HSC ATAR Results 2025: Top Performing Schools in NSW

The 2025 NSW HSC results are officially out, and for thousands of students across the state, the long wait is finally over. With ATARs released in December, families are once again asking the same big questions: How did students perform overall this year? And which schools stood out?

Below, we break down the key trends from the 2025 HSC results and take a closer look at the top-performing schools in NSW, based on consistent academic outcomes across their cohorts.

How did NSW students perform in the 2025 HSC?

Overall, the 2025 results point to another strong and competitive year for NSW students.

Across the state:

• Around 12% of all results achieved a Band 6 (or E4)
• Roughly 42% of results fell within the top two bands
• Nearly three quarters of all results were in the top three bands

More than 20,000 students achieved at least one Band 6, highlighting just how competitive top results have become in the modern HSC.

What this tells us: Band 6 outcomes are no longer rare — but earning them consistently across multiple subjects still sets students (and schools) apart.

How are “top schools” actually ranked?

Most published HSC rankings don’t focus on a handful of very high ATARs. Instead, they use a measure called HSC success rate, which looks at:

The proportion of a school’s exam entries that achieved a Band 6 or E4

This rewards schools that deliver consistent high-level performance across their entire cohort, rather than those with only a few standout students.

That said, rankings don’t capture everything — factors like student growth, wellbeing, subject diversity, and cohort size all matter too. Rankings are useful, but they’re only one piece of the puzzle.

Top performing schools in NSW – HSC 2025

Based on publicly available data and Band 6 success rates, here are the top 20 performing schools in NSW for the 2025 HSC.

Selective Public Schools (NSW) – HSC 2025

Independent (Private) Schools – HSC 2025

What patterns stand out in 2025?

Selective schools continue to dominate the top of the rankings, particularly in Sydney’s North Shore and inner-city areas. Their strength comes from depth — strong performance across English, maths and sciences, not just a narrow set of subjects.

That said, independent schools remain highly competitive, with several placing comfortably inside the top 20. These schools tend to perform well across a broad mix of humanities, sciences and extension subjects.

Most importantly, the rankings show that consistency matters more than a single headline ATAR. Schools that convert a high percentage of exam entries into Band 6 results rise to the top year after year.

What students can take away from top-performing schools

You don’t need to attend a top-ranked school to achieve a strong ATAR. What really makes the difference is adopting the habits these schools promote:

• Starting exam-style practice early
• Using marking criteria to guide study
• Building strong essay and problem-solving frameworks
• Treating Year 12 as a structured, long-term project — not a last-minute sprint

At KIS Academics, we help students apply these strategies to their own subjects and school context, whether they’re aiming for a Band 6, a scholarship, or simply a calmer and more confident HSC year.

For more study tips and resources, check out these KIS Academics articles:

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