About The 2025 NSW HSC High School Rankings
Every year, students receive the New South Wales Higher School Certificate (HSC) when they finish year 12, the final year of high school. This “final report card” result will determine university entry.
Rankings are based on Success Rate, which is the percentage of Band 6 results. Band 6 refers to the top score range of 90–100%, representing the highest level of achievement in each subject in the NSW HSC system.
These rankings help families identify schools offering rigorous academic training, supportive communities, and pathways to top Australian universities, including the University of Sydney, University of New South Wales (UNSW), the Australian National University, and the University of Melbourne.
1. North Sydney Boys High School
Location: Crows Nest, NSW
North Sydney Boys High School is widely regarded as Australia’s top public high school, having claimed the #1 spot for three consecutive years (2023-2025).
In addition to academic excellence, students are actively encouraged to compete in Olympiads and other academic competitions in mathematics, science, English, and technology, with specialized training for those who reach an international level. Robotics and chess are popular co-curricular pursuits, alongside workshops, camps, and performance showcases that round out the academic program.
A large percentage of students are admitted to the Group of Eight universities (the University of Sydney, UNSW, and the Australian National University) and international institutions.
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2. James Ruse Agricultural High School
Location: Carlingford, NSW
James Ruse Agricultural High School is famous for its selective admissions and a legendary academic track record. James Ruse combines academic rigor with unique agricultural education, accumulating impressive statistics over the years.
Agriculture is taught as a compulsory subject from Years 7 to 10, with students studying both on and off-site, including visits to agricultural enterprises across the Greater Sydney region and rural NSW.
The school has a dedicated Wellbeing team, and the team delivers a proactive wellbeing curriculum grounded in positive psychology, resilience, and emotional intelligence, specifically designed for the needs of highly gifted learners.
3. Sydney Grammar School
Location: Darlinghurst, NSW
Sydney Grammar School is one of Australia’s oldest schools. Sydney Grammar is a non-government, all-boys school offering a comprehensive curriculum with particular strength in classics, humanities, languages, and sciences.
The school offers a broad, rigorous academic curriculum across all three campuses, complemented by a high-quality music program that runs school-wide and reflects the school’s deep commitment to the arts. Sporting and co-curricular programs are equally prioritised, ensuring graduates emerge as well-rounded individuals rather than exam specialists.
4. North Sydney Girls High School
Location: Crows Nest, NSW
North Sydney Girls High School is a government-funded, single-sex, academically selective secondary school for girls located in Crows Nest, Sydney.
The school has undergone upgrades, including the “Cooler Classrooms” project, providing modern facilities to support learning. The school offers accelerated HSC subjects, allowing high-achieving students to complete HSC-level coursework ahead of Year 12, giving them a head start in their academic progression.
5. Normanhurst Boys High School
Location: Normanhurst, NSW
Normanhurst Boys High School is an academically selective secondary day school for boys. Normanhurst is home to FIRST Robotics Competition Team, one of the oldest public school robotics teams in Australia, competing since 2013 and winning the Duel Down Under competition in 2019.
Teachers and wellbeing teams work closely with families to co-design personalised learning plans, ensuring every student is known, valued, and supported to reach their full potential.
6. Sydney Boys High School
Location: Moore Park, NSW
Sydney Boys High School is one of Australia’s oldest schools, with more than 140 years of history. Sydney Boys was the first state high school in New South Wales and Australia. The school offers supportive training for a large cohort with its diverse subject offerings. Elective subjects include Classical Greek, Hebrew, French, Latin, German, Chinese, Drama, Design and Technology, and Architectural and Engineering Graphics, one of the most diverse subject offerings among NSW selective schools.
The school offers outstanding sports facilities, especially the Outterside Centre at Abbotsford, a dedicated first-class rowing facility with accommodation and seminar rooms.
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7. Baulkham Hills High School
Location: Baulkham Hills, NSW
Baulkham Hills High School is a selective school in northwest Sydney known for its consistent top-tier performance. With one of the largest cohorts among top selective schools, its campus and student population offer extensive opportunities for students to learn from one another and their teachers.
Baulkham Hills places strong emphasis on student leadership, with opportunities available through multiple school organizations. Reflecting its deeply multicultural student body, the school’s signature community event is the annual Multicultural Food Fair. The fair is hosted by the P&C and featuring food stalls run by parents showcasing cuisines including Chinese, Korean BBQ, Sri Lankan, and Indian, alongside student and external group performances celebrating the school’s diverse cultural heritage.
8. Hornsby Girls High School
Location: Hornsby, NSW
Hornsby Girls High School is regularly ranked first in the Hornsby region and repeatedly ranked as one of the top ten performing schools in the state for girls. Approximately 90% of students come from a non-English speaking background, making Hornsby Girls one of the most culturally diverse selective schools in NSW.
The school also has a rich Co-Curricular Program, offering 13 academic faculties and an extensive co-curricular music program including a Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, String Orchestra, and multiple chamber ensembles.
9. St Aloysius’ College
Location: Milsons Point, NSW
St Aloysius’ College is an independent Catholic day school for boys from Year 3 to Year 12. The College is part of a worldwide network of 1,000 Jesuit primary and secondary schools and universities, guided by the Ignatian tradition of producing balanced and motivated individuals integrating spiritual maturity and academic excellence with social and physical development.
10. Reddam House
Location: Woollahra & North Bondi, NSW
Reddam House Sydney is an independent, co-educational, non-denominational day school. The Music and Creative Arts program is a cornerstone of the Reddam House curriculum, alongside an extensive range of co-curricular activities designed to broaden students’ skillsets and prepare them for success on a global scale.
Operating across two centrally located Sydney campuses in Woollahra and North Bondi, Reddam offers continuous education from Preschool through to Year 12, making it one of the few truly end-to-end independent schools in the state.
Prepare for Success with Aralia's Academic Programs
For students aspiring to attend top-ranked universities in Australia or anywhere worldwide, selecting the right high school program is just the first step.
Aralia Education offers tailored programs designed to build academic excellence and college readiness, helping students further gain a competitive advantage. Our courses help students stand out in competitive admissions while developing skills beneficial throughout high school, university, and even beyond.
Our students build strong foundations in traditional academic courses, stand out as accomplished individuals in college applications, and excel in standardized tests. Our teachers actively engage students and guide them in exploring personal interests beyond their school curriculum, shaping them to be excellent in their chosen fields and interests.
