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Introduction
This website is designed to give students and parents a guide to the requirements for a Higher School Certificate and the rules governing the selection of subjects. It is vital that both parents and students read this section carefully.
Eligibility Requirements for the HSC:
To qualify for the HSC a student must:
In each year a student must:
Course Completion Criteria:
To satisfactorily complete both the Year 11 component and the Year 12 component of a course a student must have:
What is a Unit of Study?
Patterns of Study:
Students can choose the learning pathway that best suits their individual needs.
How do I qualify for the HSC?
Full time students commencing their senior studies at St Paul’s will be required to study a minimum of 12 units. However, many students will decide to take a full load of 13 or 14units in order to provide themselves with a greater degree of flexibility and more possible options for course changes at the start of their Year 12 HSC year.
When choosing a pattern of study for their senior years a student must include the following:
How do I qualify for an ATAR?
The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) is for students wishing to gain a place at a university
A student wishing to be eligible to obtain an ATAR will need to complete a pattern of study, which incorporates at least 10 Units of Board Developed Courses, which must include the following:
The ATAR will be based on:
an Aggregate of Scaled Marks in Ten Units of Board Developed Courses Comprising:
What Types of Courses are Available?
Information about courses has been divided into the following basic groupings:
Board Developed Courses - ATAR are courses written by the NSW Education Standards Authority and are examined in the Higher School Certificate by an external examination. Board Developed Courses are eligible for consideration in the calculation of an ATAR. The majority of courses offered at St Paul’s are Board Developed courses. TAFE will deliver the Board Developed courses such as Tourism. These TAFE courses are Category B Subjects. English Studies and Mathematics Standard 1 are also classified as Category B Subjects.
Board Endorsed Courses - Non-ATAR are developed to meet the particular needs of students. Many follow more practically based courses of studies. Many of these courses have a 60% practical component and are assessed within the school. These courses are recorded on the Student’s Record of Achievement (RoSA) but are not considered in the calculation of the ATAR.
Vocational Education and Training (VET) Courses - ATAR are courses relevant to industry needs and are linked to post schoolwork, and are accredited by both the NSW Education Standards Authority and the Vocational Education and Training Board. A maximum of two units of VET courses may be considered in the calculation of an ATAR. These courses allow students to have credit for their studies transferred to another Institution, which offers similar courses of study such as TAFE. All VET courses are Category B Subjects. Taking more than two (2) VET courses is NOT recommended as too much school time is missed during work placements.
TAFE Delivered HSC Vocational Courses for Schools are courses written by and delivered at a TAFE college which may be undertaken by students from St Paul’s as part of their course of studies leading to the HSC. Generally, these courses will not be considered in the calculation for an ATAR.
Possible courses in this category include: Sport & Recreation, Childcare, Animal Care, Automotive, Autobody Refinishing, Automotive Maintenance & Engines, Hairdressing, Marine Industry, Music Industry – Business Skills/Audio Production, Introductory Nursing. You need to be aware that some of the subjects are 2 units over one year only.
How will my HSC be reported?
HSC reports will provide students with detailed descriptions of the knowledge, skills and understanding they have attained in each subject.
School based assessment will contribute to 50% of a student’s HSC mark. The school-based assessment will be based on performance in assessment tasks undertaken during the course.
The HSC examination will contribute the remaining 50% to the HSC mark.
Performance Bands
How is the HSC Mark Determined?
The HSC mark for 2 unit courses will be reported on a scale of 0 to 100. A mark of 50 will represent the minimum standard expected. If a student achieves the minimum standard expected in a course, a mark of 50 will be awarded.
There will be five Performance Bands above 50 that correspond to different levels of achievement in knowledge, skills and understanding. The Band from 90 - 100 will correspond to the highest level of achievement.
Performance Band
Aligned Mark
Band 6 90-100
Band 5 80-90
Band 4 70-80
Band 3 60-7
Band 2 50-60
Band 1 Does not display minimum level of competence 0-50
On satisfactory completion of the HSC a student will receive a portfolio containing:
HSC Credentials
This website is designed to give students and parents a guide to the requirements for a Higher School Certificate and the rules governing the selection of subjects. It is vital that both parents and students read this section carefully.
Eligibility Requirements for the HSC:
To qualify for the HSC a student must:
- Study a minimum of 12 units in Year 11
- Study a minimum of 10 units in Year 12
In each year a student must:
- Study at least two units of a Board Developed English course
- Study at least six units from Board Developed Courses
- Study at least three Courses with a value of 2 units or greater
- Study at least four subjects - including English
- Study no more than six units of courses in Science in Year 11
- From 2020, students need to demonstrate they have met a minimum standard in Literacy and numeracy to be eligible for a HSC. Students will show they meet the HSC minimum standard by passing online tests of basic literacy and numeracy skills, which are available for them to sit when they are ready in Year 10, 11 and 12 and after the HSC.
- Students must complete HSC: All My Own Work before commencing year 11 study.
Course Completion Criteria:
To satisfactorily complete both the Year 11 component and the Year 12 component of a course a student must have:
- Followed the course developed or endorsed by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA).
- Applied themselves with diligence and sustained effort to set tasks and experiences in the course.
- Achieved some or all of the course outcomes.
- Satisfactorily completed the Year 11 Course before being eligible to commence the corresponding Year 12 component of the course in which a serious attempt at the HSC examination must be made.
- Completed mandatory work placement if studying a VET Board Developed Course.
- Completed HSC assessment tasks that contribute in excess of 50% of available marks in courses where school based assessment marks are submitted.
What is a Unit of Study?
- All courses offered for the Higher School Certificate have a unit value. Subjects may have a unit value of 1 unit or 2 units. Most courses are 2 unit.
- Each unit involves class time of approximately 120 hours over the length of the course. In the HSC each unit has a value of 50 marks. Thus, a 2 unit course has a value of 100 marks.
- Extension study is available in a number of subjects. Extension courses build on the content of the 2 unit course and carry an additional value of 1 unit.
- English and Mathematics extension courses are available in both Year 11 and Year 12.
- Extension courses in Science, History, Music, some languages and VET may also be available BUT ONLY in Year 12. (Dependent upon demand and staff resources)
- Studies of Religion can be undertaken as either a 1 unit or a 2 unit course.
Patterns of Study:
Students can choose the learning pathway that best suits their individual needs.
- Students may select a pattern of study that will enable them to be eligible for University studies after the HSC. To qualify for University study immediately after school, a student must choose a program of study that will make them eligible to obtain an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR).
- Students may select a pattern of study that will make them eligible for an HSC but not for an ATAR.
- Students may select a pattern of study that will provide access to TAFE through the courses studied.
- Students may also elect to vary the length of time that it will take them to complete the requirements for their HSC.
How do I qualify for the HSC?
Full time students commencing their senior studies at St Paul’s will be required to study a minimum of 12 units. However, many students will decide to take a full load of 13 or 14units in order to provide themselves with a greater degree of flexibility and more possible options for course changes at the start of their Year 12 HSC year.
When choosing a pattern of study for their senior years a student must include the following:
- At least one unit of Studies of Religion or Studies in Catholic Thought.
- At least two units of English
- A minimum of six units of Board Developed Courses
- A minimum of twelve units in Year 11 and a minimum of ten units in the Year 12.
- A maximum of 6 units of Science may be included in Year 11
How do I qualify for an ATAR?
The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) is for students wishing to gain a place at a university
- is a rank NOT a mark
- provides information about how a student performs overall in relation to other students
A student wishing to be eligible to obtain an ATAR will need to complete a pattern of study, which incorporates at least 10 Units of Board Developed Courses, which must include the following:
- At least two units of English from a Board Developed Course
- A minimum of eight other units from Board Developed Courses
- A maximum of two units of a subject from Category B Subjects (including English Studies and Mathematics Standard 1 – both of which have an optional HSC examination)
- At least three courses of two units or greater, and
- At least four subjects
The ATAR will be based on:
an Aggregate of Scaled Marks in Ten Units of Board Developed Courses Comprising:
- The best two units of English.
- The best eight units from the remaining units, subject to the provision that no more than two units of Category B Courses be included.
- If you repeat a course only the most recent attempt will be used.
What Types of Courses are Available?
Information about courses has been divided into the following basic groupings:
- Board Developed Courses
- Board Endorsed Courses
- Vocational Education and Training (VET) Courses
- TAFE delivered HSC Vocational courses for schools
Board Developed Courses - ATAR are courses written by the NSW Education Standards Authority and are examined in the Higher School Certificate by an external examination. Board Developed Courses are eligible for consideration in the calculation of an ATAR. The majority of courses offered at St Paul’s are Board Developed courses. TAFE will deliver the Board Developed courses such as Tourism. These TAFE courses are Category B Subjects. English Studies and Mathematics Standard 1 are also classified as Category B Subjects.
Board Endorsed Courses - Non-ATAR are developed to meet the particular needs of students. Many follow more practically based courses of studies. Many of these courses have a 60% practical component and are assessed within the school. These courses are recorded on the Student’s Record of Achievement (RoSA) but are not considered in the calculation of the ATAR.
Vocational Education and Training (VET) Courses - ATAR are courses relevant to industry needs and are linked to post schoolwork, and are accredited by both the NSW Education Standards Authority and the Vocational Education and Training Board. A maximum of two units of VET courses may be considered in the calculation of an ATAR. These courses allow students to have credit for their studies transferred to another Institution, which offers similar courses of study such as TAFE. All VET courses are Category B Subjects. Taking more than two (2) VET courses is NOT recommended as too much school time is missed during work placements.
TAFE Delivered HSC Vocational Courses for Schools are courses written by and delivered at a TAFE college which may be undertaken by students from St Paul’s as part of their course of studies leading to the HSC. Generally, these courses will not be considered in the calculation for an ATAR.
Possible courses in this category include: Sport & Recreation, Childcare, Animal Care, Automotive, Autobody Refinishing, Automotive Maintenance & Engines, Hairdressing, Marine Industry, Music Industry – Business Skills/Audio Production, Introductory Nursing. You need to be aware that some of the subjects are 2 units over one year only.
How will my HSC be reported?
HSC reports will provide students with detailed descriptions of the knowledge, skills and understanding they have attained in each subject.
School based assessment will contribute to 50% of a student’s HSC mark. The school-based assessment will be based on performance in assessment tasks undertaken during the course.
The HSC examination will contribute the remaining 50% to the HSC mark.
Performance Bands
How is the HSC Mark Determined?
The HSC mark for 2 unit courses will be reported on a scale of 0 to 100. A mark of 50 will represent the minimum standard expected. If a student achieves the minimum standard expected in a course, a mark of 50 will be awarded.
There will be five Performance Bands above 50 that correspond to different levels of achievement in knowledge, skills and understanding. The Band from 90 - 100 will correspond to the highest level of achievement.
Performance Band
Aligned Mark
Band 6 90-100
Band 5 80-90
Band 4 70-80
Band 3 60-7
Band 2 50-60
Band 1 Does not display minimum level of competence 0-50
On satisfactory completion of the HSC a student will receive a portfolio containing:
- The HSC Testamur - The Official Certificate confirming achievement of all requirements for the award. See sample over page.
- The Record of School Achievement (ROSA) - This lists the courses studied and reports the marks, bands and grades achieved in each course. See sample over page.
- Course Reports in each subject studied. These will indicate the student’s marks, performance band descriptions and the graphical statewide distribution of marks in each course. See sample over page.
HSC Credentials
- Eligible students who leave school before receiving their Higher School Certificate (HSC) will receive the NSW Record of School Achievement (RoSA).
- The RoSA is a cumulative credential in that it allows students to accumulate their academic results until they leave school.
- The RoSA records completed Stage 5 and Preliminary Stage 6 courses and grades, participation in any uncompleted Preliminary Stage 6 courses and HSC results for students who have not completed their HSC
- It is of specific use to students leaving school prior to the HSC.