I am delighted to share with you our 2022 HSC highlights. Our students have worked with drive and determination. Under the guidance of their experienced and dedicated teachers, and with the strong support and encouragement of family and friends, they have achieved so much.
Congratulations and well done, Year 12!
Shauna Colnan
Principal, International Grammar School
HSC Highlights
HSC First in Course
Placing first in an HSC course is an enormous achievement. Students from across NSW who topped the State in a course were announced at an awards ceremony by NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell on Wednesday 14 December. Two of those students were from IGS.
Congratulations to:
- Jonas Meyer
Jonas topped the State in German Extension, achieving full marks at 50 out of 50.
- Isabella Robaina
Isabella topped the State in Spanish Continuers with 96 per cent.
NSW Top Achievers
The following students achieved one of the State’s highest places in an HSC course and also achieved a result in the highest band.
- Jonas Meyer achieved 3rd place in Spanish Continuers as well as 1st in German Extension. This follows Jonas’s exceptional results achieved through acceleration when he was in Year 11, when he came 3rd in the State in German Continuers, while also topping IGS in Mathematics Advanced with a result of 98 per cent. Jonas is also one of the NSW All-round Achievers with at least 10 units in the highest band possible.
- Felix Weninger achieved 3rd place in Biology and 7th place in Design and Technology.
NSW All-Round Achievers
Each year, students who achieve results in the top band for at least 10 units of HSC courses are recognised in the prestigious NSW All-round Achievers list. This year six IGS students gained such an honour.
Congratulations to:
Distinguished Achievers
- There were 56 Distinguished Achievers. These students were awarded 90 per cent or above in at least one course.
Honourable Mentions
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IGS students received 118 Honourable Mentions for the distinguished achievement of 90 per cent or above in a course.
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For the second year in a row, an IGS student has topped the State in Spanish Continuers.
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100 per cent of students studying the following courses achieved in the top two bands: Chinese Continuers, Design and Technology, German Beginners, German Extension, History Extension, Japanese Extension, Music 2, Music Extension, Science Extension, Spanish Extension.
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Our students performed above the State in 68 per cent of courses.
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In German Beginners our students performed 15.04 per cent above the State mean.
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In Aboriginal Studies our students performed at 14.84 per cent above the State mean.
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In French Beginners, our results were 10.03 per cent above the State mean.

Outstanding HSC results for Year 11 students
Students may complete HSC courses early via acceleration or compression. We congratulate 37 IGS Year 11 students who completed HSC courses this year.
This is the highest number of Year 11 students that IGS has presented for the HSC a year early. Of these students, 11 achieved results above 90 per cent, with three students achieving 90 per cent in more than one HSC course.
Acceleration in Languages
A total of 27 of our Year 11 students accelerated in Languages. Students accelerated across four languages, in French Continuers, German Continuers, Italian Continuers and Japanese Continuers.
These students achieved a mean of 83 per cent. The highest result, of 93 per cent, was achieved by Iris McKinley, for French Continuers, followed by Maxime Laurans-Wall with 92 per cent for French Continuers and Charlotte Waley with 92 per cent for Italian Continuers.
Acceleration in Mathematics
Eight Year 11 students accelerated in Mathematics Advanced, achieving an average of 81 per cent.
The highest result was earned by Maxime Laurans-Wall with 96 per cent, followed by Samuel Lightfoot with 93 per cent.
Acceleration in DANCE
For the first time, an IGS student accelerated in HSC Dance. Jonathan Riesel studied the course with an Outside Tutor.
Jonathan’s Core Performance and Major Study Performance were both nominated for inclusion in the 2022 HSC Showcases as part of Callback. Callback is a selection of outstanding performances and projects from HSC Dance students.
From next year, HSC Dance will be taught at IGS in the new Renaissance Centre.
Aboriginal Studies via compression
A group of ten Year 11 students completed both the Year 11 and Year 12 Aboriginal Studies courses in one year. Their average result was 89 per cent.
The highest result, of 95 per cent, was achieved by Katelyn Clarke, followed by Madison Travis and Charlotte Waley, both with results of 93 per cent.
We are proud that IGS students received 22 nominations and 3 selections for HSC showcases for exemplary Major Projects in Dance, Drama, Music Composition, Textiles and Design, Music Performance and Visual Arts.
ARTEXPRESS is the annual exhibition of exemplary artworks created by students for the HSC in Visual Arts.
CALLBACK is a showcase of exemplary performances and compositions by HSC students of Dance.
ENCORE is a showcase of performances and compositions by HSC Music students.
OnSTAGE is a showcase of performances and projects by HSC Drama students.
Shape is an exhibition featuring a selection of students’ exemplary HSC major projects from Design and Technology, Industrial Technology and Textiles and Design.
Texstyle is an exhibition of a selection of exemplary Textiles and Design projects from the HSC.
HSC showcases & exhibitions
Nominated for ARTEXPRESS
- William Smith: IFIFEELSHEFEELSWITHME (film)
- Bryn Thomas: The trials of the Avers
Selected for ARTEXPRESS
- William Smith: IFIFEELSHEFEELSWITHME (film)
Nominated for Callback Core Performance (Dance)
- Jonathan Riesel (Year 11 accelerant): The Rope is Tied (contemporary dance)
Nominated for Callback Major Study Performance (Dance)
- Jonathan Riesel (Year 11 accelerant): Trapped in the Dark Web (contemporary dance)
Nominated for Encore music composition and performance
- Madiba Doyle-Lambert: Hinchinbrook composed by Groves and Moore; Synergy composed by Madiba-Doyle-Lambert; Reminiscence composed by Madiba-Doyle-Lambert
- Jake Mahemoff: Moth hunt composed by Grenfell; Transcendentia composed by Jake Mahemoff; The shady road composed by Jake Mahemoff
Nominated for OnSTAGE group performances
- Madiba Doyle-Lambert: Rat Redemption
- Jake Hardiman: The Knights of Oedipus
- Zara Jules: The Knights of Oedipus
- Saskia Misko: Rat Redemption
- Oliver Parry: Rat Redemption
- Amelie Power: The Knights of Oedipus
- Deniz Sivrioglu: The Knights of Oedipus
- Zoe Trenbath: Rat Redemption
- Nathan Turner: Rat Redemption
Nominated for OnSTAGE individual performance
- Zoe Trenbath: Gortex jacket inspired by the novel The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion (monologue)
- Eleanor Sharwood: Jana from Superheroes by Mark Rogers (monologue)
- Deniz Sivrioglu: Pozzo from Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett (monologue)
Selected for OnSTAGE individual project
- Madiba Doyle-Lambert: Ennui (film)
Nominated for Shape and Texstyle
- Holly Matthews: Bound
Selected for Texstyle
- Holly Matthews: Bound

A word about The Sydney Morning Herald school rankings
The SMH defines “success rate” as the number of high scores (90 per cent and above) expressed as a percentage of exams sat. On this measure, IGS was ranked at 83, with a “success rate” of 18.15 per cent. The median “success rate” for NSW schools was 5.47 per cent. Other measures that create a fuller picture of students’ effort and achievement are set out in this summary, and we commend all our students on their many achievements.
Early University offers
IGS students received 118 early offers to courses in the following areas of study; Society and Culture, Creative Arts, Management and Commerce, Architecture and Building, Health, Engineering and related Technologies, and Natural and Physical Sciences. Congratulations to these students. View more details.
BAND SUMMARIES | BAND 6 (top) | BAND 5 | BAND 4 | ||||
Course (2-units) | № of students | % IGS | % State | % IGS | % State | % IGS | % State |
Aboriginal Studies | 20 | 50 | 15 | 40 | 20 | 5 | 24 |
Ancient History | 12 | 17 | 9 | 33 | 25 | 33 | 30 |
Biology | 31 | 16 | 6 | 26 | 20 | 16 | 27 |
Chemistry | 13 | 38 | 9 | 8 | 24 | 23 | 31 |
Chinese Continuers | 1 | 100 | 41 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 18 |
Design and Technology | 6 | 0 | 13 | 100 | 34 | 0 | 35 |
Drama | 18 | 44 | 21 | 44 | 38 | 11 | 29 |
Economics | 28 | 14 | 15 | 32 | 35 | 36 | 26 |
English Advanced | 80 | 9 | 15 | 53 | 53 | 34 | 26 |
English Standard | 36 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 15 | 50 | 40 |
French Beginners | 4 | 75 | 23 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 21 |
French Continuers | 19 | 11 | 26 | 26 | 32 | 58 | 27 |
Geography | 22 | 5 | 11 | 55 | 31 | 27 | 31 |
German Beginners | 3 | 100 | 33 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 13 |
German Continuers | 7 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 28 |
Italian Beginners | 4 | 25 | 23 | 50 | 23 | 0 | 26 |
Italian Continuers | 10 | 20 | 21 | 30 | 34 | 50 | 35 |
Japanese Beginners | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 22 | 100 | 24 |
Japanese Continuers | 10 | 10 | 24 | 30 | 34 | 40 | 23 |
Legal Studies | 22 | 14 | 15 | 32 | 26 | 32 | 25 |
Mathematics Standard 2 | 44 | 2 | 7 | 30 | 22 | 27 | 25 |
Mathematics Advanced | 54 | 17 | 23 | 22 | 26 | 26 | 27 |
Modern History | 30 | 10 | 10 | 17 | 25 | 43 | 33 |
Music 1 | 8 | 0 | 22 | 88 | 48 | 13 | 20 |
Music 2 | 6 | 67 | 34 | 33 | 52 | 0 | 13 |
Personal Development, Health and Physical Education | 15 | 0 | 5 | 40 | 21 | 40 | 24 |
Physics | 16 | 6 | 12 | 38 | 29 | 19 | 27 |
Spanish Beginners | 3 | 33 | 24 | 33 | 27 | 0 | 30 |
Spanish Continuers | 9 | 33 | 15 | 33 | 43 | 11 | 27 |
Textiles and Design | 9 | 22 | 17 | 22 | 37 | 56 | 25 |
Visual Arts | 30 | 37 | 16 | 43 | 49 | 20 | 26 |
Extension Course results
BAND E4 (top) | BAND E3 | ||||
Course (1-unit) | № of students | % IGS | % State | % IGS | % State |
English Extension 1 | 18 | 28 | 40 | 67 | 53 |
English Extension 2 | 13 | 38 | 29 | 46 | 56 |
German Extension | 2 | 100 | 62 | 0 | 35 |
History Extension | 6 | 0 | 25 | 100 | 58 |
Japanese Extension | 1 | 0 | 45 | 100 | 45 |
Mathematics Extension 1 | 24 | 29 | 35 | 38 | 39 |
Mathematics Extension 2 | 8 | 25 | 40 | 50 | 46 |
Music Extension | 2 | 100 | 76 | 0 | 21 |
Science Extension | 2 | 0 | 8 | 100 | 71 |
Spanish Extension | 1 | 0 | 56 | 100 | 34 |
HONOUR ROLL OF DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVERS BY COURSE | |
Course | Distinguished Achievers |
Aboriginal Studies |
Katelyn Clarke Sophie Cotton Oli Goodrum Lara McCorquodale Amelia Munn Carmela Reznik Harriet Ryder Madison Travis Eleni Vlahos Charlotte Waley |
Ancient History |
Jake Hardiman Edward Woodcock |
Biology | Sofia Eroglu Pranav Jairam Grace Mercer Felix Weninger Indigo Wills |
Chemistry | Declan Hazard Pranav Jairam Masa Lurie Jake Trevelyan Felix Weninger |
Chinese Continuers | Ruby Dragicevic |
Drama | Madiba Doyle-Lambert Jake Hardiman Saskia Misko Carmela Reznik Eleanor Sharwood Deniz Sivrioglu Zoe Trenbath Eleni Vlahos |
Economics | Jake Hardiman Aisling Matthews Jonas Meyer Jake Trevelyan |
English Advanced | Madiba Doyle-Lambert Kaija Du Jake Hardiman Holly Matthews Grace Mercer Eleanor Sharwood Indigo Wills |
English Extension 1 | Madiba Doyle-Lambert Aisling Matthews Grace Mercer Saskia Misko Eleanor Sharwood |
English Extension 2 | Madiba Doyle-Lambert Jake Hardiman Aisling Matthews Grace Mercer Eleanor Sharwood |
French Beginners | Felix Gardan Massimiliano McAuliffe Saskia Pollack |
French Continuers | Maxime Laurans-Wall Iris McKinley |
Geography | James Walker |
German Beginners | Thomas Baker Elke Krassoi Henry Staiger |
German Continuers | Oscar Babeck Samuel Lightfoot |
German Extension | Max Braun Jonas Meyer |
Italian Beginners | Evelyn Paipetis |
Italian Continuers | Nell Brennan Charlotte Waley |
Japanese Continuers | Olivia Stewart |
Legal Studies | Kaija Du Grace Mercer Zoe Trenbath |
Mathematics Advanced | Archie Dell Hugo Deutch Pranav Jairam Maxime Laurans-Wall Samuel Lightfoot Holly Matthews Eleanor Sharwood Felix Weninger Edward Woodcock |
Mathematics Extension 1 | Declan Hazard Pranav Jairam Masa Lurie Jonas Meyer Jake Trevelyan James Walker Felix Weninger |
Mathematics Extension 2 | Declan Hazard Jake Trevelyan |
Mathematics Standard 2 | Amelia Stamford |
Modern History | Aisling Matthews Frederique Sims James Walker |
Music 2 | Madiba Doyle-Lambert Jake Mahemoff Carmela Reznik Edward Woodcock |
Music Extension | Jake Mahemoff Carmela Reznik |
Physics | Pranav Jairam |
Spanish Beginners | Indigo Wills |
Spanish Continuers | Amelia Maresh Jonas Meyer Isabella Robaina |
Textiles and Design | Holly Matthews Felix Weninger |
Visual Arts | Sofia Eroglu Francesca Harrison Elke Krassoi Doon Maclean Amelia Maresh Phoebe Martin Holly Matthews Grace Mercer Amelia Stamford Bryn Thomas Indigo Wills |

As we, class of 2022, move onto the next chapter in our lives, I believe that each of us agree that it is simply not adequate for us to look back on our time at IGS as something in our past.
Having benefited from its embrace, it is our duty to strive, as life-long ambassadors for IGS, to live and spread the incredible values of IGS, and to ensure that all our community members experience some of the beauty that we have experienced here. That is the true measure of our success.
To our parents, you have succeeded. Here we are — not just ticking a box on our way to somewhere better, but happy, thriving, confident, and full of wonderful qualities you instilled in us.
Your priority was our happiness and we have years of happiness, joy and laughter at IGS to look back on. To my Mum and Dad, to my grandparents who are probably on facetime, to my sister, to my best friend Sofia, thank you for being the reason for my happiness.
To IGS, thank you for being my home for the past 15 years, and instilling in me not just a love for learning, but passion and empathy and love.
Thank you for the greatest privilege of being your Head Girl, and Madiba, thank you for being alongside me the whole way.
(This is an excerpt from Zahra’s Speech Night Address at the State Theatre in December 2022. View her full speech.)
2022 IGS Head Girl Zahra Moloobhoy
With all that’s going on out in the world, it can feel dangerous to be yourself, but at IGS it has felt exciting and adventurous.
We have been given space to safely fall so we could learn to get back up. We have been given the security to fail so that we can know the opportunity that gives us room to grow. We have been given assurance to explore our multitudes and become any and all of the many things we might be, free from judgement.
Throughout my life I have been in situations where I was afraid to be myself, but none of those times were at IGS. In essence, we’ve been empowered to be the best WE can be. IGS handed us a mould – not to fit into, but to break…
The education we have received at IGS – that our parents worked hard to afford us and that our teachers worked tirelessly to give us – is something very special.
We have the capacity to adapt, the courage to act and the heart to inspire others. It’s incumbent upon us to use our privilege to be the change we wish to see in the world. When we do that, we create ourselves a future to hope for…
Year 12, teachers, family and friends, you have made all the difference to my life. Thank you.
(This is an excerpt from Madiba’s address at the 2022 IGS Speech Night at the State Theatre. View his full speech.)
2021 IGS Head Boy Madiba Doyle-Lambert
In closing, and on behalf of the entire IGS community, I warmly congratulate each of our HSC students. While this summary captures some of the academic highlights, we know that there are many other success stories. We commend every member of our Class of 2022, and those who accelerated, on their achievements and contributions to our school community. We wish you all the very best for the future.
Shauna Colnan
Principal, International Grammar School