2022 is a significant milestone year for St Leonard’s College, marking over 100 years of educational excellence, 50 years of coeducation, and 50 years of outdoor education. St Leonard’s College is also thrilled to be celebrating 40 years as an International Baccalaureate (IB) world school.
Renowned for pioneering innovation in pedagogy, in 1972 St Leonard’s College became the first Victorian school, and the first Australian independent school to offer the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) as an additional pathway to tertiary education.
St Leonard’s College offers students the opportunity to achieve excellence in either the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) or the IBDP. The IBDP’s internationally focused syllabus and rigorous assessment make it the tertiary entrance qualification most respected and widely recognised by the world’s leading universities. The IB Diploma Programme (DP) curriculum is made up of six subject groups and the DP core consisting of: Theory of Knowledge (TOK) which is a study about knowledge and why people think differently; the Extended Essay – a 4,000 word independent research paper; and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) which promotes balance and student involvement and leadership in the arts, sports and serving the wider community.
The St Leonard’s College IBDP Class of 2021 achieved a median ATAR of 97.9 which is testament to the calibre of the programme and the College’s highly qualified and incredibly dedicated staff who teach across both the VCE and IBDP. St Leonard’s College IBDP students graduate as well rounded individuals who are passionate, dedicated learners with a capacity to think deeply, critically and creatively.
One of the St Leonard’s College IBDP Duces, Crystal Lee, achieved a perfect score of 45/45 (ATAR of 99.95). Crystal chose the IBDP as her course of study as, in her view, “it allows students to explore various subjects of interest at a standard level, and also to dive deeper into certain subjects at a higher level”. The College is delighted that Crystal has been acknowledged for her outstanding IBDP achievement with a 100% Chancellor’s Scholarship in the course of her choice, a Bachelor of Biomedicine at the University of Melbourne.
St Leonard’s joint Deputy College Captain in 2021 and one of the IBDP Duces, Luke Pan, also achieved a perfect score of 45/45 (ATAR of 99.95). Luke chose to study the IBDP and he shares, “I enjoyed the independence that the IBDP gave through the completion of assignments like Internal Assessments and the Extended Essay, which allowed me to pursue areas of certain subjects that I was more interested in. I think the advantage of the IBDP is that it offers a globally minded perspective through its subjects and course design, from language acquisition to the need to explore subjects on a global scale.” Luke applied for courses in Victoria and NSW, receiving a Co-op Scholarship to study Mechatronic Engineering at UNSW and an offer to study Engineering (Honours) in the Masters Accelerated Pathway at Monash University. Luke has decided to proceed with the course from UNSW.
St Leonard’s College is a leading academic school that provides students the opportunity to excel. The College’s outstanding academic results are driven by an unwavering commitment to nurturing young people and encouraging them to reach their potential in all aspects of their being.
To learn more about St Leonard’s College visit stleonards.vic.edu.au