"I got a lot of flak afterwards," she said.

But the speech seemed to resonate, because not only did Shelford make it into the top 10 this year, it rocketed from 15th place last year up to third, with a median score up from 36 last year to a 12-year high of 38.

Principal Polly Flanagan said this year, 61 per cent of the cohort of 60 girls got an ATAR over 90, compared with 48 per cent last year.

Ms Flanagan said the school had always been high achieving despite not being academically selective, and put its success down to a nurturing family environment where kindergarteners mingle with older girls.

But she said Shelford was not a "princess school" in the vein of other private girls' schools.

"A lot of parents make considerable sacrifices to send their kids here. We're not that sort of school, and we never have been," she said.

Shelford was one of five schools to achieve a median study score of 38 this year, along with Mount Scopus Memorial College, Ruyton Girls' School, Mac.Robertson Girls' High School and Bialik College.

Seven more schools, including Melbourne High School and Lauriston Girls' School, obtained median study scores of 37.

Mount Scopus was the top-performing school in the state, with 40.1 per cent of study scores 40 and above, the highest proportion in the state.

Principal James Kennard was full of praise for the students, who had "pushed themselves to excel and to exceed expectations", with 14 per cent of the cohort attaining an ATAR score of 99 or above.

"They thoroughly deserve this recognition of their efforts," Rabbi Kennard said.

Mount Scopus was also the top-performing school in 2009, in one of only two years since 2003 in which Mac.Robertson Girls School was not the standout.

Principal of second-placed Ruyton Girls' School, Linda Douglas, said the 2014 cohort had particularly excelled even for a school that regularly places in the top five.

"We knew they were a capable cohort, but I think they've surpassed everybody's expectations," she said, with 23 per cent of the group of 62 girls getting an ATAR over 99, and 45 per cent over 95.

The inaugural VCE class at selective state school Suzanne Cory placed 57th out of all schools and eighth out of government schools but assistant principal Stewart Milner said the group set a high standard.

"It is our aspiration to continue to improve and be known as one of the highest performing schools in the state, not just for government schools but all schools," he said.

Among most improved was Brunswick Secondary College, whose median score rose from 28 in 2007 to a record 32 in 2014.

"We have had gradual improvement over the years, this group has done really well, which I would put down to some very talented and dedicated teachers," acting principal Heather Secomb said.

Fairfax Media has ranked schools based first on their median study scores, followed by the percentage of scores of 40 and above.