COVID Changes for 2022
Changes to the RoSA & HSC rules and requirements for 2022
Last updated: 4 April 2022
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, changes have been made to curriculum and assessment for the RoSA and the HSC in 2022.
This ACE rule applies until 31 December 2022 or until it is revoked.
RoSA requirements
Minimum Curriculum and Indicative Hours
The amendments below supplement ACE 4007, ACE 4006, ACE 4010, and ACE 4021 until 31 December 2022 or until this rule is revoked.
The related rules ACE 4003, ACE 4024, ACE 4030, ACE 4031 are unaffected and still apply to students in 2022.
Changes in 2022
Schools may select the outcomes and content that will form the basis of the educational program for Kindergarten to Year 10 students.
The educational program does not need to address all outcomes or all content of the syllabuses.
Schools will not be required to make up any lost hours or mandated requirements of the RoSA in future years as a result of changes made to rules and requirements in 2022 due to COVID-19. NESA will continue to provide principal discretion as per ACE 4016 in determining that a student has met the requirements for the award of a RoSA.
For 2022, schools will be considered to have met indicative hours provided they had in place timetables and arrangements that would have meant in ordinary circumstances these requirements would have been met.
Preliminary and HSC school-based assessment
School-based assessment of HSC Board Endorsed Courses
The amendments below supersede the corresponding information in ACE 8075 about the number and type of school-based assessments in Board Endorsed Courses until end of September 2022 or until this rule is revoked.
This amendment also applies to assessments for grading as set out in ACE 5003.
The related rules ACE 5002, ACE 5004, ACE 8083, ACE 8095, ACE 8074, ACE 8093, ACE 8050 are unaffected and still apply to students in 2022.
Changes to school-based assessment in 2022
NESA has given principals and system authorities the authority to determine the number, type and weighting of tasks for Year 11 and Year 12 school-based assessment in 2022.
NESA’s principles of assessment continue to apply. Provided social distancing measures are maintained, school-based assessment should continue to be:
- based on a range of syllabus outcomes
- based on measures made throughout the HSC course
- informed by the components identified in the assessment and reporting documents for each of the syllabuses
- inclusive of and accessible for all students.
Weighting of marks for HSC school-based assessment
The amendments below supersede the corresponding information in ACE 8077 about weighting of school-based assessment tasks until end of September 2022 or until this rule is revoked.
The related rules ACE 8083, ACE 8095, ACE 8074, ACE 8093, ACE 8050 are unaffected and still apply to students in 2022.
Changes to school-based assessment in 2022
NESA has given principals and system authorities the authority to determine the number, type and weighting of tasks for Year 11 and Year 12 school-based assessment in 2022.
This includes making determinations about all mandated tasks that are internally assessed in the following courses:
- Aboriginal Studies
- Community and Family Studies
- Design and Technology
- English: English Studies, English Standard, English Advanced, English EAL/D, English Extension 1 and English Extension 2
- Engineering Studies
- Geography
- History: Ancient History, Modern History, History Extension
- Language in Context Stage 6 (Chinese, Japanese and Korean)
- Mathematics: Mathematics Standard, Advanced, Extension 1 and Extension 2
- Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth and Environmental Science, Investigating Science, Science Extension, and Depth Studies).
NESA’s principles of assessment continue to apply. While schools are abiding by Health orders, school-based assessment should continue to be:
- based on a range of syllabus outcomes
- based on measures made throughout the HSC course
- informed by the components identified in the assessment and reporting documents for each of the syllabuses
- inclusive of and accessible for all students.
HSC minimum standard
Minimum standard online tests
The amendments below supersede ACE 4062 until 31 December 2022 or until this rule is revoked.
The related rules ACE 4060, ACE 4061, ACE 4063, ACE 4064 are unaffected and still apply.
Students in Years 10 to 12 may demonstrate the HSC minimum standard by achieving Level 3 or above in the NESA minimum standard online reading, writing and numeracy tests.
Principals must nominate a test coordinator to administer the minimum standard tests.
Student entries for the minimum standard tests
Schools may enter students no more than six times per calendar year to sit for each minimum standard test (ie six reading test attempts per year, six writing test attempts per year and six numeracy test attempts per year).
Students reattempting a test in the same domain must wait at least 14 calendar days after their previous attempt at that test.
Students may not sit for a minimum standard reading, writing or numeracy test if they have already demonstrated the HSC minimum standard (ACSF Level 3) in that test domain, unless they are leaving school.
For more information
More information about the minimum standard tests, including advice for test coordinators and supervisors, and technical specifications for operating the tests, is available on the NESA website and on Schools Online. On Schools Online, navigate to: Downloads > Memos and Documents > Minimum Standard Tests.