Top of the Class: Ku-ring-gai, Hornsby, and Asquith High Named NSW’s Most Improved Schools

Three local public schools are celebrating after being named among NSW’s most improved HSC performers, with Ku-ring-gai, Hornsby, and Asquith High Schools all recognised by the Department of Education.

The schools received letters of congratulations from Deputy Premier and Education Minister Prue Car and Education Secretary Murat Dizdar, and were selected from 452 public high schools statewide.

To earn the recognition, schools had to demonstrate consistent academic growth over seven years, an increase in students achieving higher HSC bands, and strong progress across all performance levels.

Ku-ring-gai High School Principal Stephen Plummer said the honour reflected the effort of the entire school community. “This recognition is a point of pride and validation for the hard work that our whole community has put into education, along with an unrelenting focus on learning,” he said. “We often say, ‘you be you, but try to be the best version of yourself you can be’ and our school is very much a supportive educational institution where our students are themselves.”

Ku-ring-gai has adopted a school-wide approach to explicitly teaching literacy and numeracy across all subject areas and achievement levels.

Hornsby and Asquith High Schools, both of which are currently transitioning from single-sex to co-educational institutions, welcoming their first mixed cohorts in Years 7, 9, and 11 this year, were also named in the top 45 most improved schools statewide.

Asquith uses a broad range of assessment strategies to inform teaching and has students set and track personal learning goals each term. Hornsby focuses on understanding the individual learning and well-being needs of each student to ensure continuity of support.

Minister Car said the results demonstrated what teachers could achieve when given the time and resources to focus on high-impact classroom teaching.