Maths teachers shared pre-exam jitters with their students ahead of this year's HSC. Three new syllabuses were tested for the first time and, with limited sample materials, departments felt they were. "People were so nervous about how things would go," said Baulkham Hills High School principal Jeannie Bathgate.
"We were quite frankly surprised with the maths results, but quite delighted," Ms Bathgate said. "[The staff] were so nervous. They were just super conscientious that they had everything under control for the new syllabus. The kids are very pleased.", James Ruse, where 87 per cent of candidates scored either a band six or E4 in the top three courses. James Ruse had 275 high scores from 315 entries, while Baulkham Hills had 313 from 384.
Head of school Francois David said the success was a tribute to student and staff commitment, and the "wonderful relationships" they formed in small classes of 12. The school charges about $5000 per year for tuition and cohorts are capped at 25 students.