The Truth Behind “Top NSW High Schools”: How To Tell If They Are Actually Good

Every year, headlines highlight the “Top NSW High Schools” based on HSC performance. But those rankings — usually based on the percentage of Band 6 results — only tell part of the story. To really understand how well a school performs, you need to look deeper — particularly at how many students are achieving those Band 6s, not just the percentage.

Let’s unpack how to tell if the top NSW High Schools are genuinely performing well.

Band 6’s: What does it really mean to achieve a Band 6?

A Band 6 is the highest possible HSC performance band — it represents academic excellence, meaning the student achieved a final HSC mark of 90 or above in that subject. These Band 6 results often form the foundation of the “Top NSW High Schools” rankings. The logic is simple: the more Band 6s, the better the school appears to be performing.

However, it is important to consider how many of these Band 6’s are unique.

Some students achieve many Band 6s — for example, a top student might score Band 6s in English, Maths, Physics, and Chemistry.

That’s four Band 6s… from one student.

When you see a school with a high Band 6 count, it’s worth asking:

Is that number spread across many students? Or concentrated among a small group who earned multiple top scores?

Unique Band 6s measure how many different students achieved at least one Band 6. This is a much fairer way to gauge how widespread academic success really is. Top NSW High Schools have lots of unique Band 6s to show that excellence is distributed across the cohort, not limited to a few standout individuals.

Another layer of achievement comes from State Ranks.

A Band 6 is strong, but true top NSW High Schools have students that State Rank.

Each HSC subject awards State Ranks — 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and so on — based on students’ final exam and assessment marks across NSW.

A student earning a State Rank is among the top achievers in the entire state for that subject.

This can highlight schools with exceptional teaching quality or depth in particular areas.

• A school achieving State Ranks across multiple subjects (like English, Maths, and Science) shows a broad range of academic excellence.
• A school with several State Ranks in one subject might have a particularly strong department.

👉 Use resources like the Sydney Morning Herald’s annual HSC rankings and HSCninja’s honour roll to see performance of NSW’s High Schools, determine the top NSW High Schools by considering their academic success rates.

Enrolment: Why enrolment size matters!

While Band 6 counts are important, the real measure of a top NSW High School is how many Band 6s are achieved relative to its total enrolments, showing excellence at scale.

Schools that appear at the top of HSC rankings usually have a high percentage of Band 6s compared to total exams sat. When you see a ranking that says “School X – 75% Band 6s,” it might sound impressive. But that figure is a percentage of exams, not students, and doesn’t reflect school size.

A large school achieving many Band 6s demonstrates capacity and consistency, not just elite filtering. A higher number of students achieving top results shows the school’s capacity to nurture academic success at scale — not just among a select few.

For example:

• A school with 100 HSC students might produce 60 Band 6s — a 60% rate.

• A larger school with 400 HSC students could produce 150 Band 6s — a lower percentage but more high-achieving students overall.

So, while rankings make good headlines, they often reward small, selective schools rather than those improving outcomes for a broad student base.

👉 Use NESA’S NSW School Finder to cross-check data. You can find enrolment numbers here and thereby determine if the Band 6’s achieved are selective or not.

Student progress

The top NSW High Schools lift everyone up, they aim to increase the performance of all students. Look for signs that average students are improving year by year — not just a small group.

This can be through considering whether cohort marks and averages (in assignments or even Naplan) have increased, the school having high retention rates or asking teachers about how they track individual learning goals.

👉 Use My School (ACARA) to compare the academic growth, attendance, funding and overall size of schools across NSW

School culture

Academic success is easier to achieve when the environment is inclusive, supportive, and motivating. Positive school culture fosters both academic and personal growth. Top NSW High Schools often build on student happiness and wellbeing through:

• A stable vision. The school outlines consistent values and measurable goals that are supported by a teaching team that rarely changes.
• Clubs, music, sport, or interest-based groups that build community as well as mental skills.
• Course variety. Schools offering a range of HSC subjects, VET courses, and extracurriculars often support more well-rounded outcomes.
• Opportunities for support. Whether this be programs for high achieving students (such as extension or accelerated classes), extra resources for struggling students, or clear opportunities to prepare students for life after the HSC (such as career expos, university talks, or work experience placement), top NSW High Schools want their students to achieve within and beyond the classroom.
• Student leadership programs, including student voices in initiatives to engage them with academic life.
• Regular, meaningful communication with families. Schools that make it easy for parents to be involved in learning (not just fundraising!) often see stronger student improvement.

👉Visit open days, talk to currently enrolled families, and read reviews to find this out!

The bottom line

Top NSW High Schools are ones that aim for holistic success. When you compare NSW High Schools, think beyond the rankings. A good school isn’t one with the most Band 6s per exam — it’s one that delivers strong results per student, with quality teaching, diversity, and consistency.