This week marks the end of an era for about 1200 Ballarat teens as they farewell their formal schooling ahead of VCE exams, which start next week.
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But before they look too far to the future, their final exams loom with a three-week exam period kicking off with the compulsory English exam on Wednesday.
Ballarat’s year 12s celebrated the end of 13 years of schooling in many ways with dress-up days, a carnival, pancake breakfasts and more formal ceremonies taking place before most enjoyed a traditional valedictory dinner.
Students at Phoenix P-12 College eschewed dress ups for the formal graduation attire of robes and mortarboard caps for their last day of school on Wednesday.
About 80 students signed off on their time at Phoenix with many having spent 13 years in the same school community.
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“Some of these kids we have known for 13 years and we have watched them grow from young children in to really first class adults,” said Phoenix principal Karen Snibson.
Ms Snibson said the students themselves decided to go formal with the traditional graduation gowns and caps, the first time in the school’s history that they’ve been worn.
“It was student initiated … it’s formal for the students and it’s about recognising the completion of 13 years of schooling and we all thought it was a fitting way to do that.
“We gave them two pieces of advice: firstly that they are capable learners and to take the gift of learning wherever they go and whatever challenges they face, and secondly that around their college values they have grown up to be rich, respectful citizens and to take those qualities with them in life.”
At Ballarat Christian College, the year 12 students introduce the new prep pupils to the school at the start of the year, taking them for a walk around the Sebastopol campus.
And on the year 12’s last day of formal schooling on Tuesday, the preps returned the favour, walking their big buddies in to their graduation ceremony.
The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority said there were 1156 students eligible to complete the VCE in Ballarat, with every student sitting at least one examination.
Over the course of the three weeks of final exams, Ballarat’s 1156 students sitting year 12 exams will tackle 67 different written exams.