Huntingtower principal Sholto Bowen said the school encouraged its students to support one another rather than compete against each other. ''We are creating a sense they are all part of a team and not trying to beat [one another]. We are not trying to actually beat other schools,'' Mr Bowen said. ''Every student knows it's their responsibility to help every other student when they are feeling stressed or under pressure. I don't think we do anything that couldn't be done by anyone - we are just creating that culture of kindness and understanding and support.'' Mr Bowen said the school believed that every child expressed the infinite intelligence of God. ''We want them to get the idea they have no limits,'' he said. Christian Science is derived from the writings of its founder, Mary Baker Eddy, and the Bible. No doctrinal instruction in religion is given at Huntingtower and all faiths are welcomed.

The school's website says that while Christian Science is perhaps best known for its emphasis on healing by spiritual means, the wishes of parents of Huntingtower students for medical attention for their children is respected at all times. Kahli Joyce, one of 57 VCE students at Huntingtower, attributes the school's success to a strong network between students and teachers. ''It was not only about the academic side of things, we also took time out to bond as a year level,'' said Kahli, who hopes to study biomedicine at Melbourne University. Year 12 students attended a weekend retreat early in the year, where they discussed team and individual goals, and wrote positive affirmations about every student. ''Throughout the year we were always together as a year level, and in the common room we would take time out to find out how everyone was going. That really helped give us a positive learning environment.''

Meanwhile, Jewish schools also performed extremely well, with Bialik College, Yeshivah College and Mount Scopus Memorial College all in the top 10. The top Jewish schools were Bialik College in Hawthorn and Yeshivah College in St Kilda East, which both had 33.3 per cent of study scores 40 or above. Ballarat Clarendon College was once again the highest performing regional school, with 28.1 per cent of study scores 40 and above, giving it an overall ranking of 11. Swifts Creek School in far East Gippsland - the smallest secondary college in Victoria - punched above its weight, placing in the top 10 regional schools. Seven students completed VCE - five of whom sat end-of-year exams - with school dux Kimberley Crabtree achieving an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank of 95.6. The highest performing non-selective state school was Glen Waverley Secondary College, with 19.1 per cent of study scores 40 or over, and an overall ranking of 40. jtopsfield@theage.com.au