Students, teachers and parents are invited to visit the Board's SC Test Yourself Website in preparation for the 2009 School Certificate tests.

Here students can test themselves on a selection of multiple-choice questions from past School Certificate tests in English, Mathematics, Science, Australian History, Geography, Civics and Citizenship, and Computing Skills.

Parents and teachers are also encouraged to use the site to better understand the kinds of multiple-choice questions students will be asked in the School Certificate tests. It is important to note that the 2009 School Certificate tests do not include only multiple-choice questions. For specifications about the tests click on the following link: School Certificate tests.

The website is proving to be extremely popular with 109,535 tests completed last year. You can nominate the number of questions you want to attempt and receive immediate results and answers to any questions you answered incorrectly.

Try out your skills and knowledge with questions like this:

Adam earns $5 for the first hour of babysitting and $4 per hour after that. He babysat for n hours. Which expression represents the amount Adam earned?
(a) 9n
(b) 4n + 1
(c) 4n + 5
(d) 5n - 1

All questions are automatically marked and the correct answers are shown at the end of each test.

Multiple choice questions are a part of each School Certificate Test. To find out more, read about the 2009 English-literacy and Science test components.

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

Test: Science

Date: Monday November 9, 2009, 12:50 PM - 3:00 PM

Candidature: 84,261 (as at 1 September 2009)

Section 1 (60 marks). Section 1 consists of two parts:

Part A (50 marks) consists of 50 multiple-choice questions. All answers to this section must be recorded on the answer sheet provided.

In Part B (10 marks), there are 10 constrained-response questions. Students write their answers in the boxes on the answer sheet provided.

Section 2 (40 marks). There will be 5-8 short-response questions with a total value of 40 marks. These questions may consist of several parts, and are answered in the spaces provided.

There is a stimulus booklet attached to the test. Questions from both Section 1 and Section 2 will draw on the material in the stimulus booklet.

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

Test: English-literacy (School Certificate)

Date: Monday November 9, 2009, 9:20 AM - 11:30 AM

Candidature: 84,295 (as at 1 September 2009)

This test consists of two sections.

Section 1 - Reading/Viewing (60 marks) consists of reading/viewing tasks that require students to respond to a range of texts. This section of the paper will use a combination of multiple-choice and short-answer questions.

Section 2 - Writing (30 marks) consists of two extended writing tasks.

There is a stimulus booklet attached to the test. Questions from both Section 1 and Section 2 will draw on the material in the stimulus booklet.

All questions are compulsory.

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Key dates, including submission of School Certificate grades and HSC assessment marks, plus the starting dates for the School Certificate and Higher School Certificate are available on the Board's website.

The latest HSC facts, trends and resources can be found in the 2009 Higher School Certificate Media Guide.

Featuring artwork from 2008 HSC students on the front and back covers, the 2009 HSC Media Guide offers readers the enrolment figures for every HSC subject in this record-breaking year. The Guide also includes important statistics and dates for the 2009 mandatory School Certificate Tests for Year 10 students.

The 2009 HSC Media Guide is available as a PDF file to download as well as the quick linked HTML document.

Journalists may request a print copy of the 2009 HSC Media Guide from the Corporate Communications Unit by emailing information@bos.nsw.edu.au with postal delivery details. Some previous years' Media Guides are also available in print for journalists wishing to compare statistics across time.

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Media can view School Certificate and Higher School Certifcate key dates and useful web links on the Board's website. For all media enquiries telephone the Board's Corporate Communications unit on (02) 9367 8250, 9367 8066 or 0418 418 053.

For general enquiries please call (02) 9367 8111.

• 17 October HSC Advice Line opens
• 20 October Start of 111 written HSC exams. View HSC exam timetable
• 21 October English Paper 1
• 9 November Start of SC tests. View SC test dates
• 13 November Conclusion of SC tests and HSC exams
• 10 December SC award documents arrive in schools
• 15 December First in Course HSC award ceremony held at Australian Technology Park, Redfern
• 16 December Release of HSC results to students by internet, SMS and automated telephone service from 6am
• 16 December HSC Examination Inquiry Centre opens for questions about results
• 16 December HSC merit lists published on the Board's website
• 17 December Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) issues Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR)
• 18 December Students receive HSC results summary notice in mail
• 12 January Students receive formal HSC credentials in mail

Useful links

1. How your HSC works
2. Students Online
3. HSC Exhibitions and Events
4. What's new this week?
5. NSW HSC online
6. Test yourself on the SC and HSC Online Multiple Choice quiz

BOS 30/09

In 2009 and beyond, the School Certificate test in English-literacy will have a stimulus booklet attached at the back of the test paper. The booklet will contain all the texts related to Section 1 Reading/Viewing.

On the front cover of the test paper will be an instruction to students to detach the stimulus booklet and use it to answer the questions in Section 1.

A mock-up of the 2009 English-literacy test format (using the questions from the 2008 test) can be found on the Board's website.

Effective: 2009 English-literacy School Certificate test.

Contact

BOS 28/09

From 2010 all Year 10 students will complete the School Certificate Computing Skills Test (CST) online.

The CST has been a mandatory part of the School Certificate qualification since 2006, with schools able to choose either online or pen-and-paper versions for their students.

In 2009, more than 75 percent of all schools have chosen the online CST.

Any school wanting to change its 2009 CST choice from pen-and-paper to online to better prepare for the mandatory online version in 2010 should contact records@bos.nsw.edu.au or telephone (02) 9367 8107.

Pen-and-paper versions of the CST may be available in 2010 under exceptional circumstances. Schools will receive advice about these arrangements early in Term 1.

Contact : John Wheelahan
records@bos.nsw.edu.au
Telephone (02) 9367 8107

Effective from : 2010 School Certificate Computing Skills Test

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Schools should have received copies of Studying for the NSW HSC - Information Booklet for Year 10 Students, 2009 (PDF, 480KB).

The booklet is for Year 10 students who are planning their Year 11 and 12 studies. It contains information on course selection and assessment guidelines for the HSC in an easy to read format.

This year's edition has been revised to ensure it targets information useful to students preparing to start Year 11. It also sports a new eye-catching cover which feaures an HSC student's artwork from ARTEXPRESS.

For detailed course information, also checkHSC Course Descriptions (PDF, 460KB) on the Board's website.

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School staff can now download their own copies of the very popular Board of Studies Liaison Officer (BOSLO) PowerPoint presentations.

The presentations on the School Certificate (SC) and HSC can be customised to suit each school's information evenings and other sessions for parents and students.

Based on the BOSLO presentation package, the slides cover HSC and SC topics such as mandatory requirements and standards-based assessment.

Download the presentation for Year 10s entering Year 11 here.

Download the presentation explaining the School Certificate for younger students and their parents here.

If you have questions about using the presentations contact Fran.Trefry@ bos.nsw.edu.au

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