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Curriculum and Learning

Year 12: Important Information on Next Steps

With six weeks until the 2026 HSC written examinations commence, Year 12 students and their parents/carers are reminded of the following important HSC matters:

 

Year 12 Academic Reports

By the end of next week, Year 12 final Academic Reports will be issued online via the TASS Parent Lounge/Parent Orbit App.

 

Please note a few key features of the final reports including:

 

  • Co-Curricular Involvement to date, as applicable.

 

  • Attendance at key College events since the Semester 1 Report.

 

  • Attendance Record from Monday 23 March up to and including Friday 28 August.

 

  • The Homeroom Teacher’s Pastoral Profile which describes the student’s general school and homeroom practices associated with grooming and uniform, co-operation, manner, punctuality, responsibility, initiative, and contribution to Mission. These Profile elements are described as Consistently, Usually, Occasionally or Rarely.

 

  • The Trial HSC Examination Mark and Rank, and the HSC Course Rank, noting: 

    • the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) does not allow schools to issue the HSC Course Assessment Mark on reports

    • NESA distributes to students the HSC Course Rank on the last day of the HSC Examinations (5 November 2026).

 

  • Achievement in one or more Learning Areas or descriptors expressed by one of the following indicators: Excellent, Good, Satisfactory, Elementary or Limited. Each indicator indicates the level of performance achieved by the student, like the Common Grade Scale as the Scale is generally well understood.

 

  • The Class Teacher’s report on Student Attributes associated with the student’s approach to learning involving application, commitment, conduct, engagement and responsibility associated with his classwork and study. These Student Attributes are described as Consistently, Usually, Satisfactorily, Occasionally or Rarely, each of which will be assigned a numerical value of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively and reported on the Pastoral Page as the Student Attribute Average or SAA with the maximum possible value attainable being 5.00.

 

The release of these reports provides parents/carers with an important opportunity to review their son's academic progress and support any necessary adjustments in preparation for the HSC written examinations.

 

Preparing for the HSC Written Examinations

As noted previously in the Especean, HSC students should make purposeful use of the remaining weeks by maintaining their health and wellbeing while following a thorough revision program.

 

The coming weeks provide an important opportunity for HSC students to strengthen effective study routines and sustain their focus on examination preparation. As the HSC written examinations contribute 50% of the final HSC mark, NESA’s statistical moderation process further highlights the value of strong examination performance in determining each student’s final result.

 

Although the remainder of the term will include significant occasions for the Class of 2026 to mark the conclusion of their schooling, students should remain clearly focused on the HSC written examinations, which commence on Tuesday 13 October.

 

At this stage, thorough revision of syllabus content and regular practice with past papers under timed examination conditions are essential to sharpening students’ preparation.

 

HSC Resources

Throughout the year, teachers have highlighted a range of easily accessible online resources to support Year 12 students with their study and revision.

 

The following are several HSC resources approved by NESA.

 

1. The Sydney Morning Herald 2025 HSC Study Guide

Each year NESA works with Fairfax Media to publish the HSC Study Guide now available at: HSC Study Guide 2026

 

 The Guide has a good range of NESA endorsed resources.

 

2. Stay Healthy HSC Hub

The Stay Healthy HSC Hub offers resources and advice for students, parents/carers and teachers to support HSC students’ health and wellbeing as they prepare for and complete their examinations.

 

The Hub is available at: Stay healthy HSC.

 

3. The NESA website

Home | NSW Education Standards HSC examination rules and procedures, syllabuses, past examination papers and notes from the marking centre, 2026 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 encourage all Year 12 students to use these sites as part of their preparation for the HSC examinations.

 

4. 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.

 

Students should regularly access and check Students Online. Parents/carers or students with questions about the service, or concerns about the information displayed, are encouraged to contact Mr Martin at the College.

 

Throughout the HSC period, Students Online and the NESA website will remain key sources of HSC information, with NESA continuing to provide support for HSC-related matters.

HSC Illness/Misadventure

If a student experiences illness or misadventure during the HSC examinations, the HSC Presiding Officer, Mrs Saric, must be notified immediately. The College must also be informed through Year Coordinator Mr Biviano and Director of Curriculum Mr Martin. An appeal form will be issued for each affected examination and once completed, must be returned to Mr Martin for the Principal’s signature and submission to NESA by Thursday 5 November.

 

More information regarding the illness/misadventure process during the HSC examinations may be found at: Illness and misadventure | NSW Education Standards.

HSC Assessment Rank Order Notices

These may be accessed and printed from home via the Students Online facility after 12:30 PM on Thursday 5 November. Appeals concerning rank order must be submitted to Mr Martin, in writing, by no later than 3:30 PM, Monday 9 November.

Release of Higher School Certificate Results

NESA will make the 2026 HSC results available to students via Students Online on Wednesday 16 December.

Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR)

The Universities Admissions Centre issues a different PIN to that of Students Online to enable access to the ATAR, also released on Wednesday 16 December.

 

James Martin

Director of Curriculum