ATAR results 2019: Three East Loddon P12 College students score over 90

Teachers were brought to tears when they found out the results of this group of nine Year 12 VCE students from a small country school.

Top of the class: Stephen Verley, Jessica Demeo and Macey Martin all received scores over 90. Photo: Dannika Bonser

THREE Year 12 VCE students from a class of just nine at a tiny school in central Victoria achieved ATARs of more than 90 last week.

The phenomenal result of East Loddon P-12 at Dingee, northwest of Bendigo, included a score of 97.25 for the dux, Stephen Verley.

Another two students scored ATARs above 80, and another two in the 70s.

“There was tears, quite a bit of crying going on in the staffroom. Everyone was so happy,” assistant principal Scott Wilkinson said.

“I’ve been here 18 years and that’s the biggest score I’ve seen, and then to get the other two in the 90s as well was just fantastic.

“They were solid students but it is really difficult to get in the 90s and for such a small cohort to get three of them there it blew us away.”

There were 13 different subjects offered at the school this year. Stephen did physics via video link with the high school in Charlton, another studied German through the School of Languages, and another did VET engineering.

The school also offered agriculture this year.

“That was our first go at Year 12 ag for a number of years,” Mr Wilkinson said.

“We’re trying to get the kids interested in it and having a bigger ag program right throughout the school.”

So excited was the school to share the results with the rest of the students that the senior school co-ordinator spray-painted the top three scores on the asphalt and “made a big deal of it because it is important”, Mr Wilkinson said.

“Older kids are real leaders — they can’t help but be.”

Mr Wilkinson said there was some simple advice for next year’s Year 12s.

“Look at how those kids worked, is one thing, and take advantage of what we’ve got.

“Our advantage is we have these extremely small classes.

“Encouraging kids to be comfortable in asking questions and being a bit vulnerable in letting us know exactly what they don’t understand reaps massive rewards.”

Mr Wilkinson said all the students would get their first VTAC university preference.