''It's not easy for kids and the fact that so many students do so well is a testament to both their dedication and the dedication of the teachers,'' the school's principal, Suzan Dickson, said.

Despite the physical separation, students often received more focused, one-on-one attention from their teachers, Ms Dickson said, and courses could be tailored to meet individual needs. Motivated students with independent learning skills tended to be most successful.

While many students enrolled with the Open High School because their own schools did not offer their preferred subject, Callum Barry had a timetable clash. An admirer of Japanese literature, he wanted to learn Japanese and read books in the original language. But he was already taking French Continuers and Extension at St Joseph's College in Hunters Hill and ''couldn't do French and Japanese at the same time''.

Yesterday, he was named first in course in Japanese Beginners at the Open High School and hopes to use his language skills in a career in foreign affairs.

Herlin Andrianto, who topped the state in Indonesian Background Speakers, completed her other HSC subjects at Parramatta High School. Distance education ''at first was really intimidating because you have no one with you. You have to study it online and you have to read all the materials online. But … it was really interesting, really different from other subjects,'' she said.