Principal Mark Pauschmann said enrolments for junior years are full.

He expects the largest HSC contingent he has had next year to be 137 students. 

James Sheahan has 94 students sitting the HSC on Monday.

The school leavers legislation was changed to keep students in school until 17 in 2010.

Mr Pauschmann believes this was the largest contributing factor. 

“At the moment it’s a very exciting time in our junior years and we expect the next few years to be well over 150,” he said.

“Some students still do leave at 17 however a lot of them have found that well they’ve done half of the HSC why not continue through.”

He said he agreed with the change in legislation because it enabled students the best start post school.

“It gives them a sense of closure from school,” he said.

“It gives them something so say I have achieved the HSC.”

There are 439 Orange year 12 students who will sit the standard English HSC exam on Monday afternoon.

That’s only a drop of five students from last year.

Kinross Wolaroi School had the highest number of students enrolled with 135, followed by Orange High School with 124.

Canobolas Rural Technology High School will be represented by 64 students while Orange Christian school will have 22 Year 12 students. 

However, Orange Christian School run a split HSC program. Students in Year 11 sit two HSC exams while the remaining four are completed in year 12.

Kinross gained 15 students, Orange Christian School gained seven students and Canobolas High gained three.

James Sheahan lost 17 and Orange High lost 13