Narrogin SHS year 12s from 2022 celebrate their achievements.

Six of the young women - Chelsea Mulcahy, Zahlee Buck, Abbie Smith, Courtney Dewing, Bree-Anna Neretlis and Chloe Bertuola - returned for the first assembly of 2023 to be congratulated and celebrated for their efforts.

They are part of a group of eight from the school - including Olivia Whiteford, the school's 2022 dux, and Amy Mulcahy - counted in the list of WA's best and brightest in 2022, achieving Certificates of Merit for their year 11 and 12 effort and achievment.

And they were among 3315 students across the State - out of 22,509 year 12 students who worked towards their WA Certificate of Education (WACE) last year - to receive an academic award from the School Standards and Curriculum Authority, which assesses and reports on WA school outcomes.

Their achievements put them in the top 15 per cent of WA's final year students - with Chelsea Mulcahy's ATAR score of 92.35 putting her in the top 10pc of ATAR students nationwide and earning her a permanent place on Narrogin SHS's honour roll of 90+ students.

"The school is really supportive, if you want to get into a course or a job, they will give you all the right references and resources to help you do that,'' Ms Mulcahy told Ripe as the young women caught up after the first-day-of-school assembly, three weeks ago.

"They are really supportive and motivating."

Ms Bertuola said the school was very good at letting its students know what pathways there were into tertiary education or the workforce and at fostering their independence.

"The teachers at country schools give you the opportunity to be independent in your learning which prepares you for university a lot more,'' Ms Bertuola said.

"The teachers give us choices, they are not going to chase us up forever, to hand in assignments and things.

"So it develops self-motivation and self-discipline which has prepared us for going to university or into the workforce."

Narrogin SHS had about 630 students enrolled last year across years 7 to 12, including about 100 students in the final year, from what was one of the school's biggest year 12 cohorts in the past few years.

The independent public secondary school caters to a wide variety of students - mostly living in Narrogin and the surrounding towns and a smaller cohort from nearby farming families.

It last year offered more than 50 year 11 and 12 ATAR and general courses, 95pc in class on campus, with some delivered online via the School of Isolated and Distance Education (SIDE) and 12 Certificate II, III and IV courses at school, through the local TAFE and through industry.

It has a residential college, which currently accommodates 100 students from farming communities further afield.

It also partnerships with the Clontarf Foundation Academy and the Shooting Stars programs to support indigenous male and female students respectively onsite.

Principal Sandii Stankovic said of last year's year 12 cohort, 72 (or 83pc) achieved a WACE, via ATAR or Vocational Education and Training (VET) subjects, with 82pc of university applicants achieving a graded ATAR of 70 of more, allowing them direct entry to university if they wish.

"We offer a strong ATAR course and strong general course,'' Ms Stankovic said.

"We offer a range of certificate courses, including a Certificate IV in Preparation for Nursing, many in-class certificate II and III courses, including in Sport and Recreation, Business and Visual Arts and an outsourced 12-week Certificate III in Civil Construction through MTAC.

"We have commenced an alternative pathway for students who are not eligible for WACE and link in with local businesses and deliver short courses, which are open to students alongside the local community."

2022's year 12 students were just one example of the school's high achievers - this year that group also includes 12 students who are part of a Telstra IT program, a State nominee for a nationwide competition run by ABC TV's Heywire regional and rural Australia program, and two younger students who are being supported on campus in the Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program at Perth Modern School, in Subiaco.

Another current year 11 student, who has been participating in the Perth Modern GATE program at Narrogin for the past few years, has moved to Perth to finish his last two school years.

His brother, who did likewise achieved an 99.7 ATAR in 2022.

"Parents have acknowledged the work the public State school has done for this student.''

She said of the 2022 year 11 cohort, six achieved a mark of 80pc or higher in their school assessments, which puts them on track to outdo last year's success in year 12 this year.

Narrogin SHS also offers sports teams, school excursions and camps - including a year 12 physics trip to Adventure World in Perth, a year 11 biology camp to the Dryandra Wetlands and - outside of the COVID-lockdown years - an annual year 9 Canberra tour and a United States tour every four years.

Students can participate in several out-of-school events - including the annual Country Week sporting carnivals, an annual careers expo at Boddington and a virtual reality incursion, which potentially lets them experience any job, virtually, anywhere in the world.

"We are more than just a school,'' Ms Stankovic said.

"We are always looking for opportunities for our students - that is our purpose."

She said the pattern was being repeated across WA's regional high schools - "all the schools are doing great work'' - but sometimes they felt invisible in their efforts.

"The challenge is getting the word out,'' Ms Stankovic said.

"Unlike teachers, all the administrative positions don't attract government housing and relocation subsidies so obtaining staff on ground to help promote the school is quite difficult."

Reuniting back at school three weeks ago, the school's most recent year 12 high achievers were full of congratulations for each's other academic successes and excited about what 2023 held in store.

And their school and tertiary course selections and career ambitions also reflect the breadth of opportunities and choices now available across WA's public and independent regional high schools.

ATAR dux Chelsea Mulcahy, from Narrogin, studied ATAR English, Maths Methods, Human Biology and Chemistry and was the school's only student last year to complete the advanced, maths specialist course, which was her one online School of Isolated andDistance Education (SIDE) course.

She achieved an ATAR of 92.35 and is about to begin a five-year, double degrees in medicine and surgery at Curtin University, in Perth.

Ms Mulcahy said she had been given the option of going away to school and was close to getting into the academically selective Perth Modern School, in Subiaco, but was happy she chose to stay in Narrogin for school.

"My mum said 'if you want to achieve something, it doesn't matter what school you go to, you will find a way to do it,'' Ms Mulcahy said.

"There would have been some advantages in going away but I'm happy I did this.

"I had a good group of friends here, but I think the biggest thing, honestly, which kept me here, was the teachers.

"My science teachers were the most supportive teachers I have ever had."

Ms Mulcahy said she enjoyed the autonomy of the SIDE maths specialist course, as she was supported by an independent learning co-ordinator and could access, in advance, course content and recorded lectures when it suited her.

"With SIDE, you have to be on top of things yourself and organise yourself and I found it an advantage, as I could do the school work when I wanted to,'' she said.

"It felt more like it was setting us up for university, I guess.

"But if someone needed a teacher to constantly remind them about an assessment, for example, they might struggle."

Chloe Bertuola, from Williams, was the school's runner-up ATAR dux and studied ATAR biology, chemistry, English, maths methods and psychology and completed a Certificate II in Visual Arts (graphic design) in year 11.

Having achieved an ATAR of 88, she is heading this year to the Australian National University, in Canberra, where she will study for a degree in environmental sustainability, with honours in environmental communication.

She attended the year 11 biology camp, run with the WA Department of Parks and Wildlife, which helped her in her career choice.

"I have always loved the environment and I have done some volunteering with the Department of Parks and Wildlife, working with the animals and doing animal monitoring - and that experience solidified that that's exactly what I want to do,'' Ms Beruola said.

"I want to help rebuild threatened animal populations and science communications is such a big field now, with social media being so prevalent."

Ms Bertuola attended the "very small" Williams primary school - which had about 100 students and said the thought of going to Perth for senior school overwhelmed her.

"High school overall was a bit of a shock, having come from such a small primary school,'' she said.

"It is a really comfortable place to be - the community and the sport that we do makes it a place that you want to stay."

Going to a regional high school also offered the keen sportswoman - who played netball, tennis and soccer - the opportunity to participate in some of the annual Country Week carnivals, which bring students from around the State together for a weekend in Perth.

"It is such a big networking opportunity going to a country school,'' she said.

"I don't think you would network across such a broad range of people going to a city school.''

Zahlee Buck, from Wagin, was the school's runner-up VET dux last year.

She studied general maths, English, health studies, physical education and food technology - achieving A grades and one B grade over years 11 and 12.

Ms Buck also completed a certificate III in early childhood education, having started a general childcare course which was discontinued at school last year due to insufficient student numbers.

She won the school's awards for health sciences and her work placement - having completed 350 hours at Wagin's primary school and early childhood centre.

Ms Buck has started working as a relief education assistant at Wagin Primary School, assisting in the kindergarten to year 3 classes, and hopes it will become a full-time position.

"It is very rewarding,'' Ms Buck said.

Though Wagin has a high school for years 7-10, which she could have attended, Ms Buck went straight to Narrogin SHS in year 7.

"I think it was because of a lack of resources at the high school,'' she said.

"But also my sisters went here, my middle sister was still at the school when I started year 7 and she was very into me coming.

"Plus I had other friends from Wagin Primary School - so we came here together.''

Bree-Anna Neretlis, also from Wagin, studied general English and maths, photography and visual arts, which involved school-based assessments and an external exam for each subject and a significant portfolio of work for the practical courses.

She also achieved a certificate IV in digital design as part of her VET course - working on digital drawing and logo design - achieving As and one B grade in years 11 and 12.

Given that achieving a C grade or higher in a certificate IV course automatically converts to an ATAR of 70, she is - like Ms Buck - eligible to attend university.

But she has decided to pursue her love of the arts, and has enrolled in a three-month online course to become a tattoo artist.

"The best parts of the school were the people and I loved art, drawing and photography,'' Ms Neretlis said.

"And I just loved how supportive everyone was and all the different subject choices.''

Courtney Dewing, from Narrogin, studied ATAR modern history, psychology, maths applications, English and geography and is this year enrolled in double degrees in primary education and behavioural science at Notre Dame University, in Fremantle.

When she completes the five-year bachelor's degree she plans to return to rural teaching, including potentially working with indigenous students in WA's north.

"I love the courses that I did at school, especially modern history,'' Ms Dewing said.

"That was my absolute favourite and the teacher is just brilliant.

"He was genuinely so invested in us - all the teachers are so invested in seeing us succeed and making the lessons as interesting as possible.

"You can tell when your teachers are passionate, that rubs off on you and you do well because you feel passionate as well."

Abbey Smith, from Pingelly, studied maths apps, English, physical education and geography and achieved a certificate IV in preparation for nursing and a certificate II in sport and recreation.

While she is still considering her career plans, she said she took the ATAR pathway to challenge herself and achieved a score of 77.2.

She will spend a month working in a wool shed as a rouseabout then look for a job in Pingelly for a year, probably as an education assistant at the local school to see whether she ultimately chooses to become a primary teacher - but before then she wants to travel around WA.

"I didn't have so much pressure on me as some of the others because I wasn't sure what I wanted to do,'' Ms Smith said.

"So school was good, I wasn't too stressed.''

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When they reflect on their high school years, this group of highly motivated students said the experience was very positive - and they were accepting and pragmatic about the disadvantages which came with a country education.

For example, even though Narrogin SHS has three laptop trolleys for classroom work and four computer labs, they would have preferred to have access to their own devices.

They acknowledged the difficulty regional schools have attracting and retaining skilled teachers - though Narrogin SHS is fully staffed this year and has specialty teachers in front of classes in their specialist area, achieving this can be challenging at times.

They know supplying teachers with ideal housing and other support to encourage them to stay in the town long-term can also be difficult.

Added to that, tutoring is not available in town.

Some of the students linked in with tutors via Zoom or attended Perth study courses - but the arrangement was less than ideal.

Ms Stenkovic added that, even more significant than tutors, access to health professionals had been an issue in Narrogin for the past two to three years.

It meant students and their families faced extended waits for a diagnosis of learning, physical or mental health issues and long and disruptive trips to Perth for assessments and treatment.

This factored into the academic achievement, attendance and completion rates across the school.

Narrogin SHS achieved a median ATAR last year of 60.25, compared to the WA median of 81.9, and the whole school attendance rate sits at 61pc of students attending 80pc of the time.

And sadly, for these Narrogin SHS students, staying in town inevitably meant a parting of the ways with close farming friends - who largely followed family ties into the private boarding schools or moved to the agricultural colleges for years 10-12.

"All my farming mates from primary school went to boarding school - all of them,'' Ms Bertuola said.

"It has caused a big split between us and it does make it hard.''

Ms Stankovic said she believed the transfer rate was decreasing at Narrogin SHS, but it remains a factor for it and other country schools to contend with.

"We are losing less and less students,'' she said.

"I could count on one hand who goes to Perth in year 11 now.

"That trend is changing because we are offering lots more and we are closer to home."

For the students, what significantly made up for the disadvantages, was being able to stay at home and the support of their families and community.

Particularly through a stressful year 12, they found a huge benefit in having their families, supportive teachers and a close-knit community around them, primary school friends and familiar faces from childhood sport in their classrooms and the playground and lots of outside-school sports to play.

"If you don't play sport, then you watch,'' Ms Buck said of a defacto Narrogin ethos.

"You have got to love sport here."

Ms Dewing said she loved that she got to know some of her teachers as friends outside school, having played hockey alongside them during the seasons.

"And I genuinely loved being able to stay at home with my family and all the sport,'' she said.

"I don't know how I would have survived in Perth without all of that."

"Most of us, starting from year 7, developed relationships with the teachers through all those years,'' Ms Buck added.

"We had fun but we were also able to do our work to the best of our abilities and you weren't afraid to ask for help with things, because they were so supportive."