From the Principal

The Importance of Choice

I have recently been made aware that there is a rumour circulating in the community which suggests that MLC School is planning to ‘get rid of’ the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme. We are internationally recognised for our consistently strong performance in the IB Diploma and have no intention to change our approach.

Many years ago, MLC School made an educationally informed decision to offer both credentials so that each student could pursue the pathway that best suited her.

The HSC and the IB Diploma ask students to demonstrate achievement in different ways. Each offers distinctive opportunities, and each can provide an excellent preparation for university, work and life beyond school when matched thoughtfully to a student’s interests, habits and aspirations.

There are no plans to offer only one credential.

As part of our commitment to ensuring that each girl chooses the pathway that best suits her, we have focused on using data, our knowledge of the students and their preferred learning styles to guide the choice of program. This has led to a return to a more usual split between the two courses than was seen in recent years. In general, approximately 40% of our Year 12 group choose the IB, 60% the HSC but this does fluctuate from year to year.

How do the approaches differ?  

The NSW HSC is a standards-based credential that allows students to build a pattern of study from a wide range of courses. Students can combine academic subjects, creative and practical courses, languages, extension subjects and vocational options. This flexibility enables students to shape a program around their strengths, passions and possible tertiary pathways.

The HSC may suit students who have clear areas of strength and wish to specialise. A student who loves advanced mathematics and physics, for example, can pursue extension study. A student with strong talents in visual arts, design and technology, drama, music, hospitality or business services can build a pathway that recognises those capabilities. For some students, the ability to select subjects that align closely with their interests is motivating and confidence-building.

The HSC also suits students who prefer a familiar assessment structure, with school-based assessment across Year 12 and final examinations in HSC courses. Students who can manage staged deadlines, prepare carefully for major assessments and perform well in final examinations can flourish in this pathway.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme is a broad, internationally taught pre-university qualification. Students study six subjects across a prescribed range of learning areas, alongside three core components: Theory of Knowledge (ToK), the Extended Essay and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS). This structure encourages breadth, intellectual curiosity, research skill and reflection.

The IB Diploma may suit students who enjoy making connections across subjects and who are comfortable maintaining a balanced academic program. It can be particularly appealing for students who are curious about global issues, enjoy independent inquiry, are strong readers and writers, and are motivated by sustained research and conceptual thinking. The study of a foreign language is a compulsory part of the IB Diploma.

Different pathways for different strengths

Neither pathway is inherently easier. Both require sustained effort, sound study habits and resilience. Success in either program depends less on the label of the credential and more on the match between the student and the learning model.

A Note About School Funding

Yesterday, the Daily Telegraph (news.com.au) published news about schools with declining government funding, one being MLC School. There is no surprise whatsoever in this.

In 2020, MLC School was informed by the federal government that because of the changing demographic of our parents, the funding we receive per student would be decreased over a period from 2022 to 2029. I can assure you that the School has been actively and diligently managing these funding changes for the last five years and will continue to do so until 2029. 

We circulated information to all parents at the time, and since then, we have factored the changes into our yearly budgets and forecasts, as part of ensuring the financial sustainability of the School.

In recent years, our fee rises have been in line with other similar schools and have generally sat around the average for increases. These rises were a consequence of rising cost pressures; salary increases for staff (which account for around 70% of our operating expenses) and considered the changes in government funding.  

– Lisa Moloney
Principal