get your licence before going to university or TAFE.”

The small school is 8km from Dingee, a tiny 20-house village north of Bendigo, nestled in sheep and cropping country. Most students at the school are from farming properties.

East Loddon P-12 College Year 12 students, 12 of whom completed some VCE exams last year and contributed to the school’s median study score of 34. Picture: Supplied

Meanwhile, at Tyrrell College in the Mallee, 19 students completed VCE subjects, with the school achieving a median study score of 34.

Mortlake College in the Western District is another small rural school that made Victoria’s top 25 per cent.

VCE co-ordinator Nathan Jones said the school’s median study score of 33 came as a nice surprise.

“I was hoping for low 30s as a median score. Maybe a 31 or 32,” he said. “To get a 33, I was very pleased. I think they adapted really well to remote learning.”

Mr Jones said the 25 Year 11 and 12 students who sat exams last year was a strong group who worked well under the stressful COVID-19 lockdown conditions.

Another worry for him was how students’ scores would be individually moderated.

“Schools were asked to give each student a rating on COVID-impact,” he said. “And we weren’t sure if some schools would be more biased. But our staff were fair. You have to be.”

He said staff and students were satisfied with the results of the individual assessment process.

While 26 regional and rural schools performed above average, and eight absolutely smashed it with median scores above 32, there is still a long way to go to close the urban-rural divide.

Regional and rural schools represent 38 per cent of all campuses across Victoria, yet they are over-represented in the bottom 25 per cent, making up 48 per cent of the lowest-scoring 125 schools by median study score.

Meanwhile, in the top band, regional and rural schools made up 16.5 per cent of the 158 schools that had median scores above 30.

Of the 249 middle-achieving schools, with median scores of 27-30, country campuses accounted for 47 per cent.

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