School Certificate

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This article is about the New South Wales School Certificate. For the qualification used in the United Kingdom, see General Certificate of Education.


The School Certificate is a qualification issued by the Board of Studies, New South Wales, typically at the end of Year 10. The successful completion of the School Certificate is a requirement for completion of the Higher School Certificate.

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[edit] Tests

To receive the School Certificate, students are required to sit for the School Certificate tests. There are five tests:

  • English-literacy
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Australian History, Geography, Civics and Citizenship
  • Computing Skills

In 2008, the School Certificate tests will commence on Monday November 10. [1]

[edit] Requirements

Each student is required to study English, Mathematics, Science, Human Society and its Environment (HSIE) and Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PD/H/PE) every year in Years 7-10. Each course is also supposed to include a degree of computer use, so students become familiar with that technology.

At some time during Years 7-10 students must study courses in Creative Arts (Visual Arts and Music), Technology and Applied Studies and a Language Other Than English.

The student may also complete a number of additional studies (electives). For a complete list see here.

[edit] Controversy

In his 1997 report "Shaping their future", Professor Barry McGaw was highly critical of the School Certificate. His report noted several deficiencies in the School Certificate, including:

  • The lack of preparedness of many students for Year 11 and 12
  • The apparent lack of challenge posed by Year 10 studies for more able students
  • The ‘low stakes’ nature of the external assessment where students were not accountable for their own individual results
  • Perceptions that the timing of external examinations in the middle of Year 10 has lessened the significance of subsequent Year 10 studies
  • Concerns about a perceived discontinuity between junior and senior secondary school studies.

Professor McGaw recommended that the School Certificate be abolished and replaced, for students leaving school, with a statement of achievement which would include each student’s results on statewide tests in literacy and numeracy as well as school-based results in all courses completed in Year 10. [1].

Despite Professor McGaw's recommendations, the New South Wales government remained committed to the School Certificate, though major changes were made to its structure and timing in order to address some of the concerns listed above. [2].

The disparity between the recommendations of the McGaw report and the actions taken by the New South Wales government has led to frequent rumours and press reports of the ultimate abolition of the School Certificate. [3] As of 2007, however, the NSW Government remains committed to the School Certificate. [4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Quoted in Securing their Future
  2. ^ Securing their Future
  3. ^ Doherty, Linda (2005) Testing times: school certificate faces axe The Sydney Morning Herald, 20 August 2005. Retrieved on 10 December 2007.
  4. ^ NSW Student Assessment on Track and a Model for the Nation NSW Dept of Education and Training, 18 January 2007. Retrieved on 10 December 2007.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links