2018 HSC Fact Sheet

Overall

• In 2018 75,700 students completed at least one HSC course
• 67,973 students were awarded the Higher School Certificate and 56,142 students were eligible for an ATAR
• These numbers are slightly lower than those in 2017, which were the highest numbers recorded since the HSC began in 1967
• Over the past decade, annual HSC candidature has grown by 8376 students, the number awarded the HSC by 4850 students, and the number eligible for an ATAR by 4150 students
• While growth was stable between 2014 and 2016 there was an increase in the number of students awarded the HSC and the number of students eligible for an ATAR in 2017 (the highest numbers recorded since the HSC began in 1967) roughly in line with general population growth, but a decline in all three measures in 2018

Courses

• 44% completed English (Standard), 38% English (Advanced) and 12% English Studies
• 83% completed a course in Mathematics
• 51% completed a course in Science
• 27% completed a Vocational Education and Training (VET) course
• 8% completed a Language course
• 3% completed a Life Skills course
• Mathematics General 2 grew by about 3%, while the General 1 course attracted about 4000 students in 2018
• While entries in Mathematics 2 Unit and the two Mathematics Extension courses have been relatively stable since 2008, there was a 3% increase in the Mathematics 2 Unit course compared to 2017
• Total entries in Science courses have increased by about 17%, with Biology growing by 19% and Senior Science by 42%, while Chemistry and Physics have remained stable over the last decade
• Total entries in VET Industry Curriculum Frameworks have increased by about 15% since 2008, with the largest increase in Construction, Primary Industries and Entertainment Industry. Notable declines have occurred in Hospitality and Retail Services
• There were relatively large increases in PDHPE, Community and Family Studies, Industrial Technology and Studies of Religion II

Performance

• Approximately 11% of course results were in the Top Band (Band 6 or E4), 41% in the Top 2 Bands and 70% in the Top 3 Bands
• About 97% of course results were above the Minimum Standard Expected (at least Band 2 or E2)
• These percentages have been essentially unchanged since 2008.
• In 2018 there were 16,933 students who were acknowledged on the Distinguished Achievers List for 36,512 course results
• There were 132 first or equal first places in a course, which were filled by 126 students
• There were 1254 All-round Achievers who were placed on the Distinguished Achievers List for at least 10 units of study

Aboriginal students

• The number of HSC candidates who identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander has more than doubled over the last decade, with 2096 such students in 2018, representing 2.7% of the total candidature
• Compared to the overall candidature, Aboriginal students were less likely to be eligible for the ATAR (53% compared to 83%) and substantially less likely to obtain results in the higher Bands
• However there are some signs of improvement: in 2018, 15% of Aboriginal students' results were in the Top 2 Bands compared to 12% as recently as 2014