Latest news with #IanPaterson
The Age
2 days ago
- General
- The Age
We re-ranked schools by HSC average scores. Only one achieved more than 90
Advanced English and maths cohorts tend to be smaller at comprehensive schools as they also offer standard level courses, whereas most selective schools restrict access to standard subjects. Among schools with the greatest gains in average HSC marks was Endeavour Sports High, which has also doubled its enrolments to 1300 students in the past decade. Principal James Kozlowski credits the lift to overhauling the school's culture, having a high expectations policy and ensuring sport and academic success 'went hand in hand'. 'I emphasised to my teachers that we weren't going to see overnight change. The big shifts will come several years down the track,' he said. Several years ago, the school enlisted the retired former principal of Homebush Boys, Ian Paterson, to run an HSC mentoring program for students. During his decade in that role, Paterson helped the school become a beacon for boys' education, improving literacy results and year 12 completion rates. Endeavour, which offers 14 sports and enrols two-thirds of students in its targeted sports program, uses explicit teaching and regular teacher observation programs. 'Getting the right staff in the right positions is the most important thing, and having them buy into what we are doing here,' Kozlowski said. 'I also run an anonymous survey about my leadership. I want staff to feel comfortable giving and receiving feedback. We won't allow poor practice to go uncommented on; we are going to address it.' The school lifted its combined average score by more than five marks since 2019 while doubling the number of subjects offered, including modern history, physics and advanced maths. The analysis of results shows Sydney's fully selective schools still dominate the average score rankings, reflecting the end-of-year league tables which are based on band 6 results. Every December, the Herald publishes school league tables, which are drawn from band 6 results – or marks over 90 – as a proportion of schools' HSC entries. For the past two years, North Sydney Boys has topped these league tables. The NSW government releases data only about students who achieve the top band in each subject. Experts argue this recognises only a limited definition of success and has distorted subject selection, creating a perverse incentive to push students into lower-level subjects. The Herald's analysis of average scores aims to put a spotlight on schools achieving strong and improved results across their entire student cohort. Private and Catholic schools are excluded from the analysis as many non-government schools do not report average subject scores. On the average score measure, academic powerhouse James Ruse rose to the top with a combined mean above 90. Last year the school offered 15 subjects. Normanhurst Boys and North Sydney Boys offered 17. Chatswood High, which is partially selective and the state's second-largest public school, had a combined average of 81. It offers 36 courses – double the number of subjects at some selective schools. Cheltenham Girls offers 30 subjects and Burwood Girls 28. James Ruse principal Matthew Dopierala said there were misconceptions that his school was an ATAR factory, and that their students' interests beyond academics were extended through its 60 co-curricular activities and clubs, an annual musical and its cadet unit. Subjects such as physics, chemistry and extension maths – in which average scores are above 88 – were all in high demand, he said. 'We are looking at subject offerings, but we have to cater to what students want. I encourage them not to pick any particular pattern of subjects, but to follow their passion.' Dopierala said the number of students taking accelerated HSC courses in year 10 and 11 had increased. 'That's happened for a number of reasons – some of it is to give them a chance to get a taste for the rigours of the HSC.' More year 12 students are looking to apply to overseas universities, he said, including to Harvard and Oxbridge. At South Sydney High School, which lifted its combined average score by more than five marks, teachers use formal assessment programs in early high school to help students get in the habit of sitting exams. Principal Janice Neilsen said teachers focused heavily on exam technique and writing under timed conditions. 'Getting students to believe they can achieve is so important,' she said, which is helped 'through strong relationships between teachers and students'. 'We also reinforce the importance of attendance, kindness and respect, and building a positive and ordered learning environment across the whole school, from year 7 to 12,' Neilsen said. While some private and Catholic schools include average HSC scores for each subject in their annual reports, many choose instead to publish the proportion of students achieving a particular band and how that compares to the state average. Schools are not required to publish median ATARs or data on how HSC results are tracking over time. The NSW Education Standards Authority, which oversees the HSC, has previously flagged that authorities are looking at 'new and additional information to report the breadth of achievement of HSC students'.
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- General
- Sydney Morning Herald
We re-ranked schools by HSC average scores. Only one achieved more than 90
Advanced English and maths cohorts tend to be smaller at comprehensive schools as they also offer standard level courses, whereas most selective schools restrict access to standard subjects. Among schools with the greatest gains in average HSC marks was Endeavour Sports High, which has also doubled its enrolments to 1300 students in the past decade. Principal James Kozlowski credits the lift to overhauling the school's culture, having a high expectations policy and ensuring sport and academic success 'went hand in hand'. 'I emphasised to my teachers that we weren't going to see overnight change. The big shifts will come several years down the track,' he said. Several years ago, the school enlisted the retired former principal of Homebush Boys, Ian Paterson, to run an HSC mentoring program for students. During his decade in that role, Paterson helped the school become a beacon for boys' education, improving literacy results and year 12 completion rates. Endeavour, which offers 14 sports and enrols two-thirds of students in its targeted sports program, uses explicit teaching and regular teacher observation programs. 'Getting the right staff in the right positions is the most important thing, and having them buy into what we are doing here,' Kozlowski said. 'I also run an anonymous survey about my leadership. I want staff to feel comfortable giving and receiving feedback. We won't allow poor practice to go uncommented on; we are going to address it.' The school lifted its combined average score by more than five marks since 2019 while doubling the number of subjects offered, including modern history, physics and advanced maths. The analysis of results shows Sydney's fully selective schools still dominate the average score rankings, reflecting the end-of-year league tables which are based on band 6 results. Every December, the Herald publishes school league tables, which are drawn from band 6 results – or marks over 90 – as a proportion of schools' HSC entries. For the past two years, North Sydney Boys has topped these league tables. The NSW government releases data only about students who achieve the top band in each subject. Experts argue this recognises only a limited definition of success and has distorted subject selection, creating a perverse incentive to push students into lower-level subjects. The Herald's analysis of average scores aims to put a spotlight on schools achieving strong and improved results across their entire student cohort. Private and Catholic schools are excluded from the analysis as many non-government schools do not report average subject scores. On the average score measure, academic powerhouse James Ruse rose to the top with a combined mean above 90. Last year the school offered 15 subjects. Normanhurst Boys and North Sydney Boys offered 17. Chatswood High, which is partially selective and the state's second-largest public school, had a combined average of 81. It offers 36 courses – double the number of subjects at some selective schools. Cheltenham Girls offers 30 subjects and Burwood Girls 28. James Ruse principal Matthew Dopierala said there were misconceptions that his school was an ATAR factory, and that their students' interests beyond academics were extended through its 60 co-curricular activities and clubs, an annual musical and its cadet unit. Subjects such as physics, chemistry and extension maths – in which average scores are above 88 – were all in high demand, he said. 'We are looking at subject offerings, but we have to cater to what students want. I encourage them not to pick any particular pattern of subjects, but to follow their passion.' Dopierala said the number of students taking accelerated HSC courses in year 10 and 11 had increased. 'That's happened for a number of reasons – some of it is to give them a chance to get a taste for the rigours of the HSC.' More year 12 students are looking to apply to overseas universities, he said, including to Harvard and Oxbridge. At South Sydney High School, which lifted its combined average score by more than five marks, teachers use formal assessment programs in early high school to help students get in the habit of sitting exams. Principal Janice Neilsen said teachers focused heavily on exam technique and writing under timed conditions. 'Getting students to believe they can achieve is so important,' she said, which is helped 'through strong relationships between teachers and students'. 'We also reinforce the importance of attendance, kindness and respect, and building a positive and ordered learning environment across the whole school, from year 7 to 12,' Neilsen said. While some private and Catholic schools include average HSC scores for each subject in their annual reports, many choose instead to publish the proportion of students achieving a particular band and how that compares to the state average. Schools are not required to publish median ATARs or data on how HSC results are tracking over time. The NSW Education Standards Authority, which oversees the HSC, has previously flagged that authorities are looking at 'new and additional information to report the breadth of achievement of HSC students'.
BBC News
26-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Queries over second medic in Ian Paterson patient case
The death of a patient of disgraced surgeon Ian Paterson was contributed to by "substandard" care provided by another doctor who treated her prior to Paterson, an expert has told an Worrall, from Shirley in Solihull, had grade three cancer in her left breast when she died on 30 July 2001 aged a report on Ms Worrall's death submitted to the inquest, Dr Richard Linforth, a consultant breast surgeon, said a delayed diagnosis of two years, despite a "red flag", was a contributory alleged this was due to her doctor in 1998, Dr John Taylor, not giving her an ultrasound after her mammogram came back clear. The inquest heard that Dr Taylor is now deceased. Surgeon Paterson was jailed for 15 years, later extended to 20 years, in 2017, after being convicted of wounding patients by way of botched and unnecessary operations. The former employee of Heart of England NHS Trust, who also worked at Spire Little Aston, is eligible for release in Worrall was one of 63 breast cancer patients treated by Paterson, and whose deaths are now being Dr Linforth claimed that Paterson's surgical treatment did not "materially impact" Ms Worrall's survival, he did say Paterson's treatment was "inadequate" and "poor", suggesting "a surgical incompetence in managing breast cancer".Dr Linforth alleged this was due to Paterson's failure to clear the margins of Ms Worrall's cancer and his inability to remove any of her lymph nodes during her also said a more probing history of her symptoms would have led to her having a CT scan to stage her cancer, meaning she could have avoided the mastectomy and "its discomfort". Dr Linforth maintained she could have had palliative endocrine therapy and radiotherapy instead. 'Failure of care' Ms Worrall had presented to Dr Taylor in 1998 at the age of 83, with an inverted nipple and nipple discharge, the proceedings Linforth told the inquest on Thursday: "I do believe for anyone with a nipple discharge and inversion, an ultrasound is mandated. Failure to request an ultrasound was a failure of care."If I got a letter about a woman of that age with nipple inversion, it's a red flag. To me, this is a cancer unless proven otherwise."Speaking at the inquest on Wednesday, Paterson also said that given her age and "new worrying symptom", he claimed he would have performed an ultrasound at the time if she had been his patient in 1998. The inquest heard that a cancerous mass in a dense breast might not be picked up on a mammogram, meaning Ms Worrall's mammogram may have missed the tumour she was later diagnosed with in months after her diagnosis of breast cancer, Ms Worrall was diagnosed with metastatic bone Linforth said he believed that diagnosis and treatment in 1998 would have prevented the cancer from metastasising to her bones. Disputed cause of death Ms Worrall's recorded cause of death in 2001 was carcinomatosis and breast at the inquest on Wednesday, Paterson said he was "very concerned" that the wrong cause of death for Ms Worrall had been given on her death certificate, as two letters addressed to her GP by consultants in the weeks before she died made no reference to her being terminally expressed his belief that Ms Worrall's "long history of heart disease" was a factor and said he was concerned it was not on her death certificate. However, Ms Worrall's granddaughter emailed the coroner on Wednesday night, expressing her upset over Paterson's claims over the cause of an email read out by the coroner, she said her father distinctly remembered Ms Worrall crying out when she was told her condition was terminal."I remember speaking to my nan and her being deeply upset about her prognosis and that she wouldn't survive," she said. Dr Simon Russell, a clinical oncologist acting as an expert to the inquest on Thursday, said he was also sceptical of the death certificate."The majority of ladies with bone-only metastatic breast cancer will live for some years," he said."I think Winnie died of the breast cancer spreading to the back and causing significant pain, immobility, and psychological distress – on top of pre-existing cardiac disease."Pain, immobility and shock were too much for her underlying issues to take."The proceedings continue. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
25-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Ian Paterson: 'Patient's cause of death may be wrongly recorded'
A patient of jailed surgeon Ian Paterson who died might have had the wrong cause of death recorded, an inquest has Worrall, from Shirley in Solihull, had grade three cancer in her left breast when she died on 30 July 2001 aged 85, with her recorded cause of death as carcinomatosis and breast disgraced medic Paterson, who had performed a mastectomy on her, told Ms Worrall's inquest "she had a long history of cardiac disease", but it was not recorded on her death certificate."She definitely had carcinomatosis, but I'm concerned that's not the cause of death," Paterson told the hearing, sitting in Birmingham. Paterson was jailed for 15 years, later extended to 20 years, in 2017, after being convicted of wounding patients with botched and unnecessary operations, but will be eligible for release in Worrall was one of 63 women who were treated for breast cancer by him and whose deaths are now being investigated. 'History of cardiac disease' Carcinomatosis is a condition in which multiple carcinomas develop simultaneously, usually after spreading from a primary said he did not believe Ms Worrall had died of carcinomatosis and breast carcinoma, as two letters addressed to her GP by consultants in the weeks before she died made no reference to her being terminally ill."She had a long history of cardiac disease and it was not on her death certificate," he said."It could have been a cardiac event and breast cancer should have been down as entry two [for cause of death]." Paterson made a similar claim during the inquest of Elaine Morris, whose cause of death he also believed was incorrectly recorded. Ms Morris had also had a recorded cause of death as carcinomatosis and breast told Ms Morris's inquest he was concerned she had died after an opiate overdose she received during hospice two oncologists acting as experts to the inquests disagreed with Paterson's claim as she had only been given "entry level doses" of two opioids for pain led Judge Richard Foster, the coroner for the Paterson inquests, to reject Paterson's theory she had died as a result of the overdose. 'Worrying new symptom' While other inquests are determining whether Paterson's treatment of them led to their unnatural deaths Briony Ballard, counsel to this hearing, said it was not linking Ms Worrall's death to Paterson's treatment, but was instead looking at criticisms of the care he gave of the concerns was that Ms Worrall should have undergone a diagnostic ultrasound as well as the mammogram that was performed on agreed the 85-year-old should have had an ultrasound, given her age and the "worrying new symptom" she was presenting with - nipple inversion and discharge."I don't think her assessment was complete enough in 1998 to assert there was no problem," he said an ultrasound should have been carried out by the consultant radiologist, Dr Kaushik inquests continue. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
09-06-2025
- BBC News
Daughter of Ian Paterson patient: 'My mum was robbed of a life with her family'
A woman who was operated on by jailed surgeon Ian Paterson was "robbed of a life with her husband and children," an inquest has Cordon, who lived in Kingstanding, Birmingham, was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 33 and died six years later in November death is one of 63 to be examined at inquests, to determine whether she died an unnatural death as a result of Paterson's a statement read by the coroner, Judge Richard Foster, Mrs Cordon's daughter Bernice Cordon described her as "the bravest, most caring woman to walk this earth". "She had a heart full of love and a belly full of fire," she said."She was the life and soul of the party. Even in the last few days she was putting everything before herself."Ms Cordon said her mother enjoyed her job at Good Hope Hospital, but that her passion was always her family, particularly her children."She gave us all the attention we needed, no matter how dark her days were with illness," her statement read."It was her worst fear too. As time came on, it became apparent she would be leaving the one thing she lived for." Ms Cordon said her mother's relationship with her father was incredible."She was robbed of a life with her husband and children," her statement said."She will never know what growing old feels like or to be a grandmother."Yvonne Cordon, whose maiden name was Miles, was born in Northern Ireland on 11 July 1961, with Judge Foster reflecting that she would have grown up during The Troubles. Video-link evidence The inquest heard that she was a patient at Good Hope Hospital, an NHS hospital in Sutton Coldfield, after being referred to Ian Paterson by her GP due to a lump being found in her tissue and five lymph nodes were later removed, which led to a diagnosis of grade-three breast carcinoma, which had spread to one of the lymph nodes. The cancer later spread to her bones and lungs. She underwent six rounds of chemotherapy, as well as radiotherapy, and was prescribed a hormone therapy drug called Tamoxifen. Ian Paterson was due to give evidence via video-link on Monday but was unable to, with the inquest told there were internet connection issues at the was sentenced to 20 years in jail in 2017, after being convicted of wounding patients with botched and unnecessary operations, but will be eligible for release in inquest continues. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
