More questions, fewer topics: Students sit first VCE further mathematics exam
“Miss! I love you!”
As soon as the first VCE further mathematics exam ended on Friday afternoon, Alphington Grammar School year 12 student Ethan Voice wrapped his teacher Jessie Varghese in a bear hug.
“She’s like a mum to me,” he said.
“This was a scary exam because of this year. I feel like she got me through it.”
Ethan Voice hugs his maths teacher, Jessie Varghese after the exam.Credit:Jason South
Ethan said he felt relief when looking down at the questions and even more relief once the exam was over.
“The exams have never been like this before so it was hard to prepare,” he said. “But I felt good.”
Ms Varghese and fellow further maths teacher James Smart said they were pleased with the relatively easy exam.
“I don’t think it was a hard exam. It had more questions on fewer topics as they amended the curriculum because of the disruption,” Mr Smart said.
Students at Alphington Grammar School were among 32,215 Victorian teens sitting the first of two further mathematics exams on Friday afternoon. The second exam is on Monday.
Penola Catholic College principal Chris Caldow said VCE exams were off to a good start after a stressful year marred by the coronavirus pandemic and remote learning.
"It's been a really tough time for them but now we're getting positive feedback about how exams are going which is really good," he said.
Further mathematics is the most popular voluntary VCE subject, with only the mandatory English exam sat by a greater number of students.
It's also the most commonly studied maths subject. About 16,000 students are preparing to sit the mathematical methods exam next Tuesday.
More to come
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Anna is an education reporter at The Age.