Curriculum and Learning
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 their 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. In fact, NESA’s statistical moderation of the school-based assessment mark to that of the HSC examination mark puts greater weight on the HSC examination in determining the final HSC Mark.
Although the remainder of this 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 Thursday 16 October with the English Standard and Advanced Paper 1 in the morning and will conclude for our students, Friday 7 November with the Physics paper in the morning session.
Thorough revision of the syllabus points and practice 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 2024 HSC Study Guide
Each year, NESA works with Fairfax Media to publish the HSC Study Guide, now available at: HSC Study Guide 2025
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 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 available at: Stay healthy HSC.
The NESA website
Home | NSW Education Standards HSC examination rules and procedures, syllabuses, past examination papers and notes from the marking centre, 2024 HSC examination timetable and Students Online.
ARC :: School-based assessment in New South Wales 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 with the above sites as part of their preparation for the HSC examinations.
HSC Students Online
NSW Students Online provides students with their:
personal details
enrolment details
personalised HSC examination timetable
personalised Advice Line schedule
Assessment Rank Order Notice
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 help with any HSC related matters.
Year 11 Examinations
Just a reminder that the Year 11 Examination Block will commence on Wednesday 27 August and will conclude on Wednesday 10 September. The examinations are all timed written examinations.
It is the College’s expectation that all senior students conduct themselves in an exemplary and serious manner during the Examination Block. Year 11 students are reminded to consult the document Assessment / Examination Block Rules for Senior Students on the Year 11 CANVAS page as any breach of the rules may incur a zero mark being awarded for the associated examination.
The Examination Block timetable was issued to Year 11 students on Wednesday 13 August, and students are reminded to become familiar with and abide by the Assessment / Examination Block Rules for Senior Students available on the Year 11 CANVAS page.
Parents/carers and students of Year 11 are reminded, that in the event of absenteeism due to illness or misadventure during the Examination Block, a telephone call to the Year Coordinator, Mr Biviano, must be made on the morning of the examination. Where possible, the missed examination or a substitute will be arranged within the Examination Block period. Immediately, on the student’s return to school, a completed illness/misadventure form, with the related medical certificate or other official supporting evidence attached, must be personally given to Mr Biviano and the relevant Head of Department.
If illness or misadventure prevents a student from attending an examination or affects their performance in an examination, it is the student’s responsibility to complete and submit an illness/misadventure application, not a parent/carer or relative, unless the student is physically unable to do so.
The following points have been reiterated many times to the students regarding instances for which illness/misadventure applications are valid:
occurred immediately before or during an examination
was unexpected
was beyond the student’s control and prevented them from attending or diminished their performance in the examination.
The College will not consider illness or misadventure applications for:
difficulty preparing or lost preparation time
alleged deficiencies in teaching
misreading the Examination Block timetable
misreading examination instructions
attempting the wrong examination or part there of
long-term illness (e.g., glandular fever, asthma or epilepsy), unless the student has suffered a flare-up of the condition during the examination
conditions for which the student has been granted disability provisions, unless they have further unexpected difficulties
conditions for which a student should have applied for disability provisions
other commitments such as participation in work, sporting event, holiday, or attendance at tests conducted by other organisations.
Illness/misadventure applications must include advice or evidence from a relevant independent expert, not a parent/carer or relative, on the same day, either immediately before or after each examination for the student. The medical certificate must be written by a practising medical doctor who is not a parent/carer or relative. A certificate from a dentist to cover an appointment will not be accepted unless sudden, urgent, or emergency treatment was required.
The student must provide documentation that is current, specific to the date and time of the examination, and submitted with the illness/misadventure form. A medical certificate that merely states “illness” or “medical condition” and/or “unfit for work/study” is unacceptable, and the College will not consider an illness/misadventure application without sufficient evidence supporting a genuine reason.
Michael Cutrupi
Director of Curriculum
Major Works Exhibition
Please join us on 3 September from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM to celebrate the successes of the Visual Arts, Industrial Technology, Timber and Design and Technology HSC classes of 2025 as they showcase their hard work in this year’s Major Works Exhibition Evening. For the first time, the exhibition will be spread across three locations: Visual Arts in the Mary MacKillop Art Centre, Industrial Technology Timber in the Robson Auditorium and Design and Technology in the Crichton Building.
The exhibition will be officially opened at 7:00 PM by Dr. Lavorato in the Mary MacKillop Art Centre with catering supplied on the evening by the P&F. A special thank you to all teaching staff who worked alongside their respective HSC classes, to the College Executive Team, support staff, P&F and student helpers who have made the running of this evening possible. And finally, congratulations to the HSC Class of 2025 for producing some truly outstanding, showstopping and innovative works this year!
Anthony Porra
Acting Head of Visual Arts