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Caulfield Grammar student Angus Grant took the road less travelled to score himself a top VCE score and hopes it will rocket him into a career with international significance.
Studying Indo-Pacific politics wouldn’t be every student’s key to success, but Angus’ near perfect study score of 47.5 in a subject that’s popularity has been declining helped him record an overall ATAR score of 97.85.
Angus Grant and Julia Ades studied politics, a new VCE subject after global politics and Australian politics were merged into one subject.Credit: Joe Armao
“To be honest, I was hoping for a 50,” he said.
Australian politics as a VCE subject attracted only 86 enrolments in 2024, so it was rolled into a wider subject alongside global politics. The broader subject focuses on the study of contemporary power, conflict and global co-operation.
Angus’ school, which has campuses in Wheelers Hill and Caulfield, may well be nurturing Australia’s next generation of diplomats, having received the most VCE scores of 40 and above in the subject.
He said being able to directly relate what he was learning to current events helped keep his interest.
“I just think because we are about to vote, we are going to turn 18, it’s really important to know what Australia itself is trying to do, our motivation,” Angus said. “Finding out why countries do what they do and the reason behind decisions, I think that’s so interesting.”
Angus plans to study law and international relations and hopes to either work in corporate law or as a diplomat.
Fellow student Julia Ades is also considering international relations and diplomacy as a career.
She intends to study politics, philosophy and economics abroad, and has been offered a place at the University of Edinburgh. Julia achieved a study score of 46 in politics and an overall ATAR of 97.95.
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All study scores are between zero and 50. This year, 719 students achieved at least one perfect study score and 23,494 students achieved at least one score above 40.
Caulfield Grammar’s bumper politics results follow calls for urgent action to arrest the decline in Australian secondary school students’ knowledge of civics and citizenship.
A national assessment conducted by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority measures knowledge of Australia’s government, rights and legal obligations and national social values. Figures released in February found just 28 per cent of year 10 students passed.
Caulfield Grammar principal Ashleigh Martin said he was proud of the class of 2025, not only for their academic achievements but for their integrity, resilience and generosity.
“Success is never measured by numbers alone. It is found in the character of our young people and the way they contribute to something bigger than themselves,” he said.
Students at other schools also scored highly in less-popular subjects. At Yarra Valley Grammar in Ringwood, 11 students scored a 40 or higher in product design and technologies. Two of them received perfect scores.
Principal Mark Merry said their teachers had a great passion for the subject.
“I think you’ve got a team of teachers up there who are absolutely committed to it,” Merry said.
He credited the school’s overall results, which included nine perfect study scores, to supportive parents, good teachers and very aspirational students.
Melbourne Grammar School students excelled in classical studies and philosophy, with eight students achieving a score of 40 or above in each subject.
Five Melbourne Grammar School students received ATAR scores of 99.95. From left are Nicholas Wang, Tahj Kumar, headmaster Philip Grutzner, Daniel Gao and Andison Zhang. The fifth student was Georgios Pirpiris.
Principal Philip Grutzner said students’ achievements in philosophy were no surprise as the school encouraged curiosity and exploration.
“We value big ideas and differences of opinion, and that reflects our approach to teaching and learning across the school,” he said.
Melbourne Grammar achieved 19 study scores of 50 this year, with 12 students achieving a perfect score in one subject, two students achieving two 50s and one student getting a perfect score in three subjects.
Glen Waverley Secondary School had seven students score 40 or above in systems engineering, which explores the core concepts and principles of mechanical and electrical systems and engineering fundamentals.
At Scotch College, six students scored 40 or above in Latin, while 14 students at McKinnon Secondary College scored 40 or above in geography.
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