Gloucester's HSC high achievers

When the results were released at 6am on Tuesday, December 17, eager school leavers either received a text message or an email advising of how they went. Then, a few hours later, the ATAR results were released. Typically this has been delivered the day after the HSC results, but this year all the news came at once.

Gloucester High School year adviser, Michael De Angelis contacted his students to congratulate all of them on their hard work which saw the school achieve an excellent ranking overall.

But it wasn't just the overall results that were impressive.

Azren Snow found his name on the All-round Achievers lists for the students who achieved a result in the highest band possible (Band 6 or Band E4) in 10 or more units of courses. Yes, he achieved a Band 6 in every course he took and was the only student in the Mid Coast to achieve such an outstanding result.

Needless to say, this also placed him on the Distinguished Achievers list for the students who achieved a result in the highest band (Band 6 or Band E4) for one or more courses.

Azren achieved these results in Biology, Chemistry, English Advanced, English Extension 1, Information Processes and Technology and Mathematics.

Also making the list were: Madelaine Blanch for her result in English Advanced, English Extension 1; Tahnee Yates for English Advanced and Personal Development, Health and Physical Education; Kyra Edstein for Personal Development, Health and Physical Education; and Hamish McClure for Music 1.

GHS principal Trudi Edman said the school is very proud of the results its students achieved.

As well as the band 6 results, of the 56 students who sat the HSC examinations 51 Band 5 results were awarded between 24 students.

"We outranked other schools (State, independent and Catholic) in our two networks," Ms Edman said. "This is attributed the dedication from teaching and non-teaching staff, the commitment from students and the support from families and the wider community."

Overall, GHS ranked 281 of all the schools in NSW which had students sitting the exams, blowing the other Mid Coast schools out of the water. Out of the top 500 school listed in the published ranking, St Clare's in Taree ranked 344, Great Lakes ranked 424, Wingham ranked 434 and Taree ranked 454, while the other schools in the area weren't listed.

"To date we have had notification that three of our students received ATARs over 90. Congratulations to all our HSC students and on behalf of GHS I wish you well in your future endeavours."