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Education

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Kindergarten class sizes in public schools have been decreasing over the past three decades.

From Mt Druitt to Vaucluse, teacher-to-student ratios ranked from best to worst

In Sydney’s most affluent areas, teacher-to-student ratios lag private schools, but in other parts of the city, the situation is reversed.

  • by Christopher Harris

Latest

Indian students rejected as Australia cracks down on ‘ghost colleges’

Data shows Australia approves far fewer student visas from India than China, despite government ministers visiting India to promote skills study.

  • by Angus Thompson
Young Australians stage pro-Palestine protests in Melbourne.
Opinion

Gen Z is the generation of protest, but we don’t always get it right

The biggest names of my generation – Malala Yousafzai, Greta Thunberg, Chanel Contos – are activists. But even I, as a teenager, feel alienated by the intransigence of most youth strikes.

  • by Saria Ratnam
The school funding debate doesn’t need to be so divisive.
Opinion

Pitting us against each other is no way to improve our crumbling school system

No other government would subject parents to a school system that forces them to consider their kids as customers. And you know what? No other country does.

  • by Adam Voigt
Brendan O’Connor wants remove “dodgy, bottom-feeding training providers” from the VET sector.

‘Prune the tree’: Halting new colleges considered amid student visa crackdown

Skills and Training Minister Brendan O’Connor says the government is also considering measures to weed out unscrupulous providers already in the vocational education and training system.

  • by Angus Thompson
“We’re one of the lowest-paid professions … I would be so offended if my staff could not receive Christmas gifts as a way of parents acknowledging our work,” said Tina Papa, director at Shirley Robertson Children’s Centre in Coburg.

Union lashes Yarra Council’s ‘extreme’ ban on childcare gifts

The City of Yarra is showing no signs of backing down despite outcry over their banning of Christmas presents for childcare workers.

  • by Melissa Cunningham
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Just 7 per cent of females study higher-level mathematics, compared to 12 per cent of males.

‘One number does not a good person make’: Does the HSC result matter?

Education is not a competition, readers told the Herald, and the focus on HSC results fails to identify the many benefits of education.

Outgoing Universities Australia chief executive Catriona Jackson says higher education institutions must look to Africa for new students.
Exclusive

‘It won’t be China, India any more’: Universities urged to pivot to new student market

The university lobby’s outgoing chief, Catriona Jackson, warns the sector needs to capitalise on the emerging African market to stay “on the front of the wave” in the global competition for students.

  • by Angus Thompson
Brigidine Girls College HSC students after receiving HSC their results.

The low-fee private schools outperforming expensive rivals in the HSC

Multiple lower-fee Sydney schools have recorded similar or higher HSC success rates than schools where fees are above $30,000, according to a new Herald analysis.

  • by Lucy Carroll and Nigel Gladstone
Student Sophie Barbour along with thousands of others will receive their university acceptances tomorrow.

The ATAR cut-off for every university course revealed

For Sophie, a 99 ATAR might not quite be enough for her first choice. Read the full list here.

  • by Christopher Harris and Nigel Gladstone
HSC students from Moss Vale.

The school that rocketed up the HSC rankings by 200 places

Setting high expectations of behaviour and scheduling study skills sessions have proven the secrets to success.

  • by Lucy Carroll and Nigel Gladstone
Students from WA share their reactions to their 2023 ATAR scores on social media.
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Students from WA react to their 2023 ATAR

Students from WA share their reactions to their 2023 ATAR scores on social media.

Menai High Year 12 Students Savanah Archer, Ethan Butcher, Lachlan Cameron, Connor Doran, Amelia Domrow, Amber Soo, Joshua Walters, Brieanna Yardley from Menai High School come together to see their school friends and teachers after receiving their HSC and ATAR results.

The state’s top schools for HSC mathematics revealed

At Knox Grammar and Menai High, the road to success started long before year 12.

  • by Christopher Harris, Nigel Gladstone and Lucy Carroll
Rest breaks were the most common disability provision in last year’s HSC
Opinion

If only we had an HSC honour roll based on more than a number

We seldom hear the stories of everyday students who try their hardest to be the best academic version of themselves.

  • by Lisa Schofield
Balgowlah Boys High graduating year 12 students with principal Paul Sheather just after HSC results were delivered.
Exclusive

Boys close the gap on girls as single-sex schools outperform co-ed

A Herald analysis of this year’s HSC data reveals the gap between the average number of top scores achieved by students at all-boys and all-girls schools is closing, with public boys schools achieving the biggest gains.

  • by Lucy Carroll and Nigel Gladstone
North Sydney Boys High School HSC students during a lunch provided by the school.

School is over, but life is just beginning

Congratulations to all the students who completed 13 years of schooling. Just having reached the end of this marathon is an achievement in itself, never mind scores on a piece of paper.

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Year 12 Students Liam Blair, Tayla Campbell, Sienna Robertson and Thomas Smart from St John Bosco Collage Engadine.

The schools that blitzed HSC English

North Sydney Boys High School’s success in English drove it to the top of the HSC rankings. But it wasn’t the only school to record an astronomical rise in the subject.

  • by Lucy Carroll and Nigel Gladstone
Mark Ju and Jordan Ho.
Opinion

So much changes for us at North Sydney Boys. But so much stays the same

The five values by which the school abides do not change, despite no longer being “second best”.

  • by Mark Ju and Jordan Ho
Jason Phan from James Ruse Agricultural High school has topped chemistry.

The median mark in every HSC subject revealed

Mathematics Extension 2 and Latin had the highest medians after scaling.

  • by Daniella White
Deputy principal Tanya Benetel with year 6 school captains Anabella Aghostin, and Yaco Lazer in the library, at Fairfield Heights Public School

The high-performing NAPLAN schools revealed

Schools as diverse as Fairfield Heights Public, Plumpton High and Abbotsleigh and Newington are among the 100 in NSW to be identified as high achieving in this year’s results.

  • by Christopher Harris
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Opinion

Altruism north of the border

Loch that offer in.

Jordan (Khang) Ho, from North Sydney Boys High, topped English advanced, and Arella Plater, from SCEGGS Darlinghurst, topped design and technology.

HSC, ATAR results 2023 as it happened: NSW Year 12 students receive end of year results

Join us as we celebrate the Class of 2023 as they receive their HSC results this morning.

  • by Anthony Segaert and Angus Thomson
Year 12 Students Liam Blair, Tayla Campbell, Sienna Robertson and Thomas Smart from St John Bosco Collage Engadine in 2023.

HSC 2023 results explained in five charts

HSC results provide interesting insights into the way our education system works.

  • by Nigel Gladstone
Roslyn de Lara from Willoughby Girls High was delighted with her results this morning.

‘It’s a beautiful day’: Roslyn’s joy at HSC band fives and sixes

Roslyn de Lara was terrified of what the message from NESA would say. A moment later she was astonished.

  • by Christopher Harris and Angus Thomson
St Andrew’s Cathedral School principal Dr Julie McGonigle and students Max McDermott, Liv Morrison, Bronte Critchley, Hannah Monaghan and Leon Street-Wilcken.

Amid tragedy, St Andrew’s students support each other to best result

The school’s head said a number of year 12 students knew Lilie James and Paul Thijssen well, and were deeply shaken following their deaths.

  • by Mary Ward
Pennant Hills High School students L-R Ozan Kocatepe, Hannah Pola, Alexandra Vega Segovia, and Isabelle Imeson are relieved and excited with their HSC results in Sydney.
Editorial

HSC is just one small test in a life of learning

To all NSW Higher School Certificate graduates, the hard work is over. Congratulations. While we celebrate the high achievers, it is important to acknowledge there are many who are not high achievers who nevertheless achieved great things

  • The Herald's View
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The moment North Sydney Boys students are told they came first.

How North Sydney Boys pulled off the greatest heist in HSC history

The inside story about how a school, so often the next-best, took on the most successful selective school in Australia’s history, and won.

  • by Christopher Harris
Students in the Crows Nest school were elated when principal Brian Ferguson informed them of their result.
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The moment North Sydney Boys was told they came first in the HSC

Students in the Crows Nest school were elated when principal Brian Ferguson informed them of their result.

HSC top schools.

North Sydney Boys High tops HSC for first time

The Crows Nest school’s success ends the phenomenal 27-year reign of James Ruse Agricultural High School. Here’s how they did it.

  • by Lucy Carroll, Nigel Gladstone and Christopher Harris
HSC Honour roll

The 2023 HSC honour roll: every student with a top band listed

Search by student, school and course to find all of the high-performing students.

HSC Schools ranking

How your school ranked in the 2023 HSC

We’ve analysed the data and the top schools for the 2023 HSC have been revealed. Search the list here.

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Opinion

There’s goodwill in store

Barnaby resorts to the Holy Hand Grenade.

The perceived wisdom about the humanities – that they do not lead to well-paid jobs – is not supported by the facts.
Opinion

An arts degree won’t lead to a well-paid job, right? Wrong

The liberal arts have an image problem, but they can lead to higher-paying careers than STEM degrees.

  • by Sophie Gee and Robert McLean
Annaliese Mustapic (dance) Gemma Stevenson (PDHPE),  Kiana Levy (Drama) and Orlando Douglas-Giles (English Extension 2) were honoured for first in course on Wednesday.

The top student in every HSC subject revealed

In lockdown, Orlando Douglas-Giles became inspired by literature. He is now the HSC English dux. Read the full list of every HSC student who topped a course here.

  • by Lucy Carroll, Christopher Harris and Nigel Gladstone
Pymble Ladies’ College’s Angie Wang, 17, placed first in mathematics extension 2.

In August, Angie recited pi to 1000 decimal places. Today she’s the HSC maths dux

Angie Wang turned down a spot at James Ruse and this year placed first in the state in the hardest maths course of the HSC.

  • by Christopher Harris
The Sirius building undergoing redevelopment.

Orlando topped HSC English. This is what he wrote

‘I’d comment on the Sirius building’s ugliness amongst the city skyline … though I have since realised it was the most beautiful building in sight.’

  • by Orlando Douglas-Giles
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Opinion

Hey Jude, this pork is rad

The madness of Christmas lunch.

Talia O’Brien, Lucas Barrett, Raluca Ghebosu, Maxwell Nee and Sean Douglas.

The five questions to help you decide what to do after year 12

Five Australians share how they finally found career clarity, despite some false starts.

  • by Kimberly Gillan
University applications are declining.

ATAR cut-offs could fall as year 12 demand for uni hits new low

The high cost of some degrees may be at the heart of the lowest university application numbers in more than a decade.

  • by Daniella White
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Opinion

T20 vision leaves viewers stumped

Maybe they’ve run out of colours?

School systems would need to hit higher attendance and NAPLAN targets under the expert panel’s report.

New school targets, funding boost needed to overhaul ‘entrenched’ disadvantage: report

School systems would need to hit higher attendance and NAPLAN targets and provide greater funding transparency, under an expert panel’s proposals to the nation’s education ministers.

  • by Lucy Carroll and Angus Thompson
University chiefs are warning against the use of levies or caps on overseas students.

Universities oppose caps, levies on overseas students amid plan to slash migration

Australia has 650,000 overseas students due to a surge in arrivals after the pandemic.

  • by David Crowe
Now and then: Roger Chen, Lyria Bennett, Eddie Woo, Melissa James, Dave Sharma.

They topped the HSC in decades gone by. Where are they now?

Top HSC achievers of decades past took different paths: medicine, teaching, politics, filmmaking – and dancing in Las Vegas. They share their advice for the class of 2023, who will get their HSC results this week.

  • by Jostina Basta and Lucy Carroll
Balancing on one hand is one of the circus skills Ella Moylan is learning at Nepean Creative and Performing Arts High School.

‘Like the set of Fame’: The schools nurturing our next generation of stars

High demands are required of students in NSW’s eight speciality performing arts schools, but the state’s talent of the future is flourishing by being alongside like-minds.

  • by Andrew Taylor
Sydneysiders will be seeking relief in the water from the heatwave on Saturday.

Extreme fire danger for Sydney as temperatures soar to mid-40s

Sydney is on high fire alert with temperatures set to hit the 40s and thousands predicted to pack beaches and outdoor spaces across the region this weekend.

  • by Jessica McSweeney, Sarah Keoghan and Laura Chung
Department of Education secretary Murat Dizdar and minister Prue Car during budget estimates in October.

Deputy principals and senior teachers told to get back in the classroom

Thousands of public school deputy principals will be told to spend more time teaching under a radical plan to plug widespread staff shortages across the state.

  • by Lucy Carroll
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Reddam House will increase teacher pay to match the government sector rises.
Exclusive

Sydney private schools lift teacher pay as fees tip past $40,000 for year 9

Some of Sydney’s private schools will increase teacher pay by up to 8 to 12 per cent in a bid to match historic wage rises across the government sector.

  • by Lucy Carroll
Australia is among the worst in the world when it comes to classroom discipline.

Noisy, disruptive, distracted: Australian classrooms among world’s worst

Australian students do not listen to teachers and are distracted by digital devices in classrooms full of noise and disorder, according to the latest international report card.

  • by Christopher Harris
Column 8 granny dinkus
Opinion

Students join the mud club

No big deal. It’s just desserts.

An open-plan learning space.
Opinion

Noise, chaos and disengagement: I was wrong about open-plan classrooms

I was the inaugural principal of a school built for co-teaching, a model where two teachers worked together with around 50 students. Then the trouble began. Poor behaviour soared, students fell through the cracks, the noise was too much.

  • by Adam Voigt