Both students found out today they have been classed as 'headline achievers' for results at the Higher School Certificate.

Madeline Jones was number two in NSW for her favorite subject of Ancient History, with Callista Sheridan hitting the top band for five subjects, earning the title of "all rounder".

Madeline Jones said she was so nervous about her results she woke up at 5.30 this morning - but she had to wait another twenty minutes to find out.

"About an hour later my ancient history teacher called and she said - you might have gotten second in the state," Madeline said.

"I didn't process it for about fifteen minutes.

"Everything's paid off, all the work I did."

The new graduate is aiming for a career in her lifetime passion of ancient history.

"I've been into it since I was a kid really. I don't really know where it came from, a lot of people have said the books were just sparkly!"

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An "ecstatic" high school principal Adam Forrester said of 53 students graduating, 14 students hit band six in at least one subject - the top band available.

To hit band six you're among the top 10 to 15 per cent or so of students in the state, depending on subject.

"You really need to know your content, you really need to know your stuff," he said.

"It's really very impressive."

Deputy principal Helen Millar said it was a particularly solid result given the prevailing conditions in the community.

"You have to put that in the context of a community that is in severe drought.

"That's why when I first looked at those results at 6.15am this morning I thought - that's phenomenal."

Principal Forrester described the results as a "public education success story". Both Callista Sheridan and Madeline Jones are set for life, he said.

"I think they can pretty much do what they like,

"They're very intelligent young ladies both of them. It's that old saying - the world's their oyster, they can pick and choose what they'd like to do."

He said it shows Glen Innes High school students can beat anyone in NSW, attributing the result to an enormous amount of work by both staff and students.

"All the holidays leading up to the HSC, if you came into the school here you'd think it's a school day for the seniors because the kids were in here working away."

But the success was almost entirely confined to the female students, with only one male student managing a band six result. The Principal said he wants to do even better next time.

"I want to see a lot more in the top achievers, but it does take an exceptional student and an exceptionally hard-working student to get into that (list)."

He said a lot of male students had chosen not to do the HSC, instead taking an apprenticeship as a builder, mechanic or in a range of other non-academic employment paths, he said.

Armidale Secondary College student Adam Lucas also won an all-rounder gong.

Students win a top achiever award by doing the best at a single course, a distinguished achiever award by hitting the top band result in at least one course, and win an all-round achiever gong by being a distinguished achiever in courses worth ten or more units.

Callista Sheridan was a high achiever in ancient history, advanced English, visual arts, drama and a mini-sociology course called community and family studies.