The pre-teen whiz kids tackling the HSC

Jakob Lal was four when his ability to multiply double-digit numbers and solve algebraic equations gave his father the inkling his aptitude for mathematics stretched beyond his years.

“It was quite extraordinary,” Sean Lal said. “Obviously, there was something going on there when we could see him doing that. Then he started kindy, and he brought a book home and could just read it.

Josefine Pisano, Jakob Lal and Charles Fawcett, who are the youngest students studying a subject in this year’s HSC. Credit: Dion Georgopoulos

“That year, he read to me H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds. It does still blow my mind when I see the speed at which he can do things.”

Jakob, 11, of Forest Lodge, is tackling Mathematics Advanced at the International Grammar School, making him one of the youngest of 78,000 candidates studying one or more HSC courses in 2024.

The year 6 pupil, who enjoys algebra and calculus, remembers attempting the maths problems before he started school and says it’s “not something I have to do, it’s something I want to do”.

“I just liked exploring how far I could get. I think my ability is not maths, it’s being able to learn something quickly.

“[Exams] were a bit daunting and scary at first, but now I think I’ve gotten used to them.”

Eastern suburbs’ student Josefine Pisano, 12, is studying Chemistry and Science Extension while in year 7 at St Catherine’s School, Waverley. She will finish her HSC in 2026.

“I enjoy that [both subjects] give you a deeper understanding of the world that we live in and how that applies to humans and what we experience in each of our different lives,” she said.

Her mother, Sia Pisano, said her “mini adult” daughter had always enjoyed new challenges.

“When she was in kindergarten, she started bringing home a laminated chart that was the periodic table of elements.

“That’s how it started, with this love of doing something different and learning something new.”

Sydney Boys High School student Charles Fawcett, 12, of Penrith, said he was “a bit nervous, a bit excited” about studying Maths Extension 1. He hopes to be a maths teacher when he finishes school.

“I wouldn’t even say maths is my favourite subject, I’m just really good at it,” the year 7 student said.

NSW Education Minister Prue Car said the HSC could be completed over five years, which meant accelerated students, with their school and family’s support, could choose to start courses early.

“These brilliant young people show how the flexibility of the HSC meets the needs of a huge diversity of students throughout NSW, who are all working towards attaining this world-class credential,” she said.

This year’s written exams will start on October 15. There will be 124 exams at 778 exam centres over 19 days. The results will be released on December 18.

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