BMGS 2023 Academic Outcomes - Results and So Much More...

2023 Year 12

Results | and so much more

Blue Mountains Grammar School

Springwood and Wentworth Falls Campuses

5th year in succession

Message from the Principal

After 106 years of quality learning and life outcomes for generations of young people, the Blue Mountains Grammar School community would like to congratulate the impressive achievements of our Year 12 students.

As we present our Class of 2023, I would like to start by posing some questions to you;

What if school delivered academic excellence, but went even further for your child?

What if school was about your child finding out their place in the world’s story?

What if school was about finding out what your child’s gifts are?

What if school was about finding out what the world really needs?

As a community, we would never want to reduce 14 years of schooling down to a four-digit number (ATAR). We pursue the best ATAR for every one of our students, but only in conjunction with several other aspects as well. These include additional qualifications, academic pathways and growing young people with deep personal character. We want our graduating students to be as excited and hungry for learning as when they first started school. Stephen Covey Jnr makes the challenging statement that “ reducing children to a test score is the worst form of identity theft we could commit in schools .”

In response, Blue Mountains Grammar School is building a model of education that is globally astute and responds to more prominent and pressing global issues. We do this because we firmly believe that the unique authenticity of each child is what is needed in this world - not just where they sit in comparison to everyone else their age. As a non-selective coeducational school, we have formed global partnerships that put our learning model into a context that compares among the best in its intent. We grow changemakers.

The BMGS Class of 2023 are stepping out into exciting and adventurous futures. Our students are taking up opportunities in international sports coaching, medicine, engineering, education, national security, wilderness and outdoor leadership, and some entering the leading drama schools in the country. We have university scholarship winners, and students who are taking a breath and having a gap year. We congratulate Oliver Drew as our Dux for 2023 (97.75) and Casper Larkin, who was Proxime Accessit (96.60).

It is my hope that as you read through some of the stories of our graduating class of 2023, you will get a deep sense of both the exceptional level of academic achievement and the space and time that has been created for our young people to explore and develop who they are and what they have to offer beyond their academic timetable. Congratulations to the Class of 2023!

Steven Coote

The Beginning of New Opportunities

Oliver Drew

2023 Dux

Bachelor of Science (Honours)

University of New South Wales

Casper Larkin

2023 Proxime Accessit

Bachelor of Actuarial Studies |

Bachelor of Science

University of New South Wales

Luciano Ferracin Memorial Scholarship

Meaghan Docherty

Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Science (Advanced)

Biochemistry and Art History

University of Sydney

Ava Adams

Bachelor of Communications

Media Arts and Production

University of Technology Sydney

Bill Klein

Bachelor of Engineering

University of NSW

Pathways to Pursuing Excellence

Where are they off to now?

Outdoor Leadership in a World Heritage-listed location

Bill is a natural leader, and so it was no surprise that he was School Captain at BMGS. He was deeply engaged in the life of the school. Bill is also well known for his involvement with our unique Outdoor Leadership program. While studying his HSC, he also completed a Cert III in Outdoor Leadership that counted towards his final ATAR. Bill is studying Electrical Engineering at the University of New South Wales.

When it comes to sports, Olivia is a force of nature. Her high-level representative opportunities require focus, effort and time. Olivia chose the Pathways option over two years to excel academically and in the sporting arena. As a result, Olivia has been selected for the U17, U19 NSW Netball Team, the U17 Australian Netball Team, the 2023/2024 GWS Giants Netball Academy and the NSW Institute of Sport PURSU32+ Athlete Rowing program, all while excelling at BMGS.

Charlie Burgess Bachelor of Electrical Engineering

University of NSW

Olivia Harris

U17 Australian Netball Squad

GWS Netball Academy

U17

NSW Netball Team

U19 NSW Netball Team

NSWIS PURSU32+

Athlete Rowing

Charlie’s Academic Journey Ignites Engineering Passion

Throughout his time at Blue Mountains Grammar School, Charlie exhibited a natural aptitude for mathematics and science, which led him to pursue his future endeavours in a degree in electrical engineering at the University of New South Wales. Taking up opportunities to be involved in a range of co-curricular activities contributed to refining his capacity.

An Elite Athletics Program and so much more Will is an athlete known to many in the upper mountains and across the State for his athletic ability. After his HSC, Will was offered a place into the Elite Athletes Program at Western Sydney University while also studying a Bachelor of Data Science with a minor in Critical and Systems Thinking. In 2024, he will represent WSU at the UniSports Games. Balancing study and athletics has proven an excellent formula for Will.

Claudia Ivery Diploma of Screen Performance WAAPA

William Zakis Bachelor of Data Science

Western Sydney University

Stepping towards the Performing Arts - Nationally

Claudia’s academic intelligence has always sat well alongside her creativity and ability to perform. She achieved a very high academic standard but also made sure that she immersed herself in the many different musicals and performances available at Blue Mountains Grammar School. As a result, Claudia has been offered a position at the prestigious Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA).

Music mixed with a whole lot of Architecture

As an accomplished musician in her own right, many of our Lower Mountains friends will know Emily from her performances in the streets of Glenbrook Village. Emily excelled in her final exams and is now rooming in Sydney’s Inner West with some of her friends from school. She is now studying for a Bachelor of Architecture and Environments at the University of Sydney.

Emily Colbran

Bachelor of Architecture and Environments

University of Sydney

ADDING BALANCE

Research demonstrates that rich co-curricular involvement significantly contributes to the holistic development of young individuals, fostering crucial skills such as teamwork, leadership, time management, and resilience. Involvement with co-curricular pursuits also enhances emotional well-being, promotes social integration, cultivates a sense of belonging within the school community and contributes to success in both academic and personal realms. The following is a snapshot of some of the rich offerings that BMGS has for your child.

• Outdoor Education

• Basketball (Girls and Boys)

• Rugby

• Football (Girls and Boys)

• Touch Football (Girls and Boys)

• Hockey

• Netball

• Duke of Edinburgh

• Tournament of the Minds

• F1 in Schools

• Choir

• Rock Band

• Stage Band

• Chess

• Ceramics

• Debating

• STEM

• Photography

• Chamber Ensemble

• Junior, Middle and Senior School Musicals

• Concert Band

• Student Representative Council

• Theatre Sports

• Ethics Olympiad

GOOD LEARNING DOING GOOD

As one of the longest-standing Independent Schools in Australia, Blue Mountains Grammar School takes its place in the Blue Mountains and Western Sydney seriously.

Our students have always been involved in supporting local and global communities. They have raised money for cancer research, assisted local communities in feeding people experiencing homelessness, provided resources to build libraries in disadvantaged schools overseas and more. Sometimes, it has meant that our students must stand against the tide for what is right alongside their friends.

Whatever it is, we are committed to designing learning that puts solutions into the hands and hearts of our young people. We want to be sure that when our young people see a human need, they are confident to step towards taking charge of the solution. Why? Because it is what the world needs right nowcourageous and purposeful leadership.