Whilst the next 2 weeks provides students with some time for rest and relaxation, it is also a good opportunity for students, particularly in Year 11 and 12, to organise themselves and prepare for the Term ahead. 

When Term 2 resumes, students will continue to engage with remote learning, and hence it is important that students are accessing GOOGLE classrooms, completing assigned work, engaging with their teachers and attending ZOOM lessons where applicable. 

As always, we will continue to keep you updated in regard to advice from NESA related to all things Learning and Teaching, and in particular, the 2020 HSC. 

Wishing the College Community, a very safe and Happy Easter!

LATEST ADVICE FROM NESA (8 April 2020)

The Higher School Certificate (HSC) is going ahead in 2020.

A COVID-19 Response Committee is addressing developing issues as a matter of urgency.

A Technical Advisory Committee of assessment experts and stakeholders is working on a fair and equitable way to calculate a mark for cancelled components of the HSC.

Key dates and deadlines currently listed on the NESA website are subject to change due to the COVID-19 outbreak. NESA will continue to update you with exceptions and changes to relevant deadlines.

School-based HSC assessment

Schools must follow social distancing requirements when planning or undertaking school-based assessment tasks. NESA has given principals and system authorities the power to determine the number, type and weighting of tasks for HSC and Year 11 school-based assessment.

This includes making determinations about all mandated tasks that are internally assessed in the following courses:

• Ancient History
•  Community and Family Studies
•  Design and Technology
• English (English Studies, English Standard, English Advanced, English Extension 1 and 2)
• Geography
• History Extension
• Mathematics: Mathematics Standard, Advanced, Extension 1 and Extension 2
• Modern History
• Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth and Environmental Studies, Investigating Science – depth studies, and Science Extension)

NESA’s principles of assessment continue to apply. Wherever possible, school-based assessment should continue to be:

• based on a range of syllabus outcomes
• based on measures made throughout the HSC course
• informed by the components identified in the assessment and reporting documents for each of the syllabuses
•  inclusive of and accessible for all students.

Performance exams: performance exams will be modified if they breach mandatory social distancing requirements. Detailed advice about these components is now available.

Major projects: This Thursday’s (9 April) meeting of the COVID-19 Response Committee will focus on major projects for Visual Arts, Design and Technology, Industrial Technology, English Extension 2 and Society and Culture.

Mandatory work placement in VET: Students are no longer required to undertake NESA-mandated VET work placements.

Ms Judith Tolomeo

Curriculum Coordinator