1. YEAR
Curriculum

2. Pathways Beyond Year 10 2019 Pursuit of the HSC Workforce TAFE
Other avenues of study
Legal requirements
All NSW students must complete Year 10.
After Year 10 and until the age of 17 students must be either enrolled in education or be in full-time, paid employment (average 25 hours / week) or in a combination of these.

3. Record of School Achievement
The ROSA credential has been created for students who leave school after completing Year 10, but before receiving their HSC.
A RoSA will show grades for all courses completed by a student up to the date of their school departure.

4. THE HSC - Units All courses in the HSC have a unit value.
Most courses are 2 units which equates to 120 hours of study.
Some courses are 1 unit. This is equivalent to 60 hours of study.
• Some 1 unit courses are extension courses, enabling 3 or 4 units of a course to be studied.

5. Patterns of Study
Most subjects involve a 2 Unit Preliminary Course (120 Hours usually in Year 11) that is a prerequisite for the 2 Unit HSC Course (120 Hours usually in Year 12).
Preliminary Course requires a minimum of 12 Units.
HSC Course requires a minimum of 10 Units.

6. Requirements for the HSC
At least 6 Units of Board Developed Courses
At least 2 units of English
At least 3 courses of 2 units value or greater
At least 4 subjects
A maximum of 7 units may count from Science courses

7. Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR)
The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR):
is for students wishing to gain a place at a university
is a rank NOT a mark
provides information about how a student performs overall in relation to other students.

8. ATAR Calculation Best 10 units in Board Developed Courses
The best 2 units of English must be counted
The best 8 units from the remaining units (no more than 2 units of Category B courses may be included)

9. Course Preferences
Unlike Stage 5 where there are only a few choices, the HSC is far more complex.
English is compulsory as is the study of Religion here at St.Mary’s.
Beyond this, there is a great variety of options.
As a school, we are committed to providing students with the widest possible array of options to meet their many varied interests and needs.

10. The Process - Timeline
Current students seeking to continue at St. Mary’s need only indicate their intentions through the completion of the transition survey.
(Tuesday April 30 – Wednesday May 8)
Enrolment Period – (Wednesday 6 March – Friday 12 April) for students currently not enrolled at St. Mary’s.

11. The Process - Timeline
Handbooks provided to those who have indicated an intention to continue at St. Mary’s (Tuesday June 4)
Course information sessions for all students (Friday June 14)

12. Parent / Student Course Information Evening
Information Evening - Tuesday June 18 incorporating course talks – a very significant night in trying to make wise choices for next year.
Online Preference Nominations OPEN - Wednesday June 19
Online Preference Nominations CLOSE - Friday June 28

13. While these are initial preferences only, it is imperative that they are accurate and well- informed.
Staffing and courses running in 2020 will be determined by these selections.
Use your time wisely prior to this date to ask questions of staff, past students and parents.

14. Choosing Wisely
Interest in the course - we all perform better if we are engaged with the material.
Challenge – pursue courses that will stimulate your desire to learn and push you to expand your horizons.
Realism – Choose within the realms of what is possible.

15. Choosing Wisely Check possible links with career paths
There are NO SOFT OPTIONS
Do not worry about SCALING – no subject scales well if you do not receive strong marks.
Do consider the demands of major works.

16. Line Structure Development
Unlike some schools with predetermined course lines, St. Mary’s course lines will be driven entirely by the need to maximise the possibilities of the majority.
The initial preferences of the students will provide the basis of the subject line structure.

17. St. Mary’s uses a best fit model based on the original selections to provide as much flexibility in choices as possible.
Unfortunately, we cannot meet everyone’s preferred options.
If your initial course preferences are incongruous with the selections of all of the other students then you may have to opt for a different preference once lines are introduced.

18. Similarly, class sizes may also preclude some courses from running (eg 2 students will not constitute a class).
Individual conversations with students who are affected by such situations will occur to ensure the best possible outcome.

19. Line Structure Development
Line Structure explained to students – Tuesday July 23
Online Preference Nominations Round 2 OPEN - Wednesday July 24
Online Preference Nominations Round 2 CLOSE - Friday August 2

20. Will the college offer a wide range of courses to cater for diverse needs?

22. Will the size of my classes affect my results?

23. IT SHOULD! – Not because of the size of class, but because of the opportunity for a meaningful learning relationship between student and teacher within the intimacy of a small class.
It doesn’t have any impact on the HSC results – the moderation, alignment and scaling processes are intentionally designed by NESA and UAC to ensure that the make-up of classes has no real impact on the results of any student.

24. Term IV
All My Own Work – Compulsory course for students wishing to continue on to further studies in Year 11.
Term IV – Course Preference Interviews (mentors, parents and students)

25. Immediate Focus Ask questions Enrolment
Gather information - Career Requirements etc.
Discuss course options - Current Teachers / Parents / Student Co-ordinator / Careers Adviser / Other Staff / Past Students