From the Principal

As the year draws to a close, with final assessments and exams upon us, the conversation often turns to ATARs, grades, and awards. These conversations can sometimes stir controversy. With recent calls to scrap the ATAR altogether, to eliminate tests, exams, and academic-based awards, in an attempt to remove the pressures they bring to students, the curriculum and school communities more broadly.

Let’s be clear, an ATAR is just one number. It doesn’t represent the rich, holistic experiences afforded to Ignatian students, and it certainly doesn’t define your potential or ability to go out and set the world alight.

However, we must also recognise that while imperfect, these metrics—ATARs, grades, and awards— still serve as meaningful markers of hard work, commitment, and consistency. It’s easy to get caught up in the media’s portrayal of the ATAR as an unhelpful tool for distortion or comparison, but beneath the numbers lies the often-untold stories of persistence and growth that’s so important.

That’s why I am so proud of the academic culture at our school—proud not only of the results our students achieve but proud of the environment that cultivates them. We are unapologetic about fostering a culture where both excellence is pursued, and growth is celebrated.

Someone described it to me once as our ‘Ignatian Tidal Wave.’ Young people enter our doors from all walks of life, at different stages and phases. Once inside, they step into a culture where it’s 'cool to try hard', 'cool to work hard’, and a place where students genuinely love to learn. Here, our students are pushed, stretched, and challenged throughout their journey. We see them rise like an Ignatian tidal wave—surpassing their perceived potential.

The results are often the shiny part that we can see, but it’s what you can’t see - the culture, habits, the hours of practice - that is so crucial. When our students and staff achieve the final rewards, we’ll celebrate them, and today’s Speech Day was a great example of that. And when our students miss the mark, we’ll walk alongside them and help them rise.