HSC shake-up: Students no longer limited to one vocational course to achieve ATAR

Students will be able to study as many vocational subjects as they like – and still receive an ATAR – under a major NSW government overhaul of the HSC. Other changes are also planned as part of the shake-up.

Students will be able to study as many vocational subjects from construction to hospitality as they like – and still receive an ATAR – under a major state government overhaul of the HSC.

In a move the government hopes will make students more “job ready” after school – while keeping the pathway to university open – the category A and B subject selection system will be scrapped.

Instead of students wanting an ATAR being limited to just one of the vocational category B courses, they will be allowed to choose as many as they want, as long as they include the mandatory subject of English.

Students to be made “job ready” will have the choice of infinite vocational subjects. Picture: Tim Hunter.

The move is designed to make vocational study pathways as “valued” as the more traditional academic one, while allowing students to keep open the option to go to university.

As part of the overhaul, the government will also launch a pilot where students will be able to undertake more HSC exams online, starting with Enterprise Computing and Software Engineering exams, with plans for additional subjects in the future.

The changes are the second phase of promised overhaul of the HSC, with the government

on track to deliver its updated new senior secondary syllabuses by 2025.

Noting how it had been 25 years since the HSC was last reviewed, Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said the once-in-a-generation curriculum reform would ensure senior students developed the skills and knowledge for both jobs of today and in the future.

It’s been 25 years since the HSC has been reviewed. Picture: Tim Hunter.

“A lot has changed in the past 25 years. We need to bring the HSC into the 21st Century

and make sure senior students develop the skills and knowledge relevant for the jobs

of today and the future,” she said.

“In today’s economy we all need analytical, communication and collaboration skills to

succeed, regardless of whether we are working as a retail manager, plumber, scientific

researcher or politician.

“We must start valuing vocational and academic pathways equally, and recognise all

students need the skills to thrive in modern workplaces.”

The abolition of category A or B courses and the online exam pilot will take place from 2025.

Other changes will include adding vocational courses to the NSW Learner Profile, which will give students a verified record of their achievements in and out of school.

Pictured at JJ Cahill Memorial High School in Mascot today are Year 10 students, Shayla Fares, Ebony Ali, Mikayla Pollock, Andrew Mastroperos, Harlan Manu and Focus Sominthu. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Also on the way are clearer course overviews to help Year 10 students understand what skills they will develop when choosing their HSC subjects.

The overhaul follows the Gonski-Shergold review of the vocational education and training sector, which identified current HSC and ATAR arrangements as being a barrier to developing a pipeline of job-ready high school graduates.

Skills and Training Minister Alister Henskens said the changes would significantly expand the education and employment pathways available to young people who wanted to get skilled while still at school “and then further their education at a registered training provider or one of our world class universities”.

“When young people complete VET subjects at school, they get real life skills that set

them up for a brighter future when they leave the school gates,” he said.

Pictured at JJ Cahill Memorial High School in Mascot are Year 10 students, Shayla Fares, Andrew Mastroperos and Harlan Manu. Picture: Tim Hunter.

NSW Education Standards Authority curriculum reform executive director Dr Paul Cahill said scrapping the categorisation of subjects would remove an “unintended” perception that teachers of category B courses were “lesser” than those of category A subjects.

“Courses such as electrotechnology are very, very rigorous and challenging,” he said.

“This is about allowing students to choose subjects that they are best suited and most interested in.

“It creates opportunities for students to pursue their interests while keeping their options open.”

The NSW curriculum reform program is on track to see all K-10 syllabuses delivered

by 2024, and all Year 11-12 syllabuses delivered by 2025.

The new Year 11-12 Enterprise Computing and Software Engineering syllabuses will be published on the new digital curriculum platform in Term 3, 2022

.