More students excel in challenging HSC subjects, report shows

A new report shows more students are achieving top marks in challenging HSC subjects, particularly in advanced English and mathematics. For example, 34% of English extension 2 students scored 90% or higher, a five-point increase from last year. The median ATAR for 2024 is 71.55, up slightly from the previous year. While marks in physics and chemistry remained steady, median scores for biology and mathematics advanced increased by one to two percentage points. The report indicates that students taking extension courses tend to perform better overall. The highest median marks were in mathematics extension 2 and music subjects, with the average scaled mark across all subjects around 25 per unit.