Yes it seems notoriously difficult getting a Band 6 for Standard when given the fact that less than 1% of the cohort each year in NSW receive it, but it's not impossible. This statistic is predominantly due to the fact that most of the high calibre English students take Advanced, and the 'dropkicks' are left in Standard. Though theoretically, you're marked on the same scale as Advanced, rather the difference lies in the modules and the diminished complexity of your prescribed texts. So, in order to get a Band 6, your essays must be written at the same level as a Band 6 Advanced student about much easier texts. In order to do this, I'd suggest reading your texts, have a really solid thesis—even if it means refining it 4.5 million times—it is literally what drives your essay. Get lots of drafts into your teacher and improve it with the feedback you're given. Do heaps of past papers for discovery and know the rubric inside out. Practise writing your generic essays to potential questions within exam conditions. I'm an Advanced/Extension English student, and this is what I do to achieve 85+. It's tough, but you've gotta persevere in order to reap the rewards! Are you going into Year 12 or are you in the current 2017 cohort?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk