When St. Patrick’s College’s boys receive their final HSC results and ATARs, those numbers represent years of effort, learning, and support. Long before they reach that point, Principal Vittoria Lavorato and her team use quality assessment data to ensure every student is on the right path.
At St. Patrick’s, Vittoria uses Academic Assessment Services (AAS) data to gain a structured view of student progress. It provides her with a clear picture of their learning journeys and helps her make informed, proactive decisions about instructional priorities.
Through AAS’s progress and placement testing, Vicki tracks learning trends over time, and with the Post Secondary Academic Measure (PSAM) platform, she analyses HSC performance data to refine strategies for future cohorts.
Vittoria Lavorato, Principal, St. Patrick’s College
PSAM provides Vicki and her leadership team with a detailed retrospective analysis of senior student performance, helping them strengthen teaching and support structures for upcoming cohorts.
It also helps them identify patterns in student achievement, showing where past students have excelled or struggled across subjects, enabling evidence-based refinements to instruction, intervention, and curriculum planning.
Vittoria Lavorato
For boys’ education in particular, this long-term analysis is essential. Boys can experience a dip in engagement around Years 9 and 10, and PSAM helps Vicki identify where those challenges manifest in final HSC results. It allows them to put measures in place for future cohorts well before students reach Year 12.
Vittoria Lavorato
Vicki and her team use PSAM and AAS assessments to guide intervention across all levels of achievement—from high-performing students looking to refine their results to students who need structured academic support to improve.
Recently, by analysing past student data, she identified that some of the school’s strongest students were underperforming in English, despite excelling in other areas. With targeted mentoring and structured writing practice, those students saw a significant improvement in their results.
Vittoria Lavorato
For students with additional learning needs, retrospective data analysis allows teachers to take a more individualised approach. By identifying long-term learning trends, St. Patrick’s can adjust strategies to ensure better outcomes for students who need extra support.
Vittoria Lavorato
One of the most valuable applications of PSAM is its role in guiding subject selection for future cohorts. By analysing past performance data, students and teachers can make informed decisions about which subjects align best with their strengths and future goals.
Vittoria Lavorato
In 2023, 50% of St. Patrick’s students achieved an ATAR of 83 or higher—a testament to the school’s commitment to high-quality teaching, leadership, and student support.
Looking beyond averages, individual student growth stories highlight the impact of this data-informed approach.
Vittoria Lavorato
These results demonstrate the power of high-quality retrospective analysis—enabling educators to learn from past student performance and implement meaningful changes that benefit future cohorts.
At St. Patrick’s College, the focus is not just on achieving strong ATARs and HSC results, it’s on ensuring every student is given the best possible opportunity to thrive.
By using PSAM as a tool for deep reflection, Vicki and her team continually refine their approach, strengthen their instructional strategies, and improve student support structures for future cohorts.
Vittoria Lavorato