The Preparation Team
Two terms of teaching that took him from Level 3 English to a mainstream Year 7 classroom.
All Alumni Stories
He Started at Level 3 English.
He Started at Level 3 English.
He Finished in the Top 1%
Adam
Adam graduated in 2023 with an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) of 99.55. He went on to study mathematics and physics at the University of Queensland (UQ). His pathway began in July 2017. He arrived from Guangdong, China and joined the High School Preparation Course with Level 3 English.
2017
Arrived From Guangdong
Level 3
English on Arrival
99.55
ATAR: Top 1% in Queensland
UQ
University of Queensland
July 2017
Where Adam Started: Level 3 English
Adam arrived from Guangdong province in July 2017 and started the High School Preparation Course at John Paul International College. His English was at Level 3. That is enough for everyday conversation, but not yet for a science lesson.
If your child starts at about this level, the preparation course is designed for them. It teaches the English used in class instructions, textbooks and exam questions. It also builds the study habits an Australian classroom expects.
Within two terms, Adam’s English and study technique had both improved a great deal. He was ready to move into the John Paul College mainstream curriculum the following year.
2018 · Year 7
The Prize in His First Year
Adam entered the main school in Year 7. At the semester graduation ceremony that year, his first as a mainstream student, he received an Academic Prize.
The prize showed Adam that his hard work was paying off, and it made him more confident. His classmates supported and encouraged him, and that made him even more determined. His results kept improving in the years that followed. He also won further awards in activities outside the classroom.
Adam closed the English gap by Year 7, and it stayed closed. Your child can follow the same pathway.
What He Loves
Choosing Mathematics and Physics
Adam’s favourite subjects are mathematics and physics. He chose to keep studying both at university.
For an international student, these are two of the hardest subjects to study in a second language. The reasoning is abstract, and the wording of a question can decide whether you understand it at all. Adam chose them anyway and kept going.
In Year 10, your child will choose senior subjects that interest them and lead to the university course they want. Our Year 10 to university pathways page explains how those choices work.
The People Behind It
The People Who Guided Him
Adam is grateful for the support he had at the College, especially from two people. They were his Head of Year in Year 10 and his careers counsellor in Year 12. Together, they helped him plan his studies and set his goals for the future.
His Head of Year
Support in Year 10, the year students choose their senior subjects.
His Careers Counsellor
Guidance in Year 12 that helped him turn strong results into a university plan.
Six Years, Step by Step
Adam’s Journey at John Paul College
It took Adam six years to go from a preparation classroom to the top 1% of the state. Each step below links to the part of the College where it happened. Follow the links to see what your child would experience.
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Jul 2017
Preparation Course
Arrives from Guangdong and starts the High School Preparation Course at Level 3 English.
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2 terms
Ready to Move
His English and study technique improve enough for him to enter the mainstream curriculum.
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2018
Year 7 Academic Prize
Wins an Academic Prize at the semester graduation ceremony in his first year in the main school.
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Year 10
Choosing His Subjects
Picks his senior subjects, including mathematics and physics, with support from his Head of Year.
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2023
ATAR 99.55
Graduates with an ATAR of 99.55, in the top 1% in Queensland.
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Now
Maths and Physics at UQ
Studying mathematics and physics at the University of Queensland.
For Families New to the System
What an ATAR of 99.55 Means
If your family is new to the Australian system, this is what the number means.
It is a rank, not a score
The ATAR shows where a student finished compared with everyone else in their year group across Queensland. It does not count correct answers.
99.55 means the top 1%
Any ATAR above 99.00 is in the top 1% in Queensland, and Adam’s 99.55 is well inside that band.
It leads to competitive courses
A result at this level meets the entry rank for Australia’s most competitive degrees. It earned Adam his place at the University of Queensland.
What Comes Next
Mathematics and Physics at UQ
Adam went to the University of Queensland to study the two subjects that interested him most. Six years earlier, he was in a preparation classroom, learning to read exam questions in English.
Mathematics
A subject he chose to continue at university.
Physics
Studied in his second language through his senior years, and continued in his degree.
University of Queensland
One of Australia’s leading universities. Adam got there six years after starting in a preparation classroom.
In His Own Words
Watch Adam’s Story
Adam tells his own story, from Level 3 English to the top 1% of Queensland. The film is in 中文 (Chinese).
Your Child Can Start Where Adam Started
Adam began the High School Preparation Course with Level 3 English. He finished Year 12 in the top 1% of Queensland. Wherever your child starts, our teachers will support them the whole way through.