In 2023, 137 students from Santa Sabina completed the HSC and IB Diploma courses. They have also shaped the world around them with their pursuits and passion for music, national and international sport, the arts, technology, sustainability, community and philanthropy.
We recognise the commitment these students made right up until their examinations. They worked collectively to support each other, sharing resources and participating in study groups and holiday workshops. For some of these students, the learning began 16 years ago in Mary Bailey House. They have been taught by many teachers over that time and it is important to recognise the impact the teaching and support staff have had on their growth and development. These students received an unprecedented number of university early entry offers this year. We are confident these students will go on to innovate, create and shake the world.
HSC
In 2023, 107 Year 12 students and 14 accelerants undertook study in 34 NESA Developed Courses. Santa Sabina students appeared 188 times on the Distinguished Achievers List across 34 Courses, celebrating the diversity of our success. This was a significant increase from 2022.
Santa Sabina College was ranked 36th in the state by The Sydney Morning Herald with a success rate of 30.23% climbing 20 places from 56th in 2022.
Almost 50% of our students achieved an ATAR of 90 and above and over 25% received an ATAR over 95.
Stand-out performances were once again seen in Design and Technology with 86% of students achieving a Band 6 result compared to 12% of the state. Creative and Performing Arts success was once again showcased in Music 1 with 100% of students achieving a Band 6 compared to 22.6% of the state and in Visual Arts 83% of students achieved a Band 6 compared to 18.5% of the state.
The Language Department built on their success in 2022 with 100% of students in four out of five language courses receiving Band 5 or 6 results or equivalent.
Our Physics students challenged national trends for girls in Science with more than 83% achieving a Band 5 or 6 compared with 39% of the state. Following a significant increase in student numbers, our HSIE Department achieved significant growth in all subjects particularly in Business Studies, Legal Studies, Economics, and History Extension.
HSC Showcases
Each year the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) showcases outstanding student project work in a series of exhibitions and performances. The 2023 selections and nominations were:
Selected for ARTEXPRESS – Visual Arts
- Anna Le
Shortlisted for Shape – Design and Technology
- Amelie Au-Yeung
- Sophie Boulos
- Lily Carr
- Sophie Way
Nominated for Shape – Design and Technology
- Mia Ardagna
- Danielle Bettridge
- Kayla Borysewicz
- Erica Comito
- Alicia De Palo
- Angelina Lam
- Raquel Molina Rodriguez
- Stephanie Scalia
- Sienna Signorelli
- Juliette Stournaras
- Giaan Tannous
- Elena Zengovski
Selected for Encore – Music 1
- Eva Whitbread – performance
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
A total of 2,619 students in Australia sat for the November session examinations and in NSW there were 739 candidates.
● The average IB score for Santa Sabina was 36.1 out of 45 which is equivalent to an ATAR of 91.8. This is well above the global average of 29.06 and also above the national average of 34.53.
● Thirty seven percent of students achieved an ATAR above 95 and 80% achieved an ATAR over 90.
● We saw a diverse range of Extended Essays submitted by these students. This 4000-word research paper is in an area of their choice and for this cohort, their research fell under a wide variety of subjects such as English; Psychology; Mathematics; Sport, Exercise and Health Science; Global Politics and Biology.
● In 2023 Santa Sabina students were offered 17 IB subjects. The high performing subjects this year with averages well above the global average included English A Language and Literature HL; Business Management HL; Global Politics HL and SL; History HL and SL; Visual Arts HL; both SL Maths courses and all SL Sciences.
