Year 11, 2025 - Year 12, 2026 (Stage 6)
Preparing for the final years of schooling requires students to set goals and select subjects that support their post-schooling aspirations. Years 11 and 12 are different to the previous years of school and require even greater student and family commitment. Students are strongly advised to set a strong foundation of schoolwork and study habits in Year 10 as they prepare for the academic demands of the HSC.
Many factors assist in contributing to student success at school generally but are particularly important for Years 11 and 12. Essentially, success in the HSC is linked to engagement in learning at school and the “learning community” of the school. Some key points for parents and students that must be considered in choosing subjects and being successful in Years 11 and 12 are:
Students:
• Always choose subjects you like, are competent at and are likely to enjoy.
• Discuss these choices with family and your teachers. Seek as much information from teachers and other “people who know”– it is your education, so do not base your choices on the choices of friends.
• Always get the facts from your teachers and listen to their advice. Teachers know your learning style. • If you have no clear idea of what you want to do upon leaving school yet require continuing with your education, keep your options open and choose your subjects accordingly.
• Successful HSC students are students who demonstrate independence within their work habits. They listen to advice from teachers, and they complete their tasks on time.
Parents:
Parental support is absolutely essential. Ensure that you are available to talk with or assist in any way during study times. Study can also be a very lonely activity and students can find it difficult to be motivated. Establishing routines within the home is very important. Routines may include specific times for sleep and times when technology and social media is not to be accessed. Social media, in particular, can be a very persuasive and invasive part of a young person’s life. Giving your child the opportunity and strength to ‘put the device away’ will be a valuable life skill.
Allow your child to stay focused on their studies and balance the demands of any part-time work. Part-time work is an important part of adolescence and preparing for adulthood. However, it is not essential for success in the HSC. If your child is working part-time, they will need to adopt very good time-management practices. In Year 12, it is advised that very limited part-time work be undertaken. The work “at hand” is the attainment of the Higher School Certificate. Every lesson, every day is most important.
I hope that you will find the information in this handbook useful to help you select a senior course or study best suited to your future requirements. I encourage you to research your course needs thoroughly, weigh up the advice you receive and be realistic in your choice of course.
Mr Stephen Plummer
Principal
Additional information can also be found through NESA’s own website at:
Choosing HSC subjects | NSW Government
Current Yr 11/Yr 12 course subject lines
2025 Stage 6 Subject selection booklet
Spaces in some subjects may be filled so please contact the school to confirm availability in each course.