Great Southern Grammar top-performing regional school in ATAR rankings

Albany’s Great Southern Grammar has emerged as country WA’s top-ranked ATAR school of 2021. And in more good news for the region, Denmark Senior High School was the next best in the bush. With a median ATAR of 87.25, Great Southern Grammar finished 20th on the Statewide list of top-scoring ATAR schools. Great Southern Grammar’s Max Fleming was the top of the class for the Great Southern region achieving an ATAR of 99.85. Of the school’s 56 ATAR students, 41 per cent finished in the top 10 per cent of the State and 68 per cent of the cohort achieved an ATAR of more than 80. Principal Mark Sawle said the school was “extremely proud” of its class of 2021. “These outstanding results reflect our commitment to making sure each learner is on the right pathway to ensure they achieve their personal best,” he said. “It is an uplifting experience for the school community when students achieve their academic goals. “The school nurtures a positive learning environment for all students and our students were fully engaged in their studies and supported by committed staff. “The overall Year 12 results are one of the highest the school has experienced in its 22-year history”. Denmark Senior High School shared 31st place with Secret Harbour’s Comet Bay College with a median ATAR of 84.85. Albany Senior High School’s 56 ATAR students achieved a median score of 71.70 and North Albany Senior High School’s 29 ATAR students averaged 62.80. The top 50 median ATAR scores achieved by eligible schools were revealed by The West Australian this week through freedom of information laws. The median ATAR is the measure that has been used to rank the top 50 academic schools for the past five years — until this year, when the School Curriculum and Standards Authority decided not to release a league table because of fears that school comparisons were not in students’ best interests. Academically selective public school Perth Modern topped the rankings for the sixth year in a row with a median of 96.45, while single-sex private schools in Perth took out seven of the first 10 placings.