VCE Philosophy: Victorian government schools with the most 40+ study scores
418 study scores of 40 or above published statewide in Philosophy over 2020 to 2025; a further 34 withheld by students who did not consent (counted for 2021, 2023, 2024 and 2025); 19 Premier's VCE Study Awards, 7 of them to government schools; 74 government schools listed as offering it, 46 with a published 40+ score. Rebuilt 5 November 2026.
How this table is ordered. Schools with any published study score of 40 or above in this subject come first, most scores first and ties broken by the strength ratio; the schools VCAA lists as offering the subject but with no published score in these years follow, alphabetically. The menu offers the other orders; this page's HTML lists the default. Every figure here is in subjects/philosophy.json, and questions.json says what to ask a reader first.
The pooled count of study scores of 40 and over that VCAA published for this subject at this school. A larger school, or one where many students take the subject, has more chances at it.
46 schools ranked, most published study scores of 40 or above first, over every year shown. 33 more listed below them.
| # | School | 40+ 2020–2025 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | Strength | Per 100 VCE students | Premier's awards | Offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nossal High SchoolBerwick, Casey (C) | 31 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 8 | 4.8× | 1.2 | 3 | yes |
| 2 | Northcote High SchoolNorthcote, Darebin (C) | 17 | 5 | · | 2 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 8.2× | 0.7 | · | yes |
| 3 | Frankston High SchoolFrankston, Frankston (C) | 13 | 4 | 7 | 2 | · | · | · | 5.6× | 0.9 | 1 | yes |
| 4 | MacRobertson Girls High SchoolMelbourne, Port Phillip (C) | 13 | 4 | 2 | · | 4 | 3 | · | 1.8× | 0.6 | · | yes |
| 5 | Virtual School VictoriaThornbury, Darebin (C) | 11 | 2 | 3 | 2 | · | 2 | 2 | 6.0× | 0.4 | · | yes |
| 6 | Princes Hill Secondary CollegePrinces Hill, Yarra (C) | 10 | 1 | 6 | · | 1 | 2 | · | 10.2× | 1.5 | 1 | yes |
| 7 | University High SchoolParkville, Melbourne (C) | 9 | · | 1 | · | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2.9× | 0.3 | · | yes |
| 8 | Blackburn High SchoolBlackburn, Whitehorse (C) | 8 | 3 | 1 | · | 1 | · | 3 | 7.8× | 0.6 | · | yes |
| 9 | Albert Park CollegeAlbert Park, Port Phillip (C) | 8 | 1 | 2 | · | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5.7× | 0.3 | · | yes |
| 10 | Strathmore Secondary CollegeStrathmore, Moonee Valley (C) | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | · | 5.2× | 0.3 | · | yes |
| 11 | Canterbury Girls Secondary CollegeCanterbury, Boroondara (C) | 8 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4.2× | 0.6 | · | yes |
| 12 | Williamstown High SchoolWilliamstown, Hobsons Bay (C) | 6 | · | 2 | · | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3.2× | 0.4 | · | yes |
| 13 | Bendigo Senior Secondary CollegeBendigo, Greater Bendigo (C) | 5 | 2 | · | 2 | · | 1 | · | 4.8× | 0.2 | · | yes |
| 14 | Mount Waverley Secondary CollegeMount Waverley, Monash (C) | 5 | · | 3 | 2 | · | · | · | 2.6× | 0.6 | 1 | not listed |
| 15 | Victoria University Secondary CollegeCairnlea, Brimbank (C) | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | 11.1× | 0.7 | · | yes |
| 16 | Melbourne High SchoolSouth Yarra, Stonnington (C) | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | 1 | · | 0.4× | 0.1 | · | yes |
| 17 | Rosebud Secondary CollegeRosebud, Mornington Peninsula (S) | 3 | 1 | · | · | 1 | 1 | · | 16.4× | 0.7 | · | yes |
| 18 | Coburg High SchoolCoburg, Merri-bek (C) | 3 | · | 3 | · | · | · | · | 4.9× | 1.1 | · | yes |
| 19 | Victorian College Of The Arts Secondary SchoolSouthbank, Melbourne (C) | 3 | · | · | 2 | · | 1 | · | 2.3× | 1.1 | · | yes |
| 20 | Ringwood Secondary CollegeRingwood, Maroondah (C) | 3 | 1 | · | · | 2 | · | · | 2.0× | 0.4 | · | yes |
| 21 | Kew High SchoolKew East, Boroondara (C) | 3 | · | 1 | 1 | · | 1 | · | 1.9× | 0.3 | · | not listed |
| 22 | Melbourne Girls CollegeRichmond, Yarra (C) | 3 | · | 2 | · | 1 | · | · | 0.8× | 0.4 | · | yes |
| 23 | McKinnon Secondary CollegeMckinnon, Glen Eira (C) | 2 | 2 | · | · | · | · | · | 0.3× | 0.3 | · | yes |
| 24 | Ballarat High SchoolLake Gardens, Ballarat (C) | 2 | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | — | 0.4 | · | yes |
| 25 | Beaumaris Secondary CollegeBeaumaris, Bayside (C) | 2 | 2 | · | · | · | · | · | — | 0.8 | · | yes |
| 26 | Brentwood Secondary CollegeGlen Waverley, Monash (C) | 2 | · | · | · | · | · | 2 | — | — | · | yes |
| 27 | Collingwood CollegeCollingwood, Yarra (C) | 2 | · | · | · | · | 2 | · | — | — | · | not listed |
| 28 | Eltham High SchoolEltham, Nillumbik (S) | 2 | 1 | · | · | · | 1 | · | — | 0.3 | · | yes |
| 29 | Sandringham CollegeSandringham, Bayside (C) | 2 | · | · | 1 | · | 1 | · | — | 0.5 | · | yes |
| 30 | St Helena Secondary CollegeEltham North, Banyule (C) | 2 | · | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | — | 0.3 | · | yes |
| 31 | Swinburne Senior Secondary CollegeHawthorn, Boroondara (C) | 2 | 1 | · | 1 | · | · | · | — | 0.4 | 1 | yes |
| 32 | Templestowe CollegeTemplestowe Lower, Manningham (C) | 2 | · | · | · | · | 2 | · | — | — | · | yes |
| 33 | Bayside P-12 CollegeWilliamstown, Hobsons Bay (C) | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | — | — | · | not listed |
| 34 | Berwick Secondary CollegeBerwick, Casey (C) | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | — | 0.3 | · | yes |
| 35 | Hampton Park Secondary CollegeHampton Park, Casey (C) | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | — | 0.5 | · | yes |
| 36 | Kambrya CollegeBerwick, Casey (C) | 1 | · | · | · | · | 1 | · | — | — | · | yes |
| 37 | Lakeview Senior CollegeCaroline Springs, Melton (C) | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | — | — | · | not listed |
| 38 | McClelland Secondary CollegeFrankston, Frankston (C) | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | — | 0.5 | · | yes |
| 39 | Mildura Senior CollegeMildura, Mildura (RC) | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | — | — | · | yes |
| 40 | Mill Park Secondary CollegeMill Park, Whittlesea (C) | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | — | — | · | yes |
| 41 | Mount Alexander 7-12 CollegeFlemington, Moonee Valley (C) | 1 | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | — | 1.2 | · | yes |
| 42 | Preston High SchoolPreston, Darebin (C) | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | — | 0.4 | · | yes |
| 43 | Rosehill Secondary CollegeNiddrie, Moonee Valley (C) | 1 | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | — | 0.5 | · | yes |
| 44 | Upwey High SchoolUpwey, Yarra Ranges (S) | 1 | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | — | 0.7 | · | yes |
| 45 | Viewbank CollegeViewbank, Banyule (C) | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | — | 0.3 | · | yes |
| 46 | Wellington Secondary CollegeMulgrave, Monash (C) | 1 | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | — | 0.3 | · | yes |
| Offers the subject at Units 3 and 4, or did, but published no study score of 40 or above in these years | ||||||||||||
| — | Ashwood High SchoolAshwood, Monash (C) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Box Hill Senior Secondary CollegeMont Albert North, Whitehorse (C) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Bright P-12 CollegeBright, Alpine (S) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Bundoora Secondary CollegeBundoora, Banyule (C) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Castlemaine Secondary CollegeCastlemaine, Mount Alexander (S) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Clyde Secondary CollegeClyde, Casey (C) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Copperfield CollegeDelahey, Brimbank (C) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Elevation Secondary CollegeCraigieburn, Hume (C) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Fitzroy High SchoolFitzroy North, Yarra (C) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Footscray High SchoolFootscray, Maribyrnong (C) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Fountain Gate Secondary CollegeNarre Warren, Casey (C) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Gleneagles Secondary CollegeEndeavour Hills, Casey (C) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Healesville High SchoolHealesville, Yarra Ranges (S) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Lilydale High SchoolLilydale, Yarra Ranges (S) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Maffra Secondary CollegeMaffra, Wellington (S) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Melton Secondary CollegeMelton, Melton (C) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Patterson River Secondary CollegeSeaford, Frankston (C) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Point Cook Senior Secondary CollegePoint Cook, Wyndham (C) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Port Melbourne Secondary CollegePort Melbourne, Port Phillip (C) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Rowville Secondary CollegeRowville, Knox (C) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Somerville Secondary CollegeSomerville, Mornington Peninsula (S) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Springside West Secondary CollegeFraser Rise, Melton (C) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Sunbury Downs Secondary CollegeSunbury, Hume (C) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Upper Yarra Secondary CollegeYarra Junction, Yarra Ranges (S) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Vermont Secondary CollegeVermont, Whitehorse (C) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Wangaratta High SchoolWangaratta, Wangaratta (RC) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Warragul Regional CollegeWarragul, Baw Baw (S) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Wedderburn CollegeWedderburn, Loddon (S) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Western Port Secondary CollegeHastings, Mornington Peninsula (S) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Wodonga Senior Secondary CollegeWodonga, Wodonga (C) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Woodmans Hill Secondary CollegeBallarat East, Ballarat (C) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Wyndham Central Secondary CollegeWerribee, Wyndham (C) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
| — | Yea High SchoolYea, Murrindindi (S) | 0 | · | · | · | · | · | · | — | — | · | yes |
Catholic, independent and other providers
26 schools outside the government sector published a study score of 40 or above or won a Premier's VCE Study Award in Philosophy in these years. They are not on this site, which covers government schools only, and are listed here so the government table can be read against the whole state. Same source, same consent rule.
| School | Sector | 40+ | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | Premier's awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melbourne Grammar School | Independent | 77 | 8 | 15 | 16 | 11 | 10 | 17 | 7 |
| Scotch CollegeHawthorn | Independent | 20 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| Melbourne Girls GrammarSouth Yarra | Independent | 16 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| Billanook College LtdMooroolbark | Independent | 16 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 3 | · |
| St Michael's Grammar SchoolSt Kilda | Independent | 12 | · | · | 6 | 5 | · | 1 | · |
| St Joseph's College Newtown | Catholic | 10 | 1 | 2 | 2 | · | 2 | 3 | · |
| Methodist Ladies CollegeKew | Independent | 8 | · | 5 | 3 | · | · | · | · |
| Haileybury Girls CollegeKeysborough | Independent | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | · | 1 | · | 1 |
| Haileybury CollegeKeysborough | Independent | 5 | 1 | · | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | · |
| Alice Miller SchoolMacedon | Independent | 3 | · | 1 | · | · | 2 | · | · |
| Flinders Christian Community CollegeTyabb | Independent | 3 | 1 | · | · | 2 | · | · | · |
| Ivanhoe Girls' Grammar School | Independent | 3 | · | · | 2 | · | · | 1 | · |
| Shelford Girls' GrammarCaulfield | Other | 3 | · | · | 3 | · | · | · | · |
| St Catherine's SchoolToorak | Independent | 3 | · | · | · | 3 | · | · | · |
| St Patrick's CollegeBallarat | Catholic | 3 | · | 1 | 1 | · | 1 | · | · |
| St Paul's Anglican Grammar SchoolWarragul | Independent | 3 | 1 | · | · | · | 1 | 1 | · |
| Wesley CollegeMelbourne | Independent | 3 | 1 | · | 1 | 1 | · | · | · |
| Ballarat GrammarWendouree | Independent | 2 | 2 | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| Braemar CollegeWoodend | Independent | 2 | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · |
| Killester CollegeSpringvale | Catholic | 2 | 1 | · | · | · | · | 1 | · |
| The King David School - Senior SchoolArmadale | Independent | 2 | · | · | 2 | · | · | · | · |
| Carey Baptist Grammar SchoolKew | Independent | 1 | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · |
| Lavalla Catholic CollegeTraralgon | Catholic | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | · |
| Padua CollegeMornington | Catholic | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| St Joseph's College - Echuca | Catholic | 1 | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | · |
| St Leonard's CollegeBrighton East | Independent | 1 | · | · | · | · | 1 | · | · |
How to read this
A VCE study score is scaled so that the state mean in each study is 30; a score of 40 or above puts a student in roughly the top 9% of the state in that study. VCAA publishes the name and school of every student who scores 40 or more and consents to publication; these tables count those published scores.
- Counts are study scores of 40 or above published by VCAA for 2020-2025, pooled. Only students who consented to publication appear, so every school count is a lower bound: across the years VCAA states the withheld number (2021, 2023, 2024, 2025), 13% of all scores of 40 or above were withheld, and the share differs from school to school. State totals include the withheld scores.
- VCAA does not publish how many students each school enters in a study, so there is no per-subject pass rate. per_100_vce_students divides the pooled count by the school's VCE cohort over the same years, which favours a school where many students take the subject. strength_ratio is the count divided by what the school's overall count of scores of 40 or above would predict given the subject's share statewide: above 1 the subject is a relative strength of the school; it is withheld below 3 scores, observed or expected.
- A school's campuses are merged. Only government schools are ranked; other_sectors lists the Catholic, independent and other providers on the roll for this study by name and count, with no page on this site. Whether a school offers the study comes from VCAA's School Studies Search at the time of the build.
- Selective-entry schools and the Victorian School of Languages, which teaches a language to students enrolled anywhere, lead most raw counts.
- premiers_awards counts the Premier's VCE Study Awards the school's students won in the study, 2020-2025, from the honour roll on vic.gov.au (earlier years from the Internet Archive's copies of that page). An award needs a study score of 46 or above and goes to the best few students in the study statewide, so it marks the very top of the subject; a handful are given in each study a year. Student names are not published here.
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