The countdown is on the start of the HSC exams and some local schoolteachers have shared their best tips and tricks for students trying to get the best result.
The HSC written exams will officially begin on Tuesday, October 15 with English paper one and will end on Friday, November 8 with the Geography exam.
As Year 12 students undertake the last of their study Principal of Penola Catholic College in Emu Plains Peta Sparkes is encouraging all students lean on their community.
“We are a big community that’s all about watching our kids and the Grand Finals and always being on the sidelines for our kids and watching those moments, my words would be for those kids just do your very best,” Sparkes said.
“Don’t stop working until the moment you can’t work any longer, seek out those people that are on the sidelines, your cheer squad and get them involved. That might mean while you are driving getting mum to talk through the flashcards with you, [or] your brothers and sisters being able to mark off multiple choice.
“Your teachers are there for you… if anything comes up that is school related or HSC related, this is our grand final. Although we go to our Grand Final every year, we are so dedicated that we want our kids to do really well. If the kids ask them, they’ll answer them, so make them word hard because they love it, and this is their Grand Final and they love seeing how inspired by learning the kids are.
“… Although you have to do it yourself, knowing you’ve got those people that have got your back, that lives on way after the HSC. Lean into your cheer squad.”
Principal Sparkes also warned students to have a clear understanding of what the key words in their paper is asking them to provide.
“Pay really close attention to what the HSC verbs are saying, there is particular nuances in papers,” Sparkes said.
“A Biology paper to a PDHPE paper to a Modern History paper, the word explain or justify could have different things that they are wanting you to hit.
“You can know this by having a look on the NESA website at the exemplars of questions where people have really nailed it. So, it’s not just about the content or what the knowledge or skill part of the question is, it’s about what does the verb say and in that particular subject what do they want you to do.”
Penola’s Director of Curriculum and HSC marker Una Hughes also said it is important to understand what the paper is asking you to do and to check the NESA website for previous responses.
“The best way to know what is valued in those subjects is to look at the samples on the NESA website so you can see what a band six response is and look at the features of that band six response, the way that the language is used, the way they include evidence and the way the responses are structured,” Hughes said.
“Look at how you’re writing an essay and then what are the things that are missing in your essay that you are seeing in those sample responses on the NESA site, and those sample responses are available to anyone by just looking on the NESA website.”
Hughes encouraged all student to continue to check in with their teachers for help leading up to the HSC.
“Your teachers are there to help you and they want to see you succeed so never feel like you are hassling your teacher or it’s a bother to your teacher because they are there to help you,” Hughes said.
“The biggest thing that students need to think about is that your teachers get a shot at the HSC every single year whereas you only get a shot at the HSC once, so if you feel like you’re bothering someone, think this is the only time you are going to bother them, always be sending in practice responses to your teachers and even if you are sending something where it’s only changing a little bit, your teachers can always give you feedback on what are those next steps, what are the gaps that you’re missing that are going to get you that extra mark or get you into that extra band.”
Emily Chate
Emily Chate joined The Western Weekender in 2024, and covers local news - primarily courts and politics. A graduate of the University of Wollongong, Emily has contributed to The Daily Telegraph and worked as a freelance journalist.