Scotch College

Boys of all abilities succeed in Class of '97

The prodigious performance of five Scotch students from the Class of 1997, each scoring the maximum Tertiary Entrance Ranking of 99.95, is a matter both for celebration of the excellence of their performance, and for satisfaction, that these able students achieved at the highest possible level.

As reported elsewhere in this edition, the Class of '97 excelled at the upper end of its achievers.

Yet I was delighted to receive a letter of gentle rebuke from the father of a boy who scored less than 30. He suggested that not enough attention is given to the genuine achievement of boys whose scores may be at the lower end of the scale.

He wrote 'My son achieved his VCE even though it was in the less-than-thirty region. It should be noted that his teachers had put in a commendable effort to make sure he gained that which we all desired.'

Several teachers were named, in appreciation of a range of attributes: 'persistence and encouragement ... no-nonsense approach ... discovering the problems ... guidance and advice ... personable association in doubling as a father figure ... raising his self-esteem ... touching his imagination ... special appreciation should go to ... all the staff who made it possible for my son to achieve the seemingly unachievable - the VCE'.

It is significant that not all persons named were teachers. Some non-teaching staff had played a part in enabling this student to be part of Scotch and to achieve his goal, which he identified during Year 12, with assistance from careers and other staff, as gaining an A-grade electricals certificate. He scored a record 96/100 in an entrance exam, based predominantly on Year 11 and 12 Physics and earned a six-month reduction in course length and a scholarship contributing several thousand dollars towards course fees.

A 'total' education at Scotch

The father goes on to 'suggest the school should feel immensely proud of its achievement with a student like my son. Without his 'total' education at Scotch he would have floundered in the real world, something to which he readily admits ... I am at a loss to describe the pride I feel at my son's success, due largely to his time at Scotch.'

Another letter, from the parents of a boy at the upper end of the 1997 VCE class at Scotch, referred to how their son has been challenged to reach the highest levels of academic excellence in all areas of his studies ... 'Of course, schooling is not just about academia - music, sport and social service have played a part in his socialisation and maturation ... It was a sad day when our son left Scotch, but it was a soothing thought that he had been given an opportunity to attend one of the great schools, be taught by true professionals, be extended both in and out of the classroom, but more importantly that he had developed into a mature and socially conscientious young adult.'

These two letters do not, of course, mean that Scotch succeeded in enabling every boy in the Class of '97 to achieve according to his potential. But they do demonstrate that an outstanding opportunity to excel is provided at Scotch for boys of all abilities.

Also apparent from the '97 VCE results is evidence that involvement in the whole 'package' of a Scotch education goes hand-in-hand with academic excellence. Of the five boys scoring 99.95, four played in school orchestras - often as soloists. Sports participation (including at first team level) and Services contributions also featured in their lives, as did performance in school drama, regular competition in debating and school leadership as Prefects and School Officers.

The teaching staff deserve a great deal of credit for the excellence of the 1997 VCE results. Success at this level depends a great deal on the foundations laid in earlier years, so that the whole staff can take satisfaction from the results of the Class of '97. We shall watch with interest as this group moves on, expecting that the principles learned at school will prove their worth in the world beyond Scotch.

Dr F G Donaldson, Principal