VCE results show a public-private divide

In Werribee, there were traditional Kenyan celebrations at the home of Heathdale Christian College student Sarah Irungu after her results came in.

The Irungu family had a prize pool for the member who guessed closest to Sarah’s eventual score. Her aunt, Jess Mwenda, scooped the pool with a guess of 96.5.

“I was the most pessimistic,” Sarah said. “I was thinking 93, but my brother was the most confident, and he said 99.”

In the end, her impressive ATAR score of 96.6 sparked claps, dancing and loud renditions of traditional Kenyan celebration songs in the living room.

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Sarah’s grandma, Mary Irungu, flew in from Scotland with her husband for the occasion and grabbed a saucepan lid and spoon to provide a percussion soundtrack as she danced.

“It was pretty crazy,” she said.

Her stunning result means she can get into Melbourne University to study science, which requires a rank above 74.

At Kew High School, there were no fewer than four sets of twins receiving their VCE results, including school dux Toby Jenkin, who woke up to an ATAR of 99.9.

That’s more than enough to get him into his target course, a bachelor of science and master of computing at the University of Melbourne.

“I thought I’d do good,” Jenkin said, as the success sank in. “But that good, that was not really what I was expecting.”

The school-leaver said the key to his success was a consistent approach to his studies.

“I just tried to keep consistent, [do] practice exams and making sure it wasn’t all the night before,” Jenkin said.

Principal Andrew Moffat paid tribute to this year’s unusually large cohort of twins at Kew.

“They have all supported each other through some real challenges this year, and we’re just really proud of them,” Moffat said.

First-round university offers will be issued on December 23.

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