Science at Trafalgar bucks trend

More girls than ever before are tackling science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects at Trafalgar High School, bucking a global trend.

Physics teacher at Trafalgar High School Fiona Milkins said with girls under-represented in STEM subjects, the school set about working actively to promoting the pathways regardless of gender.

The school now has a full class in VCE physics unit one with half of them girls and many of them the high achieving students in the class.

“I have been teaching year 11 physics and in that time, we would have one or two girls maximum in my class,” Ms Milkins said.

“Now we have a full year 11 class of 24, and 12 of them are girls.

“That’s huge growth for our school to even have a full class of 24, but to have half of those as girls is something that we’re proud of.”

Ms Milkins said the school had worked hard to target promotion of STEM subjects, including extra training for staff and promoting job opportunities for both boys and girls.

She said there had been recent newspaper advertisements encouraging women to apply for jobs in the industry.

“They’re actively looking for women in the field,” Ms Milkins said.

“Long term there’s jobs that students can plan for their vocation.

“We’d like to tip the scales to 50/50 in the engineering field, but that may take some time.

“We just want to shine a light for other students, that girls can make careers.”

Student Erica Hill, whose sister was the only girl in her physics class, said the subject had interested her as it provided a means of “finding out how the world works.”

Student Emily McDonald, who wants to be a lawyer and picked the subject as an elective, said learnings from physics could be applied to the everyday.

“People think you can’t be good at it,” she said.

“It’s just a different area of life and you can be well-rounded.”

She said the fact mainstream teachers were talking about the subject more helped to promote the science subjects as an option.

Year 12 student Annaliese Henderson said while the physics subject was challenging, it was a point of difference to other subjects.

“I’m glad I kept it on, I’m enjoying it.”

Girls at Trafalgar High School are becoming enthusiastic about physics and other science subjects, bucking a global trend. Pictured back row from left Isabel Watson, Emily MacDonald, Julia Rodriguez, Tarnee Cant, front Erica Hill, Amy Kasper, Tegan...