A Hoppers Crossing high school is soaring up the charts with its VCE results.
Hoppers Crossing Secondary College was ranked as the fifth most improved Victorian school in VCE median study scores over the past five years, according to the Good Schools Guide.
Principal Wayne Terrill said the school’s median study score was 22 in 2009. The score jumped to 25 by 2012 and last year student results meant that the score was now at 29.
Last year, the school celebrated after three of its year 12 students – Candice Peart, Erika Bainbridge and Taylor Jacobson-Fisher –received ATAR scores in the 90s.
Candice was also named school dux after achieving the school’s highest-ever ATAR of 97.85.
Mr Terrill attributed the improvement to a concerted effort to boost literacy and numeracy, particularly at the senior level.
Among other initiatives, the school runs specific VCE subject tutoring programs. Previously, students would have to travel into the city to access these lectures.
“We really focus on a growth mindset now, the kids are actually now staying back after school and there seems to be that notion and belief that the more effort they put in, the achievements are going to come,” Mr Terrill said.
“We’re finding a lot more kids now are involved in programs that we’re running to help them.”
Mr Terrill said the school also had a school improvement policy, where students in years 7-10 could re-sit an assessment task if they’re unhappy with their performance.
“When a kid actually sits an assessment task or a test or hands in an assignment, they can decide that they want to do a better job on that and do a similar test after school on a Wednesday … if they get a better result, we’ll include that in their report.”
