1. Year 10-11 Subject Selection Evening

2. The NSW Higher School Certificate at Ryde Secondary College
Information for
Year 10
Students and Parents

3. The NSW HSC is an internationally recognised credential
The Higher School Certificate (HSC) is the highest educational award you can gain in New South Wales schools.
The HSC:
is an internationally recognised credential
provides a strong foundation for the future
is standards-based. Students receive HSC marks that indicate the standard they have achieved.
The Higher School Certificate
The Higher School Certificate is the highest educational award you can gain in New South Wales schools.
It is an internationally recognised credential that provides a strong foundation for the future, whether you wish to pursue tertiary qualifications, vocational training or employment.
The standards-based Higher School Certificate offers syllabuses that set clear expectations of what you must learn and measures your performance against set standards. Your mark in each course is reported against descriptive performance bands that show what students placed in each band typically know, understand and can do. 3

4. Board Developed Course (BDC) and Content Endorsed Course (CEC)
HSC exam
counts towards HSC
usually counts towards the ATAR*
* Australian Tertiary Admission Rank
Content Endorsed Course
no HSC exam – school-based assessment used
counts towards HSC
cannot contribute to the ATAR
Subjects included are examples from a wider list of courses available

5. HSC Course Structure = 100 marks
All courses in the HSC have a unit value
Most courses are 2 units
2 units = 4 hours of instruction per week
120 hours per year
= 100 marks
1 unit = 60 hours per year
= 50 marks
All 2-unit HSC courses have equal status
2 unit courses – 120 per year, 4 hours per weeks and marks out of 100
1 unit or extension courses are – 60 hours per year, 2 hours per week and marked out of 50

6. Requirements for the HSC
Year 11 Course
minimum of 12 units
students must satisfactorily complete the Preliminary course before commencing the corresponding HSC course
Year 12 Course
minimum of 10 units
Students may accumulate the HSC for a period of up to 5 years.
Students may choose to accumulate the HSC for a variety of reasons including:
commitments outside school - part time work, elite sportsperson etc.
apprenticeship or traineeship
acceleration
Repeating
Most student across NSW choose 10,11 or 12 units in their HSC year

7. Requirements for the HSC
Both the Year 11 and Year 12 Courses must include:
At least 6 units of Board Developed Courses, including at least 2 units of English
At least 3 courses of 2 units value or greater
At least 4 subjects (including English)
At most, 6 units of courses in Science can count towards Year eligibility.
English is mandatory for the HSC.
Students will choose either Standard or Advanced English if they wish to apply for university entry.
English Studies is another option for students who are only seeking a HSC as it is a Board Endorsed Course with no HSC exam.
Extension course are not separate subjects. Eg Advanced English (2 units) + Extension 1 (1 unit) + Extension 2 (1 unit) = 4 units but only 1 subject.

8. English Choices English Advanced English Standard
Year 11 Extension English 1
Year 12 Extension 1
Year 12 Extension 2
English Standard
English as a Second Language (ESL) For students who have been in Australia less than five years at the beginning of Year 11
English Studies – Category B subject
English is compulsory
Students should seek advice from the English Faculty regarding their suitability for a particular course
English Advanced is more academically rigorous than English Standard – Along with ESL they are Board Developed English courses and are included by UAC for determining ATAR.
Fundamentals of English is a 2 unit course which contributes to Preliminary units only although it can be taught across Preliminary and HSC
English Studies is a Board Endorsed course currently being trialed in NSW schools. It has no HSC exam and is not suitable for inclusion towards ATAR.
Whilst in its trialing period English Studies WILL count as Board Developed English towards the students 6 units of Board Developed subjects

9. Mathematics Choices Year 11 Mathematics Extension 1
Mathematics Standard (Yr11)
Mathematics Standard Category B subject (Yr12)
Mathematics Standard 2 (Yr12)
Mathematics is NOT compulsory
Mathematics is not compulsory for the HSC or ATAR.
The Mathematics course is the more academically rigorous than General Mathematics and both are two Board Developed courses.
Applied Mathematics is currently a School Developed Endorsed Course. It does not have a HSC exam and does not contribute towards ATAR.

10. Extension Courses Year 11 Extension Courses:
English
Mathematics
Year 12 Extension Courses:
English 1 and 2
Mathematics 1 and 2
History
Music
Science
Some Languages
Extension courses provide additional units to the 2 unit course.
They are for talented students in these subjects.
Preliminary Extension courses are prerequisites for entry to HSC English and Mathematics Extension courses.
The running of extension courses will depend on numbers wishing to do the course

11. Industry Curriculum Frameworks
VET in the HSC
Vocational Context
Requirements from the
Training Package
Competency-based assessment
HSC Context
Requirements from NESA
Optional HSC Examination
(for 240-hour courses)
Assessment requirements
Industry Curriculum Frameworks
VET Framework courses have Board Developed status.
They provide nationally recognised qualifications
Provide direct access to employment and further training
UAC will include 2 units towards the calculation of ATAR if the optional examination is completed
Courses can be delivered by a range of providers including schools, TAFEs and other training organisations
Add terminology slide???
VET courses let you complete a workplace credential while still at school
Qualifications are recognised Australia-wide (AQF – Australian Qualifications Framework)

12. VET Industry Curriculum Frameworks Board Developed Courses offered at RSC
Construction
Entertainment
Hospitality
These are considered by UAC as Category B courses and students can include only 2 units towards the calculation of their ATAR
These are CATEGORY B subjects and therefore up to 2 units of Category B subjects can count towards the ATAR
Students must complete 35 hours of mandatory work placement per 120 hours of coursework.

13. The school also offers the following Content Endorsed Course (CEC) with a VET qualification: Sports Coaching VET This course cannot contribute towards an ATAR Students must complete 35 hours of mandatory work placement per 120 hours of coursework.

14. External Studies TAFE Saturday School of Community languages
NSW School of Languages (Formerly Open High School)
See:
How is HSC: All My Own Work related to HSC eligibility?
From 2009, all students entered for one or more Preliminary or HSC courses will be required to have satisfactorily completed HSC: All My Own Work or its equivalent. From 2010, students entered only for Stage 6 Life Skills courses will be exempt from this requirement. 14

15. TAFE A course cannot be studied at TAFE if it is offered at school ie
Hospitality
Construction
Entertainment
Sports coaching
Students considering applying for TAFE are to see the Careers Advisor, Mrs Reardon over the coming week and collect an application form during their interview on Wednesday.
See:
How is HSC: All My Own Work related to HSC eligibility?
From 2009, all students entered for one or more Preliminary or HSC courses will be required to have satisfactorily completed HSC: All My Own Work or its equivalent. From 2010, students entered only for Stage 6 Life Skills courses will be exempt from this requirement. 15

16. Saturday School of Community Languages
Students may choose to study their background community language to HSC level outside school hours.
This can be done through the Saturday School of Community Languages.
All the language courses are 2 unit Board Developed Courses and are counted towards the ATAR as Category A subjects.
Students doing a language at Saturday School of Community languages must do 12 units at RSC as well for the Year 11 course. They can then ‘drop’ to as few as 10 units in the HSC year
See:
How is HSC: All My Own Work related to HSC eligibility?
From 2009, all students entered for one or more Preliminary or HSC courses will be required to have satisfactorily completed HSC: All My Own Work or its equivalent. From 2010, students entered only for Stage 6 Life Skills courses will be exempt from this requirement. 16

17. NSW School of Languages
Learning a language course via correspondence i.e. there are few formal lessons
A student can only study a course at NSW School of Languages if it is not offered at RSC and can only do a maximum of 12 units (including the Open High School course)
All applicants must be interviewed by the HT Secondary Studies to determine whether they are appropriate for the course.
See:
How is HSC: All My Own Work related to HSC eligibility?
From 2009, all students entered for one or more Preliminary or HSC courses will be required to have satisfactorily completed HSC: All My Own Work or its equivalent. From 2010, students entered only for Stage 6 Life Skills courses will be exempt from this requirement. 17

18. HSC: All My Own Work
is a program designed to help HSC students follow the principles and practices of good scholarship
includes understanding and valuing of ethical practices when locating and using information as part of HSC studies
Students must complete HSC: All My Own Work before they can be entered for any Year 11 course. This will be done in term
See:
How is HSC: All My Own Work related to HSC eligibility?
From 2009, all students entered for one or more Preliminary or HSC courses will be required to have satisfactorily completed HSC: All My Own Work or its equivalent. From 2010, students entered only for Stage 6 Life Skills courses will be exempt from this requirement. 18

19. Satisfactory Completion of a Course
Students must:
follow the course developed or endorsed by NESA
apply themselves with diligence and sustained effort
achieve some or all of the course outcomes
complete work placement for VET Courses
make a genuine attempt at assessment tasks 19

20. Reporting – HSC
Student will receive the HSC testamur, a Record of Achievement and a Course Report for each subject where they have completed an examination.
Improve signature 20

21. The Record of Achievement
Most BDC HSC courses listed with Assessment Mark, Examination Mark, HSC Mark and Performance Band
Students will receive a Preliminary record of Achievement at the end of Year 11 which will record all subjects where they have achieved satisfactory completion
As part of the HSC credentials, the HSC Record of Achievement lists all Preliminary Courses again and includes HSC marks including, moderated school assessments, examination marks and performance bands
All Year 11 and Stage 5 courses will be on separate certificates
The Record of Achievement

22. STUDENT eRECORD

23. How is the HSC Mark Determined?
Internal assessment 50%
External HSC exam 50%
HSC mark 100%
Students receive a band for every subject that has an external exam.
HSC mark of 90 or above you will receive a Band 6.
School assessment marks in each course are moderated to place them on a state-wide scale

24. School-Based Assessment
Why is it important?
Contributes 50% of HSC mark (and ATAR if student is eligible)
Is a course completion requirement
Is used to calculate an HSC mark in the case of a successful Illness/Misadventure appeal
Begins Term 4, Year 11 and continues until the end of Term 3, Year 12
Moderated assessment appears on the HSC Record of Achievement

25. HSC Examinations Contribute 50% of HSC mark VET exams are optional
Some courses have practical examinations and/or submitted works or projects in addition to the written HSC examination
Written examinations are held in October and November each year
In VET, the HSC exam contributes 100% of the final HSC mark
Examinations
Your HSC examinations contribute 50% of your final HSC mark.
You must sit for your required examinations to receive your HSC, only VET exams are optional.
Most examinations for the HSC are written examinations, held in October and November each year.
Some courses have practical examinations and/or submitted works or projects in addition to the written HSC examination.

26. What is the difference between the HSC and the ATAR?
ATAR = Australian Tertiary Admission Rank

27. The HSC and the ATAR HSC ATAR is for all students
reports student achievement in terms of a standard achieved in individual courses
presents a profile of student achievement across a broad range of subjects
ATAR
is for students wishing to gain a place at a university
is a rank NOT a mark
provides information about how students perform overall in relation to other students
provides the discrimination required by universities for the selection process
(approximately 30% achieve a place ay university their first year after leaving school
There are multiple ways of entering university – portfolios and bodies of work, university course exams, principal recommendation and eventually by just being older
Many students are now completing TAFE credentials before moving across to universities with RPL after into degree courses

28. ATAR Eligibility Requirements
Satisfactory completion of:
at least 10 units of Board Developed Courses including 2 units of English
at least 4 Board Developed Courses
at least 8 units of Category A courses
no more than 2 units of Category B courses
UAC will only consider Board Developed Courses in the calculation of ATAR.
Whilst most Board Developed courses are Category A most VET courses are Category B (Refer Slide 21)

30. Universities Admissions Centre 2 units of English + next best 8 units
Calculating the ATAR
Raw Moderated
Exam Assessment Marks
NESA
Universities Admissions Centre
See FAQs about the ATAR
How is my ATAR calculated?
Your ATAR is based on an aggregate of scaled marks in 10 units of ATAR courses comprising:
your best two units of English and
your best eight units from the remaining units. No more than two units of Category B courses can be included.
The actual calculation of your ATAR is a complex process that begins with scaling your raw HSC marks and ends with ranking you among your entire Year 7 cohort.
What is scaling?
Because scaled marks (not HSC marks) are used in the ATAR calculation, scaling is the first step in calculating the ATAR. It is necessary because HSC students take all kinds of different courses, and scaling allows courses to be compared fairly. We know that the same marks in different courses are not necessarily equal, just as the same amounts of money in different countries are not equal. In the same way that an exchange rate can be used to compare currency in different countries, scaling can be used to compare marks in different courses.
The scaled mark for each course is based on the quality of the candidates in that course in that year
Scaled
2 units of English + next best 8 units
ATAR 30

31. Coming events Wednesday 2nd August Sunday 6th August – Midnight
Student interview day – students are to present as they would for a job interview with their:
typed Resume
last College Report
completed Subject Selection Form
Student choices open online
Sunday 6th August – Midnight
Student choices close online
See:
How is HSC: All My Own Work related to HSC eligibility?
From 2009, all students entered for one or more Preliminary or HSC courses will be required to have satisfactorily completed HSC: All My Own Work or its equivalent. From 2010, students entered only for Stage 6 Life Skills courses will be exempt from this requirement. 31

33. Only 12 units of courses can be studied at RSC
If a student chooses Extension English or Extension Maths, they cannot do 13 units. The student must choose another one unit subject from the list. i.e. Photography, Studies of Religion or SLR. These automatically ‘drop’ in Year 12.

34. COURSE SELECTION CONSIDERATIONS
Abilities
Interests/Motivation
Career aspirations and needs
Syllabus requirements - Practical/Major work components
Subject combinations
Course costs
Other commitments

35. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS What do I want for my future?
What ‘pathway’ best suits me? Eg ATAR /Non ATAR
Ask for advice from:
teachers
parents
Year adviser/Head Teacher
careers adviser
students in Years 11 and 12

36. Good Luck