South Sydney High School in Maroubra is one of only three schools in the entire state to land on the Education Department’s HSC Most Improved Schools list two years in a row, and the school community has been quick to share the news.
Read: Did You Know That Netflix’s Heartbreak High Was Filmed In Maroubra Bay High School?
“The Department of Education has released a list of schools with the most improved HSC results, and we’re thrilled to share that South Sydney High School is one of only three schools in the state to make the list two years in a row,” the school announced. “This incredible achievement reflects the hard work, dedication and determination of our students, teachers, and school community.”
The list, released by the Education Department, recognises schools showing the strongest growth in the number of students achieving results in the top three HSC bands. South Sydney High School joins just two other schools across New South Wales in earning that distinction back-to-back.
The result is the product of seven years of sustained effort. When principal Janice Neilsen arrived at the school seven years ago, lifting HSC outcomes was front and centre of her vision. What followed was years of consistent work inside classrooms, out in the community, and across the school’s culture.
By 2025, nearly three quarters of the school’s Year 12 cohort achieved results in the top three HSC bands, a rise of 17 percentage points since 2019. Ms Neilsen has been clear about what drove it.
She pointed to her teaching staff as the starting point. With more than 70 teachers on board, she said the team shared a collective drive to lift student outcomes and shift perceptions of the school in the wider community. From there, the focus turned to building a structured, consistent learning environment, one where behavioural expectations were clear and support for students was equally strong. Underpinning all of it was a framework of values: manners, respect, punctuality, attendance and citizenship.
Ms Neilsen said that once the right environment was in place, the school could properly turn its attention to the academic side of things.
The academic gains have come alongside a turnaround in enrolments. When Ms Neilsen first took the helm, the school had around 500 students. Today, that number is approaching 800. Her first HSC cohort numbered just 42 students; last year’s Year 12 group was around 120. Ms Neilsen said improving academic results, school culture and enrolment numbers is the goal of any principal.
Education and Early Learning Minister Prue Car acknowledged the achievement, noting that outcomes like these reflect what is possible when teachers are empowered to focus their skills in the classroom, delivering high-impact teaching that makes a real difference for students.
South Sydney High School’s Maroubra campus also has a well-known connection to Australian television. The original 1990s series Heartbreak High was filmed at the former Maroubra Bay High School, which previously occupied the same site before closing in 1990. When Netflix rebooted the series in 2022, producers returned to the very same grounds. Ms Neilsen said the decision came down to financial benefit for the school as well as arts and entertainment industry pathways for students.
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Ms Neilsen said the team has worked hard both inside and outside the classroom to improve the school’s reputation in the community, and the back-to-back recognition suggests that effort is paying off. She said she is proud of her team, and most importantly, the students who made it happen.
Published 10-April-2026
