Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT ARE CUSTOMISED EDUCATION PACKAGES?

A Customised Education Package is an additional agreement between the School and family suited towards the particular needs of elite athletes, semi-professional artists or performers, or those with similar needs as determined by the Head of Secondary. Packages involve regular planning meetings with families to map alternative pathways for the completion of studies around their external commitments to sporting representation, performance tours and similar.

For more information on Customised Packaging please contact Ms Kathryn O’Rourke, Head of Secondary for a suitability assessment: kathryn.orourke@hunterchristian.nsw.edu.au

HOW MANY SUBJECTS DO I CHOOSE?

NESA requires that you do subjects worth a minimum of 12 Units for Year 11 and 10 Units for the HSC (starting Term 4 of Year 11).

HSC COURSE REQUIREMENTS

6 Units of Board Developed Courses 2 Units of a Board Developed Course in English, or English Studies 3 Courses of 2 or more units (either Board Developed or Board Endorsed Courses) 4 Subjects

REQUIREMENTS FOR AN ATAR

The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank is not a mark.

The ATAR is based on the aggregate of scaled marks in 10 Units of Board Developed Higher School Certificate Courses comprising both units of English and the best eight units from remaining courses. This cannot be made up of 4, 1 Unit subjects.

WHAT ARE UNITS?

All courses offered for the HSC have a unit value. Subjects may have a value of 1 unit or 2 units.

1 UNIT COURSES

1 Unit courses equal approximately 2 hours of class time each week or 60 hours per year.

There are several 1 unit Board Endorsed Courses. These do not count in the ATAR. Only Sport, Lifestyle and Recreation Studies (SLR) is offered at Hunter Christian School.

2 UNIT COURSES

Most courses have a basic structure of 2 units. Their HSC mark value is 100. Timetable allocation is approximately 4 hours per week. 10

EXTENSION COURSES

Extension study is available in some subjects.

Extension 1 courses build on the content of a 2 unit course and carry an additional value of 1 unit.

Requiring students to work beyond the standard of the 2 unit course, Extension 1 courses in English and Mathematics may be studies across both Preliminary and HSC years.

Extension 1 courses in History, Music, some languages and VET are studied and examined in the HSC year only.

Extension 2 courses in English and Mathematics are available in the HSC year only. Students must study the Preliminary Extension 1 course before proceeding to the HSC Extension 2 course. The Extension 2 course requires students to work beyond the standard of the Extension 1 course and carries a further extra unit value.

Undergraduate university courses may also be available in some subjects.

WHAT SUBJECTS ARE COMPULSORY?

2 Unit of English and 1 Unit of Studies of Religion.

WHAT SUBJECTS DO I CHOOSE FOR A GOOD ATAR?

Choose subjects that you will work hardest and get your best result. This is far more important than any other consideration.

WHAT IF I DON’T WANT AN ATAR?

That’s fine. A HSC helps with other types of further study and employment.

WHAT ABOUT TVET AND TAFE?

There are lots of courses you can do at school or at TAFE that contribute to your HSC. Many of them can also contribute to your ATAR.

For more information or any questions please talk to Paul Monk paul.monk@hunterchristian.nsw.edu.au

ASSESSMENTS

Year 11: There are 3 Compulsory Assessment Tasks that all students have to complete. Assessment schedules will be provided at the commencement of each course.

Year 12: There are 4 compulsory Assessment Tasks that all students have to complete/ Assessments Schedules will be provided at the commencment of each course. 11