Narrabri High School is celebrating students’ outstanding achievements following the release of HSC results last Thursday.
The school achieved one band six as well as 23 band fives. A band six represents a mark between 90 and 100 while a band five indicates a mark between 80 and 89.
After a disrupted year due to the ongoing COVID pandemic, including lockdown restrictions, students produced some exceptional results in challenging circumstances.
Year 12 student Elsie Ford finished her final year of schooling with three band five results – music, mathematics standard 2 and PDHPE.
“I was very excited, just to see those results come through after the last two years we’ve had,” Elsie said.
“I have to admit, I was a little bit disappointed with being one mark off a band six for music – I got 89 for music – but I was very, very happy overall.”
Elsie said she felt a sense of relief now that Year 12 has been completed following a challenging year with COVID and online learning.
“As soon as I came out of my last exam I felt a sense of sense of relief. Waiting for the results was a bit stressful though but once you get them, you do feel relieved especially when you’ve done much better than you think,” she said.
Elsie is waiting for the ATAR based offers which are released on January 26.
She is hoping to get into physiotherapy in Canberra.
“If I don’t get the physiotherapy, I have already been accepted to study a Bachelor of Exercise Physiology and Rehabilitation at University of Canberra,” she said.
“I really enjoyed school and enjoyed going to high school in Narrabri, it’s a mixed feeling of being excited and being a bit frightened moving from Narrabri to a big city but it should be good.
“I’ll definitely keep music up. I’m hoping to get a couple of gigs in Canberra. At the university they have Tuesday music which I will try and apply for, but I’ll definitely keep the music going.”
Reflecting on last year, Elsie praised Narrabri High School for its continued support.
“The school was very supportive, especially with online learning,” she said.
“There were lots of resources and the teachers were always making sure we were doing okay. They were very supportive and helpful.”
Among the students to achieve band five results was Candice Wright.
She recorded a band five each in modern history and community and family studies.
Candice is staying in Narrabri for a gap year before starting university in 2023. She is currently working at Coogle Café.
“I will study a Bachelor of Psychology at the University of Newcastle,” she said.
She reached the decision to pursue a career as a psychologist within the last year.
While Year 12 was stressful, Candice said it was worth the result at the end.
For fellow Year 12 student Riley Emmerson, he is pursuing a career in real estate after starting a cadetship in Maitland.
Riley recently made the move to the Hunter after completing his final year of secondary education.
He achieved a band five in maths standard 1 and music.
“For the past two years I have had an interest in real estate,” he said.
“I think that while Year 12 was a tough year, we all did really well. Everyone did a fantastic job.”
Fellow Year 12 student Danielle Sunderland was also among the cohort to achieve two band fives.
Her achievements came in music and PDHPE.
She is currently on a gap year and hopes to travel to New Zealand later this year on a working holiday for six months.
Among her plans in New Zealand is working at a winery on Waiheke Island.
Upon returning home, she will move to Newcastle to study a double degree, a Bachelor of Criminology and Psychological Science.
“I really want to work with youth in detention centres,” she said.
Two Year 11 students also achieved fantastic results in subjects as accelerated pupils studying a year 12 course.
Erin Flower received the school’s only band six result and will receive a merit for her tremendous effort.
Her result was achieved in textiles and design.
Fellow Year 11 student Poppy Smith achieved a band five in textiles and design.
Poppy also had her major work chosen for ‘TEXStyles’, a state exhibition for exemplary HSC major works.
