“She’s about to leave and make her way in the world,” she said. 

Mrs Gillette ironed Maddison’s  uniform for the last time and remembered the first time like it was only last week. 

Mrs Gillette said she was proud of the person her daughter had become and watching her graduate school made her see how much she had grown. 

There was an emotional farewell for the 122 year 12 students at James Sheahan Catholic High School yesterday and tears flowed from students, parents and teachers alike. 

But Maddison was all smiles as she contemplated what life would be like without “set lunch times”.

Surprisingly she said she would miss being told what to do the most.

Maddison will head off to university to study physiotherapy if she gains the marks she needs in her Higher School Certificate exams and she is nervous about her chances.

There is no strict study plan in place for the next three weeks but she will try and do “as much as possible”. 

As a final goodbye, a last chance to spent time with those who they may not see again, those who they had spent most of the last six years with, the year group planned a camping trip together last night. 

“Yeah I’ll be pretty sad about not seeing them ... but I’ll still stay in contact with close friends for sure,” Maddison said.

The first exam, English, starts at 10.20am on Monday October 13 and exams will continue until Wednesday November 5.