DesignTECH: Letters have been sent to all nominated students and their schools. Nominated students must login to the Students Online website to submit an online nomination form and digital images of their project by Thursday 19 November. Students will be advised of the outcome after 25 November.

OnSTAGE: Selection letters will be sent to all nominated individual and group performers and to students whose projects have been selected for exhibition in the week beginning 16 November. Schools will also receive written notification.

ENCORE: Nominations will close on Friday 20 November. Selection letters will be sent to students and schools in early December.

ARTEXPRESS: Nomination letters will be sent to students and schools in the week beginning 16 November. Nominated students must login to the Students Online website to submit an online nomination form by Monday 23 November. Final selection letters will be sent in early December.

Young Writers Showcase: Nominated students will be advised in the week beginning 21 December.

Texstyle: Final selection letters were sent out to students and schools on 13 November.

Callback: Nomination letters were issued in September. Students and schools will be advised of final selections in early December.

Students, parents and school staff are reminded that nomination for an HSC showcase does not indicate a particular mark for the student's major work or performance. There are many factors involved in final selection for a showcase event or exhibition, for example: the ability to transport a major project; the suitability of a performance for a particular kind of stage; the need to show a mix of performances or projects that demonstrate the scope of the relevant syllabus; the inclusion of students from locations around NSW. Most importantly, there are limits on the number of performances or works that can be included in any one year. Inevitably, there are many outstanding students who are not nominated or, having been nominated, are not selected for the final showcase.

The 2009 HSC Student Survey is a quick online questionnaire giving HSC Students the chance to tell the Board what they think about their 2009 HSC courses and exams.

Participation in the survey is voluntary, and responses will be kept private and confidential. Student logins are required simply to tailor the survey to the courses you studied and to ensure each student responds only once.

The survey should take no more than 15 minutes to complete.

Completing the survey gives you the chance to win one of three $50 University Co-op Bookshop vouchers.

The HSC Student Survey will open on Students Online at 5pm on Friday 13 November and will close at midnight on Friday 11 December 2009.

The Board of Studies joins with the rest of the community in wishing all students the best for their exams.

For general information, facts and figures about this year's HSC, please see the 2009 HSC Media Guide.

Course: Textiles and Design

Date: Friday November 13, 2009, 1:55 PM - 3:30 PM

Candidature: 2184 (as at 1 September 2009)

The paper consists of three sections.

Section I (10 marks) consists of multiple-choice questions, answered on a separate machine-scored answer sheet.

Section II (25 marks) consists of three questions, worth 5, 10 and 10 marks respectively, made up of several short-response parts, to be answered on the question paper.

In Section III (15 marks), students choose one of two structured extended-response questions. This question is answered in a separate writing booklet.

Read the full 2009 HSC examination timetable.

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The Board of Studies joins with the rest of the community in wishing all students the best for their exams.

For general information, facts and figures about this year's HSC, please see the 2009 HSC Media Guide.

Course: Information Technology

Date: Friday November 13, 2009, 1:55 PM - 4:00 PM

Candidature: 1966 (as at 1 September 2009)

The paper consists of three sections.

Section I (15 marks) consists of 15 multiple-choice questions answered on a separate machine-scored answer sheet.

Section II (35 marks) consists of short response questions answered in the spaces provided on the question paper.

All questions in Sections I and II are compulsory.

Section III (30 marks) consists of three extended response questions. Students answer two questions, each in a separate writing booklet.

Read the full 2009 HSC examination timetable.

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The Board of Studies joins with the rest of the community in wishing all students the best for their exams.

For general information, facts and figures about this year's HSC, please see the 2009 HSC Media Guide.

Course: French Extension

Date: Friday November 13, 2009, 1:55 PM - 3:55 PM

Candidature: 217 (as at 1 September 2009)

The paper consists of two sections.

Section I - Response to prescribed text (25 marks). This section has two parts. In Part A, students answer a number of short-response questions based on a short extract from the prescribed text. In Part B, students write an original text in French in response to another extract from the prescribed text. Students choose to answer the questions related to one of two prescribed texts.

Section II - Writing in French (15 marks). Students have a choice of two questions and write an original text in French.

Read the full 2009 HSC examination timetable.

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The Board of Studies joins with the rest of the community in wishing all students the best for their exams.

For general information, facts and figures about this year's HSC, please see the newly released 2009 HSC Media Guide.

Course: Tourism

Date: Thursday November 12, 2009, 1:55 PM - 4:00 PM

Candidature: 346 (as at 1 September 2009)

The paper consists of three sections.

Section I (15 marks) consists of 15 multiple-choice questions, answered on a separate answer sheet.

Section II (35 marks) consists of short response questions answered in the spaces provided on the question paper.

All questions in Sections I and II are compulsory.

Section III (30 marks) consists of three extended response questions. Students answer two questions, each in a separate writing booklet.

Read the full 2009 HSC examination timetable.

Don't miss out! Get your Board news fast and from the source with our easy email news alerts. Just enter your email address in the box on the right, and don't forget to confirm your subscription.

The Board of Studies joins with the rest of the community in wishing all students the best for their exams.

For general information, facts and figures about this year's HSC, please see the newly released 2009 HSC Media Guide.

Course: Drama

Date: Thursday November 12, 2009, 1:55 PM - 3:30 PM

Candidature: 4815 (as at 1 September 2009)

This paper consists of two sections.

Section I: Australian Drama and Theatre (Core component). In Section I there is one extended response question.

Section II: Studies in Drama and Theatre. In Section II students attempt one question from a choice of seven questions. Each question requires an extended response.

Read the full 2009 HSC examination timetable.

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The Board of Studies joins with the rest of the community in wishing all students the best for their exams.

For general information, facts and figures about this year's HSC, please see the newly released 2009 HSC Media Guide.

Course: Geography

Date: Thursday November 12, 2009, 9:25 AM - 12:30 PM

Candidature: 4636 (as at 1 September 2009)

The paper consists of three sections.

Section I (15 marks) consists of 15 multiple-choice questions, answered on a separate machine-scored answer sheet.

Section II (25 marks) consists of 3 - 5 questions, which may have a number of parts. Answers are written in the spaces provided on the question paper.

Section III (60 marks) consists of three extended response questions of equal value.

All questions are compulsory.

A separate coloured stimulus booklet is provided.

Read the full 2009 HSC examination timetable.

Don't miss out! Get your Board news fast and from the source with our easy email news alerts. Just enter your email address in the box on the right, and don't forget to confirm your subscription.

The Board of Studies joins with the rest of the community in wishing all students the best for their exams.

For general information, facts and figures about this year's HSC, please see the newly released 2009 HSC Media Guide.

Course: Arabic Extension

Date: Thursday November 12, 2009, 9:25 AM - 11:25 AM

Candidature: 61 (as at 1 September 2009)

The paper consists of two sections:

Section I - Response to prescribed text (25 marks). This section has two parts. In Part A, students answer a number of short-response questions based on a short extract from the prescribed text. In Part B, students write an original text in Arabic in response to another extract from the prescribed text.

Section II - Writing in Arabic (15 marks). Students have a choice of two questions and write an original text in Arabic.

Read the full 2009 HSC examination timetable.

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10 November 2009

The Supervisor of Marking reports that Studies of Religion marking is proceeding well.

As previously advised, the Supervisor of Marking and Chief Examiner were brought in ahead of schedule, as were the Senior Markers responsible for Section 3.

In consultation with the Board, these experts were give additional time to prepare the marking process this year. The Board has been regularly monitoring the Studies of Religion marking since then. Pilot marking is complete, the marking scheme has been established and markers have been briefed on their process this year.

Marking is now underway and the markers are carefully following the procedures set out for them, including setting aside any scripts they feel are unusual so they can be considered separately. This is one example of what the Board means by the marking process being designed to handle differences from year to year.

Senior Board staff have visited the marking centre and the markers have had the opportunity to speak with them and ask questions. The Board's independent Consultative Committee has met and has, among other things, been briefed on Studies of Religion. At the conclusion of marking, the Consultative Committee will consider any patterns that may have appeared in this year's exam responses.

The Board remains in regular contact with the Supervisor of Marking, Senior Markers and markers to ensure the successful marking of the exam. Students, parents, teachers and principals with questions about the Studies of Religion exam, including whether the Board's Illness/Misadventure provisions may apply to them, should contact the Board via service@bos.nsw.edu.au .

Read more about how HSC marking works.

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