The Catholic schools sector is proud to celebrate the 23 exceptional Catholic school students in New South Wales who were recognised at today’s Higher School Certificate (HSC) First In Course (FIC) ceremony. These students have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, securing 23 FIC awards across 18 schools, 18 courses and 8 Key Learning Areas in the 2025 HSC.
Catholic school students achieved FIC honours in some of the largest and most competitive HSC courses in NSW. A Catholic school student from Santa Sophia Catholic College Gables was the sole FIC recipient for English Standard, the largest HSC subject by candidature, undertaken by over 33,400 students statewide. A student from Caroline Chisholm College Glenmore Park was the sole FIC achiever in PDHPE, studied by more than 17,700 students, making it the 6th most popular HSC course. Bethany College Hurstville achieved an impressive five (5) FIC awards, the second highest number for a school in NSW. These were awarded in Studies of Religion I, Dance, Industrial Technology and two (2) equal FIC in Design and Technology. St Vincent’s College Potts Point also had two (2) FIC in Dance and Studies of Religion II.
Catholic school students achieved First in Course honours across eight (8) of the nine (9) Key Learning Areas, with top results recorded in Creative Arts, English, HSIE, Languages, Mathematics, PDHPE, Technologies and VET. This year, three (3) students in Catholic schools shared equal first place (amongst 5) in Dance. Three (3) of the four (4) FIC students in Studies of Religion I were from the Catholic sector. Four (4) VET students from Catholic schools achieved FIC in the examinable courses for Business Services, Construction, Electrotechnology and Entertainment Industry.
FIC were also awarded to our students in Drama, English EAL/D, English Extension 2, Economics, Italian Beginners, Portuguese Continuers and Mathematics Standard 1 Examination. A full list of FIC awards for Catholic schools is included below.
Dallas McInerney, CEO of Catholic Schools NSW, offered his congratulations to each of these students, recognising the broad subject matter offered in Catholic schools and the culture of excellence fostered at school and at home.
“I congratulate these students for their achievements. Their hard work and success have paid off and they are recognised as the most outstanding in their chosen course.
I am confident their dedication to their studies will continue to benefit them in the paths they choose. They have excelled in a world-class credential, the HSC, and this recognition will no doubt benefit them into the future. I wish them, and all our HSC students, every success for their future.”
Congratulations to:
- Emma McHardy – Dance, Bethany College Hurstville
- Maddison McRae – Dance, St Mary Star of the Sea College Wollongong
- Abbie Burnell – Dance, St Vincent's College Potts Point
- Joy Wang – Drama, Loreto Normanhurst
- Tsz Yan Tsui – English EAL/D, Stella Maris College Manly
- Yao Xiao – English Extension 2, St Aloysius' College Kirribilli
- Mankirat Kaur – English Standard, Santa Sophia Catholic College Gables
- Liam Robert Coughlin – Economics, Waverley College
- Nikitha Shaiju – Studies of Religion I, Bethany College Hurstville
- Emily Gonzalez – Studies of Religion I, Catherine McAuley Westmead
- Domenico Cocco – Studies of Religion I, St Gregory's College Campbelltown
- Chelsea Cannes – Studies of Religion II, St Vincent's College Potts Point
- Andrew Mogan – Italian Beginners, All Saints Catholic College Liverpool
- Lourenco Bento Moura Guedes – Portuguese Continuers, Holy Spirit College Bellambi
- Nicholas McKewen – Mathematics Standard 1 Examination, Gilroy Catholic College Castle Hill
- Nishika Reddy Talusani – PDHPE, Caroline Chisholm College Glenmore Park
- Charlotte D'Arcy – Design and Technology, Bethany College Hurstville
- Isabella Quilkey – Design and Technology, Bethany College Hurstville
- Catherine Smith – Industrial Technology, Bethany College Hurstville
- Allanah Touma – Business Services Examination, Mount St Joseph Milperra
- Dougald James Hook – Construction Examination, Saint Ignatius' College Lane Cove
- Finn Carson – Electrotechnology Examination, St Joseph's Catholic High School Albion Park
- Claire Naschenweng – Entertainment Industry Examination, St Patrick's College Sutherland
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