Public high schools across the NSW North Coast and Mid North Coast have been recognised for driving strong academic improvement, delivering outstanding results in the 2025 Higher School Certificate (HSC).
Maclean High School, Evans River Community School, and Nimbin Central School on the North Coast, along with Kempsey High School and Wauchope High School on the Mid North Coast, have been recognised as among the most improved public high schools in NSW.
Letters jointly written by Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car and NSW Department of Education Secretary Murat Dizdar were sent to 45 public high schools across the state congratulating them on their achievement.
The schools were identified from 452 public high schools that each year guide an estimated 40,000 Year 12 students to the HSC.
Schools were recognised for demonstrating consistent growth over seven years, increasing the number of students achieving higher HSC bands and showing strong progress for students across other bands.
Across the North Coast and Mid North Coast, schools have lifted results through targeted improvement strategies tailored to their communities and supported by system-wide, evidence-based teaching practices. These include explicit teaching of content and skills through the new NSW syllabuses, high expectations for every student, and a sustained focus on student wellbeing.
The recognition comes a year after the State Government set system-wide academic, HSC attainment, and school attendance targets for all NSW public schools.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said the results highlight the impact of strong teaching and high expectations in classrooms across NSW.
“These results show what can be achieved when teachers can focus their time and expertise in the classroom, providing high-impact teaching for their students,” she said.
“We are unwavering in our commitment to academic excellence and will continue to challenge our students to reach their full potential.
“This commitment is backed by the largest school building program in our state’s history, more teachers in classrooms, and more opportunities for high-potential and gifted students.”
NSW Department of Education Secretary Murat Dizdar said the results show the impact of strong teaching in schools across both metropolitan and regional communities.
“These HSC results show exactly what our Plan for NSW Public Education is all about – excellent teaching and high expectations for every student,” Dizdar said.
“These schools demonstrate that with the right support and quality teaching, our students achieve strong outcomes.”
“This is public education at its best: lifting outcomes and delivering on the promise of opportunity for every child in every community.”
A total of 45 public high schools across NSW were recognised as the most improved for HSC results in 2025.
North Coast and Mid North Coast schools recognised
- Evans River Community School
- Kempsey High School
- Maclean High School
- Nimbin Central School
- Wauchope High School
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