Principal’s Message

>Academic Excellence and Beyond

8% OTHER 50% MONASH

Class of 2020 VCE Results

Last year, 142 students undertook at least one Unit 3/4 study sequence and 79 completed the full VCE. We are delighted to report that three students achieved an ATAR of 99 plus. here is a brief overview:12% SWINBURNE • The Dux, Harry Xi, achieved an ATAR of 99.35. • 4% of our students were in the top 1% of the State. • 9% of our students were in the top 2% of the State. • 38% of our students were10% DEAKIN in the top 10% of the State. • 84% of our students were in the top 25% of the State.20% UNIVERSITY • 20% of Study Scores were 40 plus. OF MELBOURNE • The Median Study Score was 35. • Perfect Study Scores of 50 were achieved in Psychology and Biology. • One student’s Systems Engineering work has been chosen as one of the VCE Top Designs (one of only nine in the State).

Class of 2020 Tertiary Course Offers

As per usual, the range of courses offered was broad and diverse, reflecting our students’ different interests and talents: • 18% of students chose Medicine and Health • 26% Natural and Physical Sciences • 21% Law, Society and Culture • 22% Management and Commerce • 13% Design, Music and Technology

13% DESIGN, MUSIC AND TECHNOLOGY

22% MANAGEMENT AND COMMERCE

18% MEDICINE AND HEALTH

Class of 2020 Tertiary Course Destinations

The most popular destinations were: • Monash University (50%) • The University of Melbourne (20%) • Swinburne (12%) • Deakin (10%) and • Other (8%)

8% OTHER

12% SWINBURNE 21% LAW, SOCIETY AND CULTURE

26% NATURAL AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES

50% MONASH

10% DEAKIN

Q & A WITH OUR 2020 VCE GRADUATES

Clare Moffat – Student of Character

Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where and what are you currently studying? Hi I’m Clare. I’m studying a Bachelor of Global Studies at Monash University and specialising in human rights. I am also doing a minor in Human Geography and Behavioural Studies. So far, I have really enjoyed the course, and am looking forward to making positive changes for people and the planet in the future! What was the biggest highlight of your time at Kilvington? I started at Kilvington in Year 11, so my highlight was getting to know the rest of my cohort and making some very special friends. I also absolutely loved studying Geography, so a big shout out to Mr Brinson for making this subject so interesting! What do you think enabled you to achieve such a great result at School? Honestly for me, it was choosing subjects that I really enjoyed because it meant study was interesting and not just a chore! Also the amazing teachers that I had in Year 12 motivated me and were always there to help me out if I needed it. What did you find most challenging and how did you deal with this? As it may have been for many others, the most challenging part of my Year 12 experience was lockdown and online schooling. It was quite isolating and challenging to learn content online and also disappointing to miss out on seeing friends and teachers at School each day. To deal with this, I made the most of my time at School once lockdown was over and made sure to support and keep in close contact with my friends while learning at home. Do you have any advice for students studying their VCE? My main piece of advice is to choose VCE subjects that you find interesting. There is no point studying something based solely on the assumption that it will scale well or help you to get a good ATAR. Rather, select subjects that you are passionate about and motivated to learn the content. This is what will help you excel at School and make your schooling journey far more enjoyable!

Harry Xi – Dux

Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where and what are you currently studying? I am currently studying a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Melbourne, but I am finding that it isn’t resonating as I had hoped. I am planning to switch to a Bachelor of Science mid-year, which will hopefully feel more interesting to me. What was the biggest highlight of your time at Kilvington? There were many highlights, it’s hard to choose one. What do you think enabled you to achieve such a great result at School? I believe there were many factors that helped me. I focused a lot of my time and attention studying Mathematics, which helped me to do well overall at School. What did you find most challenging and how did you deal with this? I struggled with maintaining a study-life balance. It was quite challenging to deal with study and balance my time across other activities. I have to admit, I did focus a lot of my time studying Mathematics. In hindsight, I would try and balance my time more with some healthy activities in between study sessions. Do you have any advice for students studying their VCE? Don’t stress about the ATAR. Make use of your study sessions so you don’t burn out doing all your homework at home. Work hard on the subjects you enjoy most or want to do well in so you get a strong top four.

Jerry Ge – Music

Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where and what are you currently studying? I started at Kilvington in Year 9 as an international student. I had the honour of being the Choral Leader for the last two years of School and leading Barrett House in Year 12 as House Co-Captain.

I am currently studying Science at the University of Melbourne and have secured a spot in a Master of Teaching. What was the biggest highlight of your time at Kilvington? Participating in concerts and School productions was definitely one of my highlights. Over the years, I gradually got involved in choirs and theatre as I found my passion in the performing arts. Although I might not be the best singer or actor, I still enjoyed the feeling of performing on a stage and expressing myself. Having the opportunity to also organise cabarets and run my own A cappella choir created so many memories that I will never forget. What do you think enabled you to achieve such a great result at School? My friends always joked about me being in way too many co-curricular activities, and my Outlook Calendar was always full, but I think doing all those activities enabled me to achieve a great result by giving me a necessary break from my academic studies. Since I was mostly studying Maths and Science subjects in Year 12, choirs and theatre were my creative outlet ... where I could turn my scientific brain off. I always found myself more relaxed and focused after belting out some high notes. What did you find most challenging and how did you deal with this? As the person who ‘lived’ on campus, the two lockdowns were the most challenging for me as I struggled to operate in my room. As most co-curricular activities and sports were cancelled, it was difficult to maintain a healthy study-life balance.

I tried to manage it by continuously communicating with family, friends and teachers. By making the most out of those remote Krooners rehearsals and singing lessons, I was able to maintain my creative outlet which helped to keep me going through that difficult time. Do you have any advice for students studying their VCE? Enjoy the journey. VCE is not all about academic results, it is also a process to explore yourself. It is so important to maintain a healthy balance between school, hobbies and social life. Take care of yourself. It is so easy to get burnt out during VCE so make sure you give yourself opportunities to relax while pushing for your personal best.

Work as a team. Forming study groups and communicating with teachers constantly will keep you on track.

Stephanie Darvell – Languages

Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where and what are you currently studying? I’m studying Biomedical Science at Monash this year and continuing to study French as my elective. While my degree is challenging, I’m enjoying meeting different people and discovering new things at University. What was the biggest highlight of your time at Kilvington? I would say the School camps, because it was always so much fun to get away from normal life and go and do something exciting with your friends. I always found myself talking to people I normally didn’t have much to do with at School, and found that camps always brought our year-level far closer together. What do you think enabled you to achieve such a great result at School? I would say one of the most influential factors of my result was the amazing teachers I had. I was always encouraged to ask questions, go through practice exams or just have a chat about how I was going. All of the feedback and communication with my teachers throughout the year was super helpful in terms of exam preparation and general improvement for my studies.

Sam Clark – Sport

Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where and what are you currently studying? I studied at Kilvington from Years 5 to 12, and in 2020 I had the honour of being the School Co-Captain. I am currently studying a Bachelor of Science at Monash University. What was the biggest highlight of your time at Kilvington? So many to choose from; however, a stand-out would have to be the friendships and wonderful memories I made with my classmates as we navigated our way together through School. Experiences such as representing Kilvington at the EISM Athletics Championships and being part of Kilvington’s first boys’ EISM soccer team to win a Premiership are also highlights! Also, learning the importance of being an individual, and feeling valued in the Kilvington Community is something I cherish as well. What do you think enabled you to achieve such a great result at School? Achieving a great result ultimately came down to personal choices. Managing my time so I could balance my studies with recreational time was really important. This allowed me to focus on my studies and have something to look forward to during my breaks.

I believe it is essential to have breaks that not only rest your mind, but that carry meaning and worth to you. I found that my passions for music and sport acted as excellent activities during breaks. Forming strong bonds with my teachers and having What did you find most challenging and how did you deal with this? During remote learning, I think we all found it harder to motivate ourselves and keep on top of the workload of Year 12. To try and overcome this, I would plan video calls with my friends to study and do practice exams together. Even though we sometimes distracted each other, it was also super helpful in allowing us to motivate each other and get all our work done, and I definitely couldn’t have done it without them. Do you have any advice for students studying their VCE? Try and keep a good balance between schoolwork and your personal life. I found exercising and working my part-time job helped me to keep a good routine, and refreshed my mind, so I was ready to tackle more study. Also, enjoy all of the special parts of Year 12 and take on all the opportunities you get this year – the more involved you get, the better you will do.

their support during lockdown also assisted me greatly in my studies. My family was also a huge support to me. What did you find most challenging and how did you deal with this? Doing Year 12 during lockdown posed many challenges, and I was constantly finding new ways to manage the ever-changing situation of the pandemic. Being deprived of social interactions in person meant my friends and I would meet online for chats and to support each other, often studying together. The experience of creating new ways to stay in touch definitely strengthened the connections within my cohort. Do you have any advice for students studying their VCE? Definitely choose subjects you love as it makes VCE a more enjoyable experience. Create and maintain good study habits early on that will hold you in good stead for the final exams. Trust the process, and remember to engage with the most useful tool in your educational toolbox – your teacher!