The school increased its rate of high HSC results tenfold over 2018, beating out schools like The Armidale School and Armidale High School. For every ten HSC subjects completed by a student, one of them was a band six, more than double the state average.

And adjusted for socioeconomic disadvantage the high school was in the top three for the state, according to deputy principal Helen Millar.

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"The students actually are the ones that achieve those results; as teachers and as the school we facilitate and we support that," she said.

"That doesn't just come from the last two years of being at school, that's something that comes all the way through and it also comes from the families of the students themselves.

"You put all that together and get those types of results."

Some 46 students took the HSC last year, completing 250 subjects - with students getting the top band in the state 25 times.

Canley Vale, near Cabramatta and Hastings Secondary College in Port Macquarie were the other two highest-achieving low socio-economic schools in NSW, according to analysis by the Sydney Morning Herald. The Armidale School managed an 8.24 per cent "success rate", with Armidale High School achieving a rate of 1.74 per cent, compared to the state average of 5.47 per cent, and Glen Innes' 10 per cent "success rate".

Two Glen Innes students were officially classed as 'headline achievers' with Callista Sheridan achieving top results in five subjects and Madeline Jones the second-best in the state for her favorite subject of ancient history.

But Helen Millar said success means more than just celebrating the extreme high achieving results of a few students.

"Sometimes you'll have students that start at a level where they have to work significantly harder to get anywhere near a band 6, so for some students to go from where they were at to get a band 4 or a band 5 in some of these subjects is their own personal band 6," she said.

The teacher said she was proud of the results across the school community, and said it was particularly satisfying to get such an outcome during a drought.

"It's something our staff are going through, our kids are going through," she said.

"You're far more aware of some of those big stresses for your students that you would be if you were in a different situation (like a metropolitan or larger rural school).

"And sometimes those stresses are very group-based instead of being individualistic."

Of 53 graduating students last year, 14 students hit band six in at least one subject. To hit band six you're among the top 10 to 15 per cent or so of students in the state, depending on subject.

The deputy principal said she "didn't know" if they'd be able to keep up the record into next year.

"We would look to improve is what I would say.

"We always look to improve.

"And we'll support our students to do as well as they possibly can do and for them to be able to go and do what it is - whether it be stay in town and work, whether it be go away to uni, go away to TAFE, whatever it is - to assist them in achieving those outcomes.

"Hopefully next year we'll see just as good results."