Our HSC results and student ATARs for our 2023 cohort are outstanding.
Today is a day to celebrate. Not only did the the Class of 2023 lead the school with aplomb and shape the culture of NBCS, but they have done wonderfully well and been justly rewarded for their hard work with the strongest set of results achieved by NBCS students to date. It is fitting to recognise their efforts and celebrate their success. We know that it was our students who did the hard work and carried the heavy load, but they could only have done that with the encouragement and support of their families and their teachers.
It is important to acknowledge and congratulate the silent achievers, the students who were able to finish despite adversity, who did better than they thought possible, who feature in our hearts but not on the lists. It is our quiet joy to go through results carefully and celebrate the work of all our students. We know those who gave it their all, who are deserving of all the accolades but won’t receive the public acclaim. Your teachers know who you are, they are delighted for and proud of you. May you too, be proud of your efforts and what you have been able to achieve. May your efforts be a springboard to what comes next.
For all of us on staff at NBCS, we recognise that excellence looks different for every student. Our aim, as ever, is to enable students to take their place in the world, ready to make their contribution for good. We are delighted for those among the year group who received scholarships or early offers at university, who have taken up apprenticeships and work as we recognise their readiness to enjoy and make the most of life beyond school. We are grateful for the richness that all our students have added to our community.
In 2023, I am delighted that 18.3% of the exams our students sat resulted in a mark of 90% or higher. I am pleased to let you know that 30 of our students achieved an ATAR of 90 and above, and 49 of 80 and above. The success of the cohort was spread more widely across the whole of the year group. I congratulate Year 12 2023 on their success and note that it has been achieved by students, staff and families working together in pursuit of our students’ best. While rankings are interesting, we are more interested in how students performed against their own standard, and this is part of our deeper analysis each year. Notwithstanding that, I am heartened to let you know that we jumped 44 places in the SMH rankings to 88th. We aim to bring out the best in our students to keep their options for the future as wide open as possible.
This year, we have received student ATARs directly for the first time. The story is a fabulous one to tell. Our median ATAR (middle of the grade) and our mean ATAR were our highest ever and significantly so. Our highest ATAR was 99.7 and our lowest ATAR was our highest ever, indicating that we are improving outcomes for all our students.
To the staff of NBCS, teachers from Kindergarten through to Year 12, I thank you for the time, energy, and skill that you invest into the education and development of our students. To the parents and families of our students, thank you for the support that you have shown to them and their teachers throughout their schooling. We continue to pray that the education our students receive serves as a firm foundation for life: a life of gratitude, respect, courage, compassion, and commitment, of expanding opportunities and service to others, through which the students of Year 12 2023 will flourish.
Mr Tim Watson
Principal