Welcome

This Google Site is dedicated to describing the subjects offered in Year 9 at O'Connor Catholic College, Armidale.

Stage 5 Curriculum Handbook

This site is designed to assist students and their parents in the selection process by describing the requirements for the NSW Record of School Achievement (RoSA). It provides information for students and parents about elective subjects on offer for Year 9, 2025.

Year 9 Students at O’Connor have the opportunity to select two electives.  They will also have the opportunity to re-select electives in Year 10.

The College’s curriculum offerings for Stage 5 include subjects that are broad in their scope and which provide a suitable foundation for Stage 6 study (Years 11 and 12). The range of elective courses enables students to develop patterns of study that are best suited to their interests, abilities and future needs.

Although each student’s choice of Stage 5 subjects should be made with at least some consideration of future studies and possible career paths, it is unrealistic for students in Year 8 to make subject choices for Years 9 and 10 based solely on these criteria. Rather, students need to choose their subjects based on their interests, motivation and abilities.

Please do not hesitate to contact any of the teaching staff listed below if you require additional information regarding any aspect of Stage 5 study.

Principal……………………………………………………………… Phillip Gibney

Assistant Principal - Curriculum........................................…… Stephen Chapman

Assistant Principal - Wellbeing..........................................…… Mellissa Bell

Leader of Learning - Inclusion…………………………………… Carleigh Eastlake

Leaders of Pedagogy ................................................................. Nat Mellowship (7-9) and

Jenny Roff (10-12)

Literacy Coach ........................................................................ Michael Wooster

REC .......................................................................................... Andrew May

KLA Coordinators

Religious Education Mr Andrew May

English Ms Lauren Donnelly

Mathematics Mr Mark Harris

Science Mr Daniel Fitter

Human Society & Its Environment Mrs Cherie Stoessel

Personal Development, Health & Physical Education Ms Camilla Clydsdale

Technology & Applied Science Mr Jon Hawthorne

Creative & Performing Arts Ms Melanie Sampson

Record of School Achievement (RoSA)

Eligibility for the Record of School Achievement (RoSA)

To qualify for the RoSA, a student must have: 

• Completed the mandatory curriculum requirements for Years 7 to 10

• Completed courses of study that satisfy Education Standards’ curriculum and assessment requirements for the RoSA

• Complied with the requirements from the Education Act

While formal RoSA credentials are for school leavers, all Year 10 and 11 students will be able to access their results electronically and print a transcript of their results.

• Students who leave school and satisfy eligibility requirements for the RoSA will receive the formal credential

• Students who leave school are not eligible for a RoSA will receive a Transcript of Study at their departure.  The Transcript of Study contains the same information as the RoSA for courses satisfactorily completed

• All students have access to a record of their courses studied and their grades through Students Online

• Students who receive their HSC will be able to receive a RoSA at the same time as their HSC, detailing their achievement in their earlier years of study

Mandatory curriculum requirements

Students are required to complete the following mandatory curriculum for the RoSA:

English, Mathematics and Science

400 hours of each course throughout Years 7–10.

Human Society and Its Environment

400 hours throughout Years 7–10 and must include 100 hours each of History and Geography in each Stage.

Languages other than English

100 hours to be completed in one language over one continuous

12-month period, preferably in Years 7–8.

Technical and Applied Studies

200 hours of the Technology (Mandatory) course in Years 7–8.

Creative Arts

100 hours of Visual Arts and 100 hours of Music each to

be taught as coherent units of study.

Personal Development, Health and Physical Education

300 hours of the PDHPE course throughout Years 7–10.

To be studied in each of Years 7–10.

Assessment

As part of the Record of School Achievement, all students will receive a grade for every subject. This grade is based on both the New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA) performance descriptors and a teacher’s judgement as to a student’s demonstration of knowledge, skills and understanding in each subject throughout the two years of study. The specific syllabus for each subject outlines the standards and criteria, which indicate student achievement at a particular level.

Note: A non RoSA elective would not receive a grade.  This would be a school based course rather than one followed by the NESA syllabus.

Sustained effort

Students are required to apply themselves with diligence and sustained effort to all set tasks and experiences provided in the course and achieve some or all of the course outcomes.  This is a NESA requirement. If a student's work and/or attendance becomes a concern, the Principal may determine that the course completion criteria has not been met.  This can lead to an 'N' determination in the course concerned and ultimately put the student's RoSA at risk.  

‘N’ Determination

As students are working towards a nationally recognised record of their school achievement, they are subject to specific expectations and requirements that if not met may result in an ‘N’ determination. Should a student receive an N determination this will be recorded on their RoSA.

‘N’ determination process: 

• Schools issue warning letters to students who are in danger of not meeting course completion criteria, giving the student time for the problem to be corrected

• If a student has been given an ‘N’ determination in a mandatory course, they will not be eligible for the RoSA. If they leave school, they will receive a Transcript of Study that will list the mandatory course(s) for which an ‘N’ determination was given. The words ‘Not completed’ will appear next to each ‘N’ determined course

• If a student is given an ‘N’ determination in a non-mandatory course, the course will not appear on their RoSA or Transcript of Study

A Principal with appropriate delegation by NESA may determine that a student undertaking Stage 6 courses who was ineligible for the RoSA at the end of Year 10 because of failure to meet the requirements has subsequently met the requirements and is therefore eligible for the RoSA. The Principal is required to notify NESA of any such redemption and eligibility for the RoSA.