Stunning IB Diploma results achieved by 2020 cohort

To read the IB Diploma results snapshot, click here.

St Andrew’s Cathedral School is celebrating its best ever IB Diploma results. Deputy Head of School (Secondary) Mr Brad Swibel wrote to the school community to announce the stunning results:

We are delighted with the 2020 IB Diploma results, received on 3 January 2021, which were the best in the school’s history!

ATARs of 90 or over were awarded to 68% of students (32 out of 49 students received 33+ grade points out of 45). More than 38% of students (19) achieved an ATAR of 95+. The average ATAR for the top 10% of IB Diploma students was 99.49, and the average ATAR for the top 50% of IB Diploma students was 97.3. The average ATAR for our Diploma students was 92.8, an IB score of 35, which is much higher than the international average of 29.

The school duxes are Matthew Catanzariti and school captain Freya Leach (pictured) who each received 44 grade points and ATARs of 99.75! Scarlett Scott also achieved full marks for her Theory of Knowledge presentation and for her Philosophy Extended Essay.

When combined with our HSC results, this equates to one-third of our Year 12 students in 2020 receiving ATARs over 90.

In the IB Diploma, students study six subjects, which are each marked out of 7 and then can receive 3 bonus points for the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge subjects, making a maximum grade point score of 45 (99.95 ATAR). Our students achieved 46 Grade 7s across 24 subjects, which is one of the highest numbers ever.

Outstanding results were achieved by students in the following IB Diploma subjects:

• Business Management (100% achieved a Grade 6 or 7, with 53% of students achieving Grade 7s)
• Theatre (100% achieved a Grade 6 or 7)
• Philosophy (60% achieved a Grade 7)
• Chemistry (50% achieved a Grade 7)
• Maths Higher Level (75% achieved a Grade 7)
• Music (100% achieved a Grade 6 or 7, with 50% achieving Grade 7s)
• Literature (24% achieved a Grade 7)
• Environmental Systems and Societies (26% achieved a Grade 7)
• Theory of Knowledge (24% achieved a Grade A)
• Extended Essay (24% achieved a Grade A)

High performing classes with more than 50% of students achieving Grade 6s and 7s were: French B, Japanese ab initio, Global Politics, History, Psychology, Environmental Systems and Societies, Biology, Design Technology and Theatre.

These results are testament to our Director of Learning (IB Diploma) Mrs Sharon Munro who superbly leads and supports an exemplary team of IB teachers. My thanks also to our Head of Senior College Mr David Lindsay, Deputy Head of Senior College Mrs Sonia Witheridge, Head of Learning Analytics Mr Garth Hasler, Heads of Department, Heads of House, counsellors, Tutors and learning coaches.

I am very proud of our Year 12, 2020, cohort. They have overcome significant challenges in 2020 with disruptions to their learning and have achieved admirably. I am proud of our hard-working teachers, support and operations staff, pastoral staff and volunteers who have supported individual students through their classwork and many assessment tasks. I am grateful for our SACS families who have partnered in the education and growth of these wonderful young people.

Brad Swibel 
Deputy Head of School (Secondary) 

Student ATARs above 90