Haileybury College and Yarra Valley Grammar Show Sustained VCE English Gains

Haileybury College and Yarra Valley Grammar have demonstrated significant, sustained improvements in achieving high scores in VCE English over the past decade. These findings are highlighted in the Victorian Schools Guide, a new interactive dashboard for analyzing school performance.

Performance Overview

Haileybury College saw an increase in students achieving VCE English study scores of 40 or higher, rising from 56 students in 2016 to 104 in 2025.

Yarra Valley Grammar School also experienced consistent improvement, with its 40+ scores increasing from 11 in 2016 to 50 in 2025.

Other schools reporting a surge in high English scores include Braybrook College, Loreto Mandeville Hall, John Monash Science School, and Emmanuel College in Warrnambool.

Strategies for Improvement

Haileybury College: Incremental Changes and Data Analysis

Haileybury College attributes its success to incremental changes and data analysis.

• The school implemented after-school lectures, encouraged extra reading, and provided resources to enhance student expression.
• Deputy Head of English, Katrina Alford, noted a focus on tangible and achievable improvements to build student confidence.

"A focus on tangible and achievable improvements to build student confidence."
— Katrina Alford, Deputy Head of English, Haileybury College

Student Monty Wright, who achieved the highest possible score of 50, emphasized the importance of consistent reading and writing, avoiding last-minute effort. He also highlighted the value of approaching English as a discipline for growth rather than solely focusing on grades, moving from memorizing essays to authentic writing.

"Approaching English as a discipline for growth rather than solely focusing on grades, moving from memorizing essays to authentic writing."
— Monty Wright, Haileybury College Student (Score 50)

Yarra Valley Grammar: Explicit Instruction Methods

Yarra Valley Grammar School credits its progress to explicit instruction methods.

• Head of English, Dale Hughes, explained that teachers model desired skills and standards, guiding students through text analysis and response strategies.

"Teachers model desired skills and standards, guiding students through text analysis and response strategies."
— Dale Hughes, Head of English, Yarra Valley Grammar School

Student Shakira Harding, who achieved a score of 47, confirmed the effectiveness of clear explanations and a gradual release of responsibility from teachers. She noted the importance of developing conceptual thinking and confidence in interpreting underlying themes in texts, such as "Oedipus the King."

"Developing conceptual thinking and confidence in interpreting underlying themes in texts."
— Shakira Harding, Yarra Valley Grammar School Student (Score 47)

Both institutions emphasize providing firm guidance while fostering independent thinking and a growth mindset among students to achieve high academic performance in English.