Useful Information for Employers
The Higher School Certificate (HSC)
- What documents do students receive
- All students who successfully complete the Higher School Certificate receive a Higher School Certificate Portfolio to hold their Board of Studies credentials and other important documents acquired during their time at school, such as school reports and references.
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Students receive the following documents:
1. HSC testamur
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This shows that a student is eligible for the HSC. It includes the student's name, school and the date of the award.
2. Higher School Certificate Record of Achievement
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This shows school assessment marks, examination marks, HSC marks and performance bands.
- Assessment mark - school-based assessment tasks measure performance in a wider range of course outcomes than can be tested in an external examination. Students are required to complete a number of assessment tasks for most courses which may include tests, written or oral assignments, practical activities, fieldwork and projects. Schools submit an HSC assessment mark based on performance in these tasks for every student in every course. The Board puts the marks through a process of moderation to allow a fair comparison of marks in each course across different schools.
- Examination mark - the examination mark for each course shows the student's performance in the Board's HSC examination for that course. The examination consists of a written paper, and for some courses may include speaking and listening examinations, practical examinations, or major works that are submitted for external marking. Each student's achievement is assessed and reported against set standards of performance.
- HSC mark - the HSC mark is a 50:50 combination of the student's external examination mark and school-based assessment mark for each course.
- Performance band - the student's HSC mark for each course will fall within one of six performance bands, where the highest achievement is Band 6 (90 - 100) and where the minimum standard expected is 50. A performance band of E1-E4 is shown for Extension courses. Each performance band is aligned to what a student at that level of performance typically knows, understands and can do.
3. Course reports
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Students receive an HSC course report for each course with an external examination that has been completed satisfactorily. The course report shows the student's assessment mark, examination mark, HSC mark and performance band with a description of what a student within that band typically knows, understands and can do. In most courses, it also has a graph showing where the student's HSC mark lies within the state distribution of all student performances in that course.
4. Higher School Certificate Result Summary
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The result summary is issued to students when results are released in December. It provides a summary of a student's results before the final, more detailed documents are issued.
5. AQF VET Certificate
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This certificate is awarded to students in Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses who successfully complete all requirements of an Australian Qualifications Framework VET Certificate.
6. VET Statement of Attainment
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A Statement of Attainment is issued to students in VET courses who partially complete the requirements of an AQF VET Certificate.
- Is there an overall HSC mark?
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The HSC does not report a single, overall score.
- What other information may relate to a student's employability?
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The HSC documents issued by the Board of Studies provide detailed information on a student's achievements at school, however they do not include information on how punctual a student is or his/her attitude to work. Further information, including attendance details and attitude towards study, may be contained in the documents issued by the student's school. These usually include school reports, references and documents relating to work experience and community involvement.