Last year St Margaret’s Berwick Grammar’s VCE results placed the girls school in the top 10 of all schools in the state and the boys school in the top 10 of all boys state schools.
Principal Annette Rome explains the secret.
“There are a number of factors that contributed to the 2020 VCE results. Firstly, we had an outstanding cohort of students committed to achieving their best results and who really took ownership of their learning practice. This drive coupled with our world class teaching staff combined to achieve these fantastic results,” she said.
“Secondly, I think it was the online support that was provided to all our students during lockdown from both an academic and wellbeing perspective.
“We changed the way we taught to meet the channel and the needs of the students. This combined with teachers being actively available allowed our students to outperform.
“Thirdly, as I alluded earlier, we placed student wellbeing, as we always do, at the forefront of everything we did. In these times of uncertainty having a rigorous wellbeing program that continuously reaches out to and engages with students is critical.
“Finally, I think our Diamond Education Model, where we offer coeducation in our Junior School and single gender education on separate campuses for Senior Girls and Boys with coeducational learning opportunities, really came into its own.
“The educational research points to this model providing the best of all worlds, as it offers environments that are safe, nurturing and supportive while maximising both academic and social/emotional outcomes.”
