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Board of Studies NSW MEDIA GUIDE

Higher School Certificate and School Certificate 2000

The following document is a duplicate of the paper copy distributed to the media.
Download a copy in MS Word 97/98/2000 format here.

© Board of Studies 2000
Published by
Board of Studies NSW
GPO Box 5300
Sydney NSW 2001
September 2000
ISBN: 0 7313 4591 6

Office of the Board of Studies
117 Clarence Street
Sydney NSW 2000
(02) 9367 8111
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au

Guidelines for Media Access During Higher School Certificate Examinations

Schools have asked that there be no media on school premises prior to the commencement of an examination.

All media should notify the principal of their arrival on school premises.

If you wish to have access to a government school for footage, photos or student interviews during the Higher School Certificate examination period you will need to contact a Department of Education and Training media liaison officer on 9561 8501 at least 24 hours in advance.

If you wish to have access to a non-government school you should directly approach the school.

All HSC media inquiries to:
Manager, Media and Public Relations Branch
Office of the Board of Studies
Phone (02) 9367 8250
Mobile 0418 418 053
Fax (02) 9367 8479

Contents
Guidelines for Media Access During Examinations	3
2000 Higher School Certificate
Summary of important dates	6
The Higher School Certificate: continuing the tradition	7
The class of 2000	7
The HSC Timetable	9
Release of HSC results information to the media	9
Supporting HSC students	10
The HSC Advice Line	10
The Board of Studies Website	11
HSC On-line	12
HSC/TAFE Credit Transfer website	12

The Statistics	13
Candidates by geographical location	13
Candidates by institution type	13
Subjects with the largest candidatures	14
Subjects with the smallest candidatures	14
Entries in Board Developed Courses by subject, course, and gender	15
Release of results	18
Early release of HSC results to students	18
HSC results available on the Internet	18
Release of results by telephone	18
Release of results by post	19
HSC Examination Inquiry Centre	19
Marking	19
Country marking centres	19
Day marking	20
Background	20
Pathways	20
The HSC and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)	21
The Showcase	21
ARTEXPRESS	21
ENCORE	22
DesignTech	22
OnSTAGE	22
How the 2000 HSC Works	23
Examination and Preparation	23
Eligibility for the Higher School Certificate	23
Higher School Certificate assessment	23
The purpose and scope of assessments	23
Components and weightings	24
Moderation of assessments	24
Assessment rank appeals	24
Producing the examinations	25
Setting the examinations	25
Assessors	25
Oral/aural and practical examinations	25
Preparing ‘the pack’	25
Conducting the examinations	25
Supervision of the examinations	25
Special examination provisions for students with special needs	26
Illness/Misadventure appeals	26
Courses with practical examinations and submitted works	26
Marking of the Higher School Certificate examinations	28
Security	28
Employment of markers	28
Marking	28
Results	28
Reporting of results in Board Developed Courses	29
Scaled examination marks for Board Developed Courses	29
Reporting of results in Board Endorsed Courses	29
Dual-accredited vocational HSC courses	29
Result Notice	30
The Universities Admission Index (UAI)	30
The Curriculum	30
The Higher School Certificate study program	30
Types of courses	31
Units of study	33
Prescribed texts and works	33
The New HSC for 2001	34
Background to the changes	43
The main changes to the Higher School Certificate	34
Study requirements for the New HSC	34
Assessing and reporting the New HSC	35
Syllabuses	35
2000 School Certificate
Key Reforms to the School Certificate	40
Eligibility for the School Certificate	40
Key Learning Areas	40
Where School Certificate students are studying in 2000	41
Reporting of results	42
The School Certificate tests timetable	42
Illness/Misadventure Appeals	43
The Board of Studies NSW
Board Members	44
Staff of the Office of the Board of Studies	45
Board of Studies Liaison Officers (BOSLOs)	46
BOSLO Area maps	47

2000 Higher School Certificate

Summary of important dates

5 October	HSC Advice Line opens
18 October	Higher School Certificate written examinations commence
6—7 November	School Certificate Tests
16 November	Higher School Certificate written examinations finish
6 December	DesignTech opens – Powerhouse Museum
11 December	School Certificate award documents sent to schools
18 December	HSC results available to students by Internet/telephone HSC Inquiry Centre opens
22 December	HSC results available by mail
15 January 2001	ARTEXPRESS begins at David Jones — City
26 January 2001	ARTEXPRESS opens at Art Gallery of NSW
To be confirmed	Premier’s Awards for Excellence in the Higher School Certificate
5—10 February	OnSTAGE – Seymour Theatre Centre
23 February	ENCORE – Sydney Opera House

The Higher School Certificate: continuing the tradition

In the first year of the HSC in 1967, 18 369 students sat for examinations in 29 subjects. Since then, nearly 1.5 million people have been awarded this internationally recognised credential. In 2000, the HSC offers 79 subjects organised into 150 courses, and 62 883 students will sit for the examinations.

The class of 2000

62 883 students are enrolled as HSC candidates this year.
The subjects with the largest candidatures are English, Mathematics, Business Studies, Computing Studies, and Biology (in descending order), while the subjects with the smallest candidatures are Latvian, Maltese, Czech, Slovenian, and Dutch (in ascending order).
The number of females doing Design and Technology 2 Unit continues to rise, having more than doubled since 1995 (617 in 1995; 1474 in 2000).

The HSC: extended borders

Special circumstances, such as international sporting, educational or cultural commitments, can mean that some students are outside NSW at the time of their HSC examinations. In such cases, the Board will arrange for the student to sit their examinations in a special centre interstate or overseas. The centres are usually embassies or British Council offices. Strictest security is maintained at all times. This year:

five NSW students are sitting examinations while attending ballet schools in Germany, Austria, the United Kingdom and Victoria;
seven athletes are competing in sporting events overseas, including the World Junior Athletics Championships in Chile, the World Junior Badminton Competition in China and the Rugby World Cup in the United Kingdom;
three students are participating in cultural exchange programs in the United Kingdom, Ecuador and Venezuela while completing their Higher School Certificates;
three students have begun their university studies in Lebanon, the USA and Western Australia and will be sitting their HSC exams at the universities;

there are students sitting for the HSC overseas in Ecuador, Fiji, Egypt, Indonesia, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, and Zimbabwe;
students are sitting for the HSC interstate in the ACT, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Norfolk Island, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia;

there are also 187 students at schools outside of Australia who are doing the HSC in 2000. They include schools in Tonga, Singapore, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea.

The HSC for all ages

One of the oldest students this year is an 85-year-old from the North Coast, who is doing Life Management Studies, Ancient History (Personalities and Their Times), Contemporary English, Geography 2 Unit, Business Studies 2 Unit, and Mathematics 2 Unit.
An 85-year-old student from Asquith is studying English 2 Unit.
In Belfield, a 75-year-old is studying Contemporary English, Italian 2 Unit and General Studies 1 Unit.
There is a 72-year-old student in Dulwich Hill doing English 2 Unit, Mathematics in Society, Japanese Z and Spanish 2 Unit; a 71-year-old from Caringbah is studying Mathematics 2 Unit and 3 Unit; and a 71-year-old from Bellambi is doing Contemporary English and General Studies 1 Unit.
The youngest student sitting for an HSC examination is a 13-year-old accelerating student from Picton, who is completing 2 Unit and 3 Unit Mathematics.
There are a number of 14-year-olds studying HSC subjects: a student from Davidson is doing Chemistry 2 Unit; a student from Beecroft is doing Studies of Religion 1 Unit; a Tascott student is studying General French; and two 14-year olds are studying Music 2 Unit, while four are doing Computing Studies.

Please contact the Media and Public Relations Branch on (02) 9367 8250 if you would like more information regarding these students.

Examination papers of all sizes and colours

Five students sitting the HSC this year will have specially produced braille examination papers. The papers are an equivalent transcription of the standard examination papers but use a variety of techniques, including tactile diagrams.
As some students find it difficult to read text printed on paper of a certain colour, their papers have been printed in colours different from the standard papers. In 2000, 36 students will use this alternative.
Large-print examination papers, including papers with coloured print, are produced for the students with visual impairment. The papers’ type size ranges from 18pt to 48pt and most of them are printed on A3-sized paper. 81 students will be using large-print papers in 2000.
Broadsheets specially designed for colour-blind students will be used by 17 candidates in their Geography examinations.
Eighteen hearing-impaired students doing the listening examination in Contemporary English – which is aimed at testing student comprehension – will watch an Auslan, Signed English or subtitled video instead of listening to the regular audio tape.

The HSC in languages

There are 37 languages on offer in the 2000 HSC, with a total of 75 courses available.

Many languages are studied through the Saturday School of Community Languages, which has 1865 students enrolled this year; through the Open High School and other Distance Education Centres run by the Department of Education and Training; or through approved outside tutors.

Japanese remains the most popular language, with 1413 students this year – in 1979 there were only 56 students studying Japanese in NSW. French is the second most popular language, with 1359 students, while the number studying Chinese and Arabic continues to increase.

Courses in 25 of the languages offered in 2000 are developed according to a common framework, as part of the National Assessment Framework for Languages at Senior Secondary Level (NAFLaSSL). They highlight cultural awareness and emphasise the ability to communicate in a range of contexts. NAFLaSSL offers students across Australia the flexibility to sit for Year 12 examinations in subjects such as Hindi, Maltese and Latvian.

The HSC Timetable

An advance copy of the timetable for all HSC examinations has been available on the Board of Studies’ website since 7 June 2000. Individual students and schools were sent copies at the beginning of August.

Release of HSC results information to the media

The Board of Studies will provide the media with the HSC Merit List, which details the students who have achieved a mark of 90% or more for a course. This mark is a composite of both the examination mark and the moderated school assessment mark. (Note: In determining the merit list for a 3 Unit course, the sum of the students’ performances on the 2Unit/Unit Common and the 3 Unit Additional components are taken into account. A 3 Unit student cannot receive a place on the 2 Unit list by virtue of their performance on the 2Unit/3Unit Common component. Students must present both common and additional components in the same year.)

The Board will also provide a list of the HSC ‘all-rounders’, who are students who appear on the merit lists for courses totalling a minimum of 11 units. Students may meet this requirement over one or two years.

The Board of Studies does not have access to students’ UAI information from the Universities Admissions Centre. Individual UAI results are confidential and will not be provided to parties other than the student, the Universities Admissions Centre and the universities to which the student has applied.

Supporting HSC students

The HSC Advice Line

The HSC Advice Line is a telephone information service for students preparing for the HSC examinations. It complements the advice of teachers by providing an after-hours and weekend service leading up to and during the examination period. Since its inception in October 1995, the Advice Line has received over 160 000 calls.

The 2000 HSC Advice Line will open at 4 pm on Thursday, 5 October 2000 and will conclude at 10 pm on Wednesday, 15 November 2000.

The service will operate during the following hours:

Monday to Friday – 4 pm to 10 pm

Saturday – 10 am to 6 pm

Sunday – 10 am to 10 pm

The best times to call are 6—7 pm daily, Friday evenings and Saturday and Sunday mornings, as figures from previous years show there are not as many callers at these times.

The HSC Advice Line telephone number is
13 11 12

The cost is that of a local call, no matter where a student is calling from in NSW or how long the call lasts.

The Advice Line supports 40 HSC courses, including all of the most popular subjects that are listed below:

Ancient History	Legal Studies
Business Studies	Mathematics (all courses)
Computing Studies	Modern History
Economics	PDHPE
English (all courses)	Science (all courses)
General Studies	Studies of Religion
Geography	Visual Arts
Geology

The subjects that have attracted the most calls over the past five years are English, Mathematics, Economics, Modern History and Chemistry.

The HSC Advice Line is staffed by more than 700 highly experienced teachers. Up to 80 lines are open at any one time for teachers to answer questions, no matter how simple or complex. Some of the common questions students ask are:

How is the exam structured?
What does that term or concept mean?
Can you explain this topic to me?
How do I structure an essay or use quotes and reference material?
Do I have the right answer to the question in a past exam paper?
I need more information on this topic — help!
What equipment do I need to take into the exam room?
What time does the exam start?
What areas will the exam cover?
What type of questions will be asked?

To ensure that students sitting for the 2000 HSC examinations are aware of the Advice Line, a letter detailing the service’s functions and hours of operation will be sent to all HSC candidates and to principals of all NSW secondary schools.

A separate letter is also sent to students with hearing difficulties to advise them of the teletypewriter facility that is available for all listed subjects through a 1800 number.

The Board of Studies Website

http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au

Since the Board of Studies launched its website on the World Wide Web in September 1995, hundreds of thousands of teachers and students have accessed the Board’s website for information about the School Certificate, the Higher School Certificate past examination papers and reports, and other Board publications. Many regard the website as their ‘filing cabinet online’, as it contains many important documents to which they refer frequently.

The website receives an average of 120 000 ‘hits’ a day throughout the year. It is among the top 40 websites in the Education and Government categories of all sites accessed by Australians (see www.top100.com.au).
The average visitor to the Board website views seven pages. In the weeks following the launch of the final New HSC syllabuses in 1999, more than 5000 copies of syllabuses each day were being downloaded by parents, teachers and other members of the public.
Students doing the HSC can access a calendar of important dates leading up to the examinations, as well as the HSC examination timetable. They can also download or view copies of syllabuses, support materials, past HSC examination papers from 1995—99 (over 800 multi-page document files) and HSC examiners’ reports on the past HSC papers.
Students and teachers can view Board of Studies publications such as Board Bulletin, which offers important news and updates about Board activities and decisions.
About 70 e-mails a day are received on the Board’s website with orders for Board products, inquiries about the availability of particular documents and requests for general information. These are directed to the appropriate Board officer for attention.
The Board of Studies updates its site frequently (daily at busy times). The process for the web publication of documents has been refined so that now the document may appear on the website within an hour of the final version being authorised for publication.
A list of links to school websites throughout Australia is maintained, which is now over 1,200. Schools are listed at their request only.
Many access the website through links with the Department of Education and Training and Charles Sturt University HSC On-line website (http://hsc.csu.edu.au) and other link pages where the Board site is listed, such as the Macquarie University Library Link Pages.

HSC On-line

http://hsc.csu.edu.au

The HSC On-line website gives students sitting for the HSC access to a wealth of HSC resources and support, no matter where they live.

HSC On-line’s materials have been developed by highly experienced HSC teachers and examiners. Each subject site has sections for tutorials, exams and resources, and provides detailed information on core and elective topics. The HSC On-line site also includes study and exam techniques, information for teachers on on-line teaching techniques and research, links to schools, and a segment called ‘Broadening Horizons’, where students can find information on post-HSC options and careers.

It makes help available to students in most major HSC subjects, including Aboriginal Studies, Agriculture, Ancient History (all courses), Biology, Business Studies, Chemistry, Computing Studies, Cosmology, Dance, Design and Technology, Drama, Economics, English (all courses), Food Technology, French, Geography, German, Indonesian, Japanese, Legal Studies, Mathematics (all courses), Modern History (all courses), Music, PDHPE, Physics, Society and Culture, Studies of Religion, and Visual Arts. The site is constantly being updated and expanded, with Legal Studies being added recently.

The HSC On-line project is a joint venture between the Department of Education and Training and Charles Sturt University. It is supported by the Board of Studies NSW and the Professional Teachers’ Council.

HSC/TAFE Credit Transfer website

http://www.det.nsw.edu.au/hsctafe

The HSC/TAFE Credit Transfer website is a new addition to the range of educational material available to students on the Internet. It gives students quick access to information about TAFE recognition of HSC courses that they studied. They can obtain advanced standing in many TAFE courses, which means that they may not have to do all the modules in the TAFE course in which they enrol. The website has been sponsored by The Schools Consortium, which consists of the Board of Studies NSW, the NSW Department of Education and Training, the Catholic Education Commission and the Association of Independent Schools.

The Statistics

Candidates by geographical location

	*Female*	*Male*	*Total*	*% of total students*
Metropolitan Categories
Metropolitan East	5245	4687	9932	15.79%
Metropolitan North	3687	3434	7121	11.32%
Metropolitan South West	4965	4388	9353	14.87%
Metropolitan North West	5426	4848	10,274	16.34%
Total	19 323	17 357	36 680	58.32%

Country Categories
Hunter	3537	3100	6637	10.55%
North Coast	2537	2183	4720	7.51%
North West	1215	940	2155	3.43%
Riverina	1737	1458	3195	5.08%
South Coast	3224	2816	6040	9.61%
Western	1874	1551	3425	5.45%
Total	14 124	12 048	26 172	41.63%
Other Categories	14	17	31	0.05%

Total of all categories	33 461	29 422	62 883	100%

Candidates by institution type

School students	60761	96.63%
TAFE students	2095	3.33%
Self-tuition students	27	.04%
Total	62883	100%

Subjects with the largest candidatures

Subject	Candidates
English	59 708
Mathematics	58 850
Business Studies	16 615
Computing Studies	15 541
Biology	14 943
General Studies	11 787
Modern History	10 317
Chemistry	10 249
Visual Arts	10 038
Studies of Religion	9598
PDHPE	9433
Physics	9171
Geography	8223
Legal Studies	8209
Ancient History	7595

Subjects with the smallest candidatures

Subject	Candidates
Latvian	2
Maltese	2
Czech	3
Slovenian	4
Dutch	5
Sheep Husbandry and Wool Technology	6
Hindi	9
Armenian	10
Swedish	10
Hungarian	11

Entries in Board Developed Courses by subject, course and gender for the 2000 HSC at 1 September 2000

Entries by Course and Subjects

*Course name*	*Units*	*Female*	*Male*	*Total*
Aboriginal Studies	2	322	131	453
Accounting	2	195	228	423
Agriculture	2	589	875	1464
Agriculture	3	113	134	247
Ancient History (Personalities and Times)	2	1938	1260	3198
Ancient History	2	2013	1213	3226
Ancient History	3	777	394	1171
Applied Studies	1	441	426	867
Arabic Z	2	0	3	3
Arabic (General)	2	197	94	291
Arabic	2	18	19	37
Arabic	3	55	38	93
Armenian	2	9	1	10
Business Studies	2	6378	7132	13 510
Business Studies	3	1475	1630	3105
Chinese Z	2	0	0	0
Chinese (BS)	2	95	93	188
Chinese (BS)	3	279	214	493
Chinese	2	14	8	22
Chinese	3	16	18	34
Classical Ballet	2	37	6	43
Classical Ballet	3	12	0	12
Classical Greek	2	0	6	6
Classical Greek	3	1	8	9
Computing Studies (General)	2	3300	3223	6523
Computing Studies	2	2398	4746	7144
Computing Studies	3	320	1554	1874
Croatian	2	14	12	26
Czech	2	2	1	3
Dance	2	311	16	327
Design and Technology	2	1474	2458	3932
Design and Technology	3	274	253	527
Distinction Course — Comparative Literature	2	5	2	7
Distinction Course — Cosmology	2	9	12	21
Distinction Course — Philosophy	2	13	28	41
Drama	2	3083	1051	4134
Dutch	2	3	2	5
Economics	2	1788	2771	4559
Economics	3	519	789	1308
Electronics Technology	2	2	154	156
Engineering Science	2	59	1028	1087
Engineering Science	3	9	106	115
English — Contemporary English	2	9555	12114	21 669
English (General)	2	16716	12953	29 669
English	2	4502	2327	6829
English	3	1129	412	1541
Estonian	2	0	0	0
Filipino (Tagalog)	2	11	6	17
Food Technology	2	2273	567	2840
Food Technology	3	327	38	365
French Z	2	426	91	517
French (General)	2	475	132	607
French	2	82	45	127
French	3	70	38	108
General Studies	1	6231	5556	11 787
Geography	2	2936	3484	6420
Geography	3	947	856	1803
German Z	2	113	33	146
German (General)	2	234	112	346
German	2	63	56	119
German	3	66	44	110
Hebrew (General)	2	28	17	45
Hebrew	2	2	1	3
Hebrew	3	6	5	11
Hindi	2	6	3	9
Hungarian	2	6	5	11
Indonesian Z	2	63	9	72
Indonesian	2	98	38	136
Indonesian	3	21	10	31
Indonesian (BS)	2	29	19	48
Indonesian (BS)	3	10	2	12
Industrial Technology	2	164	2614	2778
Industry Studies - Retail	2	358	307	665
Industry Studies - Hospitality	2	1498	524	2022
Industry Studies - Metal and Engineering	2	8	368	376
Italian Z	2	179	44	223
Italian	2	213	103	316
Italian	3	43	28	71
Japanese Z	2	220	119	339
Japanese	2	539	189	728
Japanese	3	192	88	280
Japanese (BS)	2	41	25	66
Khmer	2	7	7	14
Korean Z	2	0	0	0
Korean	2	8	1	9
Korean	3	0	0	0
Korean (BS)	2	12	11	23
Korean (BS)	3	73	57	130
Latin	2	51	70	121
Latin	3	42	47	89
Latvian	2	1	1	2
Legal Studies	2	4490	2591	7081
Legal Studies	3	741	387	1128
Life Management Studies	2	2804	532	3336
Life Management Studies	3	643	45	688
Lithuanian	2	0	0	0
Macedonian	2	25	14	39
Malay (BS)	2	7	11	18
Malay (BS)	3	1	0	1
Maltese	2	1	1	2
Mathematics in Practice	2	3632	2514	6146
Mathematics in Society	2	15559	12181	27 740
Mathematics	2	7826	7548	15 374
Mathematics	3	3296	4058	7354
Mathematics	4	779	1457	2236
Modern Greek Z	2	12	12	24
Modern Greek	2	83	71	154
Modern Greek	3	87	28	115
Modern History (People and Events)	2	1538	1506	3044
Modern History	2	3437	2386	5823
Modern History	3	835	615	1450
Music Course 1	2	1811	1795	3606
Music 2 Unit	2	135	86	221
Music	3	222	135	357
Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE)	2	5204	4229	9433
Persian	2	28	33	61
Polish	2	20	20	40
Portuguese	2	20	9	29
Rural Technology	2	0	29	29
Russian Z	2	10	4	14
Russian	2	8	5	13
Russian	3	11	17	28
Science	3	48	37	85
Science	4	110	129	239
Science — Biology	2	9815	5128	14 943
Science — Chemistry	2	4913	5336	10 249
Science — Geology	2	74	132	206
Science — Physics	2	2617	6554	9171
Science — General Science	2	958	1374	2332
Science — Science for Life	2	1324	1626	2950
Serbian	2	32	21	53
Sheep Husbandry and Wool Technology	2	0	6	6
Slovenian	2	3	1	4
Society and Culture	2	1892	383	2275
Society and Culture	3	384	40	424
Spanish Z	2	59	15	74
Spanish	2	93	55	148
Spanish	3	58	24	82
Studies of Religion	2	608	321	929
Studies of Religion	1	4720	3949	8669
Swedish	2	6	4	10
Textiles and Design	2	518	4	522
Textiles and Design	3	201	2	203
Tourism Sector Services	2	550	83	633
Turkish	2	14	10	24
Turkish	3	48	35	83
Ukrainian	2	0	0	0
Vietnamese	2	94	42	136
Visual Arts	2	4255	2258	6513
Visual Arts	3	2598	927	3525

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Release of results

Early release of HSC results to students

Students this year will again receive their HSC results before Christmas. Results will be available by Internet and phone on December 18, and by post on December 22.

The earlier release of the results will maximise opportunities for students to use career, counselling, and other support services as they make their plans for the future.

HSC results available on the Internet

A special HSC results web page has been established on the Board’s website for the past two years. By using their student number and personal identification number (PIN), students can read their HSC results information on screen. The PIN, which is to be used for both the HSC results web page and the HSC results phone line, ensures the security of the information.

Students will be able to access their results on the Internet from 6 am Monday, 18 December 2000, coinciding with the opening of the HSC results phone line.

There will be no additional cost to those students who use this Internet service, beyond the charges applied by their Internet Service Provider and/or the cost of the call.

Giving students their results earlier gives them more time to consider their future options. The service has been a great success. In its two years of operation, about one third of the candidature used the Internet themselves, or asked their family and friends to access their results.

HSC results web page: www.hscresults.nsw.edu.au

Release of results by telephone

New South Wales students will have access to their 2000 HSC results four days before they arrive by post, by using an automated telephone service.

From 6 am on Monday, 18 December 2000 until mid-January 2001, students can ring
1902 220 100, key in their student number and personal identification number (PIN) and get their results by recorded message. The students’ PINs will be sent to them in mid-November.

The service will run 24 hours a day and it is estimated that each call will take approximately two minutes, although students will have the option of having their results repeated.

The Board of Studies established the phone service in 1997. Last year over 40 000 calls were made in the four days between the Results Line opening and students receiving their notification by mail.

The Board will also run an HSC Inquiry Centre to support the phone service. The centre will run from 9 am on Monday, 18 December 2000.

HSC Results Line number: 1902 220 100

HSC Inquiry Centre: 13 11 12

Release of results by post

New South Wales students will receive a student result summary containing the results achieved in the current year. This is posted to them to arrive by 22 December. The official award documents, including the Higher School Certificate testamur and Record of Achievement, will arrive early in January 2001.

HSC Examination Inquiry Centre

The Board of Studies runs an Inquiry Centre to support the release of the HSC results.

This year students will be able to get their results by phone or on the Internet from Monday, 18 December 2000, as well as by post on Friday, 22 December 2000. The HSC Inquiry Centre will be open from 9 am on Monday, 18 December 2000 until the New Year. It will be staffed by Board of Studies Liaison Officers, Board of Studies officers and personnel from government and non-government schools.

The HSC Examination Inquiry Centre provides an opportunity for students to discuss any queries regarding their Higher School Certificate results.

Personnel at the Inquiry Centre are able to answer questions about HSC results only. Inquiries relating to the UAI, university admissions and post-secondary education should be directed to the Universities Admissions Centre or the Advisory Centres for Students and School Leavers.

Inquiry Centre phone: 13 11 12

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Marking

The majority of HSC papers are marked by groups of markers, marking together in centres established by the Board. Both teachers and students benefit from having a wide range of markers.

Metropolitan Sydney marking in 2000 has been structured in such a way as to minimise the impact of the Olympic Games on students and teachers. The itinerant marking of performances and projects was brought forward by two weeks in Term 3. Marking of written examinations in 2000 will take place in additional venues established outside the Homebush Olympic precinct.

Country marking centres and day marking will operate again this year to give teachers valuable professional development opportunities, and allow marking to reflect the expertise of teachers throughout the state.

Teachers who mark the HSC exams are selected on the basis of their teaching experience and subject knowledge.

Country marking centres

A new centre for 2/3 Unit and 2 Unit General English Common (Writing) will operate in Gosford this year. Armidale, Bathurst, Wagga Wagga, Newcastle, Wollongong, and Coffs Harbour will again have marking centres.

Contemporary English 2 Unit (Listening) will be marked in Armidale. The Reading question from English 2/3 Unit will be marked at Wagga Wagga. The Newcastle centre markers will mark General English 2 Unit (Topic Areas), Biology, Engineering Science, Mathematics and Business Studies, and the Wollongong centre will mark Reading and Writing from Contemporary English 2 Unit as well as General Science. The Coffs Harbour centre will mark General English 2 Unit (Reading) and the Bathurst centre will mark English 2/3 Unit (Shakespeare) and Agriculture 2 Unit.

Day marking

The introduction of day marking has given teachers who would not normally have ready access to evening marking the opportunity to gain significant professional development in their subject. Schools are provided with relief when teachers participate in day marking.

The day marking initiative will continue in 2000 with day marking centres in metropolitan and country areas. Marking at the Sydney Showground will take place after the completion of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Metropolitan Sydney Area

Venue – Sydney Showground, Homebush Bay

Subject

Aboriginal Studies

Chemistry

Engineering Science

Food Technology

Legal Studies

Society and Culture (written)

Studies of Religion

Regional Areas

*Subject*	*Venue*
Agriculture 2/3 Unit Sections 1 & 3	Bathurst
Rural Technology	Newcastle
English 2 Unit Contemporary – Listening	Armidale
English 2 Unit General – Reading	Coffs Harbour
English 2/3 Unit – Reading	Wagga Wagga
English 2/3 Unit – Shakespeare	Bathurst

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Background

Pathways

The Higher School Certificate offers students a great deal of flexibility in the way they can approach their study program through the provisions offered by Pathways. In 2000 there are 9767 students using Pathways.

Under Pathways provisions, students are able to take extra time to complete their Higher

School Certificate, move through their program more quickly, or repeat one or more courses.

Students may ‘accumulate’ their studies over a longer period of time by taking up to five years to complete the HSC study pattern, and unlimited time to complete their Preliminary pattern.

Another option is to ‘accelerate’ HSC courses. Students who are gifted or talented in a particular area can undertake HSC courses ahead of their peers.

After completing their Higher School Certificate, students can also use the Pathways provisions to repeat one or more courses in an attempt to improve their Universities Admission Index (UAI).

Because they may take up to five years to complete their Higher School Certificate, students now have the option to combine part-time work or TAFE study with schoolwork.

The HSC and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The Board of Studies uses the term ‘Recognition of Prior Learning’ (RPL) as a generic term for the two mechanisms (Credit Transfer and Advanced Standing) by which the Board may recognise formal or informal study and/or relevant life experience as contributing to the award of the Higher School Certificate.

RPL arrangements are provided for individual students and are granted as follows:

Credit Transfer for study successfully completed at a TAFE or another recognised post-secondary institution;
Advanced Standing, whereby students may be exempt from certain study requirements of a particular Board course if they are able to demonstrate that they have already achieved the relevant outcomes.

The innovative HSC/TAFE Credit Transfer website at www.det.nsw.edu.au/hsctafe gives students easy access to information about TAFE courses that can be recognised for their HSC.

The Showcase

The HSC students of 2000 will participate in a range of exhibitions and performances of outstanding works.

ARTEXPRESS

ARTEXPRESS is a touring exhibition of outstanding works of art from the 2000 HSC examination in Visual Arts. New venues this year include Lismore, Albury, Goulburn, Orange and Broken Hill.

The art works in this exhibition will be in a range of media including photography, video and computer-generated works, painting, drawing, sculpture, wearables and jewellery, textiles and fibre, ceramics, collection of works, design, graphics, and integrated visual/verbal studies.

This year’s ARTEXPRESS begins at David Jones on January 15, 2001 and finishes touring on November 12. The full program is as follows:

Sydney

David Jones city store 15 January — 28 January 2001

Art Gallery of New South Wales 26 January — 25 March 2001

State Library of New South Wales 27 January — 25 March 2001

National Art School 29 January — 16 March 2001

College of Fine Arts 2 February — 25 March 2001

Regional

Newcastle Region Art Gallery 30 March — 29 April 2001

Lismore Regional Art Gallery 9 May — 10 June 2001

Albury Gallery 15 June — 15 July 2001

Goulburn Regional Art Gallery 21 July — 11 August 2001

Orange Regional Gallery 18 August — 1 October 2001

Broken Hill City Gallery 12 October — 12 November 2001

For further information, please contact Ms Lesley Brown, Exhibitions Officer/ARTEXPRESS, NSW Department of Education and Training Performing Arts Unit on (02) 9318 0114.

ENCORE

ENCORE is an annual concert of outstanding music performances and compositions from HSC Music students. The inaugural concert was held in 1989, and since 1993 ENCORE has been presented in the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House. ENCORE 2000 will take place on Friday, 23 February 2001.

In ENCORE 2000, students will present original works and performances in a range of styles and genres that represent their study of the performance and compositions of HSC Music courses (in 2/3 Unit and 2 Unit Course 1).

DesignTech

DesignTech 2000 is an exhibition of outstanding major design projects by HSC Design and Technology students. DesignTech 2000 offers an insight into how major design projects are designed and produced.

Projects are selected for DesignTech on the basis of their demonstrated creativity and

innovation, production techniques, project design and marketing aspects.

DesignTech 2000 will be exhibited in Sydney at the Powerhouse Museum from 6 December 2000 to 28 March 2001. It will be launched on Thursday 7 December at 4 pm.

The exhibition will tour Dubbo, Tamworth, Coffs Harbour and Wagga Wagga, with further regional venues to be announced.

OnSTAGE

Exemplary Drama students from the 2000 HSC will have an opportunity to perform their group presentations and individual projects in performance as well as present their design, script writing, and critical analysis projects at OnSTAGE 2000.

OnSTAGE comprises a series of group-devised and individual performances as well as an

exhibition of script-writing, set, costume, lighting and publicity design projects, which reflect the hard work, talent and dedication of students and their teachers.

Writers OnSTAGE is a one-show-only, rehearsed reading of two exemplary scripts from the script-writing individual project. Student video projects will also be shown during Writers OnSTAGE.

The OnSTAGE season will be from Monday, 5 February 2001 to Saturday 10 February 2001 at the York Theatre, Seymour Theatre Centre, Chippendale NSW. Writers OnSTAGE will take place on 9 February 2001 in the Everest Theatre, Seymour Theatre Centre.

For further information on DesignTech, ENCORE and OnSTAGE, please contact Ms Teresa Renneberg, Exhibitions Coordinator, Board of Studies on (02) 9367 8309.

How the 2000 HSC Works

Examination and Preparation

The Board of Studies NSW organised 69 examination committees to set 344 different examination papers for 130 courses between September 1999 and l July 2000. In addition, examination papers for some small candidature languages were set by other States participating in the National Assessment Framework for Languages at Senior Secondary Level (NAFLaSSL).

It took more than 40 staff members nearly eight weeks to pack all the written examination papers for all students in each course, which resulted in over 50 000 parcels.

More than 4000 people will supervise the HSC examination sessions in 750 examination centres. These centres are mostly in schools and TAFE NSW institutes that have more than 40 candidates.

Other examination centres will be set up in all States and Territories in Australia, as well as on a number of islands off the coast of Australia. Internationally, examination centres will be set up at the place at which a candidate is located at the time of the HSC examinations (see ‘The class of 2000’ on page 7). The centre may be located at a school, another institution or the Australian Embassy in the relevant region.

Eligibility for the Higher School Certificate

To be eligible for the 2000 Higher School Certificate, students must follow a course of study comprising a minimum of 11 units of Preliminary (Year 11) courses and 11 units of HSC (Year 12) courses at a government or registered and accredited non-government school, through TAFE NSW or a school outside New South Wales that is recognised by the Board.

Students may enter for courses they have studied at another school or TAFE in addition to those studied at their own school. For example, 1865 students have entered for the HSC examination in languages studied at the Department of Education and Training’s Saturday School of Community Languages. A student may also enter for an ‘outside’ subject that has been studied with a private tutor, if this is approved by the school principal.

Higher School Certificate assessment

Students will have a scaled examination mark and a moderated assessment mark reported separately on the Record of Achievement. The examination mark is based on examination performance and the assessment mark is based on tasks undertaken during the HSC course.

The purpose and scope of assessments

Assessments are designed to measure a wider range of achievements than can be measured by the external examination, and they use a number of measures over the HSC year to provide an accurate measure of each student’s achievement for the course. Together, the examination and assessment marks provide a more accurate and complete picture of a student’s achievement.

Towards the end of the HSC course, schools provide a mark based on a student’s performance in set assessment tasks. To ensure that comparisons of results for the same courses from different schools throughout the state are fair, assessments from each school are adjusted to a common scale of marks using the exam marks in the course from the school (moderation).

Assessments are required for most courses developed or endorsed by the Board. They are not required for dual-accredited vocational courses with student logs, such as Industry Studies.

Moderated assessments are reported on the Record of Achievement and are available for use in Illness/Misadventure appeals. Assessments provided by tutors of outside subjects are not reported but may be used in Illness/Misadventure appeals (see page 26).

Components and weightings

To assess students’ achievements, courses are divided into components that represent the skills and knowledge objectives of the course. The components are weighted and the school devises individual assessment tasks to measure a student’s performance consistent with these components.

For example, the weightings of the components of the English 2/3 Unit (Related) course are:

Component Weighting (%)

Syllabus Objective 1 40

Resources and Uses of English

Study of non-literary material

Oral English

Writing

Syllabus Objective 2 60

Shakespeare

Poetry

Novel

Drama

Total 100

Moderation of assessments

The assessment marks awarded to students in each course are adjusted to match the average (mean) of those students’ scaled examination marks (SEM). A similar spread of assessments to the exam marks is achieved by setting the top assessment to the top SEM and, where possible, the lowest assessment to the lowest SEM. This places the assessment marks on a common scale, allowing them to be compared with assessments from other schools.

Because the raw assessment marks cannot be compared fairly, schools are not allowed to reveal these to students. However, the Board informs students of their ranking within the school for each course after the final examination. Schools are required to provide feedback on performance in each assessment task that contributes to assessment throughout the course.

Assessment rank appeals

After all students at a school have finished their examinations, students receive advice from the Board showing their position within their school in the rank order for assessments in each course they studied. If students consider their placement in any course incorrect, they may apply to the school for a review.

There is no provision for a review of the actual marks awarded for assessment tasks. The only matters a school may consider are whether:

the weightings specified by the school in its assessment program conform with the Board’s requirements;
the procedures used by the school for determining the final assessment mark conform with its published assessment program;
there are computational or other clerical errors in determining the assessment mark.

The final date for applications for a school review of assessments is 17 November 2000. The school will advise the student of the outcome of the review by 24 November 2000. If a student is dissatisfied with the outcome of a school review, appeal to the Board is possible.

Producing the examinations

Setting the examinations

HSC examinations are set by examination committees that usually comprise six people, including practising teachers and representatives from tertiary institutions. This year 69 committees prepared 344 different examination papers for 130 courses set in NSW.

In addition, examination papers for a number of small candidature languages are set by other States participating in the National Assessment Framework for Languages at Senior Secondary Level (NAFLaSSL) scheme.

Special versions of examinations, such as braille papers, are prepared for students with special needs (se page 8).

Assessors

After examinations are set, each paper is assessed by practising teachers not teaching the subject that year and a syllabus expert. The assessor checks whether the paper is a fair and valid examination of the relevant course and attempts the actual paper to ensure its fairness to students. It is also assessed by a specialist to ensure that students with special needs are not disadvantaged.

Oral/aural and practical examinations

For examinations in most modern languages, cassette tapes are produced in a high-quality form to test a student’s listening skills. Sample tapes are prepared by examination committees and checked by assessors.

Each aural examination is then produced using two readers who are native speakers of the language.

Compact discs are prepared for the Music aural exams.

Cassette tapes are produced for the Contemporary English Listening Paper. Special videotapes in sign language are prepared for hearing-impaired students studying Contemporary English.

Examinations in Industry Studies include a practical and written examination paper in Retail, Hospitality, and Metal and Engineering. A video is produced for the Retail Practical examination.

Preparing ‘the pack’

Once examination cassettes, disks and videotapes are produced and examination papers printed, compilation of ‘the pack’ begins. This involves packing and labelling enough cassette tapes, CDs, videos and sets of papers in each course for all students at each examination centre.

Conducting the examinations

Supervision of the examinations

The task of running each examination centre is the responsibility of a Presiding Officer (PO). The Presiding Officer is responsible for supervision throughout the examination period and is assisted by a number of supervisors.

Special examination provisions for students with special needs

The Board of Studies administers a special examination provisions program each year for the HSC examinations and School Certificate Tests. This program is designed to provide practical support to students with special examination needs.

Arrangements may include provision of large print, coloured, and braille papers; the assistance of a writer; provision of an appropriate reader or oral interpreter; rest breaks; use of a typewriter or keyboard; provision for special furniture and lighting; and establishment of a special examination centre or separate supervision.

Applications for special examination provisions for students with disabilities were submitted to the Board of Studies from September 1999. Arrangements needed as a result of accidents or other emergencies may be applied for up to and including the examination period.

Illness/Misadventure appeals

Students who are prevented from attending an examination, or whose performance has been affected by illness or misadventure immediately before or during the examination, may lodge an appeal with the Board of Studies.

Students must notify the Presiding Officer at every examination session in which they consider their performance may have been affected. The student is responsible for lodging an appeal with the Board of Studies by 16 November 2000 except in the case of oral/aural or practical examinations, where the appeal must be lodged within one week of the date of examination. Appeals must be supported by appropriate documentary evidence.

If an appeal is upheld, in most cases a student’s achievement may be measured by the use of the moderated school assessment mark for that subject. In general, appeals are not considered for courses for which no assessment is available.

Courses with practical examinations and submitted works

Some HSC subjects involve forms of examination other than written examination papers. For example, all modern languages have an oral/aural component. In 2000, to minimise the impact of the Olympic Games on students, all practical examination dates and submitted works deadlines in Term 3 were brought forward by two weeks.

Visual Arts

Candidates in Visual Arts submit an artwork, or series of artworks, for examination. This contributes 50% of the final mark for the 2 unit course, the other 50% being derived from a written examination. Artworks are produced in a wide variety of media including painting, film and video, sculpture, drawing, photography, jewellery, design and graphics. Students taking the 3 unit course may choose to submit an additional submitted artwork or an integrated visual/verbal study or undertake another written examination.

Music performance

All students of Music courses are examined in music performance. Depending on the student’s choice of electives, this may contribute between 10% and 70% to the 2 Unit Course 1 total examination mark. In Music 2/3 Unit, performance is worth between 20% and 50% and in Music 3 Unit, students may specialise totally in performance. Candidates may present solo and/or ensemble performances using instruments or voice.

Classical Ballet, Dance, and Drama

Practical examinations for Classical Ballet 2/3 Unit and Dance 2 Unit were held at central metropolitan venues in August 2000. Performance in Classical Ballet 2 Unit contributes between 15% and 55% of the total examination mark, depending on the student’s choice of electives. Performance in Dance 2 Unit contributes between 20% and 60% of the total examination mark, depending on the student’s choice of electives.

Group performances and group presentations of an original devised piece of theatre in Drama 2 Unit were examined in schools throughout the metropolitan and country areas in August 2000. The group presentation is worth 35% of the total examination mark.

Design and Technology

Introduced for Year 12 students as an HSC course in 1994, Design and Technology has broadened the school approach to technology education. It can include study of areas such as computer graphics, aquaculture, textiles, desktop publishing, building and construction, manufacturing and entertainment.P

Design and Technology is one of the major subjects offering students the chance to provide a submitted work as part of their Higher School Certificate.

Industry Studies

Candidates in Industry Studies present in one of three strands – Hospitality, Metal and Engineering, or Retail. Retail students present for a practical exam based on responses to a video. Metal and Engineering and Hospitality students undertake, and are examined on, a practical task in the presence of two independent HSC markers.

Industrial Technology

Students entered for the course have completed practical components in Automotive, Building and Construction, Electronics, Furniture and Timber Products, Graphics and Multimedia, Metals and Engineering or Plastics. The practical projects were marked by itinerant markers visiting schools across the state in August.

Projects and reports

Twelve courses require candidates to submit a project or report for examination. Students select and pursue an area of interest closely related to the basic concepts of the course. For example, Design and Technology 2 Unit candidates carry out a Major Design Project, which will result in a product, a system or an environment, and a folio documenting all aspects of the project. Music (Board) students may submit scores and tapes of their original compositions and arrangements and/or an extended essay on topic(s) from the syllabus, while the Society and Culture candidates complete a Personal Interest Project based on a topic related to the fundamental concepts of the course.

Languages

In 25 language subjects, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia and Victoria cooperate to provide one common examination for students of these languages living anywhere in Australia. This means, for example, that a student of Hindi living in Broome will do the same examination as a student living in Sydney. Each student will receive recognition for their results from their own State or Territory certification authority. This is known as the NAFLaSSL (National Assessment Framework for Languages at Senior Secondary Level) Project.

Marking of the Higher School Certificate examinations

Security

A high level of security is maintained throughout the whole of the Higher School Certificate operation.

Security procedures include allowing entry to marking centres for authorised personnel only. Security guards are employed to guard each marking centre.

Employment of markers

More than 7,000 markers will mark the exams at 20 venues. They will be assisted by 700 clerical staff. The largest centre is the Sydney Showground and Exhibition Centre at Homebush Bay. Other centres in the Sydney metropolitan area will accommodate smaller numbers of markers. All together, the Sydney-based marking operation covers 72 subjects. As well as those in Sydney, marking centres will be set up in Gosford, Newcastle, Wollongong, Wagga Wagga, Bathurst, Coffs Harbour and Armidale.

Marking

A Supervisor of Marking is appointed to coordinate the marking of each subject. Supervisors of Marking ensure that markers are fully briefed at the beginning of the marking session.

The majority of HSC papers are marked by groups of markers, marking together in centres established by the Board of Studies. See pages 19—20 for information about Country Marking Centres and Day Marking.

Reliability control measures

Generally, questions that require free-response answers (eg essays) will be double marked. For example, all questions in subjects such as English and General Studies will be marked by two examiners. In the case of significant discrepancy between the marks awarded by these two examiners, additional independent marking is undertaken. Since different examiners are assigned to mark the various questions in the papers, in some subjects up to 10 different examiners are likely to mark a student’s paper.

Questions or parts of papers where students are given detailed guidance as to the structure

and nature of the answer required, and where the range of responses can be specified, will be marked by one examiner supported by a range of additional checks.

Where single marking is used, additional checking procedures are employed throughout the marking process. Where appropriate, these will include daily statistical checks.

Results

Students will be able to access their 2000 Higher School Certificate results on Monday, 18 December 2000 via the Internet and an automated phone service (see page 18). Students will each receive a results summary sheet by mail, through Australia Post, on Friday, 22 December 2000. Higher School Certificates and Records of Achievement will be delivered in January 2001.

All students who satisfactorily complete at least one HSC course will receive a Record of Achievement listing courses and results.

Students who have not completed all requirements for the award of the HSC will receive a Higher School Certificate Record of Achievement but not a Higher School Certificate. Self-tuition students will receive only a Result Notice, which lists their results in each examination.

On the back of the HSC Record of Achievement is an explanation of the way in which the Board determines the marks and percentile bands for each course.

All students will receive an application form for a clerical processing recheck for externally examined courses. There is no provision for re-marking of papers, but a clerical recheck ensures that all answers have been marked, and that marks have been correctly allocated and computed.

The Universities Admissions Centre will send students separate advice of their Universities Admission Index (UAI) at the same time as the Board sends out students’ HSC results. The UAI is confidential and will be known only by the student, UAC and the universities to which the student has applied.

Reporting of results in Board Developed Courses

Students’ results in the various Board courses are reported by a scaled examination mark, a moderated school assessment mark and a percentile band that shows each student’s relative position in that course.

Students who are absent from an examination for which they are entered, and who do not have an Illness/Misadventure appeal upheld, will receive neither an examination mark nor a moderated assessment mark for the paper concerned.

Scaled examination marks for Board Developed Courses

In all 2 unit courses the scaled examination mark is out of 100, with the median mark for all students set at 60. The pattern of marks in large candidature 2 unit courses (except English 2 Unit Related) will be such that:

1—2% of candidates will be awarded marks of 90 or more;
approximately 25% of candidates will be awarded marks of 70 or more;
no less than 50% of candidates will be awarded marks of 60 or more;
no less than 75% of candidates will be awarded marks of 50 or more;
no more than 5% of candidates will be awarded marks of less than 30.

Variations of this pattern of marks will occur for students doing 1 unit, 3 unit and 4 unit courses. These variations will be explained in detail in the literature accompanying the Certificate or Result Notice.

In this context there is no ‘pass mark’. The HSC is not designed to indicate the concept of passing or failing.

Reporting of results in Board Endorsed Courses

These courses are not examined by the Board and results are reported in terms of assessment marks submitted by schools and colleges. These marks are not moderated and cannot be compared with marks awarded in similar courses at other schools or for Board Developed Courses. Board Endorsed Courses have the symbol *** in the space designated for the examination mark.

Dual-accredited vocational HSC courses

In Industry Studies 2 Unit and vocational Content Endorsed Courses, a student log provides specific information on modules successfully completed for the course.

Students who successfully complete the Industry Studies 2 Unit course or a 240-hour

vocational Content Endorsed Course will receive a Certificate issued by the Board of Studies under authorisation from the Vocational Education and Training Accreditation Board (VETAB). Students who successfully complete modules that total less than 240 hours will receive Statement(s) of Attainment issued by the Board of Studies under authorisation from VETAB.

TAFE-delivered VET courses that are Content Endorsed Courses or Board Endorsed Courses will be reported as being satisfactorily completed. Students will also receive a VET Certificate or Statement from TAFE.

Result Notice

Result Notices are issued to students who are not enrolled at an accredited school or a school recognised by the Board. Such students cannot receive either a Record of Achievement or a Higher School Certificate testamur. The Result Notice is a cumulative record, which will list the courses satisfactorily completed and the results achieved.

The Universities Admission Index (UAI)

The Universities Admission Index (UAI) is calculated by the universities and released by the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC).

The UAI is calculated from the scaled aggregate of the marks in the best ten units of Board Developed HSC Courses, subject to the following restrictions:

at least one unit of English must be included;
at least one unit from each Key Learning Area Group (KLA Group 1 — Science/ Mathematics/ Technological and Applied Studies; KLA Group 2 — Languages/Human Society and Its Environment/ Creative Arts/ Personal Development, Health and Physical Education) must be included;
no more than two units of Category B courses may be included in the calculation of the UAI (contact the Board of Studies for a full list of current Category B courses).

The UAI may include units accumulated by a candidate over a period of up to five years.

Board Endorsed Courses do not count towards the UAI.

The scaling process used to calculate the UAI enables marks obtained in different courses to be added together for tertiary entrance purposes. It is not valid to add the marks from the Board’s Record of Achievement in an attempt to approximate a UAI, as doing so takes no account of the comparative difference between candidates in different courses.

It should also be stressed that the UAI is a rank or position, not a mark. The UAI shows where a student stands in relation to their cohort in the state. Students on the top rank will receive a UAI of 100.

Students will only receive a UAI if they have requested it on their HSC entry form. Their HSC results are forwarded to the Universities Admissions Centre, which will then send students their UAI results, in a separate envelope, at around the same time as the Board of Studies sends out HSC results.

A student’s UAI is confidential and will only be known by the student, UAC and the universities to which the student applies.

The Curriculum

The Higher School Certificate study program

To qualify for the 2000 Higher School Certificate, students must study a pattern of Preliminary and HSC courses. Both patterns must comprise at least 11 units of study including:

at least two units of English
at least one unit from Key Learning Area Group 1 (Science/ Mathematics/ Technological and Applied Studies [TAS])
at least one unit from Key Learning Area Group 2 (Languages /Human Society and Its Environment [HSIE]/ Personal Development, Health and Physical Education [PDHPE]/ Creative Arts)
at least 6 Units of Board Developed Courses.

Students may undertake a combination of Board Developed and Board Endorsed Courses to make up the 11 required Units for both the Preliminary and Higher School Certificate patterns. However, at least six of these Units must be Board Developed Courses for the students to be eligible for the award of the Higher School Certificate.

Types of courses

The Preliminary and HSC courses fall into a number of categories.

Board Developed Courses

These are courses that are set and externally examined by the Board of Studies, eg English, Mathematics, Biology, Computing Studies and Visual Arts. These courses may contribute to the calculation of a Universities Admission Index (UAI).

Board Endorsed Courses

These include courses that may be developed by schools or colleges of TAFE NSW. Board Endorsed Courses contribute to the HSC program of study but do not contribute to the calculation of the UAI.

Board Endorsed Courses fall into two categories:

Content Endorsed Courses

Content Endorsed Courses (CECs) were introduced in 1985. They are developed by the Board of Studies from exemplary school-designed courses for statewide implementation. Currently there are 17 non-vocational CECs:

Ceramics	Photography
Computing Applications	Practical Writing Skills
Drama and Theatre	Religion Studies
Environmental Studies	Skills for Living
Exploring Early Childhood	Sport, Lifestyle and Recreation Studies
Horticulture	Studies in Dance
History for Leisure	Visual Design
Marine Studies	Work Studies
Mass Media Studies

The Board of Studies is reviewing the CECs. New or revised CECs will be undertaken by Year 11 students in 2001.

School-designed Board Endorsed Courses

Board Endorsed Courses are designed by schools to meet the particular needs of their students and to extend the range of courses offered. These courses must be endorsed by the Board of Studies for inclusion in an HSC program of study. This flexibility means that schools can use local resources and personnel most effectively to the advantage of students.

There is a broad range of school-designed Board Endorsed Courses available for HSC candidates in 2000. Generally, there are two broad requirements for the endorsement of a school-designed BEC:

the course must meet an educational need that cannot be met by an existing Board Developed or Content Endorsed Course; and
the course must meet the Board’s requirements for the course aim and objectives, content and assessment of student achievement. These courses must be as challenging as Board Developed Courses of equivalent unit value and duration. Schools must complete a course evaluation as a condition of endorsement. Non-vocational BECs are endorsed for a maximum of four years.

There are also additional requirements for school-designed vocational BECs.

Dual-accredited vocational HSC courses

These courses may be Board Developed, Content Endorsed or school-designed Board Endorsed Courses. They contribute to the Higher School Certificate and can be either 1 or 2 Units. The courses have the following features:

they are dual-accredited; that is, accredited by the Board of Studies for HSC purposes and the Vocational Education and Training Accreditation Board (VETAB) for industry purposes;
they are written and assessed in competency-based terms;
they are arranged in a modular structure and are based on national training curriculum where available;
successful completion of modules allows advanced standing into TAFE and a range of traineeships and apprenticeships;
students can be taught in a variety of settings, including schools, TAFE, private training organisations and industry;
in addition to their Higher School Certificate and Records of Achievements, students receive a Vocational Certificate or Statement of Attainment for school-delivered courses and a TAFE transcript of results for TAFE delivered courses.

School-delivered vocational courses

Industry Studies is the only Board Developed, school-delivered vocational course. Students

choose one of three strands; Metal and Engineering, Hospitality or Retail. Industry Studies is externally examined and may contribute to the calculation of the UAI.

The dual-accredited vocational Content Endorsed Courses (CECs) available for delivery by

schools are:

Building and Construction
Electronics
Furnishing
Hospitality
Office Skills
Retail
Rural Industries.

Industry Studies and the vocational Content Endorsed Courses include a mandatory workplace learning component. Vocational Content Endorsed Courses and vocational Board Endorsed Courses contribute to the HSC but not to the UAI.

TAFE delivered (formerly JSSTAFE) dual-accredited vocational courses

There is a wide range of TAFE delivered courses. These courses may be Board Developed,

Content Endorsed or Board Endorsed. There are three Board Developed TAFE delivered courses:

Accounting
Electronics Technology
Tourism Sector Services.

Only one of these courses may count towards the UAI.

There is a wide range of Content Endorsed TAFE delivered Courses. The most popular areas

include Office Studies, Hospitality, Automotive, and Building and Construction.

Distinction Courses

Distinction Courses are high-level HSC courses delivered by universities through distance education. Eligible students need to complete one or more HSC courses at the highest level, one or more years ahead of their cohort. The courses consist of 2 units of study, which are additional to the required 11 units of HSC study but can be counted towards the calculation of the UAI. In 2000 three Distinction Courses are offered – Cosmology, Comparative Literature and Philosophy.

Units of study

Most subject areas have a number of courses that are divided into units of study. The number of units is based on the amount of indicative school time spent studying the course.

Most Board Developed Courses are 2 unit, two-year courses and most have a 3 unit additional HSC course of study. Mathematics and Science both have a 4 unit additional course. Others, such as General Studies and Applied Studies, can only be studied as 1 unit courses.

Each unit requires approximately 60 hours of classroom study per year. Therefore, a student taking Science 4 Unit for Preliminary and HSC courses could expect to study that course for approximately 240 hours each year.

The higher unit values allow students with special aptitude for, or interest in, a particular

course to study the content more deeply and pursue more of the available options.

There are three kinds of 2 unit Board Developed Courses:

2 unit courses that lead to a 3 unit course in the subject
2 unit courses that do not lead to a 3 unit course in the subject
2 unit Z courses in Languages, designed for students who begin study of the language for the Higher School Certificate in the Preliminary course.

3 unit courses incorporate all of a 2 unit course. Students in 3 unit courses sit for the examination for the 2 unit course (and any other submitted work required) and then will prepare for an additional examination and/or submitted works.

3 and 4 unit courses in Mathematics and Science

Mathematics 3 Unit is a course of study that incorporates all of the 2 unit course and would generally require 180 hours of timetabled school time in each of the Preliminary and Higher School Certificate courses.

Science 3 Unit is interdisciplinary and contains some Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Geology. It requires 180 hours of timetabled school time in each of the Preliminary and Higher School Certificate components.

Mathematics 4 Unit incorporates all of the 3 unit course and would require approximately 180 hours of timetabled school time for the Preliminary component followed by 240 hours for the Higher School Certificate component.

Science 4 Unit requires 240 hours of timetabled school time for each of the Preliminary and Higher School Certificate courses.

Prescribed texts and works

For many subjects in the 2000 HSC there are prescribed texts, topics, projects and works that students will have studied specifically for the examination. These texts and topics were determined at least two years in advance of their inclusion to ensure that schools were able to plan ahead. 2000 HSC course prescriptions and other important information are set out in the Key Learning Area Handbooks.

The New HSC for 2001

Background to the changes

In 1995, the NSW Government appointed Professor Barry McGaw to conduct the most extensive review of the HSC in its 30-year history. His report, while recognising the HSC as a world-class credential, confirmed key concerns held by the community, including:

too many students studying courses that were not sufficiently challenging
many schools could only offer a small range of courses
too much focus on maximising the TER at the expense of the educational needs and interests of students
an assessment and reporting system based on scaling marks and ranking students rather than reporting the standards of learning achieved.

The New HSC has been developed from the Government’s White Paper, Securing Their Future, of August 1997. The 2 unit structure, which has emerged from three years of research and consultation, enables students to have greater access to more rigorous courses of study. It will also provide HSC candidates with the opportunity to study courses that prepare them for further education and training, employment and full and active participation as citizens.

The main changes to the Higher School Certificate

The New Higher School Certificate has commenced with Year 11, 2000. The main changes are:

2 unit subjects as the basic building block of the senior school curriculum
courses redesigned to extend students academically
subject standards are higher, drawing on best practice in Australia and internationally
reporting in each subject of the standards of knowledge, skills and understanding achieved by students
marks will not be scaled to fit a predetermined statistical distribution. Students will receive marks on a scale from 0 to 100, along with descriptions of the standard of performance they have achieved. A student who achieves the minimum standard or better will receive a mark of 50 or more
improved opportunities for the study of vocational education and training courses that meet industry needs and provide students with portable, work-related qualifications as well as their HSC.

Study Requirements for the New HSC

Students must study a minimum of 12 Units at Preliminary level and a minimum of 10 Units at HSC level. Both the Preliminary and HSC study patterns must include at least:

six units of Board Developed Courses
two units of a Board Developed Course in English
three courses of two unit value or greater
four subjects.

Assessing and reporting the New HSC

The new examinations will be marked and reported against set standards that describe the various levels of knowledge, skills and understanding students can achieve.

Marks will range from 0—100, where 50 will represent the minimum standard expected in each subject. This is a change from the current norm-referenced approach of scaling marks to a predetermined distribution.

As well as a mark out of 100, students’ achievement will place them into one of six bands. Each band will give a description of the attainments typically demonstrated by students. The Board of Studies and HSC examiners have studied past examination papers and student performance to develop the descriptions of typical student achievement within each band.

The HSC mark received by each student will be a 50:50 combination of external examination and school-based assessment mark. The internal school-based assessment mark summarises the student’s performance in assessment tasks set and marked by the school. The external examination mark is gained by the student in the examinations set and marked by the Board of Studies.

On completion of the HSC, each student will receive:

the HSC testamur
a Record of Achievement, and
individual Course Reports summarising examination and school assessment performance for each course. (See page 36 for information about VET credentials.)

Syllabuses

Release of the New HSC syllabuses

Extensive consultation was an integral part of the development of the syllabuses and support documents for the New HSC. The syllabuses were released in July 1999, giving teachers time to prepare to teach the new syllabuses to Year 11 students in 2000.

There has been thorough consultation during the development of all the syllabuses with teachers, schools and academics as well as industry and community organisations. Submissions from a total of 7610 teachers, 1924 schools, 482 academics and 560 industry and community groups were considered in their preparation.

The changes to the syllabuses were made in line with the new course arrangements, the findings from the evaluation process and changes to assessment outlined in Securing Their Future. In most cases, this has involved reorganising existing content into the new course structures. For the vast majority of subjects, the content of courses remains familiar and has much in common with existing courses.

The new course arrangements

The evaluation of the HSC affirmed the 2 unit structure as the basic building block of the HSC curriculum, with subjects being offered in 2 unit components. Study in the majority of subjects will involve a 2 unit Preliminary course and a 2 unit HSC course.

Additional components will be offered in selected subjects. All new courses will meet or exceed the standards now being achieved in the current HSC.

Under the new arrangements, students will be able to choose in-depth, specialised study programs or broader patterns of study according to their plans and skills. For each course, students will know whether it leads most directly to university study, to accredited TAFE NSW courses or to particular career opportunities.

Extension courses, which require students to work beyond the standard of the 2 unit course on which they are based, are offered in English, mathematics, music, history, some languages and vocational education and training courses.

There will be opportunities for students to undertake accelerated study in undergraduate university courses in several subjects.

The New HSC will include specially developed courses for students with special education needs.

English

The HSC English curriculum has been strengthened, with five courses available to suit the needs of all students.

The syllabus includes the study of works in prose fiction, drama and poetry as well as non-fiction, film, media and multimedia texts. The courses will be interesting, relevant and challenging for students and teachers, and encourage a high standard of work.

Students will be encouraged to study traditional literary texts in their historical context and relate them to today’s ideas and experiences.

More students will be required to study Shakespeare. In the current syllabuses 13% of students are required to study one Shakespearean drama. In the New HSC, up to 40% of students will be required to study at least one of four dramas – Hamlet, The Tempest, King Lear and Julius Caesar.

Students are able to study either Standard or Advanced English, which will be reported on a single scale. Students taking the Advanced course also have the option of devoting more time to English by selecting Extension courses that enable students to engage in specialised study with increased independence.

For students who need to enhance their performance in English and other Stage 6 subjects, Fundamentals of English is offered as a 2 unit Preliminary course. This course assists students to reach the level of literacy in English required for the Higher School Certificate year. It may be taken in conjunction with the Standard English course or the English as a Second Language (ESL) English course.

The ESL course has been developed for students who have had the major part of their education in another language. If undertaken in Year 12, it will meet the Higher School Certificate requirements for the study of English.

Science

There will be 2 unit courses in Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Science, Physics and Senior Science.

Mathematics

The New HSC course arrangements will be consistent with the current Mathematics 2 Unit, 3 Unit and 4 Unit courses.

The Mathematics in Society and Mathematics in Practice courses will be replaced by a new non-calculus-based Mathematics course called General Mathematics.

Music

Students will have a choice of two Music courses. In addition, an extension study course in Music will provide the extra time required for the achievement of high-level standards in performance, composition and musicology.

History

There will be 2 unit courses in Ancient History and Modern History. An extension study course in History will offer opportunity for further study in Modern or Ancient History.

Languages

Languages will have a course structure that caters for beginners, background speakers and continuing study students. Students studying continuous language courses, who are interested in extra study in order to reach higher levels of proficiency, will be able to pursue extension study in some languages currently taught in a wide cross-section of government and non-government schools.

Computing Studies

Two courses will be provided to keep pace with recent changes – Software Design and Development, and Information Processes and Technology. These courses will give students the skills and knowledge necessary for future study or career needs.

Vocational Education and Training

The opportunities for students to study vocational education and training courses as part of the HSC have been enhanced. Seven new industry curriculum frameworks, each incorporating a range of courses, have been developed. They will provide students with the opportunity to gain Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) Certificates and Statements of Attainment.

The courses are industry-accredited nationally and will be accepted by the State’s universities. For students choosing to take an optional HSC exam for 240-hour VET courses in the frameworks, two units of the new courses may be included in the calculation of the UAI.

The new courses will all involve mandatory assessed work placement but will allow students to use part-time work in industry towards their workplace requirement. Students may also undertake these courses as part of a traineeship.

The seven curriculum frameworks are:

Information Technology
Tourism and Hospitality
Primary Industries
Retail
Construction
Metal and Engineering
Business Services (Administration).

Students can undertake framework courses at school or through TAFE NSW. TAFE-delivered courses in Accounting and Electronics Technology may also count towards the UAI.

Content Endorsed Courses

Content Endorsed Courses for the HSC and school-developed courses endorsed by the Board will continue to be available to ensure that schools can continue to create flexible programs of study.

Subjects being phased out of the HSC program

As recommended in Securing Their Future, Applied Studies and General Studies have been phased out, due to substantial overlap with other courses.

Most outcomes of the existing Sheep Husbandry and Wool Technology and Rural Technology courses are covered in the new VET Primary Industries framework, with articulation to further training courses.

Classical Ballet is incorporated into the Dance 2 Unit course, and Computing Studies has been broken into two subjects, Software Design and Development, and Information Processes and Technology.

Professional development

$30 million was allocated for the implementation of the New HSC, with a significant portion provided for professional development and training for teachers. A program of workshops operated across the state, providing teachers with information to help them fully understand the new courses and the new basis of assessment and reporting.

Other support includes a new interactive HSC website; additional programs, activities and resources; a calendar of events and the opportunity to participate in professional discussion groups.

These comprehensive support measures have ensured that all schools have been able to implement the new arrangements as smoothly as possible.

2000 School Certificate

Key Reforms to the School Certificate

The new School Certificate, introduced in 1998, is adding greater meaning and purpose to Year 10 study, promoting continuity between Years 10 and 11, ensuring that students are completing meaningful work until the end of the year and raising standards and student expectations.

A total of 82 345 students will sit the statewide School Certificate Tests this year. This figure includes 133 students sitting the tests overseas.

In order to receive a School Certificate in 2000, students must sit for the tests in English-literacy, Mathematics and Science.

The Statewide tests in English-literacy and Science will be held on Monday, 6 November 2000, and in Mathematics on Tuesday, 7 November.

A trial test will also be conducted with volunteer schools on Tuesday, 7 November in Australian History, Geography, Civics and Citizenship. Schools will receive their students’ results in this test, but they will be provided separately from the School Certificate documentation.

The trialling for the Australian History, Geography, Civics and Citizenship test commenced in 1998. Participation in the tests is optional in 2000 and 2001, and will be mandatory in 2002. Science was trialled in 1998 and is now mandatory. Trialling is conducted to make sure that teachers and students are familiar with the changes before they become compulsory.

The new School Certificate reports results more clearly. The School Certificate documents use descriptive reporting and provide students with school-based grades and their own marks in statewide tests. The new reports give students, parents and employers more information on what students know and can do.

Eligibility for the School Certificate

To be eligible for the School Certificate in 2000 students must:

attend a government school or accredited non-government school in NSW, or a school outside NSW recognised by the Board of Studies;
have satisfactorily completed a Board-approved program of study;
have undertaken the School Certificate Tests in English-literacy, Mathematics and Science; and
have completed Year 10.

Key Learning Areas

To receive the School Certificate, students must study the following five key learning areas (KLAs) each year in Years 7—10:

English
Mathematics
Science
Human Society and Its Environment
Personal Development, Health and Physical Education.

At some point during Years 7—10, students are also required to study courses in the key learning areas of Technological and Applied Studies, Creative Arts and Languages.

Where School Certificate Students Are Studying in 2000

Geographical Location

Location	Female	Male	Total	Percentage
*Metropolitan*
Metropolitan East	5018	5170	10,188	12.37%
Metropolitan North	3351	3472	6823	8.29%
Metropolitan South West	6157	6410	12,567	15.26%
Metropolitan North West	6681	6755	13,436	16.32%
Total	21 207	21 807	43 014	52.24%
*Country*
Hunter	4860	5122	9982	12.12%
North Coast	3707	3685	7392	8.98%
North West	1628	1712	3340	4.06%
Riverina	2385	2475	4860	5.90%
South Coast	4283	4502	8785	10.66%
Western	2384	2554	4938	6.00%
Total	19 247	20 050	39 297	47.72%
*Other*	21	13	34	.04%
Total of all areas	40 475	41 870	82 345	100.00%

Reporting of Results

Students will receive a School Certificate folio of results comprising:

the School Certificate testamur

a Record of Achievement Part A

a Record of Achievement Part B

a report for each of the tests in English-literacy, Mathematics and Science.

Testamur

Students will receive a School Certificate testamur that states that the student has met all Board requirements.

Record of Achievement Part A

This is a cumulative record of all courses completed in Years 9 and 10 along with grades awarded by the school and the hours of study. Students also receive a statement on this Record of Achievement regarding the satisfactory completion of the mandatory requirements.

Schools will award grades (A—E) to their students in all courses, using performance descriptors developed by the Board of Studies. These descriptors are descriptions of typical student achievement. The descriptors are grouped into five different levels, ranging from ‘excellent’ to ‘elementary’.

Grade A Excellent achievement. Extensive knowledge and understanding of the course content and high level of competence.

Grade B High level of achievement. Thorough knowledge, understanding and competence.

Grade C Substantial achievement. Sound knowledge and competence.

Grade D Satisfactory achievement. Acceptable knowledge and understanding and basic level of competence in the processes and skills of the course.

Grade E Elementary achievement. Elementary knowledge and understanding and limited competence in the processes and skills of the course.

Schools will match each student to the descriptor that best fits the student’s overall achievement in the course. The grade that corresponds with that descriptor is then awarded to the student. The use of these descriptors in assigning grades to students is designed to ensure comparability in the grades awarded by different schools

Record of Achievement Part B

This shows the results achieved by the student in the School Certificate Tests in English-literacy, Mathematics and Science. For each test, it shows:

the mark awarded (out of a possible 100);
the band achieved (from 1 to 6). Band 1 is the lowest band and Band 6 the highest.

Test Reports

In addition, students receive a report for each test that provides more detail of their performance. A vertical scale from 0 to 100 is divided into the six bands, where:

Band 1 corresponds to the marks from 0 to 49

Band 2 corresponds to the marks from 50 to 59

Band 3 corresponds to the marks from 60 to 69

Band 4 corresponds to the marks from 70 to 79

Band 5 corresponds to the marks from 80 to 89

Band 6 corresponds to the marks from 90 to 100

Each band is accompanied by a paragraph that describes the knowledge and skills typically demonstrated by a student whose results fall within that band.

The student’s test mark is represented on this vertical scale. A graph drawn along the scale shows the distribution of marks awarded to all the students who have sat the test. This indicates the position of the student within the total candidature of the test.

The School Certificate Tests Timetable

Monday 6 November

English-literacy

9:20 am–11:30 am

Science

12:50 pm–2:30 pm

Tuesday 7 November

Mathematics

9:25 am–11:30 am

Australian History, Geography, Civics and Citizenship Trial Test

(if applicable) 12:50 pm–3:00 pm

The Board of Studies requires that Year 10 students attend school until the tests have been completed on Tuesday 7 November.

School Certificate award documents will arrive in schools in the week commencing 11 December 2000.

Illness/Misadventure Appeals

Students may be given an estimated mark in place of their School Certificate Test mark if they were prevented from attending a test, or if they consider that their performance in a test was adversely affected by illness or misadventure occurring immediately before or during the test. Consistent with past practice at School Certificate level, the Board will delegate to principals the authority to uphold or decline Illness/Misadventure appeals by students. Should the appeal be declined, students may elect to have the principal’s determination reviewed by the Board of Studies.

The Board of Studies NSW

The Board of Studies NSW, established by the Education Act 1990, is responsible for the conduct of the Higher School Certificate and the School Certificate, curriculum development, and registration and accreditation of non-government schools.

Board Members

The membership of the Board includes a full-time President and three ex-officio members, with the remaining 19 members being appointed by the Minister for Education and Training as nominees of particular organisations or persons with identified knowledge or expertise.

Board Members

President of the Board

Professor Gordon Stanley

Ex-Officio Members

Nominees of the Director-General of the Department of Education and Training:

Dr Jim McMorrow

Mr Trevor Wootten

Nominee of the Managing Director, Technical and Further Education Commission:

Ms Jozefa Sobski

Appointed Members

Nominee of the New South Wales Vice-Chancellors’ Committee:

(to be announced)

Nominees of the Council of the Federation of Parents and Citizens Associations of New South Wales:

Mr Ian Morris (representing parents of primary school children)

Ms Dianne Butland (representing parents of secondary school children)

Nominee of the Catholic Education Commission of New South Wales:

Dr Brian Croke

Nominee of the Association of Independent Schools, the Headmasters’ Conference and the Association of Heads of Independent Girls Schools:

Mrs Jolyn Karaolis

Non-government school teacher being a nominee of the NSW Independent Education Union:

Mr Timothy Horstead

Parent of a child attending a non-government school, being a nominee of the Council of Catholic School Parents and the New South Wales Parents Council:

Ms Caroline Benedet

Principals of government schools, one being a nominee of the New South Wales Council of Primary School Principals and the other being a nominee of the New South Wales Council of Secondary School Principals:

Ms Adele Mazoudier (representing primary schools)

Ms Judith King (representing secondary schools)

Nominees of the New South Wales Teachers Federation, one being a government primary school teacher (other than a principal) and the other being a government secondary school teacher (other than a principal):

(to be announced) (primary school teacher)

Ms Mary Fogarty (secondary school teacher)

Person with knowledge and expertise in early childhood education:

Associate Professor Sue Dockett

Aboriginal person with knowledge and expertise in the education of Aboriginal people:

Mr Charles Davison

Six other persons having, in the Minister’s opinion, qualifications or experience that enables them to make a valuable contribution to primary or secondary education in New South Wales:

Dr Anne Benjamin

Ms Dorothy Hoddinott

Mr Stepan Kerkyasharian AM

Dame Leonie Kramer AC

Ms Dagmar Schmidmaier

(sixth person to be announced)

In relation to the Higher School Certificate, the Board is responsible for:

developing and endorsing courses of study;
making arrangements for conducting examinations and student assessments;
regulating the conduct of examinations and assessments, and the recording of students’ achievements in them;
granting the Higher School Certificate;
providing the Preliminary and HSC Records of Achievement and/or Result Notices;
providing advice and assistance to students, employers and the public regarding the nature and content of secondary courses, assessment and examination procedures, and the reporting of students’ achievements in them.

The Board has a number of standing committees that make recommendations to the Board concerning syllabus and examination requirements.

Staff of the Office of the Board of Studies

The staff of the Office of the Board of Studies involved with the Higher School Certificate provide administrative, technical and professional support in the following areas:

designing Higher School Certificate courses;
preparing Higher School Certificate examination papers;
planning, conducting, marking and processing Higher School Certificate examinations;
processing student assessments;
issuing the certificate, Records of Achievement and/or Result Notices;
conducting statistical analyses;
facilitating and coordinating the HSC Advice Line;
setting up the Higher School Certificate Examination Inquiry Centre;
advising schools of Board policy and procedures directly and through Board Liaison Officers;
communicating information about the Higher School Certificate to school students, parents and the community;
developing high-profile exhibitions to demonstrate students’ achievements and excellence at HSC level.

The staff of the Office of the Board of Studies also provides similar support to the committees of the Board that deal with the School Certificate.

Board of Studies Liaison Officers

The Board of Studies has ten Board Liaison Officers (BOSLOs) located across the State.

A Board of Studies Liaison Officer is:

the Board’s representative who works closely with government and non-government schools;
the immediate contact person within a region for any inquiries from interested parties on Board-related matters;
a communications link between the Board and schools;
available to assist schools in design, implementation and evaluation of their assessment programs;
the coordinator of Board Endorsed Courses and Joint Secondary Schools/TAFE programs within the region;
a member of the Higher School Certificate Illness/Misadventure Appeals Review Panel;
involved in the Higher School Certificate Examination Inquiry Centres to assist students with interpretation of their Higher School Certificate results.

The Board of Studies Liaison Officer may assist with:

statistics on course entries for the region;
factual information concerning the Higher School Certificate such as the Higher School Certificate examination timetables, HSC eligibility and course requirements;
school liaison (in consultation with government and non-government school systems).

Board of Studies Liaison Officers are:

Metropolitan North

Mr Chris Bounds

9367 8356

Metropolitan East

Ms Denise Harris

9568 8218

Metropolitan South West

Ms Peta O’Keefe

9806 1547

Metropolitan North West

Mr David Cashman

9806 1549

Hunter

Ms Amanda McLaughlan

4924 9976

North Coast

Ms Carolyn Ryan

6659 3274

North West

Mr Stuart Hemmings

6755 5043

Western

Ms Susan Wynn

6334 8048

Riverina

Ms Lindy Walker

6937 3889

South Coast

Ms Diane Trist

4226 8607

Board of Studies Liaison Officer (BOSLO) Areas – NSW

Board of Studies Liaison Officer (BOSLO) Areas – Sydney Metropolitan