1. Higher School Certificate Requirements and Students with Special Education Needs
Key Messages
NSW Education Standards Authority

2. HSC Rules and Requirements
The eligibility requirements for the Higher School Certificate (HSC) are the same for all students. Students must:
have gained the Record of School Achievement or such other qualifications as the NSW Education Standards Authority considers satisfactory;
have attended a government school, an accredited non-government school, a school outside NSW recognised by the NSW Education Standards Authority or a college of TAFE;
Students with special education needs wishing to be eligible for the HSC must fulfil the eligibility requirements.
NSW Education Standards Authority

3. HSC Rules and Requirements
continued
have completed HSC: All My Own Work (or its equivalent);
have satisfactorily completed courses that comprise the pattern of study required by the NSW Education Standards Authority for the award of the HSC; and
sit for and make a serious attempt at the requisite HSC examinations.
(ACE Website 8004)
Students undertaking a pattern of study comprising only of Life Skills courses are not required to complete HSC: All My Own Work (or equivalent).
For a list of subjects and courses, teachers should refer to the Higher School Certificate section of the ACE Website.
NSW Education Standards Authority

4. HSC Minimum Standards
From 2020, all Year 12 students in NSW must reach the minimum standard of literacy and numeracy to receive an HSC.
The standard is mapped against the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) Level 3.
Students can demonstrate they meet the standard by achieving a Band 8 in the Year 9 NAPLAN reading, writing and numeracy tests or passing the online reading, writing and numeracy tests in Years 10, 11 and 12.
NSW Education Standards Authority

5. HSC Minimum Standards
Disability provisions will be available for the online tests.
Students undertaking Stage 6 English and Mathematics Life Skills courses will be exempt.
Other exemptions will be considered in 2017.
NSW Education Standards Authority

6. Pattern of Study for the HSC
To qualify for the HSC all students must fulfil the pattern of study requirements
12 units of Preliminary courses
10 units of HSC courses
6 units from Board Developed courses
2 units of English
3 courses of 2 units or greater
at least 4 subjects
(no more than 6 units of Science courses).
(ACE Website 8005)
Students with special education needs, including students undertaking Life Skills courses, must fulfil the pattern of study requirements to be eligible for the HSC.
Each course from the Stage 6 Creative Arts Life Skills Syllabus, the Stage 6 Technology Life Skills Syllabus and the Stage 6 Human Society and its Environment Life Skills Syllabus is considered a subject for the pattern of study requirements.
NSW Education Standards Authority

7. Curriculum Options
All students with special education needs should choose the most appropriate courses for the HSC in keeping with their needs, strengths, goals, interests and prior learning.
Most students with special education needs will undertake regular Board Developed courses and/or Board Endorsed courses. These students may require adjustments for coursework and/or assessment.
For a small percentage of students with special education needs, particularly those with an intellectual disability, it may be appropriate to develop a pattern of study that includes one or more Life Skills courses.
(ACE Website 7002)
NSW Education Standards Authority

8. Decisions about Curriculum Options
Decisions about curriculum options are made in the context of the collaborative curriculum planning process.
A team including the student, their parent/carer and other significant individuals meet to discuss:
the student’s needs, strengths, goals, interests and prior learning
the adjustments required by the student
the student’s transition to post-school life
how the student’s pattern of study will meet the requirements for the award of the HSC
(ACE Website 7005)
NSW Education Standards Authority

9. Curriculum Options
Students with special education needs can meet the requirements for the HSC using:
Board Developed courses (including Life Skills courses and Industry Curriculum Framework courses/options) or
a combination of Board Developed courses and Board Endorsed courses (including Content Endorsed courses and School Developed courses).
NSW Education Standards Authority

10. Board Developed Courses
an HSC examination is typically completed (except Life Skills courses)
a moderated assessment mark is awarded (except VET and Life Skills courses)
may count towards an ATAR (except Life Skills or VET courses where the student is not undertaking an examination)
10 units required for ATAR
ATAR: Australian Tertiary Admission Rank
NSW Education Standards Authority

11. Board Endorsed Courses
no HSC exam
school assessment mark; not moderated
does not count towards an ATAR, but counts towards the HSC
Content Endorsed courses can be studied as 1 or 2 unit Preliminary and/or HSC courses
School Developed courses are submitted to the NSW Education Standards Authority for endorsement
NSW Education Standards Authority

12. VET ICFs Board Developed Industry Curriculum Framework VET courses:
13 industry areas, for example, Retail Services count towards HSC as Board Developed units
AQF VET certificate or statement of attainment
ATAR pathway – optional HSC examination
mandatory work placement
NSW Education Standards Authority

13. VET BECs Board Endorsed VET courses:
count towards HSC as Board Endorsed units
AQF VET certificate or statement of attainment
no ATAR pathway
work placement may be strongly recommended, mandatory or not required.
NSW Education Standards Authority

14. VET courses and students with special education needs
Students with special education needs may access a VET course in one of two ways:
Option 1
the student undertakes the course under regular course arrangements OR
Option 2
the student undertakes selected units of competency within the course that have been identified through the collaborative curriculum planning process.
(VET Courses and Students with special education needs)
Option 2
The Industry Curriculum Framework course is recorded on the Record of Achievement.
The units of competency from the framework course are reported on a Statement of Attainment.
Students may continue to work towards AQF VET qualifications (eg Certificate I, II or III) post-school.
NSW Education Standards Authority

15. Accumulation of courses
Students may accumulate HSC courses towards the HSC (and ATAR) over a ‘rolling’ period of up to 5 years.
No time restriction for accumulation of Preliminary courses.
Students may accumulate extension courses by completing the 2 unit course in one year and the extension course in a subsequent year.
(ACE Website 8036 & 8037)
All students, including students undertaking Life Skills courses, can accumulate courses towards the HSC.
NSW Education Standards Authority

16. HSC: All My Own Work
All students undertaking Preliminary or HSC courses must complete HSC: All My Own Work program (or its equivalent).
Students with disability may require adjustments to access and participate in the program. Schools can decide on the adjustments required.
The HSC: All My Own Work program (or its equivalent) is not required for students undertaking only Life Skills courses.
All students (with the exception of students undertaking only Life Skills courses) must complete the HSC: All My Own Work program (or its equivalent) before the submission of students’ Preliminary or HSC course entries.
NSW Education Standards Authority

17. Assessment and students with special education needs
School principals have the authority to grant adjustments for course work, assessment tasks and in-school examinations.
(ACE Website 10003)
Some students with special education needs may require:
adjustments to the assessment process
adjustments to the assessment activities
alternative formats for responses.
NSW Education Standards Authority

18. Assessment and students with special education needs
Schools are required to submit grades for students who have satisfactorily completed Preliminary courses.
Schools will use the Common Grade Scale for Preliminary Courses to decide on the best overall description of a student’s achievement.
The Common Grade Scale for Preliminary Courses can be applied to all students, regardless of whether or not adjustments have been made to assessment activities.
Refer to the NSW Education Standards Authority’s website for further information in relation to the Common Grade Scale for Preliminary Courses.
NSW Education Standards Authority

19. Assessment and students with special education needs
Students who have satisfactorily completed HSC courses are awarded an assessment mark by their schools (with the exception of Life Skills and VET courses).
Schools must submit marks for students undertaking a course at a school as a single group.
Assessment marks must be moderated to allow comparison of the entire candidature for any course.
(ACE Website 8074 & 8076)
NSW Education Standards Authority

20. HSC Credentials
As part of the credential for the HSC, students receive:
HSC Testamur
HSC Record of Achievement, listing all courses undertaken
Assessment mark, examination mark, HSC mark and performance band recorded for regular courses
“Refer to Profile of Student Achievement” recorded for Life Skills courses
NSW Education Standards Authority

21. HSC Credentials
continued
course reports for each course with an external examination that has been completed satisfactorily
HSC Profile of Student Achievement, listing all outcomes achieved for each Life Skills course undertaken
VET qualifications if appropriate.
For further information, see the NSW Education Standard’s Authority website:
NSW Education Standards Authority

22. Contacts
For more information, or for assistance, contact the Special Education officers of the NSW Education Standards Authority:
Ph: (02) ; (02)
@SpecialEdBOSTES
NSW Education Standards Authority