Especean

Curriculum

2022 Higher School Certificate Results

Last year, one hundred and sixty-five Year 12 St Patrick’s College students sat the New South Wales Higher School Certificate (HSC) examinations in thirty-four courses plus twenty Year 11 students, accelerated in HSC Mathematics Advanced. There were many highlights and outstanding results attained by the Class of 2022. The following points illustrate just a few:

  • College Dux for 2022 is Steven Dann, who attained an ATAR of 99.60 and placed on the State’s with four merit (or distinguished achievement) listings. Matthew Vucic is Proxime Accessit with an ATAR of 99.35 and five merit listings. Nicholas Coffey placed third in the HSC Class of 2022 with an ATAR of 99.05 and four merit listings.
     
  • One hundred and sixty-five Year 12 students sat the HSC examinations in 2022 plus twenty Year 11 students accelerated in HSC Mathematics Advanced 2 unit.  Sixty-one students (37% of total Year 12 candidates) and thirteen Year 11 accelerated Mathematics students made the 2022 HSC Distinguished Achievers List (or Merit List) one hundred and forty times, having attained marks of 90% or more in 76.5% of courses sat.
     
  • Two students were placed on the State’s All-Rounders List, each having placed on the Distinguished Achievers List for courses totalling 10 or more units – Oliver Thomas ATAR 98.10 with six merit listings and Alexander Turner Jensen, ATAR 97.45 with five merit listings.
     
  • Two students made the State’s Top Achievers List. Joseph Challita placed First in the State in Construction and Ninth in the State in Industrial Technology and Matthew Vucic placed Twentieth in the State in Business Studies.
     
  • Forty-one students (24.8% of eligible candidates), as far as we know, attained an ATAR above 90. Many students achieved a high ATAR and made the meritorious 2022 HSC Distinguished Achievers List in a number of courses. For example, not including those already mentioned: Patrick Alphonse, ATAR 95.80 and four merit listings; Nicholas Barakat, ATAR 97.35 and two merit listings; Michael Bejjani, ATAR 95.25 and two merit listings; Adrian Biscotto, ATAR 97.05 and five merit listings; Joshua Chander, ATAR 95.60 and two merit listings; Joseph Haddad, ATAR 96.00 and thee merit listings; James Hraiki, ATAR 96.55 with two merit listings; Francesco Mancuso, ATAR 97.15 and two merit listings; Oliver Meleca, ATAR 96.40 and one merit listing; Jake Milligan, ATAR 95.25 and four merit listings; Matthew Peruzzi, ATAR 95.7 and three merit listings; Ethan Simmons, ATAR 97.75 and three merit listings; and Francis Ters, ATAR 96.40 and three merit listings. [Note that some students who completed HSC Mathematics Advanced in 2021, had these 2021 results included in the determination of their 2022 ATAR.]
     
  • In 29 out of 34 (85.3%) College courses examined, the College examination average was above that of the State examination average. For example, courses with a College candidature greater or equal to ten and a school vs State variation greater than five include: Ancient History with 6.71 marks above the State average; Business Studies, 6.37 above; Industrial Technology, 7.11 above; Information Processes and Technology, 5.47 above; Modern History, 5.05 above; Physics, 10.76 above; Studies of Religion II, 5.19 above; and Construction with 5.18 marks above the State average. Excellent results were also achieved in Drama (four students) with 8.49 marks above the State average; Mathematics Standard 1 (four students), 6.05 above; Mathematics Extension 2 (four students), 12.02 above; History Extension (one student), 6.83 above; and Italian Beginners (nine students) with 10.96 marks above the State average.
     
  • Most courses had a percentage representation of students with a mark of 90% or above, i.e., Band 6 or E4, greater than that of the State. For example, in Ancient History 18.18% of College candidates attained a Band 6 compared to 8.37% for the State; Business Studies 24.63% compared to 10.38%; Construction 24.13% compared to 5.70%; Engineering Studies 14.28% compared to 8.82%; Industrial Technology 21.42% compared to 7.52%; Italian Beginners 66.66% compared to 22.88%; Italian Continuers 40.00% compared to 20.99%; Mathematics Advanced 33.33% compared to 22.53%; Mathematics Extension 1 46.87% compared to 34.67%; Mathematics Extension 2 100% compared to 39.51%; Physics 18.75% compared to 12.31%; and in Studies of Religion II 20.00% of College candidates attained a Band 6 compared to 10.05% for the State.
     
  • Similarly, there were twenty-eight courses (82%) where the percentage representation of students in the two highest performance bands representing a percentage mark equal or above 80%, i.e., Bands 5/E3 and 6/E4, were greater than that of the State. For example, in courses with a candidature greater or equal to 15, Business Studies had 57.96% of College candidates who performed in the two top bands compared to 34.50% for the State; Chemistry 44.82% compared to 33.03%; Construction 58.61% compared to 30.34%; Economics 74.99% compared to 49.23%; English Advanced 76.76% compared to 67.09%; Mathematics Standard 2 34.93% compared to 28.82%; Mathematics Advanced 60.60% compared to 48.88%; Mathematics Extension 1 78.17% compared to 73.36%; Modern History          57.77% compared to 34.17%; PD/Health/PE 38.09% compared to 25.81%; Physics 81.25% compared to 41.30%; Studies of Religion II 68.57% compared to 46.25%: and Visual Arts had 78.25% of College candidates who performed in the two top bands compared to 65.62% for the State.

Bearing in mind that the College is an academically non-selective comprehensive boys’ school, the 2022 HSC results are excellent. St Patrick’s College is a school where ordinary boys achieve extraordinary things.

2023 Assessment Information

Parents/carers and boys should note that the assessment handbooks and calendars for 2023 are currently being compiled by the Curriculum Team. As in previous years, when completed, the 2023 assessment information will be posted on Canvas and on the TASS Parent Portal. Please note that Year 12 were issued with their HSC Assessment Handbook at the commencement of fourth term last year.

Elective Subject Changes for Years 9 and 11

Achieving academic success begins with the selection of courses suited to each student’s capabilities and interests. That is why an extensive process of subject selection is put in place each year where both parents/carers and their sons of Years 8 and 10 are given information sessions, prospectuses and the opportunity to discuss and research their choices for Years 9 and 11 respectively. 

 

The choices made last year formed the basis of the 2023 College Timetable. Therefore, change to elective subjects in the new academic year are not automatic and are limited by timetable constraints, staffing and class numbers. Many requests to change may not be possible.

 

A few changes were made in the first few days of this term primarily to correct anomalies and accommodate changes from Advanced to Standard level courses in Year 11 English and Mathematics or from Accelerated Mathematics to the normal stream.

 

Boys in Years 9 and 11 now wishing to change elective subjects need to see Mr Phillipson from Monday 20 February through to Wednesday 22 February inclusively to collect a subject change application form. After Wednesday 22 February no more application forms will be issued.

 

Completed subject change forms, including a parent signature, must be returned to Mr Phillipson by no later than 3:30 PM Friday 24 February. After that, applications will close and those received will be ignored.

 

For Year 11, depending on the nature of the requested subject change, a parent and son interview with Mr Phillipson may be required to approve an application.

 

It is important to note that although no further changes will be ordinarily considered after Friday 24 February, requests to change from Advanced to Standard level courses in Year 11 English and Mathematics may be considered.

 

In consolidating a program of study for Year 12 in 2024, discontinuation of subjects to a minimum of 10 units cannot occur until the commencement of the HSC course in fourth term of Year 11.

 

Nicholas Phillipson 

Acting Director of Curriculum

Class Structures 2023

Across Term 4 last year, coordinators, class teachers and specialists were involved in using data and providing feedback to construct classes for 2023. It is essential that as professionals we engage in rich and genuine discussion around the structure and composition of all classes to best meet the learning needs of your son, and all students, at St Patrick’s College. It is a lengthy process involving many stakeholders over many weeks. We devote significant time to the process because we carefully consider a range of factors in constructing classes and we want to place all students as appropriately as possible. We aim to balance learning needs, behaviours, skills, and strengths across all classes.

 

Appropriate class placement is one aspect of our strategic intent to “support all learners to realise their potential and provide greater breadth and depth in learning experiences”. The following sets out class structures for 2023:

  • Year 5: all classes are mixed ability. 
     
  • Year 6: one extension class (6 Red) and six mixed ability classes.
     
  • Year 7: two Advanced English classes (7ENG1 and 2), two Advanced Mathematics classes (7MAT1 and 2), and one Advanced Core class (7REE1, 7GEO/HIS1, 7SCI1, 7PED1). We are continuing with a targeted intervention class for Maths (7MAT5) and English (7ENG5). Students in intervention classes were nominated by Year 6 teachers and specialists. All other classes are mixed ability. 
     
  • Year 8: two Advanced English classes (8ENG1 and 2), two Advanced Mathematics classes (8MAT1 and 2), and one Advanced Core class (8REE1, 8GEO/HIS1, 8SCI1, 8PED1, 8ITA1). All other classes are mixed ability. 
     
  • Year 9: In Mathematics, the accelerated group is the extension group (9MAT1), with the remainder of students allocated to 5.1 – 5.3 pathways based on assessment results and teacher professional judgement. We have two Advanced English (9ENG1and 2), one Advanced Science (9SCI1), and one Advanced Core (9REE1, 9GEO/HIS1, and 9PED1). All other classes are mixed ability.
     
  • Year 10: In Mathematics, the accelerated group is the extension group (10MAT1), with the remainder of students allocated to 5.1 – 5.3 pathways based on assessment results and teacher professional judgement. We have two Advanced English (10EN1 and 2), two Advanced Science (10SCI1 and 5) and two Advanced Core (10REE1 and 5, 10GEO/HIS1 and 5, and 10PED1 and 5). All other classes are mixed ability.

The groupings for English, Mathematics, core and practical classes are all different and derived from data about students’ learning and pastoral needs, as well as input from specialists and class teachers. At the end of 2022, students in Years 6 and 8 completed the Academic Attainment tests. We were able to draw on this most current data source, alongside formal assessment data and teacher recommendations in creating classes.

 

Advanced classes have been carefully constructed using multiple measures of student aptitude and ability, including school-based and external assessments but also referencing characteristics of giftedness, classroom performance and teacher professional judgement. Teacher feedback on suitability for placement in an advanced class is considered. For students in Years 9 and 10, demonstrated achievement is considered in equal measure to any diagnosis of giftedness. The advanced classes will be taught in alignment with pedagogical approaches appropriate for gifted students including enrichment activities and greater depth and breadth in learning experiences. 

 

Not every student who wants to be in an advanced class will be placed in one, and therefore some students will naturally be disappointed. “Missing out” in one year does not mean a student will not be in an advanced class in subsequent years and it does not mean he has done anything “wrong”. We need to balance the needs of the boys collectively and individually, and sometimes the “on balance” must take precedence over the individual. We ask you as parents/carers to support the College and your son in continuing to work hard, communicate with his teachers, ask questions, and remain engaged in learning, regardless of the teacher he has or the class in which he is placed. 

 

Should you have any queries or concerns about your son’s placement for 2022, please contact Mr Glenn Stephenson for Years 5 and 6, Mr Phillipson, Acting Director of Curriculum, for Years 11 and 12 and me for Years 7 – 10. You can be confident, however, that we have worked very hard over many weeks to do our best in what is often a difficult process to get our classes just right. 

 

Denise Lombardo

Director of Learning and Innovation