A record 89,903 Year 10 students in NSW sat the first of their compulsory statewide tests today to qualify for the School Certificate.

A two-day break in the HSC exam schedule allowed Year 10 students to complete the English-literacy test this morning and Science this afternoon. They will then sit the Mathematics and Australian History, Geography, Civics and Citizenship papers on Tuesday.

The online Computing Skills test will also be conducted this week, with this year marking the first time all NSW students will answer this test online.

The online test will involve students completing 100 multiple choice questions on a computer, with their responses automatically captured and marked on the Board of Studies’ computer system.

Online study resources provided by the Board of Studies have been in heavy use by students ahead of the School Certificate tests. In the week leading up to the School Certificate, students downloaded nearly half a million multiple choice practice tests from the Board's Test Yourself website.