Scotch College

From the Principal December2001

From the Principal

Activity, innovation and achievement

2002, Scotch’s 151st year, has begun with a welter of activity, innovation and achievement that indicates the re-direction rather than evaporation of the energy and excitement of our sesquicentenary year.

The Class of 2001, in addition to leading the school in last year’s celebration of our 150th anniversary, achieved a truly remarkable set of results in the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) that serve to encourage greater endeavour this year. Three students, Peter Wilson, Francis Connon and Jie Zhou were among the 21 Victorians to earn the maximum possible ENTER score of 99.95.

This accolade of academic excellence has now been earned by 18 Scotch students over the eight years since introduction of the Tertiary Entrance Ranking. In 2001, thirty-one boys, or 13.7% of the total scored 99.00 or more (in the top 1%), 50.9% scored over 95.00 and 98.7% scored over 50.

These remarkable outcomes represent top results across a range of thirty-three subjects, with 27.2% papers achieving a mark, before standardisation, of 40 or more (i.e. in the 92nd percentile or better).

The Class of 2001 and their teachers deserve a great deal of credit for these results, which are probably the best overall achieved at Scotch, at least in the present format of the VCE. This is particularly so in a year that was so full of sesquicentenary events, many of which involved numerous boys and teachers.

The school’s persistent goal, of encouraging each boy to achieve to the limit of his potential, continues to be recognised for its effectiveness for students of all levels of ability.

It has been gratifying to receive many letters and comments from parents expressing their satisfaction with their son’s experience at Scotch.

These consistently, and quite appropriately, give credit to committed teachers, fine facilities and a broad program that encourages development as a whole person as well as academic achievement.

Last year we have looked back with gratitude and considered current levels of achievement with satisfaction. Now we are challenged to look ahead, giving full expression to our theme for 2001, Celebrating the Vision, past, present and future.

As we look ahead, we can anticipate the opening of the James Forbes Academy, with its superb facilities for the teaching of music. Phase two, providing a concert auditorium, a drama school and a drama theatre, should be under way before long.

The school’s local virtual private network, ScotchNET, went on-line on 25 February, embracing every Scotch family. It provides the capacity to access teaching material and records at any time and from any location, bringing exciting educational opportunities and challenges.

The teaching staff are accepting these with commendable enthusiasm, as we set about learning to use ScotchNET to its full capacity.

Dr F.G. Donaldson