Higher School Certificate Requirements and
Students with Special Education Needs
Key Messages
NSW Education Standards Authority
HSC Rules and Requirements
The eligibility requirements for the Higher School Certificate
(HSC) are the same for all students. Students must:

have gained the Record of School Achievement or such
other qualifications as the NSW Education Standards
Authority considers satisfactory;

have attended a government school, an accredited nongovernment school, a school outside NSW recognised by
the NSW Education Standards Authority or a college of
TAFE;
NSW Education Standards Authority
HSC Rules and Requirements
continued

have completed HSC: All My Own Work (or its equivalent);

have satisfactorily completed courses that comprise the
pattern of study required by the NSW Education Standards
Authority for the award of the HSC; and

sit for and make a serious attempt at the requisite HSC
examinations.
(ACE Website 8004)
NSW Education Standards Authority
HSC Minimum Standards

From 2020, all Year 12 students in NSW must reach the
minimum standard of literacy and numeracy to receive an
HSC.

The standard is mapped against the Australian Core Skills
Framework (ACSF) Level 3.

Students can demonstrate they meet the standard by
achieving a Band 8 in the Year 9 NAPLAN reading, writing
and numeracy tests or passing the online reading, writing
and numeracy tests in Years 10, 11 and 12.
NSW Education Standards Authority
HSC Minimum Standards

Disability provisions will be available for the online tests.

Students undertaking Stage 6 English and Mathematics
Life Skills courses will be exempt.

Other exemptions will be considered in 2017.
NSW Education Standards Authority
Pattern of Study for the HSC
To qualify for the HSC all students must fulfil the pattern of
study requirements
 12
units of Preliminary courses
 10
units of HSC courses
–
–
–
–
6 units from Board Developed courses
2 units of English
3 courses of 2 units or greater
at least 4 subjects
(no more than 6 units of Science courses).
(ACE Website 8005)
NSW Education Standards Authority
Curriculum Options

All students with special education needs should choose the most
appropriate courses for the HSC in keeping with their needs,
strengths, goals, interests and prior learning.

Most students with special education needs will undertake regular
Board Developed courses and/or Board Endorsed courses. These
students may require adjustments for coursework and/or
assessment.

For a small percentage of students with special education
needs, particularly those with an intellectual disability, it may be
appropriate to develop a pattern of study that includes one or more
Life Skills courses.
(ACE Website 7002)
NSW Education Standards Authority
Decisions about Curriculum
Options
Decisions about curriculum options are made in the context of
the collaborative curriculum planning process.
A team including the student, their parent/carer and other
significant individuals meet to discuss:
– the student’s needs, strengths, goals, interests and prior
learning
– the adjustments required by the student
– the student’s transition to post-school life
– how the student’s pattern of study will meet the
requirements for the award of the HSC
(ACE Website 7005)
NSW Education Standards Authority
Curriculum Options

Students with special education needs can meet the
requirements for the HSC using:
– Board Developed courses (including Life Skills courses
and Industry Curriculum Framework courses/options)
or
– a combination of Board Developed courses and Board
Endorsed courses (including Content Endorsed courses
and School Developed courses).
NSW Education Standards Authority
Board Developed Courses

an HSC examination is typically completed (except Life
Skills courses)

a moderated assessment mark is awarded (except VET
and Life Skills courses)

may count towards an ATAR (except Life Skills or VET
courses where the student is not undertaking an
examination)

10 units required for ATAR
NSW Education Standards Authority
Board Endorsed Courses

no HSC exam

school assessment mark; not moderated

does not count towards an ATAR, but counts towards the
HSC

Content Endorsed courses can be studied as 1 or 2 unit
Preliminary and/or HSC courses

School Developed courses are submitted to the NSW
Education Standards Authority for endorsement
NSW Education Standards Authority
VET ICFs
Board Developed Industry Curriculum Framework VET
courses:

13 industry areas, for example, Retail Services count
towards HSC as Board Developed units

AQF VET certificate or statement of attainment

ATAR pathway – optional HSC examination

mandatory work placement
NSW Education Standards Authority
VET BECs
Board Endorsed VET courses:

count towards HSC as Board Endorsed units

AQF VET certificate or statement of attainment

no ATAR pathway

work placement may be strongly recommended, mandatory
or not required.
NSW Education Standards Authority
VET courses and students with
special education needs
Students with special education needs may access a VET course
in one of two ways:
 Option 1
the student undertakes the course under regular course
arrangements
OR

Option 2
the student undertakes selected units of competency within
the course that have been identified through the collaborative
curriculum planning process.
(VET Courses and Students with special education needs)
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/syllabus_hsc/vet-students-with-special-edu-needs.html
NSW Education Standards Authority
Accumulation of courses

Students may accumulate HSC courses towards the HSC
(and ATAR) over a ‘rolling’ period of up to 5 years.
– No time restriction for accumulation of Preliminary
courses.

Students may accumulate extension courses by completing
the 2 unit course in one year and the extension course in a
subsequent year.
(ACE Website 8036 & 8037)
NSW Education Standards Authority
HSC: All My Own Work

All students undertaking Preliminary or HSC courses must
complete HSC: All My Own Work program (or its
equivalent).

Students with disability may require adjustments to access
and participate in the program. Schools can decide on the
adjustments required.

The HSC: All My Own Work program (or its equivalent) is
not required for students undertaking only Life Skills
courses.
NSW Education Standards Authority
Assessment and students with
special education needs

School principals have the authority to grant adjustments
for course work, assessment tasks and in-school
examinations.
(ACE Website 10003)

Some students with special education needs may require:
– adjustments to the assessment process
– adjustments to the assessment activities
– alternative formats for responses.
NSW Education Standards Authority
Assessment and students with
special education needs

Schools are required to submit grades for students who
have satisfactorily completed Preliminary courses.

Schools will use the Common Grade Scale for Preliminary
Courses to decide on the best overall description of a
student’s achievement.

The Common Grade Scale for Preliminary Courses can be
applied to all students, regardless of whether or not
adjustments have been made to assessment activities.
NSW Education Standards Authority
Assessment and students with
special education needs
 Students who have satisfactorily completed HSC courses


are awarded an assessment mark by their schools (with the
exception of Life Skills and VET courses).
Schools must submit marks for students undertaking a
course at a school as a single group.
Assessment marks must be moderated to allow
comparison of the entire candidature for any course.
(ACE Website 8074 & 8076)
NSW Education Standards Authority
HSC Credentials
As part of the credential for the HSC, students receive:
 HSC Testamur
 HSC Record of Achievement, listing all courses undertaken
– Assessment mark, examination mark, HSC mark and
performance band recorded for regular courses
– “Refer to Profile of Student Achievement” recorded for
Life Skills courses
NSW Education Standards Authority
HSC Credentials
continued
– course reports for each course with an external
examination that has been completed satisfactorily
– HSC Profile of Student Achievement, listing all
outcomes achieved for each Life Skills course
undertaken
– VET qualifications if appropriate.
For further information, see the NSW Education Standard’s Authority website:
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/hsc-results/credentials.html
NSW Education Standards Authority
Contacts
For more information, or for assistance, contact the Special
Education officers of the NSW Education Standards Authority:
Ph: (02) 9367 8036; (02) 9367 8148
@SpecialEdBOSTES
NSW Education Standards Authority