St Paul’s students on top of the world
By: Antony Mayrhofer, Director of International Baccalaureate
Posted 06 January 2009
St Paul’s students who completed their 2008 International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma achieved outstanding results consistent with the school’s ongoing record of academic excellence.
The IB Diploma Dux is Jacqueline Edwards who achieved an IB Diploma score of 43 with a University admission index (UAI) equivalent score of 99.9 out of a possible 100 putting her in the top 0.1% of the State!
Seventeen students achieved UAI equivalents above 95 and thirty-four were above 91. The UAI equivalent average from the students was 91 from a group that is not selected for entry to this course (i.e. any student who wishes to enter the Diploma programme is allowed to.) These students are not counted in ‘league tables’ based on HSC results, another reason why such ‘league tables’ are misleading. If they were counted St Paul’s would be seen to be the leading school in Western Sydney and one of the top non-selective schools in the State of NSW!
Nearly 30% of the school’s outgoing year 12 (HSC and IB) are in the top 10% of the state and just under 50% of graduating students are in the top 20% of the State!
IB Diploma students did especially well in Theory of Knowledge with 21% achieved A’s and Visual Art where one third of the students achieved the top possible grade of 7. In total there were thirty-four grade sevens (7) the maximum, in various subjects. Twelve students received an A for their 4,000-word research extended essay.
The average UAI equivalent of total cohort of the St Paul’s IB students was IB 33 (UAI 91) from a group of 61 students. IB Diploma students have appreciated the fact their subjects are not scaled as they are in the HSC where each subjects has a different value when the UAI is calculated. A 7 is a 7 in the IB Diploma regardless of the subject the student chooses to include in their subject combination!
These students were not included in the HSC merit lists published in December. Such lists do not give an accurate assessment of the achievements of the increasing number of schools with students studying the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. Schools with International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme graduates are disadvantaged in school rankings based on HSC results as IB results are not included in these tables. At St Paul’s the same number of senior school students now choose to study the IB Diploma as the HSC, although the school does not promote the either as a better credential.
