Curriculum 

Plans for compulsory Mathematics in Years 11 and 12 are now scrapped

The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) has confirmed this week that Mathematics will remain optional for students in Years 11 and 12 and the timeline for all Year 12 students to sit Mathematics examinations for the Higher School Certificate (HSC) in 2026 has been withdrawn.

Instead, NESA will commence an evaluation of the HSC minimum standard requirements which are the minimum levels in reading, writing and numeracy required for students in NSW to achieve the HSC. The evaluation of the HSC minimum standards will consider the effectiveness, timing and current HSC requirements and it is anticipated that the NESA recommendations will be introduced by 2025.

The former NSW government announced the decision to make Mathematics compulsory in 2019 without any real consultation with the teaching profession at a time when it was evident that a chronic teacher shortage across the State, particularly in Mathematics, would later reach the crisis point it is today, hence the real reason for the decision.

The current NSW government has indicated that it will be shifting its focus towards the development of early intervention measures to ensure students acquire the necessary numeracy skills before they leave school.

Last year over 60,000 students, or 85% of the HSC cohort, studied a Mathematics course and the shortage of qualified Mathematics teachers for Years 11 and 12 is getting worse not better which doesn’t augur well for future cohorts. We are fortunate to have a strong Mathematics Faculty with all of our students taught by specialist mathematics teachers.

Michael Cutrupi 

Director of Curriculum