Inverell High School, MacIntyre High School and Ashford Central School achieve outstanding Higher School Certificate ATAR results in a difficult year

Local public schools executive director Meghanne Wellard commended all New England North West public school students on completing their Higher School Certificate in a year that has brought a unique set of challenges.

Ms Wellard said many students were already enjoying the fruits of their labour as they embark on apprenticeships, traineeships or other employment while others have been assured of an early entry place at university.

"There are certainly plenty of reasons to celebrate," Ms Wellard said.

"Parents and teachers can certainly share their pride as they look back on 13 years of schooling and how the students have been rewarded for their efforts.

"These results are sealing students' personal goals and should confidently take them to the next step of further study or employment."

Read also:

Ms Wellard said the release of HSC merit lists today by the NSW Educational Standards Authority (NESA - which administers the HSC) has brought a whole new dimension to celebrations.

"There have been some exceptional results and everyone who has been recognised on a NESA achievement rankings list deserves special congratulations," Ms Wellard said.

"I am particularly delighted with the spread of schools across the New England North West that have been noted for their achievements.

"It really highlights how our New England North West public schools focus on individual students to achieve their best across the full spectrum of abilities and aspirations."

Ms Wellard congratulated two students in particular who ranked as Top Achievers (students in the top places in each course (provided their result is also in the top band).

Imogen McDonald from Inverell High School who came seventh in Community and Family Studies, and Liam Rodgers from Farrer Memorial Agricultural High who came second in Industrial Technology.

Ms Wellard also commended the 15 New England North West public schools where students earned a top band to make them a Distinguished Achiever ( students who have received a top band result in one or more course).

Ranging from some of the smallest to the largest secondary schools, they were: Armidale Secondary College, Ashford Central, Coonabarabran High, Farrer Memorial Agricultural High, Glen Innes High, Gunnedah High, Inverell High, Macintyre High, Narrabri High, Oxley High, Peel High, Tamworth High, Tenterfield High, Warialda High and Wee Waa High.

The career advisor of Inverell High School congratulated its HSC cohort of 2020 on their final results.

"Inverell High School would like to congratulate Yr 12 students and teachers 2020 on their excellent HSC results after a very unusual school year,Mr Dal Santo said.

Our outstanding academic performers include Imogen McDonald, Mikeely Kent, Hannah Huynh, Harry Frazier and Georgia Lyell with all students gaining 90 plus ATAR.

Many other students performed with Merit. As a school students gained 13 Band 6s ( 90 plus) and 48 band 5s ( 80 plus ) in a subject, some in more than one.

Multiple university offers for 2021 have already been made to 34 students in terms of early entry and school recommendation schemes, while some wait nervously for the next round offers into Medicine after gaining interviews.

Employment of our Yr 12s is also very high with many gaining local work and apprenticeships including hair -dressing, air conditioning, building and mechanics.

The Times spoke with two of these high performers - Imogen McDonald and Mikeely Kent. Both of them studied about six hours each day in the lead up to the exam.

Imogen McDonald was pleased with her 95.35 ATAR score and said it was a lot higher than she was expecting - she was aiming for anything above 90.

"I think the main things is I am very passionate about the subjects that I do," she said.

Imogen studied extension English and extension History, Aboriginal Studies as well as Family and Community Studies.

"I'm going to the Australian National University to study International Relations - I'd love to be a politician one day," she said.

"I did youth parliament last year, and I was the representative for the Northern Tablelands."

Her advice to those about to embark on the HSC next year is to keep on top of it from the beginning.

"And try to incorporate your passions into your study as it will make it easier and a lot more enjoyable," she said

Mikeely Kent wants to give back to the Inverell community and become a regionally based doctor. Her ATAR score of 94.40 should ensure she achieves that goal.

"I'm really keen to do the rural medical program at the University of New England. I was hoping for around 92, so I'm very happy with what I've got," she said.

"I studied quite a bit, but not as much the closer it got to the HSC because once it gets to the week before the exam the stress set in and it was bit harder to take things in.

"So that study earlier in the year really helped. I realised I had a lot I still remembered from studying for the trial exams.

"My advice is to keep taking notes throughout the year and don't leave it until the last minute. Even if you don't study them once you've learned something in the classroom come home from class and write it up, so you get an understanding of the concepts and later in the year it makes it easy to read over the notes and remember the key points of the syllabus.

It was her family's experience with the regional medical system that made her think about becoming a doctor and is the reason she wants to come back to help her community Mikeely said.

""I'd really like to come back and work in this community for a bit," she said.

"My nan had a sore shoulder, and it turned out she had serious heart problems and had to have open-heart surgery which should have been picked up earlier by her doctor.

"That is what inspired me to do medicine."