Table of Contents
Since 1990
90% of population leaving school with a maths exam has dropped to 50%
We have gone from 37% of population doing calculus to 19.6%
We have gone from 16% of population doing extension maths to 8.7%
Meanwhile understanding and using higher maths has become much more widely part of planning, management, design and technology because computers have made the calculations widely available.
And extension maths is getting less challenging, while the maths used in science, computing and analysis is getting more challenging.
summary 2024
- 103,800 NSW+ACT cohort, calculated from ATAR “55.1%”
- ACT BSSS says 4800 “in year 12”, 2800 (58%) ATAR (or AST?)
- ACT is a mix of moderated ACT school-based assessment, HSC and IB
- ATAR counts 3800 ACT cohort given 38 (of BSSS candidates?) get 99
- that probably is discounted due to IB and HSC numbers
- note 93,000 to 95,000 steady NSW from 1988 till 2020
- note 90,417 births in NSW 2022
- 71,619 got an HSC, 69% of NSW+ACT cohort
- 41,304 female 38,757 male, 105 other
- 65,681 city, 12,060 regional, 2,254 remote, 171 overseas.
- 57,194 got an ATAR, 55.1% of cohort, making the median score 71.55
- down from 57.8% in 2020
- 8547 more sitting 1 or more HSC subjects, eg accelerated in year 11
- ATAR counts 74,291 HSC students, 71.6% of its cohort number
- 827 NSW and 184 ACT get IB instead
- some get the ACT certificate and ATAR instead
maths
- 3,573 Ext2 (and Ext1), 3.4% of cohort.
- 1990 5,000, 2020 3,400, cohorts a bit smaller
- 5,413 Ext1 (and Advanced)
- 1990 10,00., 2020 8,800
- total 8,986, 8.7%, prep for most Uni degrees
- compare: 15,000 in 1990, 12,200 in 2020
- also 1,011 IB and some ACT-BSSS students.
- 11,337 Advanced, compare 1990 20,000
- total 20,323, 19.6%, some calculus
- 1990 total 35,000, 37% of whole age cohort
- 31,711 Standard 2, 1990 17,000
- 52,034, 50.1% of cohort do HSC exam based maths course
- 1990 55.3% of cohort, almost all HSC candidates did maths exam
- 6,126 Standard 1, optional exam.
- 13,500 got HSC but with no maths (approx)
- assuming accelerated balances year to year
- plus a little, some others did maths but not HSC
- total 8547 did subjects but not HSC this year
- ATAR counts 2,672 extra HSC students in age cohort
- 32,000 of whole cohort did not get HSC (approx)
- 1011 got IB instead
- some did ACT exams, but many in ACT do HSC
- some got HSC remotely, eg 171 were overseas
- some got HSC but not in cohort, eg interstate students
trends
- 1977 41% HSC, 84% SC public exams in year 10
- 1988 54% HSC, 93% SC, almost all including maths
- 1990 55.3% did HSC maths exam, 37.2% calculus
- 2010 70% HSC, 91% SC, 2011 was last SC
- 2020 70.5% HSC
- 2024 69% HSC, 19.6% calculus
- with 50.1% a maths exam subject, 55.1% got ATAR
- and 1% more got IB
40 years ago there were less than 10% who did not complete the School Certificate. Now there are 30% who do not complete the HSC. Regardless that now HSC has a lot of good VET options (with certificates of their own, they are real qualifications) there are still the 20% between those numbers who once left school with certificate after public exams but now are essentially doing very little at (and getting nothing from) a couple of extra school years. They get no certificate, and have nothing to work towards in school. It is a waste of time for them and their extended presence in school must be disruptive. Until 2011 they worked towards a School Certificate in year 10, then moved on. They actually did a maths exam for example, at a level significantly more challenging than the HSC numeracy minimum standards. They may have not done it well, nevertheless they did it as the endpoint of their schooling. More are kept in school but fewer are doing academic subjects. Only 50% do the level of maths that all 55% who completed HSC in 1990 attempted, and the proportion completing what was called 2U and 3U have each halved since then. VET in the HSC has replaced many apprenticeships for all those who get an HSC but not ATAR, and for quite a few who do also get an ATAR. There really is no reason at all to expect everybody to have an academic interest. We are really struggling with this attempt at a one size fits all year 12 only endpoint. It is not working for both the academically inclined and those lost in class.
Considering the cohort going into senior years: 15yo academic outcomes have declined significantly (as measured by PISA since 1999). Universities have been forced to increase the length of their courses to teach what is no longer acquired at school by the cohort heading to university. This coincides with making the HSC the standard — and only — school outcome. It would seem we have reduced our academic goals by rejecting the idea of an academic schooling distinct from vocational training.
maths into ATAR
From scaling report 2024
- 45/50 scaled marks HSC contribution per unit puts you well over 99 ATAR.
- 445.5/500 was 99.00 ATAR in 2024
- 431.6/500 was 98.00 ATAR
- 403.5/500 was 95.00 ATAR
- 369.2/500 was 90.00 ATAR
- 312.6/500 was 80.00 ATAR (details last table in scaling report)
- median ATAR was 71.55 and 260.6/500 was 70.00
- this is over 250/500 because 17,000 HSC students did not get an ATAR
- Ext2 46.5% got over 90/100 for 2 units (plus probably got same from Ext1)
- only the lowest 16.3% got less than 80/100 scaled mark, a 95 ATAR
- so almost all e3 Ext2 get marks worth 95 ATAR and e4 is a 99 ATAR
- Ext2 Q1 with Ext1 median contribute close to 98 for 40% of ATAR marks
- median Ext2 with Q3 Ext1 contributes toward over 99 (page 13 in scaling report)
- Ext2 Q3 mark contributes 2 units worth over the 99.5 threshold
- top 10% of Ext2 is better marks than the max 99.95 ATAR threshold
- top 10% of Advanced gives closer to 98 than 95 ATAR contribution.
- of 63 students who did latin ext 45.2% got 45/50 contribution, nothing else close.
- Of Ext2 50% did more than 10 units, and 98% of them counted it.
NESA reports against standards, with students being placed in bands that indicate the standards they have reached in their individual courses. An HSC mark indicates where a student is situated in a performance band and, as there are few students in Performance Band 1, most HSC marks lie between 50 and 100. In contrast, a student’s ATAR indicates their overall position in relation to the entire NSW Year 12-aged population.As mentioned earlier, the median ATAR in 2024 was 71.55. A middle student will generally have HSC marks that lie between 70 and 80. Because of the large percentage of students placed in Performance Band 4, the ATARs of students with HSC marks around 80 will often be very different from the ATARs of students with HSC marks around 70.
- ATAR is reported as percentile of total cohort, 103,800 in 2024
- it is purely a ranking within each total population
- all regions and years then comparable — in this limited sense
- IB is matched into this by comparing mid-year university grades following
- ATAR only exists as immediate selective university entry ranking, so this is fair
- reported as from 30 to 100 (or <30) within HSC candidature, since 28.4% are ‘no HSC’
- each student ranked according to sum of their best 10 HSC scaled units
- Scaled subject marks are spread 0 to 100
- each subject distribution matches that candidatures results over all other subjects
- maths is scaled as one giant subject, using overlapping exams and questions
- overall scaled spread of whole HSC marks is for average mark 50, so half over, half under
- HSC subject marks are very different — few under 50, most (and averages) between 70 and 80
HSC 2024 course enrolments
this is text download from the site above
These statistics represent course enrolments for the 2024 HSC cohort.
The data displays the total number of students enrolled in a course, and the percentage of male, female and non-binary students enrolled in each course.
Enrolment data is taken from 1 September 2024.
This table outlines enrolments in HSC Board Developed courses, excluding Language, Vocational Education and Training (VET) and Life Skills courses. These courses are externally examined. For English Studies and Mathematics General 1, the external examination is optional.
English
Note the extension students also take advanced, generally 2U+1U+1U
Course Name Units Male Female Non-Binary Total English Studies 2 5,865 4,189 15 10,069 English Standard 2 16,937 16,404 33 33,374 English Advanced 2 10,239 15,203 34 25,476 English EAL/D 2 546 715 - 1,261 English Extension 1 1 1,046 2,754 13 3,813 English Extension 2 1 345 1,130 8 1,483
Mathematics
Note that these overlap, extension students are enrolled in two courses each, 2U+2U or 2U+1U
Course Name Units Male Female Non-Binary Total Mathematics Standard 1 2 3,517 2,598 11 6,126 Mathematics Standard 2 2 15,436 16,253 22 31,711 Mathematics Advanced 2 9,029 7,712 9 16,750 Mathematics Extension 1 2 5,357 3,628 1 8,986 Mathematics Extension 2 2 2,384 1,189 - 3,573
46.5% of Ext2 got 90/100 or better scaled mark, 45 per unit is well over a 99 ATAR.
Science
Note that this does not include serious STEM such as Software Development, nor Agriculture etc,
Course Name Units Male Female Non-Binary Total Biology 2 7,052 12,194 23 19,269 Chemistry 2 5,140 4,688 6 9,834 Earth and Environmental Science 2 1,298 1,317 7 2,622 Investigating Science 2 1,841 1,487 5 3,333 Physics 2 6,380 1,907 4 8,291 Science Extension 1 328 446 1 775
1990 had 14,000 Chemistry, 13,000 Physics, while at 19,000 Biology is steady.
Human Society and Its Environment
Course Name Units Male Female Non-binary Total Aboriginal Studies 2 234 579 6 819 Ancient History 2 3,496 4,424 25 7,945 Business Studies 2 11,088 8,833 9 19,930 Economics 2 3,746 1,900 - 5,646 Geography 2 2,668 2,047 8 4,723 Legal Studies 2 3,704 6,663 9 10,376 Modern History 2 5,400 5,331 15 10,746 History Extension 1 658 1,142 2 1,802 Society and Culture 2 932 4,265 8 5,205 Studies of Religion I 1 3,847 4,714 6 8,567 Studies of Religion II 2 2,248 3,973 - 6,221
1990 had 15,000 geography, compare 4,700 plus 2,600 geography and environmental science
Technology
Course Name Units Male Female Non-binary Total Agriculture 2 798 821 2 1,621 Design and Technology 2 2,188 1,899 5 4,092 Engineering Studies 2 2,266 268 1 2,535 Food Technology 2 1,415 2,996 10 4,421 Industrial Technology 2 4,863 1,133 12 6,008 Information Processes and Technology 2 1,410 354 1 1,765 Software Design and Development 2 1,513 214 4 1,731 Textiles and Design 2 66 1,627 4 1,697
Creative Arts
Course Name Units Male Female Non-binary Total Dance 2 23 830 - 853 Drama 2 1,109 2,367 17 3,493 Music 1 2 2,440 2,153 7 4,600 Music 2 2 344 316 2 662 Music Extension 1 204 186 1 391 Visual Arts 2 2,267 6,600 32 8,899
Personal Development, Health and Physical Education
Course Name Units Male Female Non-binary Total Community and Family Studies 2 1,057 8,975 9 10,041 Personal Development, Health and 2 7,964 9,572 3 17,539 Physical Education
HSC 2024 VET Industry Curriculum Frameworks enrolments
This table outlines unique enrolments in HSC VET Industry Curriculum Frameworks, which are delivered by Registered Training Organisations (RTOs), including schools and colleges as part of a school system RTO, TAFE NSW and other providers. Each VET Industry Curriculum Framework includes multiple courses. VET Industry Curriculum Frameworks have external examinations.
Course Name Male Female Non-binary Total Automotive 455 49 - 504 Business Services 933 1,468 - 2,401 Construction 3,272 256 1 3,529 Electrotechnology 546 31 - 577 Entertainment Industry 599 638 6 1,243 Financial Services 68 35 - 103 Hospitality 2,630 4,951 6 7,587 Human Services 70 733 - 803 Information and Digital Technology 477 67 4 548 Primary Industries 531 523 - 1,054 Retail Services 661 952 2 1,615 Tourism, Travel and Events 23 125 1 149
HSC 2024 Languages enrolments
This table outlines enrolments in HSC language courses.
Course Name Units Male Female Non-binary Total Arabic Continuers 2 97 145 - 242 Arabic Extension 1 10 37 - 47 Armenian Continuers 2 13 10 - 23 Chinese Beginners 2 19 50 - 69 Chinese Continuers 2 121 163 - 284 Chinese in Context 2 34 63 - 97 Chinese and Literature 2 110 148 - 258 Chinese Extension 1 34 39 - 73 Classical Greek Continuers 2 3 2 - 5 Classical Greek Extension 1 2 1 - 3 Classical Hebrew Continuers 2 8 14 - 22 Classical Hebrew Extension 1 2 7 - 9 Croatian Continuers 2 3 - - 3 Dutch Continuers 2 3 3 - 6 Filipino Continuers 2 2 6 - 8 French Beginners 2 91 270 1 362 French Continuers 2 158 386 1 545 French Extension 1 29 92 - 121 German Beginners 2 34 35 - 69 German Continuers 2 85 92 1 178 German Extension 1 28 21 - 49 Hindi Continuers 2 6 12 - 18 Hungarian Continuers 2 2 3 - 5 Indonesian Beginners 2 13 23 - 36 Indonesian Continuers 2 1 30 - 31 Indonesian and Literature 2 - 2 - 2 Indonesian Extension 1 1 9 - 10 Italian Beginners 2 68 226 - 294 Italian Continuers 2 59 108 - 167 Italian Extension 1 13 26 - 39 Japanese Beginners 2 189 247 1 437 Japanese Continuers 2 290 444 1 735 Japanese in Context 2 9 15 - 24 Japanese Extension 1 55 94 - 149 Khmer Continuers 2 3 9 - 12 Korean Beginners 2 27 118 - 145 Korean Continuers 2 10 41 - 51 Korean in Context 2 9 20 - 29 Korean and Literature 2 5 9 - 14 Latin Continuers 2 55 59 - 114 Latin Extension 1 33 29 - 62 Macedonian Continuers 2 9 9 - 18 Modern Greek Beginners 2 31 54 - 85 Modern Greek Continuers 2 28 44 - 72 Modern Greek Extension 1 7 13 - 20 Modern Hebrew Continuers 2 7 11 - 18 Persian Continuers 2 9 17 - 26 Polish Continuers 2 6 12 - 18 Portuguese Continuers 2 8 13 - 21 Punjabi Continuers 2 18 17 - 35 Russian Continuers 2 13 19 - 32 Serbian Continuers 2 13 17 - 30 Spanish Beginners 2 70 171 - 241 Spanish Continuers 2 56 118 - 174 Spanish Extension 1 16 34 - 50 Swedish Continuers 2 6 7 - 13 Tamil Continuers 2 16 35 - 51 Turkish Continuers 2 8 24 - 32 Vietnamese Continuers 2 51 84 - 135
HSC 2024 Life Skills enrolments
This table outlines enrolments in HSC Life Skills courses which are available for students with disabilities for whom the regular outcomes and content are not appropriate. These courses are Board Developed and meet the requirements for the award of the HSC.
Course Name Units Male Female Non-binary Total Aboriginal Studies Life Skills 2 29 22 - 51 Agriculture Life Skills 2 75 24 - 99 Ancient History Life Skills 2 78 49 - 127 Business and Economics Life Skills 2 50 27 1 78 Chemical World Science Life Skills 2 13 4 - 17 Citizenship and Legal Studies Life 2 28 21 - 49 Skills Community and Family Studies Life 2 117 135 - 252 Skills Creative Arts Life Skills 2 334 145 - 479 Dance Life Skills 2 - 13 - 13 Design and Technology Life Skills 2 80 26 1 107 Drama Life Skills 2 41 47 1 89 Earth and Space Science Life Skills 2 40 27 - 67 English Life Skills 2 1,385 716 1 2,102 Food Technology Life Skills 2 364 189 - 553 Geography Life Skills 2 73 23 - 96 Human Society and its Environment Life 2 441 177 - 618 Skills Industrial Technology Life Skills 2 188 24 - 212 Information Processes and Technology 2 32 11 - 43 Life Skills Investigating Science Life Skills 2 335 143 - 478 Living World Science Life Skills 2 113 62 - 175 Mathematics Life Skills 2 1,227 579 - 1,806 Modern History Life Skills 2 86 41 - 127 Music Life Skills 2 130 56 - 186 Personal Development, Health & PE Life 2 866 370 1 1,237 Skills Physical World Science Life Skills 2 20 4 - 24 Society and Culture Life Skills 2 28 24 - 52 Studies of Religion I Life Skills 1 16 7 - 23 Studies of Religion II Life Skills 2 3 25 - 28 Technology Life Skills 2 230 114 - 344 Textiles and Design Life Skills 2 19 32 1 52 Visual Arts Life Skills 2 296 228 1 525 Work and the Community Life Skills 2 818 370 - 1,188
We pay respect to the Traditional Custodians and First Peoples of NSW, and acknowledge their continued connection to their country and culture.
Copyright © 2025
References
historic candidatures
https://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/bos_stats/total-candidature.html
still need to adjust for size of 17yo cohort given is based on 15–19 see but steady 93k–95k since 1988, 88k 1977
1977 HSC 36k with SC 74k cohort b45k g43k t88k — 41% of cohort HSC, 84% SC
1988 HSC 51k with SC 88k cohort b48k g46k t95k — 54% HSC, 93% SC
since then, at least since PISA mid 1990s, 15yo overall academic outcomes declined.
1990 cohort b48k g46k t94k
1990 HSC 54k candidates
- conteporary english 5k
- english 49k with 2U* 31k 2U 13k, 3U 4k
- maths 52k with 2U* 17k, 2U 20k, 3U 10k, 4U 5k
- physics 13k
- chemistry 14k
- biology 19k
- geology 638
- geography 15k
- general science 4k
- ancient history 8k
- latin 212 with 3U 95
- classical greek 10
- french 2k
2006 HSC 61k from 66k; SC 84k from 86k in age cohort b46 g44k t90k — 68% of cohort gained HSC
2010 HSC 65k from candidature 70k, SC 85k from candidature 89k in age cohort b48k g45k t93k
that is HSC 70%, SC 91%
last School Certificate 2011
2016 HSC 68k from 76k candiature in age cohort b48k g46k t94k — 72% of cohort gained HSC
2019 HSC 67k from 74k for some time more girls than boys gained an HSC while there are more boys than girls in the age cohort.
2020 HSC 67k from 75k candidates in age cohort b49k g46k t95k
mx1 b5.2k g3.6k mx2 b2.2k g1.2k pys b6.1k g1.9k
ex1 b0.7k g1.5k ex2 b0.4k g1.0k bio b6.8k g12k note ex2 subtracted from ex1 data
e1m+e b5.9k g5.1k e2m+e b2.6k g2.2k b+p b13k g14k
see csv data files, candidature by subject and gender.
add 6% to 1977 raw numbers, but since 1988 raw numbers not percents are more indicative, NSW population has grown by immigration after school age not by increasing young people. In 2019 30% of population born overseas, largest England non-Scotland, then India, China non-HK, NZ. 33% nominated ‘Australian’, less than ‘english’, followed by ‘irish’ then ‘scottish’ on 2016 census (total of nominations about 100). languages spoken at home (as declared in census) — exclusively english: 72%, mandarin: 2.5%, arabic: 1.4%, Italian, Cantonese, Vietnamese: 1.2% each, then greek, hindi, spanish and punjabi.
though social strata completing school changed, not just numbers, and expectation changed much more than reality.
