Government High School in NSW

1. Government High School in NSW TANA TUAKE & YE YAN Community Information Officers Sydney Region NSW Department of Education and Communities

2. School systems in NSW • Government School (managed by DEC) • Catholic School (Catholic Schools in NSW and ACT ) • Independent School

3. Public School Structure • Primary school • Secondary school • Comprehensive high school • single sex high school • College style high school • Selective high school* • Agricultural high school • Conservatorium high school • Technical high school • Performing Arts high school • Sports high school • School for Specific Purposes

4. Schools in Sydney Region • 161 Primary Schools • 51 Secondary Schools • 19 SSPs

5. Expectations • Academic level • Personal level • Social level • Focus on skill and ability • Be interested, with well habit of learning • Balance on all aspects • Student Centre module

6. What is a “Good” School？ • Suit for a student’s learning need, as • All students are different

7. Choose a suitable school for your child • The best learning and growing environment • Enhance self confidence and self steam • Increase self motivation • Gain specific support and help from school

8. Selective High Schools is a special educational program to meet: • Needs for Gifted and Talented students • Needs of equity

9. Selective High Schools 1 • What is a selective high school? • A selective high school provides a rich learning environment for highly achieving, academically talented students • Whole NSW has • 17 fully selective high schools (placement in year 7) • 6 high schools with selective classes (placement in year 7) • 4 agricultural high schools (placement in year 7) • 1 senior high school with selective classes (placement in year 11 and 12)

10. Selective High Schools 2 • Who should study in a selective class / school? Please ask yourself • Does my child have extremely strong learning abilities? • Does my child have high level self motivation, self-esteem, independence, • Does my child have outstanding learning achievement / outcome with out coaching? • Does my child have wide range of interesting and hobbies? • Does my child have good interpersonal and communication skills? • Does my child have strong problem solving skills? and • Is my child always placed on top 5 in the school?

11. Selective High Schools 3 If you answers are “Yes” for all question above, you may concern to let you child apply for a place of selective high school. Otherwise, a mainstream high school is the best place for your child.

12. Selective High Schools 4 • Would my child be success if I didn’t let him/her go to a selective high school? And why? • Yes, because • Achievable learning environment • More confidence • High self-esteem • Extra support from school

13. Something need to be considered before making decision • Ability • Interest • Distant • Future plan (post high school)

14. High School • No classroom teacher, year advisor instead • Attend lesson based on subject and level not the roll call class • No fixed classroom • Attend lessens at deferent locations in according to the timetable

15. High school • Adult learning methods • No traditional style homework • Self motivation, right learning attitude and good time management skills

16. What to learn ? • Syllabus and all subjects designed by the Board of Studies NSW • Elective courses are vary from year to year (stage to stage) • Ensure the balance amongst all KLAs

17. Key Learn Areas（Year 7-10） • English • Mathematics • Science • Geography • History • Languages • Music • Personal Development, Health and Physical Education Technology (Mandatory) • Visual Arts

18. How to learn • Problem solving • Leadership skills • Self control • Social and communication skills • Learning habit and interest • Balance • Self discovery and learning

19. Homework • Clear instruction been given by each teacher in the beginning of term • 3-5 tasks for each subject to assess student learning achievement with timeline • Students need to manage time at home to complete all tasks during a term • Focus on processing and progressing

20. Information on when due, how much it’s worth, how much done so far Information on what the task is. Instructions about how to complete it Which outcomes being assessed How task is being assessed - what elements are being looked for The Pro forma Assessment Advice HSC and UAI

21. Important exams

22. Pathway after year 10 Since 2010, a new education act has been applied that the leaving school age lift up to 17 years old. Thus, after year 10, a student could • Complete HSC course and prepare for further study in university • Complete HSC in conjunction with VET course for further study at TAFE • Complete HSC in conjunction with School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships

23. The Higher School Certificate The HSC is a credential issued by the Board of Studies – a statutory: • sets the rules • designs the syllabuses • sets and marks the HSC examinations • issues the certificate • provides marks to UAC

24. Key Learn Areas（Year 11-12）http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc • English • Mathematics • Science (Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Environment science, Physics, Senior Science) • Human Society and Its Environment (History, Geography, Legal Studies, Society and Culture, Economics, Business Studies etc.) • Languages • Personal Development, Health and Physical Education • Technology • Creative Arts(Music, Drama, Dance, Visual Arts) • VET(Accounting, Business Services, Construction, Electro Technology, Financialetc.)

25. Subject Selection • School curriculum offering is student driven • The majority of students get what they want • A small number of students may need to change their selection slightly • Not all subjects offered will have sufficient students to run • Subjects will sometimes clash

26. Subject Selection • Subjects which have sufficient numbers will run • Subjects running are then put into ‘lines’ i.e. grouped to occur at the same time • Some subjects appear in multiple lines others only in one

27. Subject Selection • Your child will have to find 12 units to do • A subject your daughter wishes to do might a) not run at all b) clash with another subject she wishes to do • Some subjects will run off-line

28. Pattern of Study • The HSC is a two year course • The Preliminary year (Year 11 - Terms 1, 2 and 3) • The HSC year (Year -11 Term 4 and Year 12 - Terms 1, 2 and 3)

29. Courses of Study • Courses are set out in ‘units’ – time equivalents • A unit is equivalent to 2 hours of class study per week • Most subjects are 2 unit e.g. 2 unit Biology, 2 unit Chemistry, which equals 4 hours per week.

30. Courses of Study • In Preliminary course – 12 units minimum study is required • In HSC course – 10 units minimum but 4 subjects must be studied • English is compulsory in pattern of study and UAI calculation

31. Approximate dates All the syllabus outcomes are assessed Syllabuses are usually divided into components with prescribed weightings Style of task Total value of task The Assessment Schedule HSC and UAI

32. Preliminary Courses • Preliminary courses are required background or foundation for HSC courses • If you haven’t done the Preliminary course you can’t do the HSC course • Students should conceptualise a two year pattern of study

33. Courses of Study • In Year 11 there are 2 subjects which have 1 unit extensions – Mathematics and English • If you wish to do Extension Maths or English in the HSC course you must have studied them in the preliminary • In Year 12 there are extensions in History, all languages, Music and a second extension in English and in Mathematics • Extensions are designed to be much harder and more rigorous than the 2 unit courses they are extending

34. Types of Courses • Board Developed courses- syllabus designed by BOS, have HSC examination, count for University entrance • Board Endorsed courses – no HSC examination, do not count for University

35. Assessment • In the HSC course a rigorous, school assessment schedule for each subject produces an assessment mark which is reported to the BOS • This mark (as moderated) is half the eventual HSC Mark

36. Assessment • The school’s assessment mark is moderated by the school’s HSC Examination performance to ensure that schools don’t assess too generously or too harshly

37. Reporting the HSC HSC and ATAR

38. School Assessment Examination Mark Mark Range 0–100 Student’s HSC Mark Graph showing how all students performed Minimum standard expected (50) The Course Report Descriptions in bands: summary of what students know and can do HSC and ATAR

39. 100 100 BAND 6 DESCRIPTION 90 BAND 5 DESCRIPTION 80 BAND 4 DESCRIPTION 70 BAND 3 DESCRIPTION 60 BAND 2 DESCRIPTION 50 0 0 HSC Marks: rewarding achievement EXAM MARKS PERFORMANCE SCALE Marking Judging HSC and ATAR

40. University Entrance • What is the ATAR? • The ATAR is a number between 0.00 and 99.95 that shows the student’s rank in the state had all Year 7 students continued and completed Year 12 • The ATAR is based on “scaled marks” not the marks reported by the Board of Studies • It is produced by UAC, not the Board of Studies • Other methods of selecting students for university are often used and may be extended in future HSC and ATAR

41. The HSC and the ATAR • HSC is for all students • the HSC presents a profile of student achievement across a broad range of subjects • ATAR is for students wishing to gain a place at a university (approximately 30% achieve a place in their first year after leaving school) • the ATAR is an index used to rank school leavers for tertiary places. It does not summarise 13 years of schooling • Pathways • The ATAR is limited to one of the many pathways open to school leavers with the HSC HSC and ATAR

42. Calculating the ATAR. Board of Studies Raw Moderated Exam + Assessment Marks UAC Based on the quality of the candidates in that course in that year Rescaled 2 units of English + next best 8 units ATAR HSC and ATAR

43. UAC Scaling • Scaling is a process where a ‘conversion rate’ allows all subjects to be brought to a common currency • It varies from year to year depending on the candidature • Doing a subject which is favourably scaled, doesn’t help you unless you do well in it

44. UAC Scaling • It is better to be at the top of a subject not favourably scaled than in the middle of a subject favourably scaled • UAC advises that students should choose subjects they enjoy and do well • Future career or tertiary aspirations should be considered • Parents should discuss not dictate choice

46. Contact: • Office of the Board of Studies117 Clarence Street, Sydney • 93678111 • www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au HSC and ATAR

47. UAC Guidelinehttp://www.uac.edu.au/ • UAC issues UAC Guideline every year • Most of ATAR index remained the same • Get it online or from local newsagent • What Degree, which universityhttp://www.whatdegreewhichuniversity.com/Home.aspx

48. Higher School Certificate TAFE Work Direct EntrytoUniversity30% 40+% and workplace training 30% University Work TAFE or Uni Work or further training including TAFE Post-school Pathways HSC and ATAR

49. Parents’ role and responsibility • Role model for children • Care, love, encourage and support children • Train children with appropriate learning habit • Stimulate children’s learning interests • Participate into children’s schooling and school activities • Teacher delivery knowledge to student, while parent trains child to be good human being

50. Communicate with school • Regular contact with school teachers • Make an appointment once you need to discuss issue/concern with school • Ask school to arrange an interpreter if you need (free of charge)