Especean

Curriculum

Preparation for the HSC Written Examinations

With the Trial HSC examinations now over, it goes without saying that HSC students must use the remaining time, as they prepare for the HSC written examinations, to maintain their health and wellbeing as well as undertake a thorough revision regimen.

 

The next few weeks are very important as each Year 12 student steps up his study regime in the realisation that in terms of marks, it is only half-time – the game is not over yet. There’s still 50% of the HSC Mark to work for.

 

Although the remainder of term will be an eventful time for our boys as they celebrate the end of their schooling, they must not lose focus from the main task ahead – the HSC written examinations which commence Wednesday 11 October with the English Standard and Advanced Paper 1 in the morning and conclude for our students, Thursday 2 November with the Information Processes and Technology paper in the afternoon session.

 

Thorough revision of the syllabus points and practise using past papers under self-imposed examination conditions are essential to sharpen preparation for the examinations at this stage.

HSC Resources

Over the course of the year, teachers have drawn attention to readily accessible resources on the internet to assist Year 12 students with their study and revision.

 

Below are a few NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) approved HSC resources.

 

The Sydney Morning Herald 2023 HSC Study Guide

Each year NESA works with Fairfax Media to publish the HSC Study Guide now available at: HSC Study Guide 2023 (smh.com.au). The Guide has a good range of NESA endorsed resources.

 

Stay Healthy HSC Hub

The Stay Healthy HSC Hub provides resources and advice for students, parents/carers and teachers to help support HSC students to maintain their health and wellbeing as they prepare for and undertake their HSC examinations. The Hub is now available at: Stay healthy HSC (nsw.gov.au).

 

The NESA website

Home | NSW Education Standards HSC examination rules and procedures, syllabuses, past examination papers and notes from the marking centre, 2023 HSC examination timetable and Students Online.

 

ARC: School-based assessment in New South Wales (nesa.nsw.edu.au) Syllabuses, past examination papers and notes from the marking centre, standards packages and online multiple-choice.

 

I strongly recommend that all Year 12 students engage the above sites as part of their preparation for the HSC examinations.

 

HSC Students Online

This NESA website facility provides students with their:

  1. personal details 
  2. enrolment details
  3. personalised HSC examination timetable
  4. personalised Advice Line schedule
  5. Assessment Rank Order Notice
  6. HSC results.

It is important that Students Online is accessed and checked. Should parents/carers or students have further questions about the Students Online service or concerns about the information therein, please do not hesitate to contact Mr Cutrupi at the College.

 

During the HSC, Students Online and the NESA website will continue to be an important source of information about the HSC. NESA will also continue to provide assistance for any HSC related matters.

 

Michael Cutrupi 

Director of Curriculum

Santa Sabina Youth Forum: Book Week 2023 

Wednesday, 9 August a selection of Year 10 students from St. Patrick’s College and Meriden attended Santa Sabina’s Book Week Youth Forum.  Attendees engaged in a panel discussion relating to the shortlisted books on the Older Readers list of the 2023 Children’s Book Council Awards, pending the winner’s announcement this coming Friday. In the leadup to the forum participants were asked to read titles from the six short listed books in the running for the award. Having read four of the six titles, I found each enlightening and insightful as they presented a variety of perspectives. Truthfully, an initial glance at the shortlisted books would not be enough for me to select them off the library shelf but while reading them I was opened to a range of themes and ideas that did interest me, I was gripped.  

 

The forum was highly sophisticated; as a quorum we engaged in discussion that challenged my interpretations and presented new ideas and multiple ‘readings’ of the texts. Together we voted to predict Hayley Lawrence’s novel, The Other Side of Tomorrow to win the Older Reader category in 2023. It is a heart-wrenching book delving into how people deal with grief, it represented the harrowing idea of death from a more peaceful and soulful perspective.  

 

On behalf of the attending students, we thank Ms Lazarou for her guidance and supervision, and extend gratitude to Santa Sabina for their hospitality and invitation to participate.

 

Arthur Haddad | Year 10 Student