Cobram Secondary College ended its fourth year with a focus on improving student literacy. The hard work is paying off, with students achieving a range of NAPLAN and VCE/VCAL success.
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The mean ATAR increased six points from 2018, hitting 60.43. This is a result of the impressive average study score of 28, ranking the college as the highest performing government school in the Goulburn Valley and equal fourth for all independent, Catholic and government schools in the region.
College dux Ellie Jones earned an ATAR of 92.05, placing her in the top 7.95 per cent of the state, after being awarded study scores of 43 in revolutions history and health and human development, as well as a 42 in English. She has received a range of offers from Monash University, UNSW and ANU.
Ellie intends on starting her first preference course in a double degree at the Australian National University in a Bachelor of Public Policy and Bachelor of International Security.
However, her journey at Cobram Secondary College has been more than one of academic excellence. During her Year 12, Ellie was also awarded with the Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, after completing both her bronze and silver as a part of the school’s advance program.
She has been heavily involved in supporting the Cobram community cinema and continuing her work as a Rural Youth Ambassador Alumni. During the year she represented the voice of rural students at the Education State Forum and presenting at the Student Voice Agency and Partnership International Conference. Her leadership work across a range of fields was recognised by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority with a VCE Leadership Award.
Ellie is only one of many students heading off into their dream destinations.
Freyja Black has been awarded a place at the Victorian College of the Arts (Melbourne University) to complete a Bachelor of Fine Arts (theatre). This is a remarkable success, with only 20 places awarded from an audition pool of more than 500 students from countries around the Asia Pacific region.
This reflects Freyja’s passion for music and theatre, having been a member of the Cobram Secondary College senior band and range of roles with the Numurkah Singers and Initial Stages.
VCAL graduate Liam Hindle is also following his long held dream of pursuing a career in the V8 racing industry, securing a place at the prestigious Motorsports Training Australia.
With 72 per cent of students receiving their first or second round preferences in the trial VTAC December round offers, the staff wait with excitement to see offers in the main January round.
This VCE/VCAL success is a culmination of ongoing growth across the college.
In the 2019 NAPLAN testing round, students demonstrated relative growth from Year 7 to Year 9 well above the state average, ensuring that they gained more than one year of growth for every year of learning.
This is a result of the Illuminate Independent Reading Program at the start of each morning which ensures every student reads for at least 19 minutes a day. A student needing further reading support work in small groups in Levelled Literacy Intervention during Year 8, four days a week.
This is further supported by the explicit instruction of reading comprehension across the curriculum.
Principal Kimberley Tempest said regardless of the family situation or start in life, education has the power to change lives.
``Our graduates have taken advantage of every opportunity, worked hard and are now rewarded by having choices about their future,” she said.
Cobram Secondary College works hard to provide high quality education for every child in the local community, in a low fee and inclusive environment.
