The College, as directed by NESA, has produced an Assessment Plan for each course taught. Each plan details the tasks to be performed.

Student Support

The Student Support staff endeavors to assist students with disabilities and/or learning support needs who are in need of extra support in the classroom. To support students the college employs a leader of Inclusion, two student support teachers, and seven educational assistants. The Student Support staff provides in-class support, targeted reading programs, and specialist support to teachers. Collaboration between students, teachers, and parents will remain a high priority.

An Assessment Committee will oversee any issues arising from grade allocation. Appeals in relation to RoSA grades should be made no later than 3 days after the NESA publication of grades. A complaint based on the professional judgement of a teacher is not grounds for appeal. If students wish to make an appeal, they should make an appointment with the Leader of Teaching and Learning to begin the process.

The Record of School Achievement (RoSA) is a credential for all students to recognise school achievement before receiving their Higher School Certificate (HSC).

RoSA is a cumulative credential – recognising all your academic achievements. The RoSA will show your Year 10 grades, as well as any grades for Year 11 courses completed after that.  If you start a course but leave school before completing it, your RoSA will show evidence of your enrolment.

Your RoSA will also show results of any VET or Life Skills courses you complete in Year 10 and/or Year 11.

The HSC minimum standard is part of an effort to improve the literacy and numeracy outcomes for students. From 2020, students in NSW will need to demonstrate a minimum standard of literacy and numeracy to receive their HSC. The HSC minimum standard is a way of supporting and ensuring students have a functional level of literacy and numeracy.

Link to NESA:

http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/hsc/hsc-minimum-standard/online-tests

Online Tests

To achieve an HSC in 2020 and beyond, students must sit the HSC minimum standards online tests in reading, writing, and numeracy. Each of the three tests are 45 minutes in duration. Students must achieve a level 3 in each test in order to meet the HSC minimum standard. This aligns with level 3 of the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) which is considered the level required to function in everyday life, for work and further study beyond school. These tests are scheduled throughout the school year and can be taken post-school if needed. 

Once the HSC minimum standard is achieved in all three areas, a student is eligible to receive the HSC.

Support for students with additional needs

Some students with additional needs will be eligible for provisions for the minimum standard tests. These provisions can be approved by the Principal. The learning support team will liaise with the Principal about extra provisions for the HSC minimum standard tests.

You will be considered to have satisfactorily completed a course if, in the Principal’s view, there is sufficient evidence that you have:

• followed the course developed or endorsed by NESA.

• applied yourself with diligence and sustained effort to the set tasks and experiences provided in the course by the College.

• achieved some or all of the course outcomes.

If the Principal determines that the above course completion criteria have not been met, you will be given a written warning in sufficient time to correct any problems regarding your satisfactory completion of course requirements. A student who has not complied with the above requirements cannot be regarded as having satisfactorily completed the course. This will be formalised in the N- Determination process. The Principal will then deem that the student has not met the requirements for that course and this course will not appear on the student’s Record of School Achievement (RoSA).

HSC subject syllabuses, school internal assessment tasks and examination questions have key words that state what students are expected to be able to do. This glossary of key words has been developed to help provide a common language and consistent meaning in HSC tasks and examinations. Using the glossary will help you understand what is expected in answers to questions in examination assessment tasks.

Key Word

Definition – what you have to do

Account Account for: state reasons for, report on. Give an account of: narrate a series of events or transactions

Analyse Identify components and the relationship between them; draw out and relate implications

Apply Use, utilise, employ in a particular situation

Appreciate Make a judgement about the value of

Assess Make a judgement of value, quality, outcomes, results or size

Calculate Ascertain/determine from given facts, figures or information

Clarify Make clear or plain

Classify Arrange or include in classes/categories

Compare Show how things are similar or different

Construct Make; build; put together items or arguments

Contrast Show how things are different or opposite

Critically (analyse/evaluation) Add a degree or level of accuracy depth, knowledge and understanding, logic, questioning, reflection and quality to 

Deduce Draw conclusions

Define State meaning and identify essential qualities

Demonstrate Show by example

Describe Provide characteristics and features

Discuss Identify issues and provide points for and/or against

Distinguish Recognise or note/indicate as being distinct or different from; to note differences between

Evaluate Make a judgement based on criteria; determine the value of

Examine Inquire into

Explain Relate cause and effect; make the relationships between things evident; provide why and/or how

Extract Choose relevant and/or appropriate details

Extrapolate Infer from what is known

Identify Recognise and name

Interpret Draw meaning from

Investigate Plan, inquire into and draw conclusions about

Justify Support an argument or conclusion

Outline Sketch in general terms; indicate the main features of

Predict Suggest what may happen based on available information

Propose Put forward (for example a point of view, idea, argument, suggestion) for consideration or action

Recall Present remembered ideas, facts or experiences

Recommend Provide reasons in favour

Recount Retell a series of events

Summarise Express, concisely, the relevant details

Synthesise Putting together various elements to make a whole