PHYSICS SELECTION AT ME HIGH SCHOOLS AT ALL-TIME HIGH

Selection of Physics as a senior school elective has risen above the State average at Hunter high schools participating in RDA Hunter’s ME Program.

17% of year 11 students enrolled across 26 ME high schools in the Hunter have elected to study physics in 2014 – up from 11% in 2011.

ME schools are now outperforming the rest of the state in the uptake of physics where selection has been declining over two decades.

Since the inception of the program, ME schools have also seen a marked increase in other Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects with Engineering Studies selection up to 11% and Metals and Engineering 14%.

RDA Hunter’s ME Program has been successfully working with the majority of Hunter high schools since 2010 to promote the career benefits of studying STEM subjects as well as developing an integrated educational system that is relevant and job focussed.

The results of the ME Program are becoming evident with examples like Maitland Grossman High School student Hayden Moxey achieving third in the state in Engineering Studies in the 2013 Higher School Certificate.

Maitland Grossman High’s Head Teacher Teaching and Learning Mr Scott Sleap said “We are very proud of Hayden. He has worked hard to achieve this exceptional result. The results of RDA Hunter’s outstanding ME Program are starting to come through.”

To date 7,500 students from 26 secondary schools across the Hunter have connected with 32 of the region’s defence and manufacturing companies through the innovative partnership model.

For more information about the ME Program visit www.meprogram.com.au