Townsville educators celebrate students’ outstanding achievements NQ schools top of class

TOWNSVILLE schools have celebrated the release of OP results with current Year 12 students feeling inspired by their peers’ success.

Townsville Grammar School broke into the top 10 schools in the state for OP results and the highest results in Townsville, with The Cathedral School and Annandale Christian College raking sec- ond and third locally. Townsville Grammar School had 42.71 per cent of students achieve OPs in the 1- 5 range, or 46.7 per cent including International Baccalaureate ( IB) and international students.

Townsville Grammar School principal Timothy Kelly said the results were a culmination of hard work.

“They’re very pleasing results, there’s a lot of work that goes into receiving results like that from students, parents and staff so I’m very pleased,” he said. “Last year’s Year 12s should be very proud of what they achieved.”

Mr Kelly said the school’s strong academic culture was valuable to overall learning and making the top 10.

“It’s great to see a North Queensland school in there, but really, it’s only one form of measurement,” he said. “The thing that we’re really proud of is putting out fine young men and women, and that’s a really important part of what we do.”

Current Townsville Grammar Year 12 students were inspired by their older peers’ results. Aspiring speech pathologist Chelsea Lim said she felt motivated to achieve similarly high results.

“I think it’s opened the eyes of a lot of people in our grade because they saw last year’s Year 12s and how they worked towards it,” she said.

IB student Dennis Perez Castillo is hoping to be accepted into medicine in 2019 and said the school’s academic program was one that prepared students for university.

“When you see ( past students) it really inspires you, if they can do it then I can too if you put your mind to it,” he said.

Cathedral School principal Ian Gamack said 96.7 per cent of the school’s domestic graduates were given a tertiary offer, with 74 per cent offered their first preference.

“The 2017 were a fantastic cohort who achieved great success across a wide range of pathways,” he said.

“They led the senior school with great distinction across all areas of endeavour throughout our centenary year and have set a fine example for our younger students to emulate.”

Mr Gamack said 52 Cathedral students received a VET certificate, with 17 involved in school- based apprenticeships or traineeships

Annandale lege principal Christian ColDaniel Clarke said OPs were just one stepping stone to a wide range of successful careers.

“There’s students who got apprenticeships from last year, and I’m celebrating that just as much as OPs,” he said.

“As a school we’re just saying for everyone to do their best, that’s what we’re after.”

Mr Clarke said the school’s programs and teachers all contributed.

“We’ve had 12 per cent of our students get into medicine, which we’re very, very proud of,” he said. “We’re very proud of our students with OP scores overall.”