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Media Guide for the
2005 Higher School Certificate and School Certificate

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Contents

1. Important Dates
2. 2005 HSC Facts at a Glance
3. HSC and SC Enrolment Statistics by Region
4. HSC Enrolment Statistics by Course
5. The HSC Advice Line
6. Release of HSC Results to Students
7. HSC Examination Results Inquiry Centre
8. Maps of Board of Studies Regions
9. Media Inquiries and Guidelines for Contacting Students

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1 - Important Dates

4 October	HSC Advice Line opens on 13 11 12
17 October	Higher School Certificate written examinations begin
7–8 November	School Certificate tests
10 November	HSC Advice Line closes
11 November	Higher School Certificate written examinations finish
5 December	DesignTECH – a selection of the best HSC major works from 2005 Design and Technology students – launched at Powerhouse Museum, Sydney
8 December	School Certificate award documents arrive in schools
15 December	First-in-course awards ceremony and media conference re HSC Results Release at Sydney Conservatorium of Music
16 December	HSC results available to students by internet/SMS message/telephone Media conference releasing HSC results to media, venue TBC.
16 December	HSC Examination Inquiry Centre opens on 13 11 12
17 December	University Admissions Centre releases UAI rankings to students (for information, see www.uac.edu.au) Newspapers print embargoed HSC merit lists.
20 December	HSC Student Results Summary delivered by mail
17 January	Formal HSC student credentials delivered by mail

 

2 - 2005 HSC Facts at a Glance

The Big Picture

• 65 888 students will sit an average of six exam papers each in some 750 exam centres including schools in Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia.
• There are 113 different examinations for courses ranging from English to Latin, Physics to Drama, and Software Design and Development to Primary Industries.
• Students will read from 13 million printed pages of questions and submit answers in 1.75 million writing booklets.
• A team of more than 30 people took nearly 6 weeks to pack all written examination papers for each exam centre, creating more than 50 000 parcels for distribution.
• At each exam’s end, exam supervisors ensure students’ answers are sent to marking centres wrapped in secure parcels. They annually use 42 000 sheets of brown paper, 51 kilometres of masking tape and 2000 kilograms (2 tonnes) of twine.
• The Board employs more than 5000 exam supervisors and more than 7000 markers.
• Marking takes place at venues across NSW, including Sydney, Bathurst, Coffs Harbour, Gosford, Newcastle, Tamworth, Wagga Wagga and Wollongong.
• Schools have submitted their locally assessed marks for each student: this means 50% of the total HSC marks are already held on the Board’s secure system.
• • School marks are combined with more than 30 million individual marks from external exams and measured against consistent academic standards to create a fair and easily understood result for each student.

Enrolment trends

Five years into the new HSC, the clearest overall trend is that many more students now choose advanced courses than under the previous system. Enrolments in individual courses change for many reasons from year to year and care should be taken to avoid claiming a ‘trend’ from a single year’s figures. This is particularly problematic with the smaller course candidatures, which can show large percentage increases and decreases from a small shift in enrolment numbers.

Some subject areas that may be of interest in 2005 are:

English

• English (Advanced) grew again this year to 27 688 students, and is now 37% larger than 2001. Accordingly, the number of students studying the lower level course, English (Standard), fell slightly this year.
• Enrolment in English Extension 1 increased to 6362 and is now 65% larger than in 2001. English Extension 2 now has 2647 students and is 81% larger than in 2001.

History

• History is another growth area, with Ancient History this year increasing the lead it gained on Modern History for the first time in 2004.
• Of all the HSC courses, Ancient History now has the 7th largest enrolment. It has attracted more students every year since 2001 and has grown 41% since then. Modern History is now the 9th largest course. There are 1782 students studying both Ancient and Modern History this year.

Science

• Biology is currently the 4th largest HSC course, with 13 389 students. Chemistry is the 8th largest course (10 266 students) and Physics is the 10th largest course (9443 students).
• Biology has more students this year, Chemistry remains steady and Physics is slightly lower. All have increased enrolments since 2001: Biology by 7%; Chemistry by 12%; Physics by 4%.
• About half of all HSC students are studying at least one Science course.

Mathematics

• While Mathematics is not compulsory, more than 51 000 candidates are sitting Mathematics exams this year.
• The Extension 1 and Extension 2 Mathematics courses have experienced dramatic increases in the past four years and although numbers have fallen slightly this year, enrolments remain substantially higher than in 2001.

Languages

• This year’s top three languages are: Chinese (1474 students), Japanese (1416) and French (1339). In 2004 Chinese overtook Japanese and French to become the top language for the first time.
• The 10 most popular language courses include five European languages (French, Italian, German, Spanish, Modern Greek) and three Asian languages (Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian), while one is Middle-Eastern (Arabic) and one is classical (Latin).

Vocational Education and Training

• Almost one in three students (31%) has added one or more Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses to their academic program and will gain nationally recognised employment qualifications along with their HSC this year.
• Some of the fastest growing VET courses this year are Construction (15%) and Retail Operations (11%). Hospitality is the largest VET course; its enrolments have grown every year since 2001.

3 - HSC and SC Enrolment Statistics by Region

See the maps in Section 8 of this guide for the Board of Studies regions. Students doing the HSC overseas are included in ‘Other categories’.

2005 HSC candidates by geographical region
Region	Female	Male	Total	Percentage
Metropolitan
Metropolitan East	5426	5205	10631	16.13%
Metropolitan North	3545	3721	7266	11.03%
Metropolitan South West	5136	4425	9561	14.51%
Metropolitan North West	5707	5609	11316	17.17%
Total	19814	18960	38774	58.85%
Country
Hunter	3757	3252	7009	10.64%
North Coast	2771	2283	5054	7.67%
North West	1142	941	2083	3.16%
Riverina	1612	1398	3010	4.57%
South Coast	3482	3076	6558	9.95%
Western	1762	1425	3187	4.84%
Total	14526	12375	26901	40.83%
Other categories	119	94	213	0.32%
Total of all categories	34459	31429	65888	100%
Candidates by institution type
School students	64237	97.49%
TAFE students	1627	2.47%
Self-tuition students	24	0.04%
Total	65888	100.00%

 

2005 School Certificate candidates by geographical region
Location	Female	Male	Total	Percentage
Metropolitan
Metropolitan East	5160	5312	10472	12.24%
Metropolitan North	3821	3813	7634	8.92%
Metropolitan South West	6191	6474	12665	14.80%
Metropolitan North West	7044	7313	14357	16.78%
Total	22216	22912	45128	52.75%
Country
Hunter	5239	5455	10694	12.50%
North Coast	3846	3951	7797	9.11%
North West	1588	1640	3228	3.77%
Riverina	2345	2451	4796	5.61%
South Coast	4438	4797	9235	10.79%
Western	2258	2399	4657	5.44%
Total	19714	20693	40407	47.23%
Other categories	9	10	19	0.02%
Total of all categories	41939	43615	85554	100.00%

4 - HSC Enrolment Statistics by Course

2005 HSC student enrolments by subject, course and gender as at 1 September 2005

Course name	Units	Female	Male	Total
HSC Courses
Aboriginal Studies	2	177	69	246
Agriculture	2	564	718	1282
Ancient History	2	6214	4122	10336
Biology	2	8457	4932	13389
Business Studies	2	7985	8316	16301
Chemistry	2	4780	5486	10266
Community and Family Studies	2	4163	241	4404
Dance	2	677	18	695
Design and Technology	2	1687	2507	4194
Comparative Literature	2	5	4	9
Cosmology	2	8	21	29
Philosophy	2	21	27	48
Drama	2	3770	1392	5162
Earth and Environmental Science	2	514	627	1141
Economics	2	2181	3420	5601
Engineering Studies	2	59	1355	1414
English (Advanced)	2	16466	11222	27688
English (Standard)	2	14308	16200	30508
English as a Second Language	2	1540	1468	3008
English Extension 1	1	4194	2168	6362
English Extension 2	1	1762	885	2647
Food Technology	2	2329	748	3077
Geography	2	2287	2676	4963
History Extension	1	1503	966	2469
Industrial Technology	2	292	3187	3479
Information Processes and Technology	2	1654	4234	5888
Legal Studies	2	5618	3510	9128
General Mathematics	2	14878	14039	28917
Mathematics	2	9145	10195	19340
Mathematics Extension 1	1	4147	5473	9620
Mathematics Extension 2	2	1314	1999	3313
Modern History	2	5459	4537	9996
Music 1	2	2100	2223	4323
Music 2	2	385	254	639
Music Extension	1	257	179	436
Personal Development, Health and Physical Education	2	5906	5129	11035
Physics	2	2534	6909	9443
Senior Science	2	1648	2325	3973
Society and Culture	2	2943	587	3530
Software Design and Development	2	209	2035	2244
Studies of Religion I	1	4959	4313	9272
Studies of Religion II	2	1947	941	2888
Textiles and Design	2	1672	22	1694
Visual Arts	2	6094	2505	8599
Languages Other than English
Arabic Continuers	2	152	79	231
Arabic Extension	1	52	40	92
Armenian Continuers	2	13	12	25
Chinese Background Speakers	2	725	612	1337
Chinese Beginners	2	18	12	30
Chinese Continuers	2	51	56	107
Chinese Extension	1	26	26	52
Classical Greek Continuers	2	1	1	2
Classical Greek Extension	1	1	1	2
Classical Hebrew Continuers	2	23	17	40
Classical Hebrew Extension	1	13	11	24
Croatian Continuers	2	7	6	13
Czech Continuers	2	7	1	8
Dutch Continuers	2	2	1	3
Filipino Continuers	2	21	14	35
French Beginners	2	408	59	467
French Continuers	2	629	243	872
French Extension	1	146	55	201
German Beginners	2	82	64	146
German Continuers	2	282	179	461
German Extension	1	82	48	130
Hindi Continuers	2	11	7	18
Hungarian Continuers	2	5	2	7
Indonesian Background Speakers	2	58	48	106
Indonesian Beginners	2	32	13	45
Indonesian Continuers	2	74	16	90
Indonesian Extension	1	21	7	28
Italian Beginners	2	244	79	323
Italian Continuers	2	254	91	345
Italian Extension	1	38	22	60
Japanese Background Speakers	2	30	20	50
Japanese Beginners	2	379	177	556
Japanese Continuers	2	546	264	810
Japanese Extension	1	194	106	300
Khmer Continuers	2	8	7	15
Korean Background Speakers	2	82	64	146
Korean Beginners	2	0	1	1
Korean Continuers	2	4	1	5
Latin Continuers	2	76	103	179
Latin Extension	1	35	61	96
Latvian Continuers	2	5	1	6
Lithuanian Continuers	2	2	2	4
Macedonian Continuers	2	10	6	16
Maltese Continuers	2	4	2	6
Modern Greek Beginners	2	17	9	26
Modern Greek Continuers	2	74	60	134
Modern Greek Extension	1	40	26	66
Modern Hebrew Continuers	2	16	13	29
Persian Background Speakers	2	26	23	49
Polish Continuers	2	19	7	26
Portuguese Continuers	2	11	10	21
Russian Background Speakers	2	13	7	20
Serbian Continuers	2	25	22	47
Spanish Beginners	2	128	32	160
Spanish Continuers	2	122	69	191
Spanish Extension	1	47	22	69
Swedish Continuers	2	5	1	6
Tamil Continuers	2	9	8	17
Turkish Continuers	2	52	23	75
Ukrainian Continuers	2	1	1	2
Vietnamese Continuers	2	61	45	106
Life Skills Courses
Citizenship and Society Life Skills	2	236	289	525
Creative Arts Life Skills	2	274	241	515
English Life Skills	2	552	665	1217
Mathematics Life Skills	2	477	570	1047
Personal Development, Health & PE Life Skills	2	289	351	640
Science Life Skills	2	140	194	334
Technology and Applied Studies Life Skills	2	254	329	583
Work and the Community Life Skills	2	327	413	740
Vocational Education and Training
Accounting	2	195	129	324
Business Services	2	1975	513	2488
Business Services	4	41	15	56
Business Services Examination	2	1545	402	1947
Business Services Extension	1	1	0	1
Business Services Extension	2	4	2	6
Construction	2	29	2010	2039
Construction	4	0	16	16
Construction Examination	2	25	1561	1586
Construction Specialist Studies	1	0	1	1
Entertainment	2	461	327	788
Entertainment	4	17	3	20
Entertainment Examination	2	434	278	712
Hospitality	2	5452	2328	7780
Hospitality	4	9	4	13
Hospitality Examination	2	4844	1976	6820
Hospitality Extension	2	52	17	69
Hospitality Extension	1	98	26	124
Information Technology	2	949	2617	3566
Information Technology	3	0	3	3
Information Technology	4	21	25	46
Information Technology Examination	2	787	2280	3067
Information Technology Extension	2	1	54	55
Information Technology Extension	1	3	19	22
Metal and Engineering	2	15	651	666
Metal and Engineering	4	0	1	1
Metal and Engineering Examination	2	4	455	459
Metal and Engineering Extension - Specialist Studies	2	0	27	27
Metal and Engineering Extension - Specialist Studies	1	0	3	3
Primary Industries	2	258	471	729
Primary Industries	4	0	1	1
Primary Industries Examination	2	193	355	548
Primary Industries Extension	1	1	8	9
Primary Industries Extension	2	0	9	9
Primary Industries Specialisation Studies	2	4	0	4
Primary Industries Specialisation Studies	1	4	3	7
Retail Operations	2	1365	715	2080
Retail Operations	4	9	3	12
Retail Operations Examination	2	1052	538	1590
Tourism	2	392	52	444
Tourism	4	3	0	3
Tourism Examination	2	286	37	323

5 - The HSC Advice Line – 13 11 12

The Advice Line is a telephone information service for students preparing for the HSC examinations. It provides an after-hours and weekend service leading up to and during the examination period. The Advice Line has received more than 290 000 calls since it began in 1995.

The 2005 HSC Advice Line opened on Tuesday, 4 October. It will close at 10 pm on Thursday, 10 November 2005.

The service is open from:
Monday to Friday 4 pm to 10 pm
Saturday 10 am to 6 pm
Sunday 10 am to 10 pm
The HSC Advice Line telephone number is 13 11 12.

The cost is only 25 cents, no matter where a student is calling from in NSW or how long the call lasts. No calls from mobiles.

Up to 80 lines are open at any one time for teachers to answer questions, no matter how simple or complex. Some of the questions students commonly ask are:

What kinds of exam questions will be asked in this subject?
How do I structure an essay or use quotes and reference material?
Do I have the right answer to the question in the specimen exam paper?
I need more information on this topic – help!
What equipment do I need to take into the exam room?

6 - Release of HSC Results to Students

The HSC results are available to students via the internet, SMS text message and automated telephone services from 6 am on Friday 16 December. Students will receive HSC results summaries in the mail on 20 December and their full credentials on 17 January 2006.

The pre-Christmas release of HSC results gives students more time to take advantage of career counselling and other support services before making decisions about university, TAFE and employment offers or other plans.

The Internet Results Service – www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au

• Students can access their HSC results on this Board of Studies website from 6 am on Friday 16 December by typing in their student number and PIN.
• There is no cost to students who use the website other than the charges applied by their internet service provider and/or the cost of the call.

Release of results by SMS text message – 1977 2346

• Students who want to automatically receive their HSC results by SMS can pre-register for the SMS service by text-messaging their student number and PIN to 1977 2346.
• A return text message to the student confirms that they have registered for the service and the results will be sent to their mobile phone at approximately 6 am on 16 December.
• Students who do not pre-register can still get their results by SMS by messaging their student number and PIN to the service after 6 am on 16 December.
• Students should check that their phone is in credit, that they have Premium rate access on their phone, and that there is room for messages in their phone’s inbox.
• The SMS service charge is a flat rate of $1.10.

The Telephone Results Service – 1902 220 100

• Students can access their HSC results from 6 am on Friday 16 December by using the automated telephone service.
• Students call 1902 220 100 and follow the voice prompts. They will be given information about the cost of the call and asked to enter their student number and PIN.
• To cover costs there is a charge of $1.65 per minute (mobiles and payphones will incur additional costs). A call usually lasts two to three minutes.

7 - HSC Examination Inquiry Centre – 13 11 12

The HSC Inquiry Centre will operate from 9 am on 16 December 2005 until the New Year. Students can talk to experienced Board of Studies and school staff about their Higher School Certificate results. Inquiries relating to the UAI, university admissions and post-secondary education should be directed to the Universities Admissions Centre or the annual Advisory Service for School Leavers.

8 - Maps of Board of Studies Regions

click on the individaul maps for larger view in seperate window.

 

9 - Media Inquiries and Guidelines for Contacting Students

Media Inquiries - Please direct all your HSC media inquiries to:

Rebecca Lloyd
Chief Media Officer
Office of the Board of Studies
Phone: (02) 9367 8250
Mobile: 0418 418 053
Fax: (02) 9367 8035
Email: rebeccalloyd@boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au

Guidelines for contacting students and schools

In the interests of students, journalists intending to contact schools to obtain television footage, photographs or student/teacher interviews during the Higher School Certificate examination period are asked to observe the following procedures:

• Schools generally prefer no media presence just before or during an HSC examination.
• Even with school permission to visit before an exam, do not film an exam in progress or risk distracting students who are preparing for or writing examinations.
• Mock-up shots after the exam can usually be arranged to provide images of students concentrating on their exam papers.
• Journalists seeking access to a government school or telephone interviews with teachers should contact a Department of Education and Training media liaison officer on (02) 9561 8501, preferably 24 hours in advance.
• Journalists seeking access to a non-government school should contact the school principal directly.
• Be aware that in some cases parental permission must be obtained for students to be photographed or filmed or otherwise identified or interviewed. Check this with the principal.
• Always notify the school principal on your arrival at the school.

Please call the above number at any time with questions or special requests.

Additional media information and copies of this Media Guide and the extensive Media Backgrounder can be found on the Board of Studies website: