The NSW Higher School Certificate Information for Year 10 Students and Parents
The NSW HSC
- The Higher School Certificate (HSC) is the highest educational award you can gain in New South Wales schools.
- The HSC:
- is an internationally recognised credential
- provides a strong foundation for the future
- is standards-based. Students receive HSC marks that indicate the standard they have achieved.
Board Developed Course (BDC) and Board Endorsed Course (BEC)
Board Developed Course
- HSC exam
- counts towards HSC
- may count towards the ATAR*
- includes some VET** courses
- includes Life Skills courses
Board Endorsed Course
- no HSC exam – school-based assessment used
- counts towards HSC
- cannot contribute to the ATAR
- includes some VET courses
* Australian Tertiary Admission Rank
** Vocational Education and Training
HSC Course Structure
- All courses in the HSC have a unit value
- Most courses are 2 units
- 2 units = 4 hours of instruction per week
120 hours per yea
= 100 marks - 1 unit = 60 hours per year
= 50 marks - All 2-unit HSC courses have equal status
Requirements for the HSC
- Preliminary Course
- minimum of 12 units
- students must satisfactorily complete the Preliminary course before commencing the corresponding HSC course
- HSC Course
- minimum of 10 units
Requirements for the HSC
Both the Preliminary and HSC Courses must include:
- At least 6 units of Board Developed Courses, including at least 2 units of English
- At least 3 courses of 2 units value or greater
- At least 4 subjects (including English)
- At most, 6 units of courses in Science can count towards HSC eligibility
English Choices
- English Advanced
- Preliminary Extension English
- HSC Extension 1
- HSC Extension 2
- English Standard
- English as a Second Language (ESL)
- Fundamentals of English
- English Studies – Content Endorsed Course (Pilot)
Mathematics Choices
- Mathematics
- Preliminary Mathematics Extension 1
- HSC Mathematics Extension 1
- HSC Mathematics Extension 2
- General Mathematics
- Mathematics Applied – Board Endorsed Course
Languages
- Different courses:
- Beginners
- Continuers
- Heritage (Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean)
- Background Speakers (Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean)
- Eligibility criteria apply to all Beginners courses, all Heritage courses and Continuers courses in Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese and Korean
- Heritage Languages courses first offered in 2011 (first HSC examination in 2012)
Extension Courses
- Preliminary Extension Courses:
- English
- Mathematics
- HSC Extension Courses:
- English 1 and 2
- Mathematics 1 and 2
- History
- Music
- Some Languages
- Some Vocational Education & Training (VET) courses
Life Skills Courses
- Designed for a small percentage of students with special education needs
- Student’s curriculum options determined through collaborative curriculum planning process
- Have Board Developed status
- Can count towards HSC
- Cannot contribute to ATAR
VET in the HSC
| Industry Curriculum Frameworks | |
|---|---|
| Vocation Context | HSC Context |
| Requirements from the Training Package | Requirements from the Board of Studies |
| Competency-based assessment | Optional HSC Examination (for 240-hour courses) |
- VET courses let you complete a workplace credential while still at school
- Qualifications are recognised Australia-wide (AQF – Australian Qualifications Framework)
VET Industry Curriculum Frameworks Board Developed Courses
- Automotive
- Business Services
- Construction
- Electrotechnology
- Entertainment Industry
- Financial Services (draft)
- Hospitality
- Human Services
- Information Technology
- Metal and Engineering
- Primary Industries
- Retail Services
- Tourism and Events
Students must complete 35 hours of mandatory work placement per 120 hours of coursework.
HSC: All My Own Work
- is a program designed to help HSC students follow the principles and practices of good scholarship
- includes understanding and valuing of ethical practices when locating and using information as part of HSC studies
Students must complete HSC: All My Own Work or its equivalent before they can be entered for any Preliminary or HSC course.
Satisfactory Completion of a Course
- Students must:
- follow the course developed or endorsed by the Board
- apply themselves with diligence and sustained effort
- achieve some or all of the course outcomes
- complete work placement for VET Board Developed Courses
- make a genuine attempt at assessment tasks that total more than 50% of the available school assessment marks for HSC courses only.
Reporting – HSC
The Record of Achievement
How is the HSC Mark Determined?
- Internal assessment 50%
- External HSC exam 50%
- HSC mark 100%
School-Based Assessment
- Why is it important?
- Contributes 50% of HSC mark (and ATAR if student is eligible)
- Is a course completion requirement
- Is used to calculate an HSC mark in the case of a successful Illness/Misadventure appeal
HSC Examinations
- Contribute 50% of HSC mark
- VET exams are optional
- Some courses have practical examinations and/or submitted works or projects in addition to the written HSC examination
- Written examinations are held in October and November each year
VET Credentials
VET Assessment
- Assessment is competency based
- Assessment of relevant tasks counts towards AQF VET qualification component
What is the difference between the HSC and the ATAR?
HSC
- is for all students
- reports student achievement in terms of a standard achieved in individual courses
- presents a profile of student achievement across a broad range of subjects
ATAR
- is for students wishing to gain a place at a university
- is a rank NOT a mark
- provides information about how students perform overall in relation to other students
- provides the discrimination required by universities for the selection process
ATAR Eligibility Requirements
- Satisfactory completion of:
- at least 10 units of Board Developed Courses including 2 units of English
- at least 4 Board Developed Courses
- satisfactory completion of at least 8 units of Category A courses
- no more than 2 units of Category B courses
Calculating the ATAR
Key Considerations for Course Selection
- Abilities
- Interests/Motivation
- Career aspirations and needs
Practical Considerations
- Syllabus requirements
- Practical/Major work components
- Subject combinations
Consider:
- What do I want for my future?
- What ‘pathway’ best suits me?
- Ask for advice from:
- teachers
- parents
- year adviser
- careers adviser
- students in Years 11 and 12
- publications + website