Australia🏛️ PoliticsCenter9/7/2026

The school dux can be 15 and students come from across the world to this regional school

Kardinia International College, located in Geelong, Australia, is highlighted for its innovative 'vertical curriculum' that allows students significant autonomy in scheduling and subject selection. This approach enables students to advance through academic levels faster than traditional systems, with some completing VCE subjects as early as Year 10. The school has seen notable academic achievements, including a 15-year-old student graduating as dux with an ATAR of 99.8. The college, originally established by Japanese owners thirty years ago, now serves 31 international students and emphasizes a global perspective. Principal Catherine Lockhart notes the curriculum's uniqueness and effectiveness, with the school achieving record-high VCE study scores.

Students walk past emus in the paddock overlooking Corio Bay on their way to class, but after a while another reason for the calm atmosphere at Kardinia International College stands out, there’s no school bell. Students keep track of their own schedule at the Geelong school, and they’re rarely late. Kardinia International College students Sam Carr and Zahli Williamson describe the experience as handing over independence to them, preparing them for the real world. The school operates a “vertical curriculum” that offers students greater subject choice than most schools. Student autonomy is a key feature of the institution, which has been named The Age’s 2026 Schools that Excel winner for regional and rural Victoria. This annual series celebrates schools that have achieved outstanding progress in their VCE results over the past decade. From year 7, students at Kardinia have a unique timetable and can advance through grades to take VCE subjects earlier than typically allowed. Principal Catherine Lockhart described the process as requiring an “incredible timetabler” to tailor schedules for 1300 students. Electives within subjects allow for personalized learning, such as choosing genres in English classes. An extreme example of the vertical curriculum’s success is a 15-year-old who graduated as dux with an ATAR of 99.8 in 2020. The school was founded thirty years ago by Japanese husband and wife owners Yoshimaro and Kiyoko Katsumata, who transformed the former Morongo Girls College into a co-educational school with an international focus. Today, it hosts 31 students from overseas, with flags representing the countries where students have studied or visited, including Egypt, South Korea and Ireland. Lockhart noted that the vertical curriculum was groundbreaking when the school was established and remains unusual. She said implementing it retrospectively would be difficult, but over three decades, it has evolved into a system that works effectively. The median VCE study score at the school has increased since 2020, reaching a 10-year high of 33 last year. Kardinia’s students achieved the highest study scores of 40 or above in general maths, biology and psychology. Year 12 student Zahli Williamson accelerated through the curriculum, taking VCE general maths in year 10 and VCE biology in year 11, scoring 42 and 45 respectively. She discovered her aptitude for biology in year 8, leading to skipping year 9 and advancing to year 10. In biology last year, she had only one area of study unfamiliar to her. With two VCE subjects completed, Zahli is studying four subjects in year 12 instead of the usual five, allowing more time for study. She reports achieving so much that she doesn’t need to work at home, enabling a better work-life balance. Maths teacher Jill Preston contributes to the school's strong results by analyzing scores to identify areas where students improve. She focuses on whether the teaching adds value rather than just looking at scores in the 40s. Students are competitive yet supportive, with a trend observed of students dropping maths but returning after seeing peers succeed. Zahli notes this was the case with her sister, who initially avoided maths but joined an early year 10 program after Zahli’s success. Her sister now enjoys the subject.

2 reports

The AgeIndependentCenterFactual 95Objective 979/7/2026

The school dux can be 15 and students come from across the world to this regional school

Kardinia International College in Geelong, Australia, is highlighted for its innovative 'vertical curriculum' approach, allowing students to progress through their education at their own pace. Students manage their own schedules, often accelerating through grades and taking advanced subjects like VCE courses earlier than typical. This system has led to exceptional academic outcomes, such as a 15-year-old graduating as dux with an ATAR of 99.8. The school, originally established by Japanese founders, now serves students from around the world and emphasizes independence and global perspectives. Principal Catherine Lockhart notes that the curriculum's flexibility has significantly improved the school's performance metrics over the past decade.

Bias read (Center): The article focuses on educational practices and achievements at a specific school, discussing curriculum innovation, student autonomy, and academic outcomes. There is no mention of political figures, policies, or contentious issues, making the content apolitical.

Why factuality (95): This article mirrors the first in content, providing similar details about the school's structure, the 'vertical curriculum', the absence of a school bell, and the 15-year-old dux with an ATAR of 99.8. The only difference seems to be the headline and the source publication, with no substantive varia

Why objectivity (97): The article maintains a neutral and objective tone throughout, presenting the features of the school and its outcomes without taking sides or injecting personal opinions. Direct quotes from students and the principal support the neutrality of the reporting. The language used is descriptive rather th

The Sydney Morning HeraldIndependentCenterFactual 94Objective 969/7/2026

The school dux can be 15 and students come from across the world to this regional school

Bias read (Center): The article presents a balanced overview of Kardinia International College's educational model without overtly praising or criticizing specific political ideologies. While it highlights the success of the school's system, it does not frame the curriculum as inherently progressive or conservative, or

Why factuality (94): The article provides specific details about Kardinia International College including its location in Geelong, the 'vertical curriculum' model, the absence of a school bell, and the achievement of a 15-year-old dux with an ATAR of 99.8 in 2020. These facts align closely with the content of the second

Why objectivity (96): The article presents the information in a largely neutral manner, focusing on student experiences, the structure of the school, and its achievements. It includes direct quotes from students and staff without apparent bias. The tone remains informative and avoids overtly emotional or opinionated lang

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The school dux can be 15 and students come from across the world to this regional school

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