Online HSC exams: NSW schools embracing huge digital shake-up in 2025, according to Gradeo report
New South Wales schools are embracing the move toward online HSC exams in 2025 with a new report revealing teachers and students need digital examinations now more than ever.
The report, obtained by The Nightly, reveals that teachers are at breaking point ahead of the biggest shake-up in HSC history — and students are overwhelmingly ready to embrace the new online platforms.
Education technology specialist Gradeo is set to release the report just months after the NSW Education Standards Authority revealed that three HSC exams would move online in 2025.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Those three — science extension, software engineering and enterprise computing — are set to be followed by English extension 1 and 2 in 2027.
And Gradeo’s report, titled Exploring readiness for online assessment across NSW schools, has found that schools are eager to join the digital race.
More than half of the teachers surveyed reported feeling stressed “always or often”, with workload cited as the biggest stressor.
The teachers surveyed reported that the hours spent preparing lessons and assessments were adding to teachers’ workload, with many of them crying out for streamlined systems so they could better engage their students.
Meanwhile students were found to be overwhelmingly supportive of the move.
The report also found:
- 68 per cent of teachers spend more than 10 hours per week on lesson and assessment preparation;
- 74 per cent of teachers cite workload as their primary source of stress;
- 90 per cent of students report struggles with motivation, while two-thirds face frequent stress;
- 60 per cent of students are confident using online platforms for exams, signalling readiness for the digital shift; and
- HSC students spend an average of $232 on online study tools in a race to get prepared.
“Students and teachers are digital natives, but this report shows they’ve become digital champions,” Gradeo founder Alex Dore said.
“The demand for online learning and assessment tools is stronger than ever, and we’re proud to be at the forefront of this shift.”
Catholic Schools NSW head of assessment Monica O’Brien said teachers “must adapt to better prepare students for success”.
“Teacher workload is at breaking point, and there’s an urgent need for rigorous, quality-assured test instruments that save teachers time and improve student outcomes,” she said.
