Jewish schools show their class at HSC

JEWISH schools hit a home run in this year’s Higher School Certificate.

Moriah led the charge by moving up to ninth spot on the list of NSW’s top 100 schools. The list is based on the percentage of exams in which students received a mark above 90.

It was the only private school, and the only non-selective school, in the top 10.

“This is a wonderful way to end my time at Moriah because it’s such an incredible high in terms of the HSC results and it’s a credit to all the teachers,” said Kim Fillingham, who ended his tenure as Moriah’s principal on Friday.

“All of our students have achieved results of which they can be proud.”

Elise Kempler and Gabi Levy achieved Australian Tertiary Admission Ranks (ATARs) of 99.95, the highest possible mark, and a further 11 Moriah student scored more than 99.

Fillingham said all the Jewish school performed well by finishing in the top-50. This was a tribute to the community.

“The thing that has struck me is the high level of commitment from the parents and the general community and the value that they place on education,” he said.

“It has been particularly evident to me in the way the students approach year 11 and year 12 with the same level of effort, which you don’t see at most schools.”

The big movers in 2011 have been Emanuel School and Kesser Torah College (KTC).

Emanuel had a meteoric rise up to 42nd position after not featuring in the top-100 list last year.

Anthony Small – part of Emanuel’s winning debating team – was dux of the school. He described the school as his home away from home.

“It’s good to be back where the school was because we were at 38 in 2009 and last year was a blip on the radar,” Emanuel principal Anna Hastings said.

“The community thinks about these results more than the schools because I believe that a number doesn’t tell the whole story, but it’s still a good reflection of the strength of our school.”

She said Daniel Altman, who was only in year 11 but topped mathematics extension one, was an obvious highlight but students also performed very well in English, drama and Hebrew.

“We are very proud of all of our students.”

KTC slotted into the list one spot behind Emanuel in 43rd after being ranked 82nd last year.

“We have made some key upgrades to our teaching ranks and our teachers have done and incredible job supporting our students and focussing on getting the best out of every student,” KTC principal Rabbi Noteh Glogauer said.

“There are only two schools on the top-100 list that have less than 100 total exam attempts and we are one of them.

“Anyone who understands statistics knows that it means that we are doing something truly amazing.

“We are strengthening our Jewish and general studies program and that will continue next year when we have out first cohort of boys in Year 12 for more than five years.”

Masada College moved up eight spots to 17th on the list. “It’s very exciting,” principal Wendy Barel said.

Masada’s dux, Ha Yong Park, achieved an ATAR of 99.80. “Our teachers work very hard and are dedicated and it shows in the great result we achieved,” he said.

“But I think the real success stories are the ones that you won’t hear about, the kids that were ready to drop out of school but we have nurtured them and they have a HSC result that they can be proud of.”

In the HSC all-round achievers list – students who achieved marks above 90 in at least 10 units of study – 34 students from Jewish schools featured, including 22 from Moriah College.

JOSHUA LEVI

Emanuel School’s dux Anthony Small

comments