19 Dec 2011
Killara High School is the highest performing non-selective government school in NSW as determined in the Sydney Morning Herald analysis of HSC results. It has retained this position for nine of the last ten years.
The school's HSC results again demonstrate that non-selective public education is alive and well in NSW with strong performances from students across all subject areas.
From a cohort of 256 Year 12 students, nine were among the state's highest all round achievers with band six (the highest band) results or equivalent, in 10 or more units of study.
Overall 294 band six results were awarded to Killara High School students.
Ada Chen, who was placed fourth in the state for Extension Japanese, was among the state's highest achievers, gaining an Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) of 99.65.
Lauren Stern achieved band 6 or equivalent in all thirteen units she studied for the HSC, and an ATAR of 99.55.
Other top all-rounders were Cassandra Bank (99.15), Nicholas Duce (99.05), Su Yee Khoo, Georgia Lewis (97.80), Paul Lu (99.55), Tiffany Maruta and Callum Mayhook (98.3).
Six students received an ATAR higher than 99.00.
Of the 41 HSC courses studied by Killara High School students 14 had a course mean more than 5% above the state mean.
Principal of Killara High School, Dr Mark Carter, noted the strength of the students' performances across a wide range of course options. He paid tribute to their teachers who had put in many hours above and beyond the expectations of any reasonable parent or principal. "The after-hours commitments staff made to provide the highest level of service to students and their families is just staggering," said Dr Carter. "Early mornings, evenings, weekends and every vacation staff can be found at school working on programs and curriculum enrichment initiatives with their students ahead of the HSC exams," he said.
Dr Carter noted that the consistently high results over many years at Killara and many other government comprehensive schools confirm research findings that it is the quality of teachers and their teaching that matters most in schools.
Ann Dixon, Promotions Coordinator