Executive Summary

Testing of Literacy and Numeracy

2003 National Benchmarks and International Tests

2004 School Certificate

2004 Higher School Certificate

,;!f1lt:w _..:tT,..~,:;:,;;.; ~ ,_ DePARTMENT ' OF EDUCATION ANC TRAiNING js, 0 ~ nntnn or srrnJr..~ '"" !00" \ NSW Department of EClucation ana iiTraining "

Executive Summary Strengthening the Foundations for lifelong Learning: The State Literacy and Numeracy Plan Literacy and Numeracy Initiatives iiThe NSW Government embarked on its greatest ever investment in literacy and numeracy in 1997, spending an unprecedentea $1 billion by 2005. In 2004, the NSW Department of EClucation and iiTraining continued to implement the NSW Government's State Literacy and Numeracy Plan. An evaluation of the State Literacy Strategy, released in July 2004, confirmed the widespread success of the strategy and made detailed recommendations for further statewide literacy programs and strategies. It showed how changed teaching practices and a systematic focusing of resources had markedly improvea literacy performance in NSW government schools. A State Literacy and Numeracy iiTaskforce was established to identify strategic directions for the next five years and oversight of the implementation of the State Literacy and Numeracy Plan 2006-2009. Programs iiTeachers have access to a diverse range of programs focused on developing literacy and numeracy pedagogy, knowledge and understanding in their classroom teaching. whey are supported by region-based teams including literacy consultants, mathematics consultants and learning difficulties coordinators. Some of the programs incorporated in the State Literacy and Numeracy Plan are described below:

Name Description

Early Literacy and Focuses on improving literacy and numeracy outcomes for students attending Numeracy Initiative schools in low-socio-economic areas of NSW. Intensive support is provided to teachers of students in Kindergarten to Year 3. The program assists teachers to use specially designed learning materials more effectively in order to improve students' literacy and numeracy.

Reading Recovery For students in Year 1 identified as most in need of extra assistance with reading and writing. The program aims to assist these students to improve their literacy skills through a short-term individually designed program which is delivered daily. Reading Recovery can halt the cycle of failure for students with reading problems. Specially trained teachers provide students with 30 minutes of intensive daily instruction which can bring the lowest literacy performers up to, or above, average classroom levels within 12 to 20 weeks.

Literacy and Numeracy Assists primary teachers to identify and work with students at risk of not achieving Follow Up basic literacy and numeracy standards. Literacy and Numeracy Follow Up provides additional funding to schools to release teachers to work with students experiencing difficulties in learning.

Count Me In Too Provides primary teachers with professional development that focuses on students' thinking in mathematics. Students take part in individual interviews to determine the most efficient methods of solving mathematical problems, followed by a detailed analysis of the results by their teachers, carried out with the assistance of mathematics consultants. The results of the analysis are used as the basis for designing teaching activities.

TAFE Peer Tutor Training Senior government students enrol in the TAFE NSW course in Literacy Volunteer program Tutoring. Trained senior student tutors provide support to students who require additional support in literacy and numeracy.

Counting On Supports students' mathematics learning in the transition from primary school to secondary school.

2 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament Executive SummaUY

Name Description Premier's Reading Initiated in September 2001 to encourage students in the middle years of Challenge schooling to read more books and to choose a wider range of books to read. In 2004 K-2 students were included in the program. Managed and funded by the Department, the Premier's Reading Challenge now targets students in Years K to 8, including home-schooled students.

Premier's Spelling Bee The Premier's Spelling Bee was introduced in 2004 to government primary and central schools in NSW. It received entries from over 800 students in two age divisions- Years K-3 and Years 4-6. Regional finals took place at 20 locations throughout the state in September 2004 and the State Final was held at the Eugene Goossens Hall, ABC Centre, Harris Street, Ultimo in November 2004. The event was broadcast live on ABC Radio and attracted significant publicity through print media and television coverage.

The outcomes of these programs are partly gauged through the array of tests that form such a crucial aspect of the State Literacy and Numeracy Plan.

Significant Results in 2004

Basic Skills Test The BST results are reported in five skill bands for Year 3 and six skill bands for Year 5. Skill Band 1 is the lowest level of achievement. Separate results are reported for the literacy and numeracy components of the test. A Year 3 child is considered to have demonstrated the expected skill level if they achieve Band 2 or above in the literacy or numeracy component. A Year 5 child is considered to have reached the expected skill level if they achieve Band 3 or above. In 2004, 57,968 Year 3 and 58,962 Year 5 government school students participated in the BST program. Taking into account the additional involvement of students from NSW non-government and International schools, total participation in the BST program was almost 164,000. The results of the 2004 BST showed that: • 89.1% of students in Year 3 and 93.1% of students in Year 5 demonstrated expected or higher level skills in the literacy tests. (J • 89.8% of students in Year 3 and 93.7% of students in Year 5 demonstrated expected or higher level skills in the numeracy tests. • In literacy, the higher achievement of girls over boys was again evident in 2004. The difference in the means of girls and boys are similar to last year, though not as great as those recorded in the mid-90s. • In numeracy, boys, on average, did better than girls. • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students continue to score well below the state mean. The differences in 2004 were similar to those in 2003. • There was substantial progress made in literacy and numeracy between the same cohort of students tested in Year 3 in 2002 and tested again in Year 5 in 2004. The largest gain in literacy and numeracy was made by students from non-English speaking backgrounds. Most students who were in the lowest skill band in literacy and numeracy in Year 3 in 2002 made significant progress by the time they were in Year 5 in 2004.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 3 NSW Department of Education and Frraining "

Primary Writing Assessment As part of the NSW Government's commitment to monitor and improve students' literacy skills, the Primary Writing Assessment program for Years 3 and 5 was piloted in 1998 and made available to all schools, on a voluntary basis from 1999. In 2004, 57,740 Year 3 and 58,708 Year 5 government school students participated in the PWA program. Frhe results of the 2004 PWA showed that: • 95.3% of students in Year 3 and 95.8% of students in Year 5 demonstrated expected or higher level skills in writing tests. • Girls scored higher than boys in both years on both writing tasks. • Overall, students from non-English speaking backgrounds in total (NESBFr) had scores slightly above the whole of the State in both Year 3 and Year 5. • Frhe students who had less exposure to English at home were well below the State in both writing tasks. • Aboriginal and Frorres Strait Islander students scored below the state average.

English Language and Literacy Assessment Frhe English Language and Literacy Assessment was introduced in NSW government schools in 1997 as a voluntary program which was part of the new State Literacy Strategy. In 1998, ELLA became mandatory for Year 7 students in all government schools and a voluntary re-test for Year 8 students was introduced. Frhe test examines students' reading, language, and writing skills. Students who achieve results at the low end of the scale are given additional assistance. In 2004, 53,071 students from 458 NSW government secondary, central and specific purpose schools participated in the Year 7 ELLA program. All government secondary, central and specific purpose schools were invited to have their Year 8 population re-tested, with Year 8 students taking the same test as Year 7. A total of 448 schools or 98%, elected to test their Year 8 students (50,801 students). Additionally, a total of 27,781 students from 276 non-government and International schools participated in Year 7 testing program, with 118 schools taking up the opportunity to retest Year 8, with 11,173 students participating. Students' achievements are reported against four levels of achievement (high, proficient, elementary and low) using a scale from 45-120 to report students' scores. Year 7 and 8 are reported on the same scale. Results from the 2004 ELLA program showed that: • 85.7% of students reached or exceeded the proficient level in writing in Year 7 and 90.1% in Year 8. • 81.3% of students reached or exceeded the proficient level in reading in Year 7 and 87.5% in Year 8. • 77.0% of students reached or exceeded the proficient level in language in Year 7 and 83.4% in Year 8. • Girls performed better than boys in writing, reading and language. • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and students attending schools in the Priority Schools Funding Program performed below the state average in writing, reading and language.

4 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament Executive Summary

Secondary Numeracy Assessment Program Following a successful pilot program in 2000, Year 7 students from all government schools participated in the Secondary Numeracy Assessment Program (SNAP) in 2001. A voluntary re-test of Year 8 students who were involved in SNAP in 2000 was also offered. In 2004, 52,144 students from 459 NSW government secondary, central and specific purpose schools participated in the Year 7 SNAP program. A total of 438 schools or 95%, elected to test their Year 8 students (49,250 students). SNAP assesses aspects of students' numeracy achievement in the areas of number, measurement, space, data and problem solving. While the numeric values of the scale (45-120) and the levels of achievement (high, proficient, elementary and low) are the same as ELLA, they were developed separately. No direct comparison can be made between ELLA and SNAP results. Results from the 2004 SNAP showed that: • Overall, 65.8% of students reached or exceeded the proficient level in numeracy in Year 7 and 75.6% in Year 8. • On average, boys did better in measurement and problem solving, while girls did better in number and data. There was very little difference, overall, between the mean performance of boys and girls. • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students performed below the state average in all aspects of numeracy (number, measurement, space, data and problem solving). • Students from non-English speaking backgrounds in total (NESBT) performed above the State average in all aspects of numeracy.

Computer Skills Assessment Candidature In 2004, 59,589 students from NSW government schools and 9330 students from non-government schools participated in the Year 6 GSA program. Results from the 2004 GSA showed that: • in both components of the assessment, girls performed slightly better than boys. • the mean for the pencil and paper component of the assessment for students with English speaking backgrounds (ESB) was virtually the same when compared with results for students from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESBT). • the mean for the practical component of the assessment for students with English speaking backgrounds (ESB) was slightly higher when compared with the results for students from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESBT).

2003 National Benchmark Results for NSW schools The most recently published data for National Benchmarks is for 2003. This data is for all students from NSW government (71%) and non-government (29%) schools in Years 3, 5, and 7. The benchmarks represent minimum standards of performance below which students will have difficulty making satisfactory progress at school.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 5 NS\N 0egairtment of Education and lliraining "

NSW Performance on National Benchmarks (Percentage of students meeting the benchmark)

NS\N Reading Reading(%) 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Year 3 NSW 93.7 93.1 91.3 92.1 93.0 Confidence Interval ± 1.8 ± 1.9 ± 1.8 ± 1.8 ± 1.6 National Average 89.7 92.5 90.3 92.3 92.4 YearS NSW 90.3 89.1 92.0 92.3 91.7 Confidence Interval ± 1.4 ± 1.7 ± 1.2 ± 0.9 ± 1.2 National Average 8S.6 87.4 89.8 89.3 89.0 Year7 NSW -- -- 88.0 88.0 88.9 Confidence Interval ±0.9 ± 0.8 ±0.8 National Average 88.4 89.1 89.4 Collection of Year 7 Reading national benchmark data did not commence until 2001.

NS\N Writing Writing(%) 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Year3 NSW 92.5 91.7 89.9 94.4 95.4 Confidence Interval ± 2.1 ± 2.3 ±2.9 ± 1.1 ±0.9 National Average 91.9 90.0 89.5 93.6 92.2 YearS NSW 95.5 94.3 95.9 95.6 95.7 Confidence Interval ± 1.3 ± 1.8 ± 0.9 ± 1.1 ± 1.2 National Average 93.0 92.5 94.0 93.6 94.1 Year 7 NSW -- -- 92.5 90.9 92.2 Confidence Interval ± 1.9 ± 2.6 ± 2.2 National Average 92.6 90.7 92.1 Cot!ection of Year 7 Writing national benchmark data did not commence until 2001.

NS\N Numeracy Numeracy (%) 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 Year3 NSW -- 93.2 95.0 95.3 96.7 Confidence Interval ± 1.7 ± 0.9 ± 0.7 ± 0.6 National Average 92.7 93.9 92.8 94.2 YearS NSW -- 91.1 91.7 91.2 91.3 Confidence Interval ± 1.4 ± 1.0 ±0.9 ± 1.1 National Average 89.6 89.6 90.0 90.8 Year7 NSW -- -- 79.2 78.2 73.9 Confidence Interval ± 1.0 ±0.7 ±0.8 National Average 82.0 83.5 81.3

Collection of Numeracy national benchmark data did not commence unti12000 for Years 3 & 5 and 2001 for Year 7.

Interpreting Confidence Intervals The achievement percentages reported in this table include 95% confidence intervals to reflect the level of error and uncertainty associated with this measure. A percentage of 80% achieving the benchmark +/-2% for example, can be interpreted as meaning that if there was no error present, the true score would lie somewhere between 78% and 82%. Confidence intervals account for three components of uncertainty: error associated with the location of the benchmark cut-score, sampling error and measurement error. Error associated with the location of the benchmark cut-score is by far the largest component. There are also sources of error associated with equating benchmark locations onto new tests and state to state equating. These sources of error are not currently reflected in the published benchmark confidence intervals. In addition to reflecting the uncertainty associated with the measurement of student achievement, confidence intervals provide a way of making improved inferences about the different levels of student achievement. For example, if between 78% and 82% of students in one state X achieved the benchmark and between 77% and 81% achieved the benchmark in state Y, it would not be possible to say with confidence that the students in state X performed significantly better than those in state Y as the confidence intervals overlap. There is only likely to be a statistically significant difference between states or groups of students when the confidence intervals do not overlap.

6 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament Executive Summa['M

Results from 2003 showed that: • NSW students in Year 3 and Year 5 performed above the national average in Reading, Writing and Numeracy. • On average, Year 3 students in NSW performed better in Numeracy than students in other states and territories. • NSW students also performed well in Writing, where they outranked Year 5 students from all other states and territories and came in second in Year 3.

International Results for NSW schools Program for International Student Assessment (PI SA) PISA 2003 results confirm that NSW students are internationally ve['M competitive, and are in the top half of Australian results. In the four domains tested, reading literacy, mathematical literacy, scientific literacy and problem solving, the NSW average matched or exceeded the outstanding results achieved by the nation as a whole. The best result for NSW was in the domain of reading literacy where NSW equaled the best results achieved in the nation.

Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) In TIMSS 2002/03, NSW students performed exceptionally well, particular¥ in Science. Australia scored significantly above the international average in Year 4 science, Year 8 mathematics and Year 8 science and not significantly different from the international average in Year 4 mathematics.

The 2004 School Certificate The School Certificate is issued as a testamur, with the results being reported separately on Records of Achievement. In 2004, the School Certificate was awarded to school students who completed a satisfacto['M program of studies in Years 7 to 10 through schools accredited by the NSW Board of Studies. The results in each course are issued as grades awarded by each student's school. Students were also awarded a mark and a band based on their performances in statewide tests in English-literacy, Mathematics, Science and Australian Histo['M, Geography, Civics and Citizenship. The NSW Government reformed the School Certificate in order to restore it as a significant milestone in schooling. In the School Certificate, a standards-referenced approach to assessing and reporting students' achievements is used in the mandator¥ statewide tests. The shift to a standards-referenced approach means that instead of candidates being compared to each other, their performance is compared to a set of standards that are described in bands on a performance scale. As a result, parents and employers can gain a thorough understanding of each student's knowledge, skills and abilities and teachers are better placed to identify, plan, monitor and evaluate the learning needs of all students.

School Certificate Results In 2004, a total of 82,930 students received a result in the School Certificate program. Of these, 81,201 students in NSW and overseas schools completed the full program of study for the award of the School Certificate. A total of 51,736 Year 10 students from government schools were awarded the School Certificate.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 7 ~ NSV\1 Department of Education and illrainlng

Students sat mandatory tests in English-literacy, Mathematics, Science ana Australian History, Geography, Civics ana Citizenship. Students' results in the statewide School Certificate tests refer to six banos, with Band 6 representing the highest level of achievement ana Band 1 the lowest. English-literacy - The results of the 2004 School Certificate English-literacy test indicated that: In English-literacy, more than one in four government school students achieved a place in the top two performance banos with a mark of 80 or higher. School Certificate Achievement Band Results En Iish Literac - NSV\1 Government Students

School CerUflcato Percentage In Bands- English & l..fteracy lc2ooo 112001 1112002 c2oos 112oo4!

40r------~ 35 30 E2s i 20 ~ 15 10 ~tDB!a:J.. 6 5 4 3 2 Highest Lowest

Source: DET, Based on NSW Board of Studies data Mathematics- The results of the 2004 School Certificate Mathematics test indicated that: Approximately 25% of government school students were placed in the top two performance banos with a mark of 80 or more. School Certificate Achievement Band Results Mathematic.s - NSV\1 Government Students

School CorUficato Percentage In Bands· Mathemalics ID2000 112001 112002 02003 1112004 I 35 30 . 25 .s 20 ~ 15 • 10 5 0 6 5 4 3 2 Highest Lowest

Source: DET, Based on NSW Board of Studies data

8 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament Executive Summa!)Y

Science - The results of the 2004 School Certificate Science test showed that: More than 25% of government school students were placed in the top two performance bands with a mark of 80 or higher, a further improvement on last year's excellent performance. School Certificate Achievement Band Results Science - NSW Government Students

School CortifJeate Percentage In Bands· Science ID2000 112001 82002 tl2003 1120041

40r------=~------, 35 30 & 25 •:i 20 ~ 15 10 ~j_o-~l 6 5 4 3 2 Highest Lowest

Source: DET, Based an NSW Board of Studies data Australian History, Geography, Civics and Citizenship -The results of the 2004 School Certificate Australian History and Australian Geography test showed that: • Approximately 21% of students achieved Band 5 or above in Australian History, Civics and Citizenship, and that there was a further improvement from 2003 to 2004. • Approximately 23% of students achieved Band 5 or above in Australian Geography, Civics and Citizenship, and that there was a further improvement from 2003 to 2004. School Certificate Achievement Band Results - Australian Histor , Civics and Citizenshi - NSW Government Students

School Certlficnto Percentage In Bands ·Australian History, Civics and Cltlzonship ., •~ 20 :. 15 "

6 5 4 3 2 Highest Lowest

Source: Based on NSW Board of Studies data

School Certificate Achievement Band Results - Australian Geo ra h , Civics and Citizenshi - NSW Government Students

School Cortlficato Percontago In Bands· Australian Geography, Civics and Citizenship

45 40 ------35 • 30 i 25 ~ 20 :. 15 10 5 0 6 5 4 3 2 Highest Lowest

Source: Based on NSW Board of Studies data

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 9 NSV\1 Department of Education and mraining "

The 2004 Higher School Certificate

mhe NSV\1 Government's reform of the NSV\1 Higher School Certificate (HSC), detailed in its White Paper, Securing Their Future, was the most extensive review undertaken in the 30-year history of this examination.

IT?he NSV\1 Government reformed the HSC to restore it as a significant milestone in schooling. IT?he broad objectives were to: • increase the rigor and quality of the HSC curriculum • ensure HSC marks reflect the standards achieved by students • provide more informative reports of students' HSC achievements • enhance the chances for more equitable educational outcomes. IT?he HSC is now more relevant to students' needs and the reports on students' performance are more meaningful to students, parents and employers. IT?he current HSC was examined for the first time in 2001. Students completing the HSC receive a mark based on their own performance against pre-set standards, instead of being scaled against all other NSV\1 students. IT?he NSV\1 Board of Studies has introduced a 'standards-setting' process that allows performances in HSC examinations to be aligned with, and interpreted in terms of, a hierarchy of described levels ofachievernentin each course.ln addition to a Record ofAchievement, students receive a Course Report showing their examination mark, school assessment mark, and the HSC result in that course against a list of performance descriptors which describe the knowledge, skills and understandings typical of students within particular mark ranges. IT?he HSC provides students with the opportunity to choose in-depth, specialised study programs or broader patterns of study according to their future plans and skills and abilities. Students were able to select from 161 Board Developed Courses in 84 subject areas. In addition, depending upon arrangements established by individual schools, students were able to select from a variety of Board Endorsed Courses. In all, there were 200 Board Endorsed Courses available for study by Year 12 students. IT?he vast majority of these were offered through a ITJAFE college, or through a student's horne school. For each course, students know whether it leads directly to university study and/or to accredited ITJAFE NSW courses or to particular career opportunities. IT?he changes to the HSC have thus provided enhanced opportunities for students to study vocational education and training (VEITJ) courses. Seven new VEITJ industry curriculum frameworks based on national training packages were introduced in the New HSC for Year 11 in 2000, and an eighth framework was introduced for Year 11 in 2003. In the HSC year there is now an optional examination in each framework, which can be used for inclusion in the calculation of the Universities Admission Index (UAI). IT?hese VEITJ courses allow students to gain both an HSC qualification and Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) VEITJ accreditation. In 2004, the preparation, administration and conduct of the HSC examinations involved: • 18 days of written examinations • 150 written examination papers • practical examinations in Agriculture, Dance, Design and IT?echnology, Drama, English Extension 2, Industrial IT?echnology, Music, Society and Culture, mextiles and Design, and Visual Arts • speaking skills examinations in over 50 language courses

10 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament Executive Summary

• over 800 examination centres • over 6,000 examination supervisors • 14 written marking sites • over 750 casual clerical staff.

Higher School Certificate Results The HSC Is the highest educational award students gain In NSW schools. In 2004, over 65,000 students received a result In at least one course in the NSW HSC, Including 38,883 students in government schools. Of these, 36,660 students in government schools were awarded an HSC. Highlights • The Premier's Awards for Excellence in the 2004 HSC provided the opportunity to recognize and reward the outstanding achievements of the top students in NSW. The Premier's Trophy was presented by the Premier to students who reached the highest performance band for HSC courses comprising at least 10 units. In 2004, trophies were awarded to 913 students. • The Minister's Certificate for Excellence was presented by the Minister for Education and Training to each student who achieved first place or equal first place in an HSC course, and who also reached the highest performance band. In 2004, certificates were awarded to 106 students in 110 courses (including three Distinction courses). • In addition, 12,931 HSC students who reached the highest performance band for courses totalling at least 10 units were placed on the Distinguished Achievers List. • The Board of Studies also provided information to over 20 organisations that awarded prizes or scholarships to 2004 HSC students. The majority of these organisations presented prizes to students who were placed first in the State in particular courses, while others awarded prizes to the top students in certain regions of the State.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 11

NSW Department of Education and mraining "'

Contents westing Of Literacy And Numeracy Skills In NSW Schools -The Overall Approach ...... 4 In Government Schools ...... 4 In Other Schools ...... 4 Objectives ...... 4 mhe Reporting Language ...... 5 Standards-Referenced Reporting ...... 6 Standards Are Defined In merms Of Score Achieved, Not Skills Demonstrated ...... 6 Descriptors Describe mypical Performance At Each Standard ...... 6 Benefits Of Standards-Referenced Reporting For Parents ...... 7 Benefits Of Standards-Referenced Reporting For Schools ...... 7 Benefits Of Standards-Referenced Reporting For Central Administrators ...... 7 What Is masted? ...... 8 Literacy ...... 8 Numeracy ...... 9 Participation In mhe Testing Programs ...... 10 BST Candidature ...... 10 PWA Candidature ...... 10 ELLA Candidature ...... 10 SNAP Candidature ...... 10 CSA Candidature ...... 10 illest Administration ...... 10 Special Provisions ...... 11 mhe Tests ...... 12 Test Design ...... 12 PWAAnd ELLA Marking ...... f2 SNAP Marking ...... 13 Reporting mhe Results ...... 14 The Report For Parents ...... 14 mhe School Report Package- Elements Common mo BSm, PWA, ELLA, CSAAnd SNAP .... 14 mhe School Report Package- Elements Specific mo BST, PWA, ELLA, CSAAnd SNAP ...... 15 Summary Of Results- BSm ...... 17 Summary Of Overall Cohort Achievement...... 17 illrends In Mean Scale Scores ...... 18 Comparisons Among Identified Groups ...... 18 Progress From Year 3 mo Year 5 ...... 21 Matched Students ...... 21 Summary Of Results - PWA ...... 23 Summary Of Overall Cohort Achievement...... 23 Comparisons Among Identified Groups ...... 23 Progress From Year 3 mo Year 5 ...... 24 Matched Students ...... 24 Summary Of Results- ELLA ...... 25 Summary Of Overall Cohort Achievement...... 25 Comparisons Among Identified Groups ...... 26 Progress From Year 7 To Year 8 ...... 29

2 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament ~ NSW Westing of I.Siteracy and Numeracy

Summary Of Results - SNAP ...... 30 Summary Of Overall Cohort Achievement...... 30 Comparisons Among Identified Groups ...... 30 Summary Of Results - GSA ...... 32 Summary Of Overall Cohort Achievement...... 32 Comparisons Among Identified Groups ...... 32 Information On Special Support Programs ...... 33 Reading Recovery ...... 33 Follow-Up llio BSlli ...... 34 Follow-Up llio ELLA ...... 34 Initiatives And Future Directions ...... 35 Basic Skills illest (BSlli) ...... 35 Primary Writing Assessment (PWA) ...... 35 English Language And Literacy Assessment (ELLA) ...... 35 Secondary Numeracy Assessment Program (SNAP) ...... 36 Computer Skills Assessment (GSA) ...... 36

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 3 I>JS\IV IDepattment of Education and [raining ~

Testing of literacy and Numeracy Skills in NSW Schools - The Overall Approach

In 2004, the NS\IV Department of Education and illraining continued to implement the NS\IV Government's State Literacy and Numeracy Plan. illhe strategy aims to raise students' overall performance and ensure their successful transition from one phase of schooling to the next. In Government Schools An important component ofthe NS\IV Government's approach to literacy and numeracy learning is a program of statewide testing at key stages in all government schools. In 2004, this program comprised: • the Basic Skills Tests (BST) in Year 3 and Year 5 • the Primary Writing Assessment (P\IVA) in Year 3 and Year 5 • the English Language and Literacy Assessment (ELLA) in Year 7 • the Secondary Numeracy Assessment Program (SNAP) in Year 7 • the voluntary participation of schools in re-testing Year 8 students in the Year 7 ELLA and SNAP tests • the Computer Skills Assessment (CSA) in Year 6 In Other Schools Catholic Schools in all NS\IV dioceses participated in the Year 3, 5 and 7 tests. Invitations to participate in the BST, P\IVA, ELLA and SNAP were also accepted by a majority of NS\IV Independent schools. In addition, International schools from Papua New Guinea, Singapore and Hong Kong participated in the 2004 BST and International schools from Singapore and Hong Kong participated in the 2004 SNAP. Objectives The BST, P\IVA, ELLA, SNAP and CSA are similar in many aspects, including their objectives. Each program is designed to: • provide parents with descriptions of the skills their children can typically demonstrate • provide parents and teachers with a reliable indication of how a child's results compare with the performance of all students in the state • assist teachers to identify individual students or groups of students who require additional assistance • assist teachers to identify any particular aspects of literacy or numeracy which are strengths or which cause difficulty for a student • measure achievement on a scale whose meaning remains the same from year to year so that the results can be used by schools and the Government to monitor standards in literacy and numeracy over time.

4 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament ,1> NSVV Westing of !illiteracy and Numeracy

The Reporting language [he success of the program depends greatly om the achievement of the last of these objectives. Until recently, governments and educational authorities could not be certain whether standards were rising or falling because the marks produced by statewide test programs had different meanings from one year to another. A major achievement ofthe testing programs in NSVV schools is that the meaning ofthe marks awarded to students is the same from year to year. Students awarded a particular mark on the BSNf reporting scale in 2004 can be assumed to have shown the same overall level of achievement as students awarded that mark in earlier years. Nfhis consistency of meaning arises from the use of a mathematically sophisticated method of processing student responses that was proposed by the Danish mathematician, Georg Rasch, in the 1960s and developed for widespread use in testing programs in recent decades. [he procedure has two important underlying features: • first, the relative difficulties of test questions arise from a mathematical analysis of the patterns of right and wrong answers of the students themselves. \!Vhat children actually do with test questions is accepted as being a much more reliable indicator of relative question difficulty than what adult experts think they will do; • second, comparisons of the relative difficulty of a test from one calendar year to another likewise depend on an analysis of what students really do. [o collect the evidence for analysis, an equating research project is conducted every year, in which a sample of students do a test from an earlier year, close to the time when they do the current year's test. \!Vhen students' answers were analysed in the first year of the BST program (1989), a literacy and a numeracy scale were developed on which the numbers represented different levels of overall achievement at that time. The scales were arbitrarily set to run from 25 to 65. Those scales have been used ever since although they have been extended to 80 to show the achievements of Year 5 students on the same scales as Year 3. The analytical procedure described above makes it possible to say that a child awarded a score in 2004 has displayed the same amount of overall achievement as a child awarded that score in any earlier year. Question difficulties can be compared from one calendar year to another by getting samples of students to attempt tests from both years. Similarly, question difficulties can be compared across school Years by getting students from different Years to do the same questions. Evidence of this kind is collected each year by including a number of common questions in the Year 3 and the Year 5 test. Using this information, it was possible to extend the scales used for Year 3 to accommodate Year 5 students, and, in like manner, to increase the number of skill bands used to report achievement from five in Year 3 to six in Year 5. [he result is that the reporting of achievement in the primary school Years now makes use of one common language irrespective of whether the report be for Year 3 or Year 5. Students in Year 3 and Year 5 who get the same score or finish in the same skill band can be assumed to have demonstrated the same overall levels of achievement. The PVVA results are reported on the same literacy scale as the BST. The procedure is similar for ELLA and SNAP although they report in terms of achievement levels, rather than skill bands. ELLA and SNAP have their own reporting scales which range from 45 to 120. An ELLAiSNAP mark or standard also denotes the same level of achievement irrespective of whether it was awarded to a Year 7 or a Year 8 student. In the secondary school, Year 7 and Year 8 students do the same (Year 7) tests. Reporting for GSA is on a scale of 35 to 95.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 5 I$JSW !Department of Education and mraining "'

Standards-referenced Reporting The method used to analyse students' responses, and to measure their achievement in a language whose meaning remains the same from time to time, makes it possible to use a form of standards-referenced reporting. This means that each student's achievement can be described in terms of fixed standards, not just in terms of the proportions of the population who proved to be better or worse than that student. When the BST reporting scales were first developed, a number of bands were defined. Students with a range of scores towards the bottom of the scale seemed to be those in danger of not coping with further education unless their basic skills improved. They were said to be in skill Band 1. Ever since, the term, "skill Band 1" has been used to denote the standard demonstrated by students who scored in that range of marks. In similar ways, increasingly higher bands of marks on the reporting scale were associated with higher standards and called "skill Band 2", "skill Band 3", and so on. ELLA and SI$JAP report in four levels of achievement: low, elementary, proficient, high. Standards are Defined in Terms of Score Achieved, not Skills Demonstrated The standards associated with skill bands are defined not in terms of the particular skills demonstrated an a particular test, but in terms of the value of the achievement demonstrated by students. What determines the student's skill band or achievement level is the overall score the student gained on the test. There is no single set of descriptors for a skill band that will make equal sense for all students in all Years. However, it is possible to write a description of the kinds of skills that students had to demonstrate on a particular test in order to get enough marks to reach each standard. This is done every year for BST in preparing the reports for parents and schools. Descriptors Describe Typical Performance at Each Standard If two students get the same number of correct answers, they get the same scare and are placed in the same skill band or achievement level even though they might have got different questions correct. They will have the same overall achievement but not necessarily the same individual skills. The descriptors provided with the skill bands for BST are therefore intended to provide a quick, but coarse means of interpreting a student's achievement. • They indicate broadly where the student stands in relation to the rest of the state. • They indicate the skills typically demonstrated by students in that band. The qualification, typically, is important. Students who reach particular skill bands will typically handle questions up to a certain difficulty but not the harder ones. Atypical students, however, might have got some easier questions wrong and some harder ones right, and demonstrated a different set of skills altogether. Students who answer atypically are an important minority. The reasons why they can answer hard questions while failing to answer quite easy ones frequently have something to do with gaps in the development of their concepts. Teachers can get vital information about a student's personal learning needs by examining their patterns of right and wrong answers. The information provided to all schools makes it easy for teachers to identify these students and to examine their answer patterns.

6 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament " NSVV Westing of witeracy and Numeracy

Benefits of Standards-referenced Reporting for Parents Parents can immediately interpret a child's result in each test component in a number of ways. • By noting the skill band and reading the description of the skills typically demonstrated by students in that band, they can form a broad idea of what their child can and cannot do. • By comparing the skill band reached by the child and the percentages of students in the state who reached that skill band or beyond, they can infer how the child's achievements compare with those of other students of the same age. • In the case of students in Year 5, the extent of the change in their literacy and numeracy achievement since they were in Year 3 can be inferred directly from the fact that the results for the two Years are on the same scale. Similar inferences can be drawn about how much students have learned between Year 7 and Year 8. Benefits of Standards-referenced Reporting for Schools Schools can quickly see whether: • there were any subject strands in which they were particularly weak or strong • there were any important categories of students within the school, such as students from a non-English speaking background, who did better or worse than could be expected, compared with state performance for those groups • there were changes in their overall standards over time. The second of these is of particular value in assisting schools to evaluate special approaches they might be using with groups of learners. Benefits of Standards-referenced Reporting for Central Administrators

Having access to reliable measures of achievement for statewide populations that use a reporting language whose meanings remain the same from year to year assists the Government to appraise the success of system-wide policy directions and to target areas of need.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 7 I')JSW Department of Education and lliraining "

What is Tested? Literacy

Students in Years 3, 5 and 7 are tested in areas of writing, reading and language. All literacy tests are substantially based on the English K-6 Syllabus. In addition, those in Years 3 and 5 examine the literacy skills required in all Key Learning Areas of the primary curriculum while ELLA draws upon the literacy skills required in Stage 4 of all Key Learning Areas of the secondary curriculum. llihis ensures all programs thoroughly explore the basic literacy skills rather than just test the academic subject, English. Some particular skills tested are shown below. Reading • interpreting text presented in a variety of ways, including graphs, tables, diagrams, pictures, symbols and print • understanding vocabulary at literal, technical and figurative levels • comprehension skills of sequencing, interpreting, identifying, locating information, inferring, drawing conclusions, making links and finding reasons • identifying the purpose, function and audience of texts • recognising important features in text such as the beginning of a narrative • understanding the use of text conventions such as headings, paragraphs and layout Language • spelling • punctuation • grammatical knowledge Writing • text level processes, such as text function, text structure and descriptive language or rhetorical devices • text level features, such as paragraphs, sentence structure, verb tense and the use of pronoun reference and temporal connectives • sentence level features, such as subject-verb-object pattern, subject-verb agreement, use of prepositions and articles as well as punctuation • word level features, such as spelling and verb form

8 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament "' ' NS\IV Testing of illiteracy, and Numeraoy

Numeracy. Students in Years 3 and 5 are tested in three strands of numeracy: number, measurement and space. The skills tested include the following: • counting, adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing • using fractions, decimals and money • estimating and measuring length, area, volume, mass, temperature and time • using graphs • using and interpreting 2D and 3D space and drawings • understanding position and direction.

In Year 7 students are tested from the following aspects of numeracy. Problem solving • Numeracy Problem Solving: asking appropriate numeracy questions, using strategies to solve problems, communicating with appropriate · numeracy terminology, checking solutions to problems, providing reasons for solutions, relating numeracy skills in one situation to the numeracy skills needed in another situation, using appropriate instruments Knowledge and skills • Number: using place value, relative size of numbers, fractions, number facts, and calculations with whole numbers and decimal fractions in a variety of contexts • Measurement: estimating, measuring, comparing and drawing lengths and areas; comparing volumes, masses, temperatures, angles and times • Data: identifying, organising and interpreting data in tables, charts and graphs • Space: representing three dimensional objects; drawing lines, angles and two dimensional shapes; recognising and developing patterns and designs; using grids, compass directions and precise terminology to represent positions in 2D and 3D space. In all programs and Years, syllabuses strongly influence the range and scope of skills to be tested through the outlines of what students are expected to achieve at each stage of schooling. The form of each test is also informed by considerations of what can be reliably assessed by a paper and pencil task, what is efficient and manageable in the classroom and how long students of various ages can be expected to undertake a formal assessment.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 9 NSW Department of Ei:lucation ani:l lliraining '"

Participation in the Testing Programs BST Candidature In 2004, 57,968 Year 3 and 58,962 Year 5 government school students participated in the ssm program. making into account the additional involvement of students from New South Wales non-government and International schools, the total number of students participating in the ssm program was almost 164,000. PWA Candidature In 2004, 57,740 Year 3 and 58,708 Year 5 government school students participated in the PWA program. llihe additional involvement of students from New South Wales non-government schools resulted in just under 163,000 students participating in the program. ELLA Candidature In 2004, 53,071 students from 458 NSW government secondary, central and specific purpose schools participated in the Year 7 ELLA program. All government secondary, central and specific purpose schools were invited to have their Year 8 population retested, with Year 8 students taking the same test as Year 7. A total of 448 schools or 98%, elected to test their Year 8 students (50,801 students). A total of 27,781 students from 276 non-government and International schools participated in the Year 7 program. Non-government schools were also invited to participate in the Year 8 re-test, and 118 schools took up the opportunity, with 11,173 students participating. SNAP Candidature

In 2004, 52,144 students from 459 NSW government secondary, central and specific purpose schools participated in the Year 7 SNAP program. All government secondary, central and specific purpose schools were invited to have their Year 8 population retested, with Year 8 students taking the same test as Year 7. A total of 438 schools or 95%, elected to test their Year 8 students (49,250 students). A total of 27,401 students from 282 non-government schools participated in the Year 7 program. Non-government schools were also invited to participate in the Year 8 retest, and 106 schools took up the opportunity, with 9,503 students participating. CSA Candidature In 2004, 59,589 students from NSW government schools and 9,330 students from 220 non-government schools participated in the Year 6 GSA program. Test Administration llihe ELLA was administered on muesday, 2 March 2004 and the SNAP on muesday, 11 May 2004. llihe PWA was administered on Wednesday, 28 July 2004 and the BST on Wednesday, 4 August 2004. The GSA was administered on Wednesday, 5 May 2004.

10 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament NSlN !Testing of l..iiteracy and Numeracy

Schools receive advice about how to prepare for and conduct the tests via teacher handbooks and administrative manuals. In BS!T, ELLA, SNAP and CSA, practice materials are provided to enable students to familiarise themselves with the methods of answering the questions. Special Provisions Stimulus materials and test books are provided in braille and large print for students on request. In SNAP, students with a vision impairment were given greater tolerance on questions involving measurement of length and angles. Students who have significant difficulty in reading (decoding) test questions have all questions read to them. Students with a significant physical disability can use computers. Schools may exempt from the program students who have very limited English language skills (because they have been in an English-speaking school for less than twelve months) or such severe learning difficulties that they would not gain any benefit from doing the tests. !These students are required to have a more specialised assessment that is tailored to their needs.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 11 NSW 0epartment of Education and Training

The Tests Test Design Questions in reading and numeracy require students to interact with some realistic kind of stimulus material provided separately from the test booklet in a specially designed magazine. The tests and the stimulus materials both make creative use of colour and illustrations to support the texts, tables and other sources of information that students must interpret. Students answer the questions by making marks of various kinds directly on the test booklet. This requires that the test be very carefully designed so that, when the test booklet is subsequently split into its separate pages for scanning, each student's intended answer can be quickly and accurately read by the scanner. Editing procedures built into the scanning software ensure that a person with appropriate training adjudicates every page on which the student's intention was not clear. The writing component in ELLA and PWA and the extended response tasks in SNAP are marked by teams of trained teachers who use an analytical approach that takes account of clearly delineated and standardised criteria. PWA and ELLA Marking PWA is modelled on the writing component of ELLA. Students complete two curriculum-based writing tasks requiring different kinds of writing. For example, one might require a factual piece such as an explanation or a report and the other a literary piece such as a story, or a creative description. The marking is criterion based. A number of criteria and a specific scoring grid are developed in advance and used by all markers. The grid is pre-printed on the page on which students write. A marking manual gives explicit instructions on what the writing must exhibit to be awarded each mark available under each criterion. Markers are carefully trained in how to assess the writing against the criteria. The markers' decisions are encoded on a grid which is then machine scanned in the same way as the other reading, language and numeracy tests. A full appreciation of the diagnostic power and usefulness of the results provided to schools is not possible without some understanding of how the marking proceeds, which is described below. Each writing task is intended to provide information about the student's ability to: • meet the task defined by the question • demonstrate an understanding of the use of different text types • use textual features appropriate to their purpose for writing • organise texts in a meaningful way using a variety of sentence structures and appropriate sequencing of content use different syntactic structures appropriately • use surface features correctly (eg spelling and punctuation). The marking is done by specially trained teachers. Most of the marking is done at a marking centre but, as part of a professional development program, about 100 schools are selected to mark their own tests. Teachers from these schools are released for one day's training and one - two days' marking. The training is provided by region­ based literacy support teams who have themselves been trained by officers of the 0epartment's Educational Measurement 0irectorate.

12 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament NSW Testing of I.!Hteracy ana Numeracy

SNAP Marking The SNAP Extenaea Response Tasks are intenaea to test stuaents' abilities to complete longer numeracy tasks effectively in the Key Learning Areas of the seconaary curriculum. Stuaents complete two curriculum-basea tasks requiring the use of a range of numeracy skills in an interrelatea way. The marking is criterion basea. A number of criteria ana a specific scoring gria are aevelopea in aavance ana usea by all markers. The gria is pre-printea on the page on which stuaents write. A marking manual gives explicit instructions on what the stuaents' working must exhibit to be awaraea each mark available unaer each criterion. Markers are carefully trainea in how to assess the stuaents' working against the criteria. The markers' aecisions are encoaea on a gria which is then machine scannea in the same way as the other sections of the SNAP tests.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 13 I:'JSllil !Department of Education and mraining

Reporting the Results Schools receive comprehensive and detailed report packages which include a set of reports on individual students to be sent to parents. Schools determine their own best ways of distributing the reports for parents. Some schools attach the reports to their normal school reports so that parents can locate the test information within the school-provided report of the child's achievements across the total curriculum. Some schools conduct special parent-teacher interviews at which the test report is used as the basis for the interview. Some reports are sent by post. Schools are asked to ensure that, as far as possible, reports on students found to be severely lacking in literacy or numeracy skills are presented to parents in face-to­ face interviews at which plans for the school and parent to cooperate in helping the student can be worked out. The Report for Parents ITihe BST, PWA, ELLA, GSA and SNAP reports for parents convey similar information, though in slightly different ways. ITihey include: • Easy-to-interpret illustrations showing where the child is, in comparison with the whole of the state. The skill band/achievement level that the child's overall score corresponds to (except for GSA). For BST, the skill band is described by a number of statements about what students at that standard can typically do. Because these descriptions are provided for all standards, parents can see what skills the child needs to work on in order to reach an even higher standard. • Detailed comments which highlight how the child performed in various components within the test. For example, one comment will say how many questions on a particular topic there were, how many the child attempted and how many the child got right; another comment will compare performance on one component of a test with another; and another will describe particular strengths. The School Report Package- Elements Common to BST, PWA, ELLA, CSA and SNAP In the BSITI, PWA, ELLA, GSA and SNAP, schools receive a comprehensive package of reports. ITihe contents vary a little, but essentially all packages contain the following forms of information. • Individual Student Reports. ITihis is a package containing a separate report for each student that teachers can use in face-to-face interviews with parents. As well as repeating all the information in the report that parents receive, it contains detailed information about how the child responded to each question -what the question tested and what the child answered. It is set out so that teachers can quickly see if there was anything unusual about the child's pattern of right and wrong answers, such as an atypical tendency to get some easy questions wrong and some harder ones right. • A Letter to Principals, explaining the contents of the report package and providing guidance for the interpretation of the tables. • A School Summary that provides principals with an executive summary of key features of the school's performance. For the principal's validation, it records the number of tests received and gives the names of students who were absent frorn a part of a test or who failed to attempt more than half the questions in a test. For information, it lists all the test questions on which the school performed markedly better or worse than the state or in which a particular wrong answer was unusually common in the school. It reveals whether the school as a whole did markedly

14 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament , NSVV \Testing of LSiteracy and l'ilumeracy

better in some parts of the test than others. In the BST, it also provides trend data in the form of the school's mean marks overall, and for boys and girls separately, in each test component since 1992. • Student Results. This lists all students in alphabetical order and shows their score on the scale for each part of the test and the standard this score corresponds to. • Student Answers. \These tables list students down the page in order of achievement in each section of the test, and list the questions in order of difficulty across the page. \The entry in each student-by-question cell is a dot if the student answered the question correctly or a letter indicating the student's incorrect answer. \This table provides a powerful visual depiction of whole school performance that highlights, in particular, test completion rates, spread of achievement throughout the school and questions the school handled well or not. It also allows schools to see if any groups of students resorted to particular answering strategies such as guessing. • Percentage of Students Choosing Each Response. \This shows, for each question, the percentage of students choosing each response option. Visual symbols highlight options which attracted unusually high numbers of student responses. This table gives schools a quick indication of curriculum areas in which the school is performing particularly well or poorly. • Means and Standard Deviations. \These statistics are provided (at school and state cohort levels) for all students and students in a number of categorical groups. Categorical groups are groups that students belong to because of some personal attribute such as gender or ethnicity:

+ all students in the school

+ boys and girls • Aboriginal and \Torres Strait Islander students + non-English speaking background students where a language other than English is spoken at home + non-English speaking background students who have lived in Australia for four years or less and where English is never or only rarely spoken at home. • Results by Standards. This table shows, for each test, the percentage of students at the school and in the state in each skill band (BS\T and PVVA) or achievement level (ELSLSA and SNAP). The School Report Package- Elements Specific to BST, PWA, ELLA, CSA and SNAP Schools in the BS\T program received • Support Documents providing teaching strategies - Unking Basic Skills \Tests to the Curriculum, \The ESLS LSearner and Basic Skills \Tests, Speakers of Aboriginal English and the Basic Skills Test and l'ilumeracy Distractor Analysis • Progress map and tables. For students in Year 5, there were tables that summarised the improvement made by students since Year 3 and a graphic representation of the amount of progress made. • Data on Disk software. Schools in the BST program received a CD ROM that contained software and their Basic Skills Tests results. \The software enabled schools to do additional analyses of the test results that support teaching and learning in the primary context. Schools in the ELSLSA program received • Curriculum Links- a series of documents linking ELSLSA tasks and test questions to twelve curriculum subjects. A document giving support to teachers of ESLS students

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 15 NSW !Department of Eaucation ana illraining "

was also proviaea. A further aocument, !Discoveries ana !Directions, proviaea schools with an overview of the program ana its results. It linkea all test items ana criteria to the English K-6 syllabus ana proviaea information about areas in which stuaents achievea great success ana those areas in which stuaents were less successful with strategies for aeveloping those particular areas. Literacy Progress of Year 8 Stuaents. illhis was a table proviaea to schools that electea to retest Year 8 stuaents. It proviaea aata on the literacy progress of stuaents since they participatea in ELLA in 2003. It highlightea areas of concern such as stuaents who haa not progressea. It proviaea a useful input to measuring the efficacy of literacy intervention programs introduced into the secondary school at the Year 7 level. A copy of the Marking Procedures Manual, detailing the method and criteria used to assess the writing component of the test, including annotated student samples of responses to the tasks. • A disk copy, containing a spreadsheet of students' responses and results. • In 2004 government schools were able to access their test results as part of the new innovation, SMARill (School Measurement Assessment and Reporting illoolkit) which allowed detailed analysis of school and student level results. Schools in the PWA program received • Linking PWA to the Curriculum, a document which linked the tasks and marking criteria to the K-6 syllabuses and suggested strategies for further developing particular skills; Linking PWAtothe ESLScales, a document which provided support for teachers of students from non-English speaking backgrounds in developing the writing skills of their students; a further document, Leaps and Bounds, included annotated samples of students' writing demonstrating achievement of each Band of achievement and suggesting strategies for further developing students' skills at that level of achievement. Schools in the SNAP program received • Linking SNAP to the Curriculum - a series of pamphlets linking SNAP test questions to each of the ten curriculum subjects and giving support to teachers of ESL were provided. illhese demonstrated or highlighted the relationship of SNAP test material to each of the key learning areas and provided strategies for further developing students' nurneracy skills. • Supporting Nurneracy through SNAP 2004. illhis document descibed the performance of the whole group of Year 7 students on each test item, gave the relationship between each test item and the outcomes in the mathematics syllabus and indicated the difficulty of each item. • Numeracy Progress of Year 8 Students. illhis was a table provided to schools that elected to retest Year 8 students. It provided data on the numeracy progress of students since they participated in SNAP in 2003. It highlighted areas of concern such as students who had not progressed. It provided a useful input to measuring the efficacy of numeracy intervention programs introduced into the secondary school at the Year 7 level. • A copy of the Marking Procedures Manual, detailing the method used to assess the Extended Response masks section of the test, including annotated student samples of responses to the tasks. • A disk copy, containing a spreadsheet of students' responses and results. In 2004 government schools were able to access their test results as part of the new innovation, SMARill (School Measurement Assessment and Reporting illoolkit) which allowed detailed analysis of school and student level results.

16 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament t\18\/\1 Tfesting of IJHterac~ ana 1'\Jurnerao~

Summary of Results- BST Summary of Overall Cohort Achievement

Percentages attaining each defined standard (skill band) The standards are defined in terms of ranges of scores on a scale and some care needs to be taken in comparing percentages in each skill band from year to year. For teachers considering an individual student's growth in achievement the change in scores, not bands, is a better indicator. Reports of the percentages of the cohorts attaining each band, by themselves, do not reveal whether the numbers of students falling just below a boundary score are small or large. To say that x% attained a band and y% attained the next lower band would be misleading if, in fact, a very large proportion of the y% were just below the mark required for the higher level. Provided this caution is borne in mind, the percentages falling in the different skill bands can give a quick overall sense of how a cohort fared. These percentages for 2004 are shown below.

Table 1: Percentage of the Population within each BST Skill Band

Year3 YearS Skill Band Attained Literacy Numeracy Literacy Numeracy Band 6 nla nla 27.8 24.9 Band 5 16.6 15.0 26.1 27.0 Band 4 26.0 23.0 24.3 29.1 Band 3 27.9 31.9 14.9 12.7 Band 2 18.6 19.9 5.6 5.2 Band 1 10.8 10.1 1.3 1.2

Source: DET, Educational Measurement

Percentages exceeding the minimum standard The table below shows that almost all Year 3 and Year 5 students matched or exceeded reasonable expectations which are Band 2 for Year 3 and Band 3 for Year 5.

Table 2: Percentage of the Population Attaining or Bettering each BST Skill Band

Year3 YearS Skill Band Attained Literacy Numeracy Literacy Numeracy Band 6 or higher nla nla 27.8 24.9 Band 5 or higher 16.6 15.0 53.9 51.9 Band 4 or higher 42.6 38.0 78.2 81.0 Band 3 or higher 70.5 69.9 93.1 93.7 Band 2 or higher 89.1 89.8 98.7 98.9 Band 1 or higher 100 100 100 100

Source: DET, Educational Measurement

Exceeding Minimum Expectations

Literacy 70.5% reached or exceeded Band 3 Year 3 Numeracy 69.9% reached or exceeded Band 3 Literacy 78.2% reached or exceeded Band 4 Year 5 Numeracy 81.0% reached or exceeded Band 4

Source: DET, Educational Measurement

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 17 NSV\l Elepartment of Eaucation ana illraining "

Trends in Mean Scale Scores In 2004 the trena for mean scores for literacy ana numeracy to remain stable from year to year was maintainea. illhese graphs show the mean BSill literacy ana numeracy scores since 1998 in Year 3 ana Year 5.

Mean Literacy Scores for all Students for Year 3 and Year 5 1998 to 2004

65

60

55 50 ... 45

40 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

I-+- Year 3 __,.__Year 5! Source: DET, Educational Measurement

Mean Numeracy Scores for all Students for Year 3 and Year 5 1998 to 2004

65 r------, 60

55 50 ~~======;======::======~======;=====~======:--!

45

40 L------~ 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

I-+- Year 3 -II-Year si

Source: DET, Educational Measurement

Comparisons among Identified Groups

All groups illables 3 and 4 show the mean scores for all government school students in the state and for a number of groups incluaing the following in which stuaents are classified according to how they describe themselves on the booklet. A&TSI Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students

NESB(T) Students who live in a home where a language other than English is sometimes spoken. It is a large group comprising about 20 - 25% of the cohort. ESB English speaking background.

NESB1 Students who have lived in Australia for four years or less who rarely or never hear English spoken at home. It is a much smaller group than NESB(T) comprising a little more than 2% of the cohort. CAP Students who attend a school that is in the Country Areas Program. PSFP Students who attend a school that is in the Priority Schools Funding Program.

18 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament NSW Westing of L.literacy ana Nurneracy

In the group size colurnns, "nurnber" is the nurnber of students who cornpletea ana subrnittea a literacy test. iThe nurnbers completing the literacy ana nurneracy tests can aiffer very slightly for reasons such as students becorning ill during one of the tests. iThe "diff' colurnns give the difference between the rnean for the group in question and the rnean for all students. Positive values in this colurnn indicate that the group had a higher mean than the state, as occurs, for example, in literacy for girls.

Table 3: Group sizes, Group Mean Scores and Differences Between Group and State Means for Year 3 in 2004

Group size Literacy Numeracy Year 3 2004 Number %of State Mean Diff Mean Diff All students 57,968 100.0% 50.6 0.0 52.3 0.0 Boys 29,518 50.9% 49.7 ·0.9 52.6 0.3 Girls 28,450 49.1% 51.4 0.8 52.0 -0.3 A&TSI 3,320 5.7% 45.8 -4.8 46.9 ·5.4 NESBT 15,440 26.6% 51.1 0.5 52.8 0.5

ESB 42.395 73.1 °/~;~ 50.4 -0.2 52.1 ·0.2 NESB1 1,353 2.3% 49.4 -1.2 51.3 -1.0 CAP 1,890 3.3% 48.2 -2.4 50.0 -2.3 PSFP 11,780 20.3% 48.0 -2.6 49.4 -2.9

Source: DET, Educational Measurement

Table 4: Group sizes, Group Mean Scores and Differences Between Group and State Means for Year 5 in 2004

Group size Literacy Numeracy Year 5 2004 Number %of State Mean Diff Mean Diff All students 58,962 100.0% 57.4 0.0 60.7 0.0 Boys 30,087 51.0% 56.5 -0.9 61.1 0.4 Girls 28,875 49.0% 58.4 1.0 60.3 -0.4 A&TSI 3,272 5.5% 52.4 -5.0 54.3 -6.4 NESBT 14,995 25.4% 57.7 0.3 61.9 1.2 ESB 43,932 74.5% 57.4 0.0 60.3 -0.4 NESB1 1,018 1.7% 54.9 -2.5 60.1 -0.6 CAP 1,992 3.4% 55.4 -2.0 58.5 -2.2 PSFP 12,458 21.1% 54.8 -2.6 57.5 ·3.2

Source: DET, Educational Measurement

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 19 NSVV Department of Baucation ana illraining

Girls and boys illhe means of girls ana boys are of special interest.

Table 5: Group Mean Scores and Differences Between Girls and Boys for Year 3 and Year 5 in 2004

Girls Mean score 51.4 Literacy Difference 1. 7 Boys Mean score 49.7 Year 3 Girls Mean score 52.0 Numeracy Difference -1.6 Boys Mean score 53.6

Girls Mean score 58.4 Literacy Difference 1.9 Boys Mean score 56.5 Year 5 Girls Mean score 60.3 Numeracy Difference -0.8 Boys Mean score 61.1

Source: DET, Educational Measurement In literacy, the higher achievement of girls over boys was again eviaent in 2004 ana the aifferences of 1.7 (Year 3) ana 1.9 (Year 5) are similar to last year, though not as great as the aifferences in excess of 2 that were recoraea in the mia-90s. In numeracy, boys, on average, Clio better than girls ana the aifference in favour of boys in Year 3 (1.6) was almost the same as the aifference in favour of girls for literacy (1.7).

NBSB students illhe larger group, NBSB(ill) haa higher mean scores than the state in literacy ana numeracy in both Year 3 ana Year 5 (see illables 3 and 4). As is expected, the small NBSB1 group, with ress exposure at home to English, was below the state mean in literacy. It was also below the state mean in numeracy.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students (A&TSI) Aboriginal ana Torres Strait lslanaer students continue to score well below the state mean. The aifferences in 2004 were similar to those in 2003.

Table 6: Group Mean Scores and Differences Between State Mean and A&TSI for Year 3 and Year 5 in 2004

All students Mean score 50.6 Literacy Difference 4.8 A&TSI Mean score 45.8 Year 3 All students Mean score 52.3 Numeracy Difference 5.4 A&TSI Mean score 46.9

All students Mean score 57.4 Literacy Difference 5.0 A&TSI Mean score 52.4 Year 5 All students Mean score 60.7 Numeracy Difference 6.4 A&TSI Mean score 54.3

Source: DET, Educational Measurement

20 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament t'l!SW lfesting of 1.1iteracy ana Numeracy

Country Areas Program (CAP) About 3.3% of students attended schools in the Country Areas Program. lfheir means were below the state in all tests. Priority Schools Funding Program (PSFP) About 20-21% of students attended schools in the Priority Schools Funding Program. lfhe means for the PSFP schools were below the state means by between 2.6 ana 3.2 scores (see lfables 3 ana 4). lfrena data for PSFP schools must be interpreted with care as the schools included in the program can change with each program review.

Progress from Year 3 to Year 5

Progress made between Years 3 ana 5 can be appraised by looking at the differences in mean scores of the cohort ana its component groups, or by looking at what progress individual students made. lfhe latter approach requires that there be a way of identifying students between the two testing occasions - of matching them. Matching students between the School Certificate ana the Higher School Certificate is made simple by assigning a personal ID that each student retains throughout Years 10-12. In the absence of such an ID in the primary ana junior secondary Years, matching relies on the information that students encode about themselves on the front page of their test booklets. Students from the same cohort tested on different occasions are accepted as being the same students only if they attend the same school ana have identical names, identically spelt. Where names are very similar, schools are contacted to determine whether the student is the same. Using these criteria, about 73% of the Year 5 cohort can be identified with themselves as Year 3 students two years earlier. mhe 27% who cannot be matched include all students who changed school during the two years, all students who changed their names ana students who make encoding errors when supplying their names. While 73% is a very large sample from the total population, it is not a random sample. It will certainly under-represent the itinerant students in the population. Matched Students

lfhe changes in mean scores from Year 3 (2002) to Year 5 (2004) for the total population of matched students ana the main subgroups were as follows.

Table 7: Gain in Mean Scores for Matched Students Year 3 to Year 5 (2002 to 2004)

Literacy Numeracy State 6.9 7.7 Boys 7.0 7.8 Girls 6.8 7.5 A&TSI 6.5 6.6 NESB(T) 7.3 8.9 NESB1 9.1 11.2

Source: DET, Educational Measurement

As the table shows, all groups made substantial progress in mean ssm scores with the greatest progress being made by the NESS 1 group in numeracy. NESS 1 students also made the largest gain in literacy.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 21 NSW 0epartment of Education ana ITiraining ~

Gains made by Year 3 Band 1 students Students in skill Ban a 1 in Year 3 cause the greatest concern. If those students Clo not improve their basic skills quickly, it is likely that they will have increasing difficulties coping with school as they progress through the upper primary ana secondary Years. Table 8 is a coarse way at looking at students' progress in terms of bands.

Table 8: Bands Advanced Between Year 3 and Year 5 by Matched Students in Band 1 in Year 3 ...... · ·.· Band~ ':: --_LJter~Cy •· ··. NJrri~racy ·.••• ·• .. •· Aciva~C;ed .... •. N~rnber •Perb~nt··· . Nurril>er ···· ·... .· ··.·l'ertelli ···•···· ·· 0 322 8.0 250 7.1 1 1309 32.5 1009 28.8 2 1676 41.6 1277 36.4 3 626 15.5 822 23.4 4+ 97 2.4 149 4.3 Totals 4030 100 3507 100

Source: OET, Educational Measurement

The information in tables of this kina is described as coarse because it only acknowledges students who progressed past the next band boundary. It records zero progress for students who were at the very bottom of a band and progressed to the very top (but just didn't quite get over the boundary into the next band). And it records real progress for a student who was just under a boundary and made just enough progress to move over the boundary into the next band. Given that the table relates to two calendar years of schooling, it is a matter for concern that about 7-8% of those who were in Band 1 in Year 3 showed only little improvement by Year 5. As for the rest, the table provides evidence that most students who were in Band 1 in Year 3 made significant progress by Year 5.

22 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament , NS\IV !resting of lliiteracy and Nurneracy

Summary of Results - PWA Summary of Overall Cohort Achievement

Percentages attaining each defined standard (skill band) ifhe following table gives the percentages of Year 3 and Year 5 students attaining each of the skill bands.

Table 9· PWA 2004· Percent in Skill Bands Band Year 3 Year 5 Band 6 n/a 18.4 Band 5 11.9 26.8 Band4 36.6 36.4 Band 3 34.0 14.2 Band 2 12.8 3.2 Band 1 4.7 1.0 Note. Percentages for the components may not add to 100 because of rounding. Source: OET, EducaUonal Measurement

Comparisons among Identified Groups !fables 10 and 11 show the rnean scores, for each of the two tasks and for writing overall, for all students and sorne of the rnain groups.

Table 10: Writing Means for All Students and Identified Groups PWA Year 3 2004

Writing Task 1 Writing Task 2 Writing Group Number Having a Dog Ancient Box Overall All students 57,740 51.0 51.1 51.2 Girls 28,308 52.0 52.1 52.1 Boys 29,432 50.0 50.2 50.2 NESB(T) 15,041 51.4 51.5 51.5 NESB1 1,330 49.5 49.4 49.6 A&TSI 3,302 46.7 46.4 46.8

Source: OET, Educational Measurement

Table 11: Writing Means for All Students and Identified Groups PWA Year 5 2004

Writing Task 1 Writing Task 2 Writing Group Number Having a Dog Ancient Box Overall All students 58,708 56.9 56.6 56.6 Girls 28,756 58.1 57.7 57.7 Boys 29,952 55.7 55.5 55.5 NESB(T) 14,747 57.5 57.0 57.1 NESB1 972 54.4 53.8 54.1 A&TSI 3,457 52.5 52.3 52.4

Source: DET, Educational Measurement

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 23 NSW 0epartment of Education anCI ITiraining

As in the case of the BSITi Literacy tests: • Girls scored higher than boys in both Years ana in both tasks. • Overall, the larger NESB group haa scores slightly above the whole of the state in both Year 3 ana Year 5. • ITihe smaller NESB group was below the state in both tasks ana overall. • A& ITiSI students haa the lowest mean group score ana were about 4 scores below the state as a whole. ITihey haa fairly similar mean scores in the factual task (task 1) ana the literary task (task 2) in both Year 3 ana Year 5.

Progress from Year 3 to Year 5 Progress made between Years 3 ana 5 can be appraised by looking at the differences in mean scores of the cohort and its component groups, or by looking at what progress individual students maae. Matched Students ITihe changes in mean scores from Year 3 (2002) to Year 5 (2004) for the total population of matched students and the main subgroups were as follows.

Table 12: Gain in Mean Scores for Matched Students Year 3 to Year 5 (2002 to 2004)

Writing Overall State 5.1 Boys 5.0 Girls 5.2 A&TSt 5.1 NESB(T) 5.7

Source: DET, Educational Measurement

As the table shows, all groups made substantial progress in mean PWA scores with the greatest progress being made by the larger NESB group.

24 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament J>JSVV Westing of I!.Iiteracy and Numeracy

Summary of Results - ELLA Summary of Overall Cohort Achievement

Percentages attaining each defined standard (achievement levels) EI!.II!.IA has four levels of achievement or standards. In EI!.II!.IA, the standards are ranges of scores as in the BSW. :The four mark ranges that define the standards in EI!.II!.IA have the descriptive names: I!.Iow Achievement, Elementary Achievement, Proficient Achievement and High Achievement. Students whose literacy achievement is I!.Iow are unlikely to be able to cope with the secondary curriculum without special, immediate and effective assistance. Students whose achievement is Elementary may also need support from their classroom teachers. As with all standards defined in terms of ranges of marks on a scale, the percentages associated with EI!.II!.IA achievement levels can fluctuate slightly without indicating significant changes. Reports of the percentages of the cohort attaining each level, by themselves, do not reveal whether the numbers of students falling just below a boundary score were small or large. :To say that x% attained a level and y% attained the next lower level might be misleading if, in fact, a very large proportion of the y% were just below the mark required for the higher level. Provided this caution is borne in mind, the percentages falling in the different achievement levels can give a quick overall sense of how a cohort fared. :These percentages for 2004 are shown below.

Table 13: Percentages of Years 7 and 8 in each Achievement Level in 2004

Achievement Year7 Year 8* Level Writing Reading Language Writing Reading Language High 32.4 34.5 38.2 40.8 46.6 45.5 Proficient 53.3 46.8 38.8 49.3 40.9 37.9 Elementary 9.9 12.9 15.5 7.0 8.9 11.6 Low 4.4 5.9 7.5 2.9 3.6 5.0

Source: DET, Educational Measurement ' not full cohort

Percentages exceeding the lowest achievement standard The table below shows that almost all Year 7 and 8 students matched or exceeded the Elementary Achievement I!.Ievel.

Table 14: Percentages of Years 7 and 8 Reaching or Exceeding each Achievement Level in 2004

Achievement Year? Year 8 Level Writing Reading Language Writing Reading Language High 32.4 34.5 38.2 40.8 46.6 45.5 Proficient 85.7 81.3 77.0 90.1 87.5 83.4 Elementary 95.6 94.2 92.5 97.1 96.4 95.0 Low 100 100 100 100 100 100

Source: DET, Educational Measurement

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 25 I'NS\ZV IDef:latlment of Education and ±raining

Exceeding minimum expectations Many students exceeded minimum expectations, as shown in table 15:

Table 15: Percentages of Years 7 and 8 Exceeding minimum expectations

Writing 85.7% reached or exceeded Proficient Level Year7 Reading 81.3% reached or exceeded Proficient Level Language 77.0% reached or exceeded Proficient Level Writing 90.1% reached or exceeded Proficient Level Year 8 Reading 87.5% reached or exceeded Proficient Level Language 83.4% reached or exceeded Proficient Level

Source: DET, Educational Measurement

Comparisons among Identified Groups

All groups illabies 16 and 17 show the mean scores for all students in the state ana for a number of groups. illhe groups are defined in the same way as for BSill. In the group size columns, "number" is the number of students who completed and submitted a literacy test. The numbers completing the different literacy strands can differ very slightly for reasons such as students becoming ill during one of the components of the test. The "diff' columns give the difference between the mean for the group in question and the mean for all students. Positive values in this column indicate that the group had a higher mean than the state, as occurs, for example, in all three test components for girls.

Table 16: Group ELLA Means and Differences from the State Mean for Various Groups in Year 7 in 2004

Writing Reading Language Group Number Mean Dill Mean Dill Mean Dill All students 53,071 88.7 0.0 88.8 0.0 88.9 0.0 Boys 27,170 87.4 -1.3 87.9 -0.9 87.4 -1.5 Girls 25,901 90.0 1.3 89.6 0.8 90.5 1.6 A&TSI 3,640 83.8 -4.9 83.6 -5.2 83.2 ·5.7 NESBT 13,381 89.0 0.3 88.5 -0.3 89.6 0.7 ESB 39,929 88.6 -0.1 88.9 0.1 88.7 -0.2 NESB1 955 85.0 -3.7 84.8 -4.0 85.7 -3.2 CAP 1,615 86.7 -2.0 86.8 -2.0 86.1 -2.8 PSFP 8,873 85.6 -3.1 85.1 -3.7 85.1 ·3.8 Source: DET, Educational Measurement

26 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament NJSW !Testing of lliiteracy ana Numeracy

Table 17: Group ELLA Means and Differences from the State Mean for Various Groups in Year 8* in 2004 Writing Reading Language Group Number Mean Dill Mean Dill Mean Dill All students 50,801 90.2 0.0 91.0 0.0 90.5 0.0 Boys 26,046 88.8 -1.4 90.1 -0.9 88.8 -1.7 Girls 24,755 91.7 1.5 92.1 1.1 92.3 1.8 A&TSI 3,168 85.2 -5.0 85.4 -5.6 84.6 -5.9 NESBT 12,868 90.0 -0.2 90.4 -0.6 90.8 0.3 ESB 37,311 90.3 0.1 91.3 0.3 90.5 0.0 NESB1 1,101 86.0 -4.2 86.4 -4.6 86.5 -4.0 CAP 1,523 88.5 -1.7 89.7 -1.3 88.4 -2.1 PSFP 8,700 87.3 -2.9 87.5 -3.5 87.0 -3.5

Source: OET, Educational Measurement * not full cohort

Girls and boys Girls' performance was better than boys in each of writing, reading and language at both Year 7 and Year 8, with the differences ranging from 2.0 to 3.5 scores. There was less difference in reading than in writing or language.

Table 18: ELLA mean scores and differences between boys and girls, Year 7 and Year 8 2004

Girls Mean score 90.0 Year 7 Writing Difference 2.6 Boys Mean score 87.4 Girls Mean score 89.6 Year? Reading Difference 2.0 Boys Mean score 87.9 Girls Mean score 90.5 Year 7 Language Difference 3.1 Boys Mean score 87.4 Girls Mean score 91.7 Year 8 Writing Difference 2.9 Boys Mean score 88.8 Girls Mean score 92.1 Year 8 Reading Difference 2.0 Boys Mean score 90.1 Girls Mean score 92.3 Year 8 Language Difference 3.5 Boys Mean score 88.8

Source: DET, Educational Measurement

NESB students The group named "NJESBT" is a large group comprising about 25% of the cohort. It includes every student who lives in a home where a language other than English is spoken. The mean scores of this group were lower than for the state as a whole in reading, higher for language and similar for writing. The other group, NESB1, is a much smaller group comprising about 2% of the cohort. It includes only those students who have lived in Australia for four years or less and who rarely or never hear English spoken at home. Their mean scores were lower than the state mean for all strands for both Year 7 and Year 8.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 27 NSIN !Department of Education and wraining *

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students (A&TSI) Aboriginal and worres Strait Islander students comprised about 6% of the cohort in Year 7 and Year 8 in 2004. wheir means were below the state means in all tests, the differences ranging from 4.9 to 5.9 scores. whe means for each part of the test, and the differences between the means for the state and for the Aboriginal and worres Strait Islander students, are shown below.

Table19: Differences between ATSI and state Mean Scores for Year 7 and Year 8 ELLA, 2004

State Mean score 88.7 Year 7 Writing Difference 4. 9 A&TSI Mean score 83.8 State Mean score 88.8 Year 7 Reading Difference 5.2 A&TSI Mean score 83.6 State Mean score 88.9 Year 7 Language Difference 5. 7 A&TSI Mean score 83.2 State Mean score 90.2 Year 8 Writing Difference 5.0 A&TSI Mean score 85.2 State Mean score 91.0 YearS Reading Difference 5.6 A&TSI Mean score 85.4 State Mean score 90.5 Year 8 Language Difference 5.9 A&TSI Mean score 84.6

Source: DET, Educational Measurement

Country Area Program schools (CAP) About 3% of students attend schools that are in the Country Area Program (CAP). whese students were generally from 2 scores below the state but closer in Year 8. Priority Schools Funding Program (PSFP) About 17% of students in Year 7 and Year 8 attend PSFP schools. whese students were between 2.9 and 3.8 scores below the state mean. wrend data for PSFP schools must be interpreted with care as the schools included in the program can change with each program review.

28 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament NS\IV [estlng of Literacy and Numeracy

Progress from Year 7 to Year 8 The difficulties In matching students from Year 7 to Year 8 when there Is no permanent student ID number, explained In the BST section of this report, also applies here. In ELLA, the process of matching students with themselves across Year 7-8 Is further complicated by the fact that participation In the Year 8 test Is voluntary. The same matching criteria were applied as In the BST - students In Year 7 and the following year's Year 8 were regarded as the same only If they were at the same school and had Identically spell names.

Table 20: Gain in Mean Scores for Matched Students Year 7 2002 to Year 8 2004

Writing Reading Language State 1.6 2.4 2.0 Boys 1.8 2.2 1.6 Girls 1.4 2.5 2.5 A&TSI 2.0 1.9 1.7 NESB(T) 1.6 2.2 1.6 NESB1 3.1 2.8 1.8

Source: DET, Educational Measurement

As the table shows, all groups made some progress In mean ELLA scores. The greatest progress was made by the NESB 1 group, whose gains were above the state average In all writing and reading.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 29 NSVV !Department of Education ana illraining

Summary of Results - SNAP Summary of Overall Cohort Achievement

Percentages attaining each defined standard (achievement levels) SNAP has four levels of achievement or standards. In SNAP, the standards are ranges of scores as in the BST illhe four mark ranges that define the standards in SNAP have the descriptive names: Low Achievement, Elementary Achievement, Proficient Achievement and High Achievement. Students whose numeracy achievement is Low are unlikely to be able to cope with the secondary curriculum without special, immediate and effective assistance. Students whose achievement is Elementary may also need support from their classroom teachers. illhe following tables give the percentages ofYear7 and Year 8 students attaining each ofthe achievement levels.

Table 21: Percentages of Year 7 in each Achievement Level in SNAP 2004

Achievement Numeracy Number Measurement Space Data Problem Solving Level High 23.9 28.4 22.9 26.2 26.8 22.8 Proficient 41.9 34.2 46.7 41.5 39.1 45.1 Elementary 29.6 25.6 28.3 25.9 25.9 28.1 Low 4.6 11.7 2.0 6.3 8.3 4.1 Source: DET, Educational Measurement

Table 22: Percentages of Year 8' in each Achievement Level in SNAP 2004

Achievement Numeracy Number Measurement Space Data Problem Solving Level High 35.0 38.4 33.6 33.8 40.4 33.4 Proficient 40.6 31.6 44.8 40.6 38.3 43.0 Elementary 21.6 20.9 20.3 20.7 17.1 20.9 Low 2.8 9.0 1.4 4.9 4.3 2.8 Source: DET, Educational Measurement • not full cohon

Comparisons Among Identified Groups

illables 23 and 24 show the mean scores for all students in the state and for a number of groups. illhe groups are defined in the same way as for BST (see page 18)

Table 23: Means for all Students and Identified Groups SNAP Year 7 2004

Group Students Numeracy Number Measurement Space Data Problem Solving All students 52,144 85.1 85.0 85.3 85.2 85.19 85.2 Boys 26,682 85.2 84.8 86.2 85.3 84.7 85.6 Girls 25,462 85.0 85.2 84.3 85.1 85.4 84.8 A&TSI 3,266 79.0 77.4 80.5 79.0 78.6 79.9 NESBT 13,174 86.6 87.5 86.7 86.3 86.3 87.0 ESB 38,685 84.6 84.2 84.8 84.8 84.7 84.7 NESB1 984 84.7 86.1 85.1 83.3 83.9 85.4 CAP 1,577 82.4 81.6 83.0 82.7 82.3 82.5 PSFP 8,720 80.9 80.0 81.7 81.0 80.7 81.4 Source: DET, Educational Measurement

30 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament NS\N Testing of lliiteracy ana Numeracy

Table 24: Means for all Students and Identified Groups SNAP Year 8' 2004

Group Students Numeracy Number Measurement Space Data Problem Solving

All students 49,250 87.9 87.8 87.9 87.3 88.7 87.9 Boys 25,167 88.0 87.6 88.9 87.4 88.4 88.4 Girls 24,083 87.7 88.0 86.8 87.3 89.0 87.4 A&TSI 2,854 80.9 79.0 82.0 80.4 81.6 81.4 NESBT 12,570 88.8 89.5 88.9 87.8 89.3 89.1 ESB 36,143 87.6 87.3 87.6 87.2 88.5 87.6 NESB1 1,068 87.6 89.4 88.4 84.6 87.8 88.8 GAP 1513 85.6 84.6 85.7 85.6 86.7 85.4 PSFP 8,548 83.7 82.8 84.2 83.1 84.4 84.0 Source: DET. Educational Measurement • not full cohort From the above data for both Year 7 ana Year 8 the following points emerge. • On average, boys aid better in measurement ana problem solving, while girls aid better in number ana data. There was very little difference, overall, between the mean performance of boys ana girls. • A&TSI students were 6-7 scores below the state mean as a whole. • The larger NESBT group had means above the whole of the state mean in each strand ana overall. • The smaller NESB1 group was below the state mean in space ana data, but aid better in number ana numeracy problem solving . • Overall, 65.8% of students reached or exceeded the proficient level in numeracy in Year 7 ana 75.6% in Year 8.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 31 NSVV Department of Education and mraitling

Summary of Results - CSA Summary of Overall Cohort Achievement

illhe Computer Skills Assessment (CSA) assesses Year 6 students in computer skill areas including word processing, graphics, Internet, Email, database and spreadsheets. where are two components to the program - a pencil and paper test and a set of practical tasks which are provided to schools on a CD-ROM. illhe program was first run in pilot form in 180 schools in 2002. In 2004, 59, 589 Year 6 students from all government schools across NSW participated in the pencil-and-paper component of the Computer Skills Assessment. 59, 281 students from all government schools participated in the online practical component. Comparisons Among Identified Groups Table 25 shows the mean scores on the pencil and paper component for all students in the state and for a number of groups. illhe groups are defined in the same way as for BST.

Table 25: Mean Scores for All Students and Identified Groups Pencil and Paper CSA Year 6 2004

2004 Year6 Number Mean SD All students 59,589 68.1 7.1 Boys 30 345 67.5 7.4 Girls 29 244 68.7 6.6 A&TSI 3507 63.3 7.0 NESBT 15 210 68.0 7.6 ESB 43 929 68.1 6.9 NESB1 1093 64.9 8.2 CAP 1,978 66.7 7.4 PSFP 12,502 65.6 7.1

Source: DET, Educational Measurement

The results of the 2004 tests show that: • in the pencil-and-paper component of the assessment, girls performed better than boys, with a difference of 1.2 standard scores • in the practical component of the assessment also, girls performed slightly better than boys, with a difference of 0.9 standard scores • the mean for the pencil-and-paper component of the assessment for students with English speaking backgrounds (ESB) was virtually the same as for students from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESBT) the mean for the practical component of the assessment for students with English speaking backgrounds (ESB) was higher by 0.4 scores compared with the results for students from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESBT).

32 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament NSW [esting of lliiteracy ana Numeracy

Information on Special Support Programs Reading Recovery Reaoing Recovery is a research-basea early intervention program aesignea to reauce reaoing failure. It provioes intensive high quality assistance to stuaents experiencing reaoing ana writing oifficulties after their first year of schooling. Typically, stuaents selectee for the Reaoing Recovery program in Year 1 woula have oifficulty in: • ioentifying alphabet characters • recognising frequently usea woras such as 'a', 'the', 'is', 'to', 'am', 'one' • reaoing beyona simple one or two-line caption books. For example, they might just be able to reaa 'Tim is sao' when it appearea unaer a picture of a boy crying. The program was first funaea by the Government in 1996 by targeting at-risk Year 1 stuoents in schools selectee on a neeas basis. 1998 was the first year in which Reaoing Recovery stuaents from Year 1 took part in the BST program. In that year, 1,626 of the original 2,344 Reaoing Recovery stuaents coula be ioentifiea among the Year 3 canoioature. An analysis of their results appearea in the 1998 report to parliament. In 1999, 1,803 Reaoing Recovery stuaents from Year 1 in 1997 were ioentifieo. By 2004 the number of stuaents unaer the program hac increasea to 6,090. The skill banos attainea by the matcheo stuaents for 2002 - 2004 are as follows.

Table 27: Percentage of Matched Reading Recovery Students in Skill Bands for Year 3 Literacy

2002 2003 2004

Count Percent Count Percent Count Percent Band 5 42 1 35 1 110 3 Band4 294 9 268 8 388 10 Band 3 744 24 933 28 1,119 28 Band 2 1,253 40 1,142 34 1.466 37 Band 1 784 25 996 30 898 23 Totals 3,117 100 3,374 100 3,981 100

Source: DET, Educational Measurement

In the absence of effective intervention, it woulo be expectea that the Reaoing Recovery stuoents woulo be in Bana 1 {the lowest BST level) in Year 3. In fact, in 2004, 77% of the stu cents who coula be ioentifiea attain eo Ban a 2 or higher. This is the highest percentage recoraea since Reaoing Recovery was introaucea

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 33 • NSVIZ 0epartment of Education ana lliraining

Matched Reading Recovery students in Year 5 Of the 3,117 Reading Recovery students who coula be iaentifiea in the Year 3 BSlli aata in 2002, 2,034 coula also be identified in the Year 5 data in 2004. lliheir position on the BSlli scale in Year 5 is shown in illable 28.

Table 28: Percentage of Matched Reading Recovery Students in Skill Bands for Year 5 Literacy 2004

Year52004 Count Percent Band 6 67 3 Band 5 285 14 Band 4 687 34 Band 3 684 34 Band 2 269 13 Band 1 42 2 Totals 2,034 100

Source: OET, Educational Measurement

llihe average literacy growth from Year 3 to Year 5 for students who participated in the Reading Recovery program was 7.0 score points compared with the state average for all matched students of 6.9 score points. In 2000 when they were first identified as needing support through Reading Recovery it coula have been anticipated that their Year 5 BSlli results woula be no higher than Band 2. In fact, 85% of the students were now in Bana 3 or higher and 17% were in the two highest levels. llihese results provide evidence that the benefits of Reading Recovery are maintained for several years after the support provided in Year 1. Follow-up to BST Follow-up to BSlli is a support document which has been written by the 0isability Programs Unit of the Aboriginal Education ana Equity Programs ~Directorate. llihis document is aimed at teachers who will assist Year 3 and Year 5 students who need additional support in literacy. It shows teachers how to perform a focused individual assessment for students who were exempt or absent from the test ana for students who scored in Band 1 in Year 3 or who scored in Band 1 or 2 in Year 5. llihe document also contains a programming and strategies handbook to assist teachers to design an inaiviaualliteracy plan to address the needs of those students. Follow-up to ELLA In Year 7, students identified with results in the low achievement level undertake additional assessments at their school. llihe additional assessment tasks are derived from the texts students were required to read in the test. llihe tasks are written by members of the Literacy team at Curriculum K-12 ~Directorate. Following these assessments an individual literacy plan to aaaress the identified needs is designed for the student A measure of the success of this follow-up can be seen in the higher rate of progress achieved by these students between Year 7 ana Year 8. llihe average rate of progress of these students (between 5 ana 7 scores across writing, reading and language) compares positively with the average rate of progress of 2 to 3 scores for all students.

34 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament • NSW :resting of l.Siteracy and Numeracy

Initiatives and Future Directions Basic Skills Test (BST)

In 2004 the Basic Skills test continued to develop and trial new types of literacy test items to reflect the range of texts students encounter in their classrooms and homes. :reachers were provided with support through a range of teaching strategies booklets which addressed the skills assessed by the test. IT"wo booklets focused on teaching literacy within all key learning areas. Four other booklets specifically addressed the needs of students who speak Aboriginal English and students from a language background other than English. In the ESI.S Unks booklet, the reading and language sections of the BSIT" were mapped against the ESI.S scales. In 2005 SMARIT" (School Measurement and Reporting IT"oolkit) will be available via the intranetfor BSIT" and all other assessments. SMARIT" allows schools to comprehensively view and analyse data at a student and school level. Primary Writing Assessment (PWA) School-based marking is provided on a rotating basis; each year new schools participate. In 2004, over 200 schools were funded to participate. IT"he Primary Writing Assessment continued to trial and use writing tasks reflecting a range of text forms and purposes for writing. New tasks expand the range of information that can be collected about students' writing skills. Since 2002 the Primary Writing Assessment has implemented common tasks and common scoring criteria for Year 3 and Year 5. In addition to the traditional paper reports provided to schools, an On-line delivery was implemented for government schools using the Department of Education and [raining's Intranet. School principals were provided with passwords that enabled them to view and analyse their results. In 2004 further enhancements have been made to the electronic delivery of reports. IT"he facility will be made available to the non-government schools initially using CDRoms, then moving to secure sites on the Internet from 2005. In 2005, PWA will be merged with BSIT" and renamed BSIT" Writing. A significant development is that the writing tasks will be marked online (rather than on paper) by specially trained teachers. IT"he electronic delivery of marking will allow greater efficiency and accuracy in marking as well as removing all possibility of bias in the marking as the markers, for the first time, will be unable to view any details of the student background. English language and literacy Assessment (EllA) English l.Sanguage and Uteracy Assessment (El.Sl.SA) will continue to trial and use writing tasks that reflect a range of text forms and purposes for writing. New tasks expand the range of information that can be collected about students' writing skills. El.Sl.SA will continue to investigate new types of test items in reading and language, including open-ended response questions to better capture students' independent ability in a wider range of literacy skills. In addition to the traditional paper reports provided to schools, an On-line delivery was implemented for government schools using the Department of Education and [raining's Intranet. School principals were provided with passwords that enabled

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 35 NSV\1 ~Department of Education and lliraining

them to view and analyse their results. In 2005 further enhancements will be made to the electronic delivery of reports .. SMARlli will allow schools to comprehensively view and analyse data at a student and school level. This facility will be made available to the non-government schools using secure sites on the Internet. In 2004 ELLA was mapped against the ESL scales in all three parts of the test. Teaching strategies were provided to support teachers to meet the needs of students from language backgrounds other than English. Particular test items and tasks were linked to outcomes from each of the subject areas taught in Years 7 and 8 and teaching strategies were provided to support teachers to address the literacy demands of these subjects. Secondary Numeracy Assessment Program (SNAP) The Year 8 retest was made available to all schools from 2002. SNAP continued to use extended response tasks that reflect a diversity of skills and are utilised in a range of subjects. SNAP also continued to investigate new types of test items such as diagram completion questions in the short response section. Computer Skills Assessment (CSA) In 2005 the CSA is to be reshaped so that it becomes an on-line, on-demand competency based assessment in 2006. Schools have been notified that for 2005, the Computer Skills Assessment will be available on CI'.D-ROM for use with students, either individually or in small groups. In Term 3 2005 NSW government schools will be sent a CI'.D that contains the 2004 Practical Assessment as a resource for all students and teachers to use. The software will enable a student to do the assessment and receive instant feedback on their performance as well as a printed report of their achievement. The classroom teacher can access diagnostic information about each student that has completed the assessment. The software will also be sent to the Catholic Education Commission schools.

36 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament

0 NSW ll'lepat;tment of Eaucation ana wrainlng

Contents 2003 National Benchmark Performance ...... 3

2003 National Benchmark Literacy Performance ...... 4 Reaaing ...... 4 Writing ...... 5 2003 National Benchmark Numeracy Performance ...... 6

2003 Performance in International wests ...... 8 Program for International Stuaent Assessment ...... 8 ill rends in Mathematics ana Science Stuay ...... 10

2 2005 Minister's Repot;t to Parliament National Benchmarks

2003 National Benchmark Performance

In Maron 1997, all State, Territory and Commonwealth education ministers agreed on tne national goal: tnat every cnild leaving primary school should be numerate and be able to read, write and spell at an appropriate level. To help support the achievement of this goal ministers agreed to the implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Plan, the essential features of which are: • early assessment and intervention for students at risk of not achieving minimum required standards; development of national benchmarks for each of Years 3, 5 and 7 • assessment of student progress against these benchmarks • national reporting of benchmark data • professional development for teachers.

The benchmarks that underpin the reporting of student achievement describe nationally agreed minimum acceptable standards for aspects of literacy and numeracy at particular year levels. They represent minimum standards of performance below which students will have difficulty making satisfactory progress at school. The benchmarks form three important markers along a continuum of increasing competence. The least demanding Year 3 benchmark is located in the early part of the achievement continuum, while the Years 5 and 7 benchmarks, demanding increasing understandings and skills, are at progressive levels. Students' locations on the achievement continuum are estimated through assessment processes undertaken by the States and Territories. To establish the location of the benchmark at each year level, expert judges must envisage a student who is just able to demonstrate the skills described in the benchmark, and to estimate the probability of this minimally competent student succeeding on each test item. Judges used in the benchmarking were from all States and Territories and included a range of specialists and classroom teachers qualified to make decisions about the likelihood of students succeeding on the test items. In the final phase of equating, an equivalent benchmark location is calculated for each jurisdiction's test. All these aspects of the process contribute to enhancing comparability of the separate State and Territory tests and to ensuring that difference between States and Territories' results are due to factors other than the tests. This section of the report describes the most recently published results of testing conducted during 2003 in which the achievement of students in each of Years 3, 5 and 7 was measured against the national benchmarks for Reading, Writing and Numeracy. These results are for all students from NSW government (71%) and non-government (29%) schools in Years 3, 5 and 7.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 3 J:\ISVV Department of Education and illraining '

2003 National Benchmark Literacy Performance Reading

• There was little change in the proportion of Year 3 students achieving the national Reading benchmark (93.0% in 2003 compared to 93.7% in 1999). • A slightly higher proportion of Year 5 students achieved the Reading benchmark in 2003 compared to 1999 (91.7% in 2003 compared to 90.3% in 1999). • There has been little change in the proportion of Year 7 students achieving the national Reading benchmarks (88.9% in 2003 compared to 88.0% in 2001 ).

National Benchmark for NSW Students Year 3 Reading

jC1999 1112000 112001 ffl2002 11112003j 100.0 95.0 90.0

•~ 85.0 "•c 80.0 ~ 75.0 70.0 65.0 60.0 All students Boys Girls Indigenous LBOTE

National Benchmark for NSW Students Year 5 Reading

jc1999 112ooo a2001 m2oo2 EI20o31 100.0 95.0 90.0 •m s 85.0 c 80.0 •~ a.• 75.0 70.0 65.0 60.0 AU students Boys Girls Indigenous LBOTE

National Benchmark for NSW Students Year 7 Reading lc2oo1 1112002 1112oosl 95.0 .,------======:__------, 90.0 85.0 •~ ~ 80.0 £ 75.0 70.0 65.0 60.0 AU students Boys Girls Indigenous LBOTE

Source: DET. Educational Measurement Note: The achievement percentages reported in this table include 95% confidence intervals to reflect the level of error and uncertainty associated with this measure. A percentage of 80% achieving the benchmark +/·2% for example, can be interpreted as meaning that if there was no error present, the true score would lie somewhere between 78% and 82%. (See page 6, Executive Summary)

4 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament National BencnmarRs

Writing

• A 1:\igl:\er proportion of Year 3 students acl:\ieved tne national Writing bencl:\mark in 2003 compared to 1999 (95.4% in 2003 compared to 92.5% in 1999). • There mas been little change in tne proportion of Year 5 students achieving tne national Writing bencnmark since national benchmarking began in 1999 (95.7% in 2003 compared to 95.5% in 1999). • There has been little change in the proportion of Year 7 students achieving the national Writing benchmarks (92.2% in 2003 compared to 92.5% in 2001 ).

National Benchmark for NSW Students Year 3 Writing

lc1999 112000 1112001 C2002 lllll20031 100.0 95.0 90.0 •m 85.0 J'l c •e 80.0 75.0 "-• 70.0 65.0 60.0 All students Boys Girls Indigenous LBOTE

National Benchmark for NSW Students Year 5 Writing 1[]1999 112000 112001 1::12002 1120031 100.0 95.0 90.0 •m 85.0 J!l c 80.0 •e 75.0 "-• 70.0 65.0 60.0 All students Boys Girls Indigenous LBOTE

National Benchmark for NSW Students Year 7 Writing lczoo1 azooz 112ooa I 100.0 95.0 90.0 •m 85.0 J'l •c 80.0 ~ "- 75.0 70.0 65.0 60.0 All students Boys Girts Indigenous LBOTE

Source: DET, Educational Measurement Note: The achievement percentages reported in this table include 95% confidence intervals to reflect the level of error and uncertainty associated with this measure. A percentage of 80% achieving the benchmark +/-2% for example, can be interpreted as meaning that if there was no error present, the true score would lie somewhere between 78% and 82%. (See page 6, Executive Summary)

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 5 t\ISW Department of Baucation ana +raining

2003 National Benchmark Numeracy Performance • A higher proportion of Year 3 stuaents achievea the national t\lumeracy benchmark in 2003 comparea to 2000 (96.7% in 2003 comparea to 93.2% in 2000). • mhis upwara trend is eviaent across all categories of stuaents (Males; Females; Indigenous ana LBOillB). • mhe proportion of Year 5 students achieving the national t\lumeracy benchmark has remainea fairly stable from 2000 to 2003 (91.3% in 2003 compared to 91.1% in 2000). • Year 7 results show that fewer stuaents achievea the national benchmark than in Year 3 or Year 5. illhis is likely because the benchmark has been set at higher than the minimum stanaara. • mhe proportion of Year 7 stuaents achieving the national t\lumeracy benchmark has aecreasea each year since benchmarking began in 2001 (73.9% achievea the benchmark in 2003 comparea to 79.2% in 2001 ).

National Benchmark for NSW Students Year 3 Numeracy lczooo 1112oo1 D2o02 czoo3 I 100.0 95.0 90.0 • 85.0 J'!"' 0 80.0 •~ ..• 75.0 70.0 65.0 60.0 All students Boys Girls Indigenous LBOTE

National Benchmark for NSW Students Year 5 Numeracy lczooo 11112oo1 112ooz Dzoo31 100.0 .,------======------, 95.0 90.0 t :~:~ c.. 75.0 70.0 65.0 60.0 All students Boys Girls Indigenous LBOTE

6 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament National BenchmarKs

National Benchmark for NSW Students Year 7 Numeracy lczao1 111zooz 11zoo3l 85.0 ,------=====---·---·------, 80.0 75.0 ~ 70.0 ~ 65.0 ~ 60.0 ~ 55.0 50.0 45.0 40.0 All students Boys Girls Indigenous LBOTE

Source: DET, Educational Measurement Note: The achievement percentages reported in this table Include 95% confidence intervals to renee! the level of error and uncertainty associated with this measure. A percentage of 80% achieving the benchmark +/-2% for example, can be Interpreted as meaning that If there was no error present, the true score would lie somewhere between 78% and 82%. (See page 6, Executive Summary)

• Tne performance of NSW students against tne national Numeracy benchmarks mirrors tne trends on tne state BST tests at Years 3 and 5. Tne exception is Year 7. • In 2003, tne proportion of Year 7 students meeting tne national benchmark was 73.9%, placing NSW 7'h wnen compared to otner states and territories. This result is not consistent witn: • The Year 3 and Year 5 numeracy benchmark results, where 96.7% and 91.3% of NSW students achieved the minimum standard in 2003. • The Year 7 benchmark results for Reading and Writing, where 88.9% and 92.2% of NSW students achieved the minimum standard in 2003. • The results on the state's SNAP test which show 94.7% of Year 7 students and 96.9% of Year 8 students achieving the elementary standard or higher in 2003. • The results of NSW Year 8 students on the international Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) in 2003 which show 91% of students meeting the minimum international benchmark and where NSW was ranked 1'' ahead of all other states and territories. • The results of NSW 15 year olds on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PI SA) test for mathematical literacy (2003) which showed 96% of students meeting the minimum standard (level 1 and above) and where NSW ranked 4'h behind ACT, WA and SA.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 7 NSVV Department of Eaucation ana illraining

2003 Performance in International Tests Program for International Student Assessment (PISA)

PISA is a three-yearly survey of the knowleage ana skills of 15 year ola stuaents (mainly stuaents in Years 9 ana 10 in NSVV) in the areas of reaaing literacy, mathematical literacy ana scientific literacy. It is an initiative of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation ana aevelopment (OECD). In 2003, all 30 OECD member countries ana 11 non-OECD countries participatea. illhe PI SA assessment focuses on the ability of 15 year olas to apply their knowleage ana skills to real-life problems ana situations. In NSVV, 48 Government schools ana 26 non-government schools participatea, across Australia a total of 321 schools were involvea. PI SA results confirm that NSVV stuaents are internationally very competitive, ana are in the top half of Australian results. In the PI SA assessment in 2003, mathematical literacy was the major assessment aomain, while in 2000 the major aomain was reaaing literacy ana in 2006 the major aomain will be scientific literacy. In 2003, a fourth aomain, problem solving, was assessea for the first time. • Of the 41 countries that participatea in PISA 2003, only Finlana outperformea Australia across all four of the aomains testea. • Comparea with Australia: • Only one country (Finland) achievea significantly better results in reaaing literacy; • Only three countries (Fin lana, Japan ana Korea) achievea significantly better results in scientific literacy; • Four countries (Hong Kong, Finlana, Korea ana the Netherlands) achieved significantly better results in mathematical literacy; and • Four countries (Korea, Hong Kong, Finland and Japan) achieved significantly better results in problem solving. illhe best result for NSVV was in the domain of reading literacy where NSVV equaled the best results achieved in the nation.

8 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament International Tests

Where NSW rates against the other states and territories in PI SA 2003

States statistically above NSW

States statistically similar to NSW

States statistically NT NT NT Vic belowNSW NT

Source: DET, Educational Measurement

Where NSW rates against the best in PI SA 2003

Statistically above Finland (543) Hong Kong (550) Korea (550) Finland (548) Australia Finland (544) Hong Kong Japan

Korea (542) Finland Korea

Netherlands (538) Japan

Statistically similar to Australia

(fhis category includes selected countries only)

Statistically below Sweden France (511) Germany France Australia Netherlands Sweden (509) Sweden Sweden (This category includes selected countries only) Hong Kong Germany (503) OECD (500) Ireland

Norway Ireland (503) Ireland Germany

Japan OECD (500) Norway OECD (500)

France Norway (495) United States United States

United States United States (483) Italy Italy

OECD (494) Italy (466) Norway

Germany

Italy

Notes: 1. Statistical differences are relative to Australia's position. 2. Values in brackets are the averages for the country. 3. Averages for some countries were not included in the Australian reports for the domains other than mathematical literacy. 4. Where no average is shown, the position in the table is in rank order as shown on the graphs included in the Australian reports. Source: DET, Educational Measurement

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 9 NSVV 0epartment of Education and mraining '

Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) iliiMSS is a series of international studies of mathematics and science conducted under the aegis of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (lEA). iliiMSS occurs every four years and tests mainly 9 and 13 year old students (Years 4 and 8 in NSVV). ilihe latest study is iliiMSS 2002/03 which is the third combined mathematics and science study in which Australia has participated. 46 countries participated in ill IMSS 2002/03 at Year 8 and 25 of these at Year 4. • Overall, NSVV students performed extremely well in comparison with students in other countries in science. Only Singapore performed significantly better than NSVV in science in Year 8, even though NSVV students are noted to be marginally younger than students in countries with higher average scores in Year 8 science. Only Singapore and Chinese maipei performed significantly better than NSW in science in Year 4. • Students in NSVV compared very favourable with their counterparts in the seven other Australian jurisdictions. ilihe NSVV average in science exceeded the results achieved by the nation as a whole and the international average. • In Year 8 mathematics 13% of NSVV students reached the advanced international benchmark (7% nationally} and 90% achieved the minimum international benchmark (90% nationally). • In Year 4 science 10% of NSVV students reached the advanced international benchmark (9% nationally} and 92% achieved the minimum international benchmark (92% nationally}. • In Year 8 science 15% of NSVV students reached the advanced international benchmark (9% nationally) and 95% achieved the minimum international benchmark (95% nationally).

Where NSVV rates against the other states and territories in iliiMSS 2003

States statistically similar to NSW

States WA Qld Vic statistically WA NT below NSW NT

Note: SA and WAin reverse order in original documentation (TIMMS 2002/03 p 50) Source: DET, Educational Measurement

10 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament ~ International 'Tests

Where NSW rates against the best in 'TIMSS for Year 4

scale scale

+ Significantly higher • Not significantly + Significantly lower than NSW different than NSW than NSW

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 11 NSVV Department of Eoucation ano [raining ~

Where NSVV rates against the best in TIMSS for Year 8

YearS Maths YearS . Average Average Country scale Country scale score score

t !'•··.···•· .... U5o2 i 519 Slovak 517 516

~• Bel~~~i~~--4-~;~~~:~~ • 514 Latvia 512 512 510 487 504 484 Norwav 494 Armenia 478 Italy 491 Serbia & 477 Israel 488

li.Ti 1 Territorv 482 476 i . 479 475 Jordan 475 467 474 Nmwov 461 ,Rep of. 472 • Reo. of 460 470 cvort!s 459 Serbia and 468 1 Territorv 449 i 461 . Reo. of 435 Iran. Islamic Reo. of 453 433 . Reo. of 449 ~ 424 Cyprus 441 Iran, Islamic Reo. of 411 Bahrain 438 i 411 1 Nat'l Auth 435 ~ 410 E~ypt 421 Eavot 406 I i 420 Chile 413 Tunisia 404 Chile 387 Saudi Arabia 398 396 ~ 393 366 i i 377 Saudi Arabia 332 --rn;;;;;; 276 Ghana ~ South Africa 264 South Africa 244 Source: DET, Educational Measurement

ljl Significantly higher e Not significantly ~ Significantly lower than NSW different than NSW than NSW

12 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament OOIRD OF ni'DIR.~ • f n '0 0 1" wAll' 1\JSW Department of Education ano lliraining '

Contents

Key Aspects of the 2004 School Certificate Program ...... 3 General Information ...... 3 Records of Achievement ...... 3 Prescribed Pattern of Courses ...... 3 Overview of the westing Program ...... 4 llihe Standards-Setting Procedure ...... 4 Determining Grades for Courses ...... 5 General Performance Descriptors ...... 6 Course Performance Descriptors ...... 6 Participation Information ...... 7 School Certificate 2004 illable 1 - lliotal Candidature by Award and Sex ...... 7 School Certificate 2004 illable 2 - Participating Schools by lliype ...... 7 School Certificate 2004 illable 3-lliotal Candidature by School Type and Sex ...... ? School Certificate 2004 Table 4- Entries in Board Developed Courses by Course and Sex ... 8 Performance Information ...... 10 School Certificate 2004 Performance Band Percentages Awarded in English-literacy Test.. .. 14 English-literacy Performance Bands ...... 14 School Certificate 2004 Performance Band Percentages Awarded in Mathematics Test ...... 15 Mathematics Performance Bands ...... 15 School Certificate 2004 Performance Band Percentages Awarded in Science Test...... 16 Science Performance Bands ...... 16 School Certificate 2004 Performance Band Percentages Awarded in Australian Geography, Civics and Citizenship Component ...... 17 Australian Geography, Civics and Citizenship Performance Bands ...... 17 School Certificate 2004 Performance Band Percentages Awarded in Australian History, Civics and Citizenship Component...... 18 Australian History, Civics and Citizenship Performance Bands ...... 18

2 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament Soffiool ®erttifioate

Key Aspects of the 2004 School Certificate Program General Information

In 2004, a School Certificate was awarded to school students who completed a satisfactory program of studies in Years 7 to 10 through schools accredited by the Board of Studies NSW. The results in each course are issued as grades awarded by each student's school. Students were also awarded a mark and a band based on their performances in statewide tests in English-literacy, Mathematics, Science and Australian History or Geography, Civics and Citizenship. In 2004, a total of 82,941 Year 10 students participated in the School Certificate Program. Ofthese, 81,201 students in NSW and overseas schools completed the full program of study for the award of the School Certificate. 1,729 students were not eligible for a School Certificate and received a Record of Achievement only and a further 11 students did not receive either of these awards and were placed in the "No Award" category. Records of Achievement The School Certificate is issued as a testamur, with the results being reported separately on Records of Achievement. To be eligible for a School Certificate students must have: attended a government school, an accredited non-government school, or a school outside NSW recognised by the Board • satisfactorily completed Board-approved courses of study • undertaken the requisite School Certificate Tests and also satisfactorily completed the required school-based assessment program completed Year 10. A Record of Achievement Part A is a cumulative record of all Stage 5 courses completed and is issued each year to students in Year 10. It records all courses undertaken, whether satisfactorily completed or not, and also indicates whether all requirements for the award of the School Certificate have been met. A Record of Achievement Part B records the results awarded to students in the School Certificate Tests. The School Certificate Test Report(s) describes student achievement according to standards based on the educational outcomes expected of students. Prescribed Pattern of Courses

The Board's mandatory curriculum requirements for the award of a School Certificate are: • courses in each of English, Mathematics, Science, and Human Society and Its Environment are to be studied substantially throughout each of Years 7-10, with 400 hours in each to be completed by the end of Year 10. Included in the Human Society and Its Environment requirement is the study of 100 hours each of History and Geography in Years 7-8 and 100 hours each of Australian History and 100 hours of Australian Geography in Years 9-1 0; • courses in each of Creative Arts (Visual Arts and Music) and Technological and Applied Studies, with 200 hours in each to be completed by the end of Year 10; • a course in Personal Development, Health and Physical Education is to be studied

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 3 NSV\IDepaifment of Education ana TITral11ing •

In each of Years 7-10, with 300 hours to be completed by the end of Year 10; • one language Is to be studied for at least 100 hours over one continuous 12 month period between Years 7 ana 10, but preferably In Years 7-8. Overview of the Testing Program TITests In English-literacy, Mathematics, Science ana Australian History, Geography, Civics ana Citizenship were mandatory for all Year 10 students In 2004. A trial Computing Skills test was also developed for those schools that elected to take part in the trial. TIThe Computing Skills TITest will be compulsory from 2006. For these tests, students are awarded a mark (out of a maximum possible 100) ana also receive a 'band' that relates to the 'standard' of performance they have reached. In the Australian History, Geography, Civics ana Citizenship test students receive a mark ana a place within a performance band for each of the two components of the test: Australian History, Civics ana Citizenship, ana Australian Geography, Civics ana Citizenship. Each band, with the exception of Band 1 {the lowest), is associated with a statement that summarises the knowledge and skills typically displayed by students who achieve that band. Importantly, the proportion of students who receive each band is not predetermined. Instead, standards of performance are established in terms of knowledge and skills. Under this approach, the proportions of students placed in each band are purely dependent upon the proportion of the candidature that achieves each standard. TIThe Board of Studies endorsed a procedure to establish the performance standards for the tests. TIThis procedure involves the use of experienced teachers and markers following a mu IIi-staged approach, using professional judgement supported by statistical information and the review of student responses. Application of the procedure results in the identification of those test marks that correspond to the borderline between each performance band. Once these marks are known, it is possible to align the performance of students to the performance scale used to report their achievement in the test. The Standards-Setting Procedure TIThe procedure involves using teams of judges (experienced teachers/markers) to determine the test marks that correspond to the borderlines between one band and another. TIThe procedure is a multi-staged one that gives the judges several opportunities to review and refine their earlier decisions. !ITo inform their decisions the judges review statistical data and samples of student responses. Judges are provided with a range of resources which include: Standards Packages on CD-ROM containing the Band Descriptions; the test paper; samples of the responses of students whose marks placed them at the borderline between two bands; and statistics on how borderline students performed on certain questions. Stage 1 TIThe first step in the process is that each judge independently considers the Standards Package materials and develops "an image" of the type of student described. TIThat is, each judge develops an understanding ofthe knowledge ana skills typically possessed by students on the borderline of each pair of bands. TIThe judges then consider each examination question in turn. For questions that are scored dichotomously (that is, right or wrong) a judge records the probability that a borderline student will get the question right. For questions which are scored polytomously (for example, short response items marked out of 5, essays marked out

4 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament Scl:lool ®ertificate

of 20) a judge records tl:le mark 1:\e/sl:le believes students at eacl:l borderline will receive. Wl:lere relevant, tl:le judges examine tl:le question marking scl:leme and bencl:lmark student scripts used to brief markers. Tl:lese question cut-off marks recorded by a judge are added to give tl:le cut-off marks between eacl:l of Band 5 & Band 6, Band 4 & Band 5, Band 3 & Band 4, Band 2 & Band 3 and Band 1 & Band 2. Eacl:l judge tl:len looks at the total cut-off marks he/she created to check that they are satisfied with the outcome. The judge might make minor adjustments at this point.

Stage 2 The judges are also given statistical information on the performance of students on the test. The information is presented in a form that makes it easy for the judges to see how students at various ability levels have performed on the questions. The judges review and discuss the statistical data and the decisions they have made individually. During these discussions the judges have the opportunity to modify the question (and hence, total paper) cut-off values they recorded.

Stage 3 At the next step the judges consider a sample of student scripts that have been awarded marks equal to, above and below the cut-off marks established in Stage 2. In reviewing these scripts the judges need either to confirm that the scripts awarded the cut-off marks they propose demonstrate levels of performance which are on the borderline between two bands, or to justify why a modification to a cut-off mark should be made. In essence, they need to explain why the scripts scoring the cut-off marks can be said to match, albeit only just, the descriptions corresponding to the bands they will be awarded. At the conclusion of this process, when the judges have finalised the cut-off marks, they will be applied to the test mark distribution and bands will be allocated to students accordingly. Determining Grades for Courses

All courses have grades determined by the school using common ®ourse Performance Descriptors. The ®ourse Performance Descriptors were developed by the Board from its General Performance Descriptors. There is no predetermined pattern of grades applied to courses. The Board monitors the patterns of grades that each school awards.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 5 NSVV Department of Education and illraining '

General Performance Descriptors

illhe General Performance Descriptors and their matching grades are the basis on which the Course Performance Descriptors were developed for each course.

Grade A Indicates excellent achievement in the course. The student has an extensive knowledge and understanding of the course content and can readily apply this knowledge. In addition, the student has achieved a high level of competence in the processes and skills of the course and can apply these skills to new situations.

Indicates a high level of achievement in the course. The student has Grade B a thorough knowledge and understanding of the course content and competence in the processes and skills of the course. In addition the student is able to apply this knowledge and these skills to most new situations.

Grade C Indicates substantial achievement in the course. The student has demonstrated attainment of the main knowledge and skills objectives of the course and has achieved a sound level of competence in the processes and skills of the course.

GradeD Indicates satisfactory achievement in the course. The student has demonstrated an acceptable level of knowledge and understanding of the course content and has achieved a basic level of competence in the processes and skills of the course.

Grade E Indicates elementary achievement in the course. The student has an elementary knowledge and understanding of the course content and has achieved limited competence in some of the processes and skills of the course.

Source: NSW Board of Studies (BOS), as at September 2005. Note: This data differs slightly from that published in the 2004 DET Annual Report which is sourced from BOS as at January each year.

Course Performance Descriptors Course Performance Descriptors relate to the objectives and outcomes of individual courses and are a series of statements that summarise the observable and measurable features of student achievement by describing the main features of a typical student's performance at each level of achievement in that course. (See pages 14-18 for these descriptors in mandatory courses.) Whey serve as benchmarks against which teachers match their professional judgement in determining grades for particular students. illeachers compare the overall characteristics of each student's performance with the descriptors and award a grade to each student that most accurately describes the student's achievement in the course.

6 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament School ®elltificate

Participation Information

All Board Developed Courses studied in Stage 5 (Years 9 and 10) are included in the statistical tables. The number of indicative hours of study is also shown for each course. A 100-hour course may be studied in Year 9, followed by a different 100-hour course in Year 10. Other courses may be studied for 200 hours over both years. Previously, only those courses studied in Year 10 were included.

School Ceiltificate 2004 Table 1 -Total Candidature by Award and Sex Award Category Male Female . Total School Certificate 41,349 39,852 81,201 Record of Achievement 868 861 1729 No Award 5 6 11 Total 42,222 40,719 82,941

School Certificate 2004 Table 2- Participating Schools by Type Number of Percentage of Type of School Schools Total Government Schools 512 59.8% Non-Government Schools 344 40.2% Catholic Independent Schools 35 4.1% Catholic Systemic Schools 114 13.3% Other Independent Schools 191 22.3% Overseas Schools 4 0.5% Total 856 100.0%

School Certificate 2004 Table 3 -Total Candidature by School Type and Sex Type of School Male Female Total Government Schools 26,469 25,267 51,736 Non-Government Schools 15,753 15,452 31,205 Catholic Independent Schools 2,774 2,603 5,377 Catholic Systemic Schools 7,088 6,942 14,030 Other Independent Schools 5,804 5,847 11,651 Overseas Schools 87 60 147 Total 42,222 40,719 82,941 Source. NSW Board of Stud1es (BOS), as at September 2005. Note: This data differs slightly from that published in the 2004 DET Annual Report which Is sourced from BOS as at January each year.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 7 , NSW Department of Education and illraining •

School Certificate 2004 illable 4 - Entries in Board Developed Courses by Course and Sex Course Course Name Hours Male Female Total ID English 300 English 200 40,433 39,508 79,941 3000 English: Life Skills N/A 1,194 651 1,845 5000 English-literacy (SC Test) NIA 40,333 39,259 79,592 Mathematics 320 Mathematics Standard 200 8,567 7,172 15,739 321 Mathematics Intermediate 200 16,892 17,171 34,063 322 Mathematics Advanced 200 15,068 15,191 30,259 3010 Mathematics: Life Skills N/A 1,148 644 1,792 5010 Mathematics (SC Test) NIA 40,402 39,253 79,655 Science 350 Science 200 40,422 39,461 79,883 3020 Science: Life Skills NIA 1,173 654 1,827 5020 Science (SC Test) N/A 40,294 39,208 79,502 Human Society and Its Environment 400 Asian Social Studies 200 116 144 260 401 Asian Social Studies 100 59 84 143 410 Aboriginal Studies 200 59 85 144 411 Aboriginal Studies 100 38 68 106 430 Commerce 200 10,266 9,940 20,206 431 Commerce 100 2,013 2,087 4,100 440 Geography 200 426 285 711 441 Geography 100 910 1,176 2,086 450 History 200 1,425 1,586 3,011 451 History 100 1,925 1,947 3,872 480 Studies in Society 200 75 109 184 481 Studies in Society 100 36 85 121 490 Studies of Religion 200 180 328 508 491 Studies of Religion 100 366 104 470 3030 Human Society & Environment: Life Skills NIA 1,202 649 1,851 4005 Australian History 100 40,455 39,487 79,942 4015 Australian Geography 100 40,434 39,484 79,918 Australian History, Civics and Citizenship (SC Test 5040 N/A 40,296 39,183 79,479 Component) Australian Geography, Civics and Citizenship (SC Test 5050 NIA 40,297 39,182 79,479 Component) Languages other than English 800 Arabic 200 213 228 441 801 Arabic 100 45 53 98 810 Chinese 200 250 231 481 811 Chinese 100 29 65 94 820 Classical Greek 200 17 6 23 821 Classical Greek 100 0 2 2 850 Dutch 200 0 1 1 851 Dutch 100 0 1 1 870 French 200 1,027 2,416 3,443 871 French 100 166 319 485 880 German 200 547 785 1,332 881 German 100 74 121 195 890 Hebrew 200 113 119 232 891 Hebrew 100 3 4 7 910 Indonesian 200 72 212 284 911 Indonesian 100 30 27 57 920 Italian 200 460 927 1,387 921 Italian 100 65 148 213 930 Japanese 200 989 1,653 2,642 931 Japanese 100 125 203 328

8 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament ~ School ®ertifiaate

School ®ertificate 2004 Table 4- Entries in Board Developed Bourses b~ @ourse and Sex Course Course Name Hours Male Female Total ID 940 Korean 200 8 15 23 941 Korean 100 8 19 27 950 Latin 200 302 245 547 951 Latin 100 17 30 47 990 Modem Greek 200 158 142 300 991 Modem Greek 100 4 15 19 1010 Russian 200 9 9 18 1011 Russian 100 2 0 2 1040 Spanish 200 76 150 226 1041 Spanish 100 58 50 108 1050 Turkish 200 42 50 92 1051 Turkish 100 2 3 5 1071 Vietnamese 200 22 28 50 1072 Vietnamese 100 4. 7 11 3070 Languages: Life Skills N/A 667 360 1,027 Technological and Applied Studies 1600 Agriculture 200 3,274 1,983 5,257 1601 Agriculture 100 668 436 1,104 1620 Computing Studies 200 12,602 7,565 20,167 1621 Computing Studies 100 2,501 2,221 4,722 1625 Food Technology 200 4,381 10,572 14,953 1626 Food Technology 100 1,478 2,355 3,833 1650 Design and Technology 200 1,757 1,834 3,591 1651 Design and Technology 100 452 821 1,273 1660 Sheep Husbandry and Wool Science 200 30 0 30 1661 Sheep Husbandry and Wool Science 100 4 0 4 1670 Technical Drawing 200 4,059 515 4,574 1671 Technical Drawing 100 960 196 1 '156 1679 Technics I 100 3,083 716 3,799 1680 Technics I 200 17,159 1.741 18,900 1681 Technics II 200 4,107 69 4,176 1690 Textiles and Design 200 29 4,054 4,083 1691 Textiles and Design 100 22 1,243 1,265 3040 Technology/Applied Studies: Life Skills N/A 800 443 1,243 Creative Arts 2000 Dance 200 51 2,444 2,495 2001 Dance 100 21 559 580 2010 Drama 200 3,242 8,599 11,841 2011 Drama 100 740 1,662 2,402 2050 Music 200 4,330 4,519 8,849 2051 Music 100 799 906 1,705 2060 Visual Arts 200 5,063 10,824 15,887 2061 Visual Arts 100 1,186 2,104 3,290 3050 Creative Arts: Life Skills N/A 780 44g 1,229 Personal Development, Health and PE 2420 Personal Development, Health and P.E. 200 26,441 27,293 53,734 2421 Personal Development, Health and P.E. 100 11,810 9,963 21,773 3060 Pers Dev/Health/PE: Life Skills N/A 905 505 1,410 Source: NSW Board of Studtes {BOS), as at September 2005. Note: This data differs slightly from that published in the 2004 DET Annual Report which is sourced from BOS as at January each year.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 9 NSVV 0epaftment of Education ana illraining u

Performance Information

School Certificate 2004 illable 5 - Graaes Awaraea by Subject, Course ana Sex for Canaiaatures Larger than 100 Course Name Hours Sex A% B% C% D% E% N% 9.0 18.6 32.4 24.1 15.2 0.0 Aboriginal Studies 200 M 5.0 10.0 26.7 35.0 21.7 0.0 F 11.8 24.7 36.5 16.5 10.6 0.0 7.5 11.3 36.8 28.3 16.0 0.0 Aboriginal Studies 100 M 10.5 10.5 23.7 28.9 26.3 0.0 F 5.9 11.8 44.1 27.9 10.3 0.0 17.2 22.5 33.3 18.5 8.4 0.0 Agriculture 200 M 13.4 21.8 34.1 20.6 9.7 0.0 F 23.4 23.7 31.8 15.0 6.1 0.0 7.7 21.0 35.3 24.0 12.0 0.0 Agriculture 100 M 6.0 18.6 37.6 23.8 14.1 0.0 F 10.3 24.8 31.9 24.3 8.7 0.0 17.0 25.2 28.8 19.7 9.3 0.0 Arabic 200 M 9.9 18.8 29.6 27.7 14.1 0.0 F 23.7 31.1 28.1 12.3 4.8 0.0 31.2 31.9 23.1 11.5 2.3 0.0 Asian Social Studies 200 M 34.5 36.2 17.2 10.3 1.7 0.0 F 28.5 28.5 27.8 12.5 2.8 0.0 23.1 25.2 31.5 18.9 1.4 0.0 Asian Social Studies 100 M 10.2 30.5 37.3 18.6 3.4 0.0 F 32.1 21.4 27.4 19.0 0.0 0.0 13.2 22.3 32.6 21.9 9.8 0.0 Australian Geography 100 M 10.5 19.8 32.6 24.9 12.0 0.0 F 16.0 24.9 32.5 18.8 7.6 0.0 13.1 21.6 33.5 21.9 9.8 0.0 Australian History 100 M 9.8 18.9 34.0 24.9 12.3 0.0 F 16.5 24.3 33.0 18.9 7.1 0.0 46.4 27.2 15.6 8.3 2.5 0.0 Chinese 200 M 38.4 28.4 16.8 11.6 4.8 0.0 F 55.0 26.0 14.3 4.8 0.0 0.0 25.5 27.4 28.5 13.2 5.2 0.0 Commerce 200 M 22.3 26.8 30.3 14.7 5.8 0.0 F 28.8 28.1 26.7 11.7 4.6 0.0 15.8 26.2 32.7 18.8 6.3 0.0 Commerce 100 M 12.8 24.7 36.1 18.8 7.6 0.0 F 18.8 27.7 29.5 18.8 5.2 0.0 18.0 25.3 31.8 17.3 7.5 0.0 Computing Studies 200 M 17.4 24.9 31.9 17.6 8.0 0.0 F 19.0 25.9 31.6 16.8 6.6 0.0 13.1 24.3 33.8 20.4 8.2 0.0 Computing Studies 100 M 12.8 21.8 33.3 22.2 9.8 0.0 F 13.5 27.2 34.5 18.3 6.4 0.0 21.0 28.9 29.3 14.2 6.2 0.0 Dance 200 M 7.8 23.5 41.2 15.7 11.8 0.0 F 21.3 29.0 29.1 14.2 6.1 0.0 12.0 23.2 36.3 20.3 7.9 0.0 Dance 100 M 0.0 28.6 23.8 33.3 14.3 0.0 F 12.5 23.0 36.8 19.8 7.7 0.0 23.7 27.0 30.0 14.7 4.6 0.0 Design and Technology 200 M 19.0 25.7 32.2 17.9 5.2 0.0 F 28.2 28.2 27.9 11.7 3.9 0.0

10 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament , Scfiool Gertificate

School Gertificate 2004 Table 5- Grades Awarded by Subject, Gourse and Sex for Gandidatures Larger than 100 Course Name Hours Sex A% ~% C% D% E% N% 12.4 31.8 33.2 16.4 5.9 0.0 Design and Technology 100 M 11.4 29.0 34.5 16.5 7.9 0.0 F 12.9 33.3 32.4 16.3 4.9 0.0 23.4 29.1 30.1 12.7 4.6 0.0 Drama 200 M 19.0 27.4 31.6 15.6 6.4 0.0 F 25.0 29.7 29.6 11.6 3.9 0.0 12.3 27.3 36.5 17.5 6.2 0.0 Drama 100 M 8.5 22.5 39.3 20.2 9.2 0.0 F 14.0 29.5 35.3 16.4 4.9 0.0 13.7 23.9 36.7 18.8 6.7 0.0 English 200 M 8.9 19.8 38.2 23.5 9.4 0.0 F 18.7 28.2 35.2 13.9 3.9 0.0 17.6 25.8 31.6 17.1 7.4 0.0 Food Technology 200 M 8.1 19.3 35.6 24.3 11.7 0.0 F 21.5 28.5 30.0 14.0 5.6 0.0 12.3 25.6 32.2 20.9 8.7 0.0 Food Technology 100 M 6.8 18.3 34.1 28.6 11.9 0.0 F 15.8 30.3 31.0 16.1 6.7 0.0 32.2 29.4 24.5 11.0 2.9 0.0 French 200 M 26.9 30.9 25.4 12.4 4.5 0.0 F 34.4 28.7 24.1 10.4 2.3 0.0 13.4 24.5 36.9 17.7 7.4 0.0 French 100 M 10.2 27.7 30.1 19.3 12.7 0.0 F 15.0 22.9 40.4 16.9 4.7 0.0 34.0 30.8 25.5 8.3 1.4 0.0 Geography 200 M 28.6 32.6 27.9 9.2 1.6 0.0 F 42.1 28.1 21.8 7.0 1.1 0.0 19.6 22.2 31.0 18.1 9.1 0.0 Geography 100 M 13.4 20.5 33.2 21.0 11.9 0.0 F 24.5 23.4 29.3 15.8 6.9 0.0 39.4 29.3 19.2 9.2 2.7 0.0 German 200 M 32.7 31.0 21.5 10.8 3.8 0.0 F 44.1 28.1 17.6 8.1 1.9 0.0 11.7 25.5 35.2 14.8 12.2 0.0 German 100 M 10.7 22.7 28.0 17.3 20.0 0.0 F 12.4 27.3 39.7 13.2 7.4 0.0 16.4 29.3 19.0 8.2 27.2 0.0 Hebrew 200 M 10.6 24.8 15.9 10.6 38.1 0.0 F 21.8 33.6 21.8 5.9 16.8 0.0 32.9 30.0 24.9 9.0 3.1 0.0 History 200 M 25.4 30.1 27.1 12.5 4.8 0.0 F 39.7 29.9 22.9 5.8 1.6 0.0 22.2 28.5 30.3 13.9 5.1 0.0 History 100 M 17.2 28.5 32.2 15.8 6.3 0.0 F 27.1 28.6 28.4 12.0 3.9 0.0 34.9 34.9 20.4 9.5 0.4 0.0 Indonesian 200 M 16.7 44.4 22.2 15.3 1.4 0.0 F 41.0 31.6 19.8 7.5 0.0 0.0 25.2 2~.5 28.2 12.8 5.0 0.0 Italian 200 M 19.0 27.2 31.7 14.0 7.3 0.0 F 28.4 29.1 26.4 12.2 3.9 0.0

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 11 NSVV Department of Education and ffiraining '

School Certificate 2004 illable 5 - Grades Awarded by Subject, Course and Sex for Candidatures Larger than 100 Course Name Hours Sex A% B% C% 0% E% N% 10.8 19.7 39.4 18.3 11.7 0.0 Italian 100 M 12.3 10.8 44.6 20.0 12.3 0.0 F 10.1 23.6 37.2 17.6 11.5 0.0 36.5 25.0 21.3 11.3 5.8 0.0 Japanese 200 M 36.0 23.0 22.4 11.1 7.3 0.0 F 36.8 26.2 20.6 11.4 5.0 0.0 15.5 26.8 27.1 23.5 7.0 0.0 Japanese 100 M 14.4 26.4 28.8 21.6 8.8 0.0 F 16.3 27.1 26.1 24.6 5.9 0.0 54.5 22.9 15.5 4.2 2.9 0.0 Latin 200 M 49.7 27.2 16.2 4.3 2.6 0.0 F 60.4 17.6 14.7 4.1 3.3 0.0 21.9 27.5 32.6 14.7 3.3 0.0 Mathematics Advanced 200 M 22.4 27.0 32.4 14.9 3.4 0.0 F 21.3 28.0 32.9 14.5 3.2 0.0 10.7 22.4 36.8 22.3 7.8 0.0 Mathematics Intermediate 200 M 10.5 22.0 37.5 22.1 7.9 0.0 F 10.8 22.8 36.1 22.5 7.8 0.0 8.0 18.5 33.7 25.7 13.7 0.0 Mathematics Standard 200 M 8.1 18.5 32.9 25.4 14.5 0.0 F 7.8 18.4 34.7 26.0 12.7 0.0 23.3 27.6 21.9 19.9 7.0 0.0 Modern Greek 200 M 13.9 27.2 19.6 27.2 12.0 0.0 F 33.6 28.0 24.5 11.9 1.4 0.0 23.1 27.9 28.0 14.0 6.8 0.0 Music 200 M 19.8 26.2 29.0 16.1 8.6 0.0 F 26.3 29.5 27.0 11.9 5.1 0.0 11.6 24.2 34.0 20.1 9.7 0.0 Music 100 M 9.3 18.6 35.7 23.7 11.9 0.0 F 13.5 29.0 32.5 16.8 7.8 0.0 14.2 26.9 34.6 17.4 6.8 0.0 Personal Development, Health 200 M 12.2 25.5 35.4 19.0 7.8 0.0 and P.E. F 16.2 28.2 33.7 15.8 5.9 0.0 13.8 27.2 35.3 17.0 6.6 0.0 Personal Development, Health 100 M 11.8 25.1 36.6 19.0 7.3 0.0 and P.E. F 16.2 29.5 33.7 14.6 5.7 0.0 13.1 22.9 35.5 20.3 8.1 0.0 Science 200 M 12.7 21.7 34.6 21.2 9.5 0.0 F 13.5 24.1 36.3 19.3 6.7 0.0 23.7 25.4 31.9 11.2 5.2 0.0 Spanish 200 M 18.8 17.5 37.5 16.3 5.0 0.0 F 26.3 29.6 28.9 8.6 5.3 0.0 16.7 30.6 26.9 19.4 6.5 0.0 ,Spanish 100 M 20.7 25.9 22.4 19.0 12.1 0.0 F 12.0 36.0 32.0 20.0 0.0 0.0 25.0 28.8 25.0 17.4 3.8 0.0 Studies in Society 200 M 18.7 32.0 22.7 17.3 9.3 0.0 F 29.4 26.6 26.6 17.4 0.0 0.0 19.0 38.8 22.3 13.2 6.6 0.0 Studies in Society 100 M 8.3 44.4 19.4 13.9 13.9 0.0 F 23.5 36.5 23.5 12.9 3.5 0.0

12 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 1 Scffiool Gertificate

School Gertificate 2004 Table 5- Grades Awarded by Subject, Gourse and Sex for Gandidatures Larger than 100 Course Name Hours SeX A% B% C% D% E% N% 24.2 30.3 31.1 12.4 2.0 0.0 Studies of Religion 200 M 19.4 17.2 39.4 18.9 5.0 0.0 F 26.8 37.5 26.5 8.8 0.3 0.0 22.3 39.6 29.8 6.8 1.5 0.0 Studies of Religion 100 M 19.1 37.4 34.2 7.9 1.4 0.0 F 33.7 47.1 14.4 2.9 1.9 0.0 18.9 25.1 32.2 16.3 7.2 0.0 Technical Drawing 200 M 17.3 24.7 33.2 17.1 7.5 0.0 F 31.3 28.0 24.7 10.6 4.8 0.0 10.9 23.2 33.8 22.5 9.6 0.0 Technical Drawing 100 M 9.7 22.3 33.5 24.4 10.1 0.0 F 16.8 27.4 35.0 13.2 7.1 0.0 9.2 24.1 37.6 20.5 8.4 0.0 Technics I 100 M 8.7 23.4 37.6 21.4 8.8 0.0 F 11.4 27.1 37.6 16.7 6.7 0.0 13.2 24.3 34.5 18.9 8.8 0.0 Technics l 200 M 13.0 24.1 34.6 19.0 9.0 0.0 F 16.0 26.6 32.9 17.7 6.5 0.0 12.0 23.7 35.2 19.3 9.6 0.0 Technics II 200 M 12.0 23.6 35.3 19.3 9.6 0.0 F 15.7 27.1 31.4 14.3 10.0 0.0 21.6 26.9 28.9 15.4 6.9 0.0 Textiles and Design 200 M 0.0 19.4 19.4 32.3 22.6 0.0 F 21.8 26.9 29.0 15.2 6.7 0.0 12.8 28.5 33.1 17.8 7.7 0.0 Textiles and Design 100 M 4.5 22.7 13.6 22.7 36.4 0.0 F 12.9 28.6 33.4 17.7 7.2 0.0 23.. 6 28.4 29.0 13.5 5.2 0.0 Visual Arts 200 M 14.8 24.0 32.9 19.3 8.6 0.0 F 27.8 30.4 27.2 10.8 3.6 0.0 13.1 28.3 35.4 17.7 5.4 0.0 Visual Arts 100 M 7.2 23.0 35.8 24.7 9.2 0.0 F 16.4 31.3 35.2 13.8 3.2 0.0

Note: Percentages for the components may not add to 100 because of rounding. Grade A- Excellent achievement. Grade 8- High level of achievement. Grade C- Substantial achievement. Grade D- Satisfactory achievement. Grade E- Elementary achievement. N -Students who are regarded as not having satisfactorily completed a course, as detennined by the following criteria:

A student will be considered to have satisfactorily completed a course if, in the principal's view, there is sufficient evidence that the student has: {a) followed the course developed or endorsed by the Board (b) applied themselves with diligence and sustained effort to the set tasks and experiences provided in the course by the school (c) achieved some or all of the course outcomes. Note: A more detailed outline of the level of performance required to achieve Grades A-E is provided on page 6 under the heading 'General Performance Descriptors'. Source: NSW Board of Studies (BOS), as at September 2005. Note: This data differs slightly from that published in the 2004 DET Annual Report which is sourced from BOS as at January each year.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 13 b NSV\Z Department of Education and ffiraining

School Certificate 2004 Performance Band PercentaQes Awarded in EnQiish-literacv illest Band 6 5 4 3 2 1 No Award Mark Range 90-100 80-89 70-79 60-69 50-59 <50 - Proportion 5.85% 26.06% 39.08% 18.94% 6.50% 2.80% 0.73%

Note: Percentages for the components may not add to 100 because of roundmg Source: NSW Board of Studies (BOS), as at September 2005. Note: This data differs slightly from that published in the 2004 DET Annual Report which is sourced from BOS as at January each year.

English-literacy Performance Bands 6 Reads and thoroughly understands a variety of texts written for the general community. Locates, interprets, evaluates and synthesises information in written and visual material and infers meaning from context Identifies and understands the purpose and tone of the material. Evaluates and explains the effectiveness of particular language techniques and features. Writes a sustained first draft, with original ideas. Writes with a clear purpose and controls tone and language to communicate successfully. Writes in logically sequenced paragraphs. Crafts sentences to suit audience and purpose. Shows an extensive and appropriate vocabulary. Uses complex punctuation appropriately and correctly. Spells accurately and uses correct grammar.

5 Reads and thoroughly understands a variety of texts written for the general community. Locates, interprets and evaluates information in written and visual material and infers meaning from context. Identifies and understands the purpose and tone of the material. Links particular language techniques and features to the writer's purpose and describes the effect. Writes a sustained first draft that develops ideas from stimulus material provided. Writes with a clear purpose, using tone and language appropriately. Writes in logically sequenced paragraphs. Produces sentences that vary in length and type. Shows a wide vocabulary, with words used appropriately in context. Shows a high level of accuracy in spelling, punctuation and grammar.

4 Reads and understands the main ideas and issues in a variety of texts written for the general community. Locates and interprets information in written and visual material and infers meaning from context. Identifies the purpose of the material and links particular features to the audience and purpose. Writes a first draft in response to stimulus material provided. Writes with a clear purpose, using tone and language appropriately. Organises writing into paragraphs. Produces sentences that vary in length and type. Uses vocabulary to suit purpose and audience. Demonstrates skills in spelling, grammar and punctuation, with infrequent errors.

3 Reads and understands most of the main ideas and issues in a variety of texts written for the general community. Locates information in written and visual material and applies it in response to questions. Identifies the purpose of the material and identifies features of the texts. Writes a first draft in response to stimulus material provided. Writes an introduction, expresses a point of view and makes a conclusion. Organises writing into paragraphs. Demonstrates some sentence variety. Uses vocabulary to suit purpose and audience. Spells routine words accurately and uses basic punctuation consistently.

2 Reads and recalls some of the main ideas in a variety of texts written for the general community. Identifies the main issues and names features of the texts and quotes examples. Locates information in written and visual material and matches it to a correct answer. Uses an issue from stimulus material provided to produce a piece of writing as a first draft that has an introduction, a point of view and a conclusion. Produces simple sentences. Uses vocabulary that is appropriate to the subject matter. Spells routine words accurately and uses basic punctuation consistently.

14 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament • School Gertificate

School Gertificate 2004 Performance Band Percentaqes Awarded in Mathematics Test Band 6 5 4 3 2 1 No Award Mark Range 90-100 80-89 70-79 60-69 50-59 <50 - Proportion 5.51% 19.53% 28.05% 30.89% 13.95% 1.28% 0.76% Note: Percentages for the components may not add to 100 because of roundtng Source: NSW Board of Studies (BOS), as at September 2005. Note: This data differs slightly from that published in the 2004 OET Annual Report which is sourced from BOS as at January each year.

Mathematics Performance Bands 6 Communicates extensive mathematical knowledge and understanding effectively using words, numbers, pronumerals, graphs and diagrams. Selects and uses mathematical techniques across a wide range of topic areas. Solves problems that involve several steps and interprets information presented in a variety of forms such as graphs, diagrams or algebraic expressions. Shows a high level of competence with respect to number sense by using and moving between different representations such as integers, fractions, decimals and percentages. Estimates and interprets answers in context. Extends and generalises given patterns. Analyses statistical and geometrical data and draws conclusions with justification.

5 Communicates substantial mathematical knowledge and understanding effectively using words, numbers, pronumerals, graphs and diagrams. Selects and uses mathematical techniques across a range of topic areas. Uses a variety of strategies to solve both routine and unfamiliar problems. Shows well~developed computation skills including estimation and calculation with integers, fractions, decimals and percentages. Extends given patterns to determine a particular term.

4 Communicates substantial mathematical knowledge and skills such as recall and use of geometrical facts and properties. Displays competency in number skills by calculating with integers, decimals, fractions and percentages. Chooses appropriate strategies in solving familiar problems such as those involving area, volume and statistics. Extends given patterns for several terms.

3 Recalls and communicates mathematical knowledge such as geometrical facts and properties. Displays competency in number skills when calculating with whole numbers, decimals and percentages. Solves problems in familiar contexts such as those involving chance and data, and measurement.

2 Recognises mathematical symbols and common geometrical shapes. Completes some calculations with whole numbers and decimals. Solves routine problems such as those involving money and time. Reads from, and plots data on, familiar graphs. Determines the next term in a given pattern.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 15 tsiSVV Department of Education and mraining '

School Certificate 2004 Performance Band Percentages Awarded in Science illest Band · ... 6 5 4 . 3 2 . 1 No Award Mark Range 90-100 80-89 70-79 60-69 50-59 <50 - Proportion 5.32% 26.43% 37.49% 20.74% 7.69% 1.58% 0.72%

Note: Percentages for the components may not add to 100 because of rounding Source: NSW Board of Studies (BOS), as at September 2005. Note: This data differs slightly from that published In the 2004 DET Annual Report which is sourced from BOS as at January each year.

Science Performance Bands 6 Demonstrates extensive and detailed knowledge and understanding of complex scientific concepts. Communicates logically, using correct scientific terminology and appropriate scientific formats, such as written text, diagrams, tables, graphs and flow charts. Identifies and uses correct components of a scientific investigation. Demonstrates complex graphing skills, including locating information and identifying trends; uses information from graphs to solve complex problems. Performs complex calculations using data from scientific processes, concepts and scales. Justifies the choice of appropriate scientific equipment to suit a hypothetical situation. Analyses and evaluates scientific relationships, synthesising information to draw conclusions. Applies scientific ideas to unfamiliar situations.

5 Demonstrates thorough knowledge and understanding of most scientific concepts. Communicates using correct scientific terminology and appropriate scientific formats, such as written text, diagrams, tables and graphs. Identifies components of a scientific investigation. Demonstrates competent graphing ski11s, including locating information and identifying trends; uses information from graphs to solve problems. Performs calculations using data from scientific processes, concepts and scales. Justifies the choice of appropriate scientific equipment to suit a specific task. Explains scientific relationships and identifies patterns from information to draw conclusions. Applies scientific ideas to familiar situations. 4 Demonstrates sound knowledge and understanding of some scientific concepts. Communicates using correct scientific terminology and some scientific formats, such as written text, diagrams and tables. Recalls components of a scientific investigation. Demonstrates graphing skills, including locating some information and identifying trends. Performs basic calculations using data from scientific processes, concepts and scales. Selects appropriate scientific equipment to suit a specific task. Explains straightforward scientific relationships from information. Describes scientific ideas. 3 Recalls basic knowledge of some scientific concepts. Communicates using some scientific terminology and several scientific formats, such as written text and diagrams. States scientific observations from experimental data. Graphs data appropriately and locates some information in graphs. Performs basic calculations using data from scientific processes. Selects appropriate scientific equipment to suit general types of experiments. States straightforward scientific relationships.

2 Recalls basic knowledge of some straightforward scientific concepts. Uses fundamental communication relating to science using written text. Describes experiments in non~scientific terms. Demonstrates elementary graphing skills in science. Performs elementary calculations using simple data from science processes. Recognises common scientific equipment.

16 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament • Scnool ®eH:ificate

Scnool ®eH:ificate 2004 Performance Band Percentages Awarded in Australian Geography, ®ivies and ®itizenship ®omponent .. . Ba"nd 6 5 4 3 2 ·. .1 .··. No-Award Mark Range 90-100 80-89 70-79 60-69 50-59 <50 - Proportion 4.21% 23.95% 33.11% 29.26% 7.16% 1.53% 0.75%

Note: Percentages for the components may not add to 100 because of rounding Source: NSW Board of Studies (BOS), as at September 2005. Note: This data differs slightly from that published In the 2004 DET Annual Report which is sourced from BOS as at January each year.

Australian Geography, ®ivies and ®itizenship Performance Bands 6 Analyses geographic information from a range of sources demonstrating a thorough understanding of geographic patterns, processes and issues. Demonstrates a thorough understanding of complex spatial and ecological dimensions. Uses a range of sources to demonstrate a thorough understanding of environmental and community issues from a variety of perspectives. Critically interprets and applies the concepts of civics and citizenship. Communicates a sustained and logical response in written and graphic forms using appropriate geographic information and terminology. 5 Interprets geographic information from a range of sources demonstrating a sound understanding of geographic patterns, processes and issues. Demonstrates a sound understanding of spatial and ecological dimensions. Uses a range of sources to demonstrate a sound understanding of environmental and community issues from a variety of perspectives. Interprets and applies the concepts of civics and citizenship. Effectively communicates a well-structured response in written and graphic forms using appropriate geographic terminology.

4 Uses geographic information from a range of sources demonstrating an understanding of geographic patterns, processes and issues. Demonstrates an understanding of spatial and ecological dimensions. Uses sources to demonstrate an understanding of environmental and community issues from a variety of perspectives. Describes the concepts of civics and citizenship as they relate to an issue and/or situation. Communicates geographic information in written and graphic forms using some geographic terminology. 3 Describes geographic information from some sources demonstrating some understanding of geographic patterns, processes and issues. Recognises spatial and ecological dimensions. Uses sources to demonstrate a basic understanding of some environmental and community issues from some perspectives. Recognises examples of civics and citjzenship as they relate to an issue and/or situation. Communicates some geographic information in written and graphic forms. 2 Identifies geographic information from some sources. Identifies some spatial and ecological dimensions. Recalls basic geographic information and identifies some environmental and community issues. Identifies examples of civics and citizenship. Communicates elementary geographic information.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 17 NS\J\.1 Department of Education and mraining ~

School Certificate 2004 Performance Band Percentages Awarded in Australian History, Civics and Citizenship Component Band 6 5 4 3 2 . 1 No~Ward Mark Range 90-100 80-89 70-79 60-69 50-59 <50 - Proportion 5.45% 20.48% 30.43% 25.69% 13.82% 3.34% 0.75%

Nate: Percentages for the components may nat add to 100 because of rounding Source: NSW Board of Studies (BOS), as at September 2005. Note: This data differs slightly from that published in the 2004 DET Annual Report which is sourced from 80S as at January each year.

Australian History, Civics and Citizenship Performance Bands 6 Analyses information from a range of written and visual sources demonstrating a thorough knowledge of major historical events and a thorough understanding of continuity, change and causation. Demonstrates a thorough understanding of issues affecting the reliability of sources of information. Uses relevant information to draw inferences and analyses complex historical problems and issues. Critically interprets and applies the concepts of civics and citizenship. Communicates a sustained and logical response using appropriate information and terminology.

5 Interprets information from a range of written and visual sources demonstrating a sound knowledge of key historical events and an understanding of continuity, change and causation. Demonstrates an understanding of issues affecting the reliability of sources of information. Uses relevant information to draw inferences and explains some significant historical issues. Interprets and applies the concepts of civics and citizenship. Effectively communicates a wetl~structured response using appropriate information and terminology.

4 Uses information from written and visual sources demonstrating an understanding of aspects of continuity, change and causation. Demonstrates an awareness of issues affecting the reliability of sources of information. Uses relevant information to draw conclusions and identifies some historical issues. Describes the concepts of civics and citizenship as they relate to an issue and/or situation. Communicates a structured response using appropriate information and terminology in written form.

3 Describes information from some written and visual sources demonstrating some understanding of aspects of continuity, change and causation. Recounts historical ideas responding to different points of view. Demonstrates a basic understanding of aspects of Australian history. Recognises examples of civics and citizenship as they relate to an issue and/or situation. Communicates a response using appropriate terminology in a basic structure in simple written form.

2 Identifies information from some written and visual sources. Recalls basic historical ideas and identifies some different points of view. Identifies basic patterns, processes and events in aspects of Australian history. Identifies examples of civics and citizenship. Outlines simple ideas and uses elementary terminology in limited written forms.

18 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament notnn OF STfDIP.,~ "'"' '0"'. """ Contents

Introduction ...... 3

Key Aspects of the 2004 HSC Program ...... 4 General Information ...... 4 Conduct of the Examinations ...... 4 Illness/Misadventure Appeal Program ...... 5 Special Examination Provisions ...... 5 The Marking Operation ...... 6 Overview ...... 6 Standards Setting ...... 6 Venues ...... ? Security ...... ? Number of Markers ...... ? Day Marking ...... ? Country Transfer of Duty Marker Program ...... 7 Reliability Control Measures ...... 8 The Release of Results ...... 9 Overview of the SMS Text Message Service ...... 9 Overview of the Internet Service ...... 9 Overview of the Telephone Service ...... 10 2004 HSC Release of Results Summary ...... 10

Student Support Services ...... 11 HSC Advice Line ...... 11 HSC Examination Inquiry Centre ...... 11 Recognising Excellent Performances ...... 12 The Premier's Awards for Excellence ...... 12 The Brother John Taylor Memorial Prize ...... 12 The Australian Students Prize ...... 12 Other Prizes ...... 13 Participation Information ...... 14 2004 HSC Entries by Award and System ...... 14 2004 HSC Course Entries ...... 15

Performance Information ...... 19 2004 HSC Distinguished Achievers List Summary Tables ...... 19 2004 HSC First Place in Course Summary Tables ...... 19 The 2004 HSC All-Round Excellence List ...... 20 Cohort Trends ...... 40 HSC Entries by Award and Sector from 1994 to 2004 ...... 40 lfligner School Gertificate

Introduction This report provides details of the participation of students in the 2004 Higher School Gertificate (HS@). This includes a summary of entries in each course, reported by school system, by Board of Studies area, and by gender. The report also provides the number of students entered for one or more Stage 6 Life Skills courses. Details of the comparative performances of certain major categories of students, as determined by several indicators, are given. This includes the names and schools of students on the 'All-Round Excellence' list; the numbers of students on the 'Distinguished Achievers' list by school system, by location, and by sex; and the number of students who were top of a course by school system and by sex. In order to examine trends in HSG entries, information is provided on the number of students obtaining an Award from 1994 to 2004. This information is given by school system and sex. In addition, information is provided in relation to key aspects of the HSG program, including the Release of Results, the HSGAdvice Line, the Inquiry @entre and the Special Examination Provisions and Illness/ Misadventure programs. Information is also provided on the examination program and the marking operation.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 3 NSVV !Department of Education and Wraining

Key Aspects of the 2004 HSC Program General Information In 2004, over 65,000 students received a result in at least one course. Of these, over 61,000 were awarded a Higher School Certificate. These students were enrolled at one of almost 800 institutions or were one of the 18 students entered as self-tuition students. A total of 1313 students following a pattern of study which included one or more Stage 6 Life Skills courses were awarded an HSC. Students selected from the 161 Board !Developed Courses available, which belonged to 84 subject areas. The Board !Developed Vocational Education Course, Entertainment, and the corresponding optional exam were available for the first time in 2004. In addition, depending upon arrangements established by individual schools, students were able to select from a variety of Board Endorsed Courses. In all, there were over 200 Board Endorsed Courses available for study by Year 12 students. The vast majority of these were offered through a TAFE college, or through a student's home school. The HSC written examinations were held between 18 October and 12 November. Prior to this, the examinations in the practical components of Agriculture, Dance, Design and Technology, Drama, English Extension 2, Industrial Technology, Music, Society and Culture, Textiles and Design, and Visual Arts had been held, as had the Speaking Skills examinations for Language courses. The marking of the examinations was conducted primarily between 19 October and 30 November. This task was performed at marking centres located in the Sydney metropolitan area and in the regional centres of Bathurst, Coffs Harbour, Gosford, Newcastle, Tamworth, Wagga Wagga and Wollongong. Conduct of the Examinations Students undertook examinations in 112 different courses chosen from 77 subject areas plus three Distinction Courses. Most students presented five or six courses. NSW students, as part of the Collaborative Curriculum and Assessment Framework for Languages (CCAFL), undertook Continuers level examinations in Armenian, Croatian, Czech, Dutch, Filipino, Hindi, Hungarian, Khmer, Latvian, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Serbian, Swedish, Tamil, Turkish and Ukrainian; Beginners examinations in Japanese; and Background Speakers examinations in Malay, Persian and Russian. The preparation, administration and conduct of the HSC examinations involved: • 18 days of written examinations • over 150 examination papers • practical examinations in Agriculture, Danae, !Design and Technology, Drama, English Extension 2, Industrial Technology, Music 1, Music 2, Music Extension, Society and Culture, Textiles and !Design, and Visual Arts • speaking skills examinations in over 50 language courses • over 800 examination centres • more than 6,000 examination supervisors 14 written marking sites • over 750 casual clerical staff.

4 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament " I:Higiler Scilool, ®erttificate

Illness/Misadventure Appeal Program Tile Board of Studies Examination Illness/Misadventure Appeal program has been established to assist students who: • are prevented from attending an examination (including a practical examination) due to illness or misadventure; or • consider that their performance has been affected by illness or misadventure immediately before or during an exam. Where a student's appeal for an examination is upheld by the Board, tile student is awarded the higher of his/her examination mark or his/her moderated assessment mark in that course. In 2004, a panel of 20 people working in teams of two considered the appeals over a period of seven days. Each appeal was considered by two teams and reviewed by the chairperson or deputy chairperson wherever a recommendation to decline the appeal was made. A total of 4,371 Illness/Misadventure Appeals were received from individual students in 2004. Of these, 92% were partially or totally upheld. Two hundred-and-thirty five whole group appeals were received. Of these, 97% were upheld. Special Examination Provisions Special Examination Provisions may be available for students who have a special need which would, in a normal examination situation, prevent them from: • reading and interpreting the examination questions; and/or • communicating knowledge or understanding to an examiner as effectively as a student without that need. Special Examination Provisions are granted to address the effects of a special need on examination performance. Regardless of the nature of the special need, the provisions granted are solely determined by the implications of that need for examination performance. Provisions may include Braille papers, large print papers, specially modified papers, use of a writer, use of a reader, extension of examination time, use of a personal computer, separate supervision, or others that are judged necessary. A total of 3,798 Special Examination Provisions student applications were approved for the 2004 HS® examinations. The number of approved applications was consistent with the previous year.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 5 1'\lS\f\./ 0egartment of Education ana iliraining '

The Marking Operation Overview ilihe HSC marking ogeration is an intensive grogram carried out annually by a sgecialisea groug of teachers under the sugervision of Board of Studies aggointea Sugervisors of Marking in each subject ana suggortea by a network of administrative staff. ilihe major stages in the Board's marking grocess include briefing of Sugervisors of Marking; selection ana training of markers; the hand-over of the marking guidelines; the aevelogment ana gilot testing of the marking guidelines including the selection of benchmark resgonses where required; the briefing of markers; ana the marking grocess itself. Following aevelogment ana testing of the marking scheme, the marking grocess itself commences. Markers are first briefed ana trained in the agglication of the marking schemes. Various grocedures are then used to monitor the reliability of the marking. ilihese include check marking, the marking of common or control scrigts, statistical regorts, double marking and revision marking. Standards Setting An imgortant element of the examination procedures under the new Higher School Certificate is the grocess of intergreting students' examination gerformances in terms of a set of gre-sgecified course achievement 'standards'. ilihe achievement standards in each course, other than extension courses, take the form of a hierarchy of six described levels referred to as 'bands'. Band 1 reg resents a level of achievement below the minimum standard exgected in the course. Bands 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 regresent increasing levels of course achievement and are described in terms of the kinds of knowledge, skills and understandings tygically disglayed by students achieving at those levels. Extension courses have four bands, E1 to E4. ilihe standards-setting grocess is conducted for each examination by a groug of judges drawn from the examination markers for that course. ilihey make judgements about how students at the borderlines between the course achievement standards are likely to gerform on each of the examination questions. ilihis grocess involves three stages, giving judges several oggortunities to review and refine their earlier decisions. ilio inform their decisions, the judges review statistical data showing how students at varying levels of attainment in the course tygically gerformed on each examination question. ilihey also review samgles of students' resgonses to each question. Judges are trained for this task and are given a cogy of the course band descrigtions, a cogy of the examination gager and marking schemes and sgecially gregared recording sheets. For each course, the band descrigtions, the examination gager, samgles of student resgonses at each borderline between bands, and selected statistical information have been collected and incorgorated into a 'standards gackage' that is available to schools on CD-ROM. ilihe standards gackages assist teachers and students to develog a clear understanding of the standards for each course. ilihe standards gackages also glay an imgortant role in future standards-setting exercises, assisting judges to form a mental image of students at the borderlines between bands and hence groviding comgarability of standards from year to year.

6 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 9 l+ligher School ®ertificate

Venues In 2004, marking took place at three major venues - the Sydney Showground and Exhibition Complex at l+lomebush Bay, the Australian Technology Park at Redfern and Rosehill Gardens. Additional venues used in Sydney were the Office of the Board of Studies and its facility at Blacktown, Canterbury Park, and Camdenville Public School at Newtown. Marking centres were used in Bathurst, Coffs Barbour, Gosford, Newcastle, Tamworth, Wagga Wagga and Wollongong in order to expand the experience of country-based teachers. Security The nature of the program calls for a structured security plan, to restrict access to marking sites and to guard the centres out of marking hours. In 2004, the security level was maintained throughout the operation, and no security breaches were encountered. Number of Markers

A total of 8,077 teachers applied for I+ISC marking in 2004, of whom 5,947 were appointed. Day Marking In 2004, the Office set aside approximately 12% of the total marking hours and made available around 850 appointments for day marking of written papers. To ensure minimal disruption to normal school classes, principals were consulted when more than two applicants were selected. The subjects to be day-marked were rotated across faculties to further lessen the impact on schools. Day marking was conducted in Bathurst, Coffs Barbour, Tamworth, Wagga Wagga and at the Sydney Showground and Exhibition Complex at l+lomebush Bay in 2004. As in previous years, the initiative provided an opportunity for increased numbers of teachers with family commitments to participate in marking, as well as teachers from non-metropolitan areas. The day marking initiative provided greater opportunities for teachers who do not normally have access to evening marking to gain significant professional development in their subject and to achieve a better understanding of the I+ISC marking process through direct involvement. Country Transfer of Duty Marker Program

Since 1995, the Department of Education and Training and the Office ofthe Board of Studies have conducted the I+ISC Country Transfer of Duty Marker Program as one of a number of strategies to support teachers from non-metropolitan schools. Under this program, country teachers are placed in a metropolitan school while marking I+ISC papers out of school hours. In 2004, 23 teachers were appointed to participate in this program in a variety of targeted subject areas.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 7 I:'JSVV Department of Eaucation and lliraining '

Reliability Control Measures A range of measures is employea to ensure high levels of marker reliability. For extenaea response or essay questions all answers are inaepenaently aouble markea. If a significant aiscrepancy is fauna between the two marks awaraea, then the script receives a further inaepenaent marking to resolve the aiscrepancy. As the markers allocatea to a subject mark only one or two questions in a paper (aepenaing on the particular questions on which they have been briefea), in some subjects up to ten aifferent examiners may mark a stuaent's paper. Questions or parts of papers where stuaents are given aetailea guiaance as to the structure ana nature of the answer, ana where the range of responses can be specifiea, are markea by one examiner ana supportea by a range of aaaitional checks. Before each marking session, Supervisors of Marking ana Senior Markers are given statistical reports on each marker. llihese reports aescribe both the marking on the previous session ana over all sessions markea to aate. llihey assist the Supervisors of Marking to aetermine whether any marker or group of markers is not marking reliably. In aaaition, at any marking session a sample of scripts may be given to all markers in a marking group ana markea inaepenaently by each member of that group. Alternatively, the sample may be markea by aifferent groups that are marking the same question. llihis helps to ensure that the marking scheme is being appliea consistently both within ana across groups.

8 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 0 11igher School Oertificate

The Release of Results Students and schools were again able to access their 11igher School Oertificate results before Ohristmas. On Tuesday 21 December 2004, students received a Student Result Summary in the mail. The Student Result Summary contained the results achieved in the rligher School Oertificate courses in 2004, and a form to use if the student wished to request a clerical recheck of a result in any course. The 11igher School Oertificate testamur and Record of Achievement was mailed to students in mid January 2004. Students were able to take advantage of three optional services that enabled them to receive their results by telephone, SMS text message, or the Internet from 6 am on Friday 17 December 2004- four days earlier than the mail service. A letter was sent to all students in November, providing details and notifying them of their PIN. On the reverse side of this letter was printed a grid designed to make it easy for students to write down their results when they were read out or displayed. This grid was formatted in the same manner as each student's Record of Achievement. In addition, students and schools were notified of this service through the Board Bulletin, a letter to principals from the Board President and a ministerial press release. About 80% of all students accessed their results using at least one of these optional services. Overview of the SMS Text Message Service Students using the SMS Text Message service registered their mobile phone number in advance, by sending an SMS containing their student number and PIN to the advertised mobile phone number. Registered students were sent an SMS from 6.00am on Friday 19 December listing their course results (examination mark, assessment mark, 11SO mark and performance band) and were also advised whether they were eligible for an 11SO. This service was very successful, with 13,072 students receiving their results by this method. Overview of the Internet Service By accessing an advertised website, entering their student number and PIN, students could access a web page showing their course results (examination mark, assessment mark, 11SO mark and performance band). They were also advised whether they were eligible for an 11SO. The service operated 24 hours a day from 6 am Friday 17 December. There was no additional cost for using the service, apart from the normal Internet access fees. The service continues to be popular, with 47,535 students accessing their results by this method.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 9 1\JSVV Department of Education and mraining •

Overview of the Telephone Service

By dialling a 1900 telephone number, entering their student number and a PII\J, students had their course results (examination mark, assessment mark and percentile band) read to them. whey were also advised whether they were eligible for an HSC. TIThe service operated 24 hours a day from 6 am Friday 17 December. The normal charge was $1.65 per minute for students calling from anywhere in Australia, although mobile and public telephones attracted a higher rate. where were 2,864 students accessing their results by this method.

2004 HSC Release of Results Summary Students using the Release of Results Services Any Number of students SMS Telephone Internet Service By Midday, 17 December 11982 28614 1836 35895 Total 13072 47535 2864 52739 Note: The "Any Serv1ce" total IS less than the sum of the separate serv1ces, as some students accessed their results usmg more than one service. Source: NSW Board of Studies (80S), as at September 2005. Note: This data differs slightly from that published In the 2004 DET Annual Report which is sourced from 805 as at January each year.

10 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 171igher School ®ertifioate

Student Support Services HSC Advice Line The HS® Advice Line is a telephone service introduced by the NSW Government in 1995 to help students with their preparation for the HS® examinations. The service is staffed by experienced teachers who can answer any questions that a student may have about a subject or course. It provides support for students outside school hours in the period leading up to the HS® examinations. In 2004, the service opened almost a month before the first HS® examination. The service operated from Tuesday 5 October to Wednesday 10 November, from 4pm- 1 Opm on weeknights, 1 Oam-6pm Saturdays and 1 Oam-1 Opm on Sundays. Eighty lines were available with more than 800 teachers providing advice. A total of 16,507 calls were received over the period. In 2004, students received assistance in all courses from the following subject areas:

Biology • Mathematics • Business Studies • Personal Development, Health and ®hemistry Physical Education (PD171PE) • Economics • Physics • English • Senior Science Geography • Software Design and Development • History • Studies of Religion • Information Processes and • Visual Arts Technology • Legal Studies These subjects were selected because they have the largest candidatures. HSC Examination Inquiry Centre The HS® Examination Inquiry ®entre is a telephone service available to students who wish to clarify information relating to their examination results. The centre was open from 17 December to 7 January. Twenty-two experienced teaching staff provided support to students. A total of 5,141 telephone calls were received at the 171S® Inquiry ®entre.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 11 NS\IV Elepartment of Education and TITrainlng

Recognising Excellent Performances Excellent performance in the 2004 HSC was recognised by the public release of the 'Elistinguished Achievers' and 'All-Round Excellence' lists. TITo be placed on the 'All­ Round Excellence' list a student needed to be placed on the 'Elistinguished Achievers' list for courses totalling at least 10 units. In 2004, there were 913 students were placed on this list. TIThe names and schools of these students are provided in this report. TIThe 'Elistinguished Achievers' list comprises all students who reached the highest performance band for a course. A total of 12,931 students were placed on this list for at least one course. TITables showing the breakdown of this list by sex, school sector and location are provided in the report. The Premier's Awards for Excellence TIThe Premier's Awards for Excellence in the 2004 HSC provided the opportunity to recognise and reward the outstanding achievements of the top students in NS\IV. Recognition was at two levels: • TIThe Premier's TITrophy was presented by the Premier to students who reached the highest performance band for HSC courses comprising at least 10 units. TITrophies were awarded to 913 students. • TIThe Minister's Certificate for Excellence was presented by the Minister for Education and TITraining to each student who achieved first place or equal first place in an HSC course and who reached the highest performance band. Certificates were awarded to 106 students in 110 courses (including three Elistinction courses). Some of these students were placed first for more than one course. The Brother John Taylor Memorial Prize TIThis prize was established in 1993 to commemorate Brother John TITaylor's contribution to the Board's activities over many years. TIThe prize is awarded annually to a student or students who have overcome significant disability or disadvantage to achieve academic excellence in the HSC. Students are nominated for the prize by their principals. TIThe nominations are then considered by the Trustees of the Prize. TIThe prize for 2004 was presented to Nicole Sugden from James Sheahan Catholic High School, Orange during the Premier's Awards for Excellence in the 2004 HSC. The Australian Students Prize TIThis prize is awarded annually by the Commonwealth Government to recognise excellence and achievement in secondary education and consists of a certificate and $2,000. A total of 500 prizes are awarded nationally, with each State allocated a share of the total prizes on the basis of its pro-rata share of the national Year 12 population. In 2004, New South \!Vales was allocated 156 prizes. Of these prizes, 8 NS\IV students who were medal winners at the International Mathematics and Science Olympiads were awarded an Australian Students Prize. Prizes were awarded to the 115 students who achieved the highest standard in courses comprising ten or more units. TIThe remaining 33 prizes were awarded to students who were placed first in the state in the more demanding courses. TIThe criteria for the award of the Australian Students Prize in 2004 were: the student must be either an Australian citizen or a permanent resident of Australia; and • the student must be within the group of highest achievers amongst those who were on the HSC All-Round Excellence list; or

12 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament • !Higher School Gertificate

the student must have been placed first in the State in certain individual courses; or • the student must be an award winner at the International Mathematics or Science Olympiad. Other Prizes

The Board of Studies also provided information to over 20 organisations that awarded prizes or scholarships to 2004 FISC students. The majority of these organisations presented prizes to students who were placed first in the State in particular courses, while others awarded prizes to the top students in certain regions of the State.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 13 NSW IDei'Jarlment of Education' and ['raining

Participation Information 2004 HSC Entries by Award and System

Students Eligible for an Award in at least One HSC Course Male Female Total Government Schools 18275 20446 38721 Non-Government Schools 12559 12817 25376 Catholic Independent 2499 2490 4989 Catholic Systemic 4821 5267 10088 Other Independent 5152 4958 10110 Overseas Schools 87 102 189 TAFE 681 774 1455 Self-Tuition 8 10 18 Total 31523 34047 65570 Source: NSW Board of Studies (BOS), as at September 2005. Note: This data differs slightly from that published in the 2004 DET Annual Report which is sourced from BOS as at January each year.

Students Eligible for a Higher School Certificate Male Female mota I Government Schools 17144 19393 36537 Non-Government Schools 11901 12322 24223 Catholic Independent 2373 2444 4817 Catholic Systemic 4664 5184 9848 Other Independent 4781 4595 9376 Overseas Schools 83 99 182 TAFE 410 481 891 Total 29455 32196 61651 Source: NSW Board of Studies (80S), as at September 2005. Note: This data differs slightly from that published in the 2004 DET Annual Report which is sourced from BOS as at January each year.

Students Eligible for a Universities Admissions Index (UAI) Male Female mota[ Government Schools 13335 15354 28689 Non-Government Schools 11020 11510 22530 Catholic Independent 2246 2327 4573 Catholic Systemic 4035 4608 8643 Other Independent 4656 4477 9133 Overseas Schools 83 98 181 TAFE 371 447 818 Self Tuition 8 4 12 Total 24734 27315 52049 Source: NSW Board of Studies {BOS), as at September 2005. Note: This data differs slightly from that published in the 2004 DET Annual Report which Is sourced from BOS as at January each year.

14 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament ~ 1g er c oo e 11oa e

Cohort Trends HSC Entries by Award and Sector from 1994 to 2004

Students Eligible for an Award in at Least One Course, 1994-2004 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Government 36,978 36,646 37,278 37,864 39,829 40,071 37,871 37,401 38,580 38,390 38,721 Catholic Independent 4,155 4,150 4,269 4,408 4,552 4,723 4,663 4,707 4,903 4,982 4,989 Catholic Systemic 8,732 9,106 9,418 9,692 10,072 9,730 9,255 9,491 9,906 9,771 10,088 Other Independent 6,937 7,112 7,481 7,832 8,147 8,714 8,623 8,325 8,970 9,491 10,110 Overseas Schools 218 298 249 296 183 186 177 218 170 207 189 TAFE 2,321 2,474 2,680 2,544 2,278 2,Q58 1,757 1,516 1,881 1,724 1,455 Self Tuition 56 62 84 45 36 27 27 5 30 41 18 Total 59,397 59,848 61,459 62,681 65,097 65,509 62,373 61,663 64,440 64,606 65,570

Source: NSW Board of Stud1es (BOS), as at September 2005. Note: This data differs slightly from that published Jn the 2004 OET Annual Report which is sourced from 80S as at January each year.

Students Eligible for an HSC, 1994-2004 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Government 35,709 34,034 33,312 33,237 34,698 35,176 35,339 35,354 36,392 36,313 36,537 Catholic Independent 4,031 3,960 3,944 3,962 4,082 4,305 4,530 4,551 4,760 4,817 4,817 Catholic Systemic 8,654 8,729 8,736 8,829 9,030 8,876 9,069 9,314 9,659 9,592 9,848 Other Independent 6,778 6,622 6,750 6,870 7,007 7,563 7,994 7,758 8,343 8,805 9,376 Overseas Schools 194 285 212 276 178 179 173 216 166 200 182 TAFE 957 1,306 1,537 1,513 1,416 1,208 1,117 922 1,043 1,031 891 Total 56,323 54,936 54,491 54,687 56,411 57,307 58,222 58,115 60,363 60,758 61,651

Source: NSW Board of Studies (80S), as at September 2005. Note: This data differs slightly from that published in the 2004 DET Annual Report which is sourced from BOS as at January each year.

Students Eligible for a TER/UAI, 1994-2004 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Government 32,986 30,209 28,991 28,534 29,651 29,858 29,708 28,490 29,239 28,964 26,689 Catholic Independent 3,952 3,836 3,833 3,613 3,899 4,141 4,314 4,317 4,533 4,571 4,573 Catholic Systemic 8,074 7,896 7,908 7,931 6,000 7,836 8,064 8,341 8,677 8,498 8,643 Other Independent 6,725 6,573 6,664 6,799 6,892 7,413 7,867 7,610 8,160 8,571 9,133 Overseas Schools 195 282 214 277 277 179 174 216 165 199 181 TAFE 1,063 1,235 1,429 1,431 1,332 1,121 1,037 810 913 941 818 Self Tuition 4 11 29 10 10 11 14 11 10 32 12 Total 52,999 50,042 49,068 48,795 50,061 50,559 51,178 49,795 51,697 51,776 52,049

Source: NSW Board of Studies (BOS), as at September 2005. Note: This data differs slightly from that published in !he 2004 DET Annual Report which is sourced from BOS as at January each year.

Students Eligible for an HSC but Not Eligible for a TER/UAI, 1994-2004 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Government 2,801 3,897 4,384 4,747 5,109 5,436 5,726 6,964 7,158 7,349 7,852 Catholic Independent 84 124 111 150 184 168 217 241 228 246 243 Catholic Systemic 583 834 830 903 1,033 1,064 1,006 1,017 982 1,094 1,207 Other Independent 56 53 90 78 119 160 135 174 184 234 243 Overseas Schools 0 4 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 TAFE 16 106 165 144 144 135 121 126 141 90 103 Total 3,540 5,018 5,580 6,022 6,590 6,963 7,205 8,522 8,694 9,014 9,649 Source: NSW Board of Studtes (BOS), as at September 2005. Note: This data differs slightly from that published in lhe 2004 OET Annual Report which is sourced from 80S as at January each year.

TER­ Tertiary Entrance Rank UAI - University Admissions Index Note: The UAI was introduced in 1998 to replace the TER.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 15 epattment o ucat1on an ra1mng •

2004 HSC Course Entries Entries by Course Course Course Name Units Male Female Total Number 15000 Aboriginal Studies 2 70 169 239 15010 Agriculture 2 712 565 1,277 15020 Ancient History 2 3,594 5,970 9,564 15030 Biology 2 4,673 8,307 12,980 15040 Business Studies 2 8,535 8,027 16,562 15050 Chemistry 2 5,398 4,748 10,146 15060 Community and Family Studies 2 239 3,733 3,972 25010 Comparative Literature- Distinction Course 2 4 4 8 25020 Cosmology - Distinction Course 2 14 5 19 15070 Dance 2 30 629 659 15080 Design and Technology 2 2,639 1,806 4,445 15090 Drama 2 1,443 3,645 5,088 15100 Earth and Environmental Science 2 597 509 1,106 15110 Economics 2 3,555 2,298 5,853 15120 Engineering Studies 2 1,373 37 1,410 15140 English (Advanced) 2 10,875 16,096 26,971 15130 English (Standard) 2 16,605 14,282 30,887 15150 English as a Second Language 2 1,579 1,481 3,060 15160 English Extension 1 1 2,043 3,930 5,973 15170 English Extension 2 1 761 1,680 2,441 15180 Food Technology 2 678 2,471 3,149 15230 General Mathematics 2 14,138 15,241 29,379 15190 Geography 2 2,456 1,953 4,409 15280 History Extension 1 873 1,520 2,393 15200 Industrial Technology 2 3,312 282 3,594 15210 Information Processes and Technology 2 4,867 1,980 6,847 15220 Legal Studies 2 3,139 5,235 8,374 15240 Mathematics 2 10,524 9,228 19,752 15250 Mathematics Extension 1 2 5,738 4,222 9,960 15260 Mathematics Extension 2 2 2,128 1,386 3,514 15270 Modern History 2 4,274 5,124 9,398 15290 Music 1 2 2,007 1,961 3,968 15300 Music 2 2 216 374 590 15310 Music Extension 1 134 227 361 15320 Personal Development, Health and Physical Education 2 4,806 5,648 10,454 25030 Philosophy- Distinction Course 2 29 20 49 15330 Physics 2 7,471 2,643 10,114 15340 Senior Science 2 2,294 1,698 3,992 15350 Society and Culture 2 513 2,674 3,187 15360 Software Design and Development 2 2,625 269 2,894 15370 Studies of Religion I 1 4,290 4,794 9,084 15380 Studies of Religion II 2 822 1,499 2,321

16 2005 Minister's Repott to Parliament 19 er c oo e 11ca e

Entries by Course Course Course Name Units Male Female Total Number 15390 Textiles and Design 2 25 1,689 1,714 15400 Visual Arts 2 2,541 5,945 8,486 Languages 15500 Arabic Beginners 2 3 3 6 15510 Arabic Continuers 2 113 165 278 15520 Arabic Extension 1 52 58 110 15530 Armenian Continuers 2 10 12 22 15560 Chinese Background Speakers 2 669 716 1,385 15540 Chinese Beginners 2 16 31 47 15550 Chinese Continuers 2 43 51 94 15570 Chinese Extension 1 17 24 41 15580 Classical Greek Continuers 2 13 1 14 15590 Classical Greek Extension 1 12 1 13 15600 Classical Hebrew Continuers 2 21 18 39 15610 Classical Hebrew Extension 1 13 14 27 15620 Croatian Continuers 2 5 8 13 15630 Czech Continuers 2 0 1 1 15640 Dutch Continuers 2 0 1 1 15660 Filipino Continuers 2 6 15 21 15670 French Beginners 2 92 404 496 15680 French Continuers 2 220 615 835 15690 French Extension 1 52 141 193 15700 German Beginners 2 45 118 163 15710 German Continuers 2 160 284 444 15720 German Extension 1 37 74 111 15730 Hindi Continuers 2 6 10 16 15740 Hungarian Continuers 2 2 3 5 15770 Indonesian Background Speakers 2 56 50 106 15750 Indonesian Beginners 2 9 32 41 15760 Indonesian Continuers 2 24 77 101 15780 Indonesian Extension 1 5 22 27 15790 Italian Beginners 2 75 301 376 15800 Italian Continuers 2 90 227 317 15810 Italian Extension 1 15 40 55 15840 Japanese Background Speakers 2 21 29 50 15820 Japanese Beginners 2 208 367 575 15830 Japanese Continuers 2 273 545 818 15850 Japanese Extension 1 92 181 273 15860 Khmer Continuers 2 6 14 20 15890 Korean Background Speakers 2 68 74 142 15880 Korean Continuers 2 2 10 12 15900 Latin Continuers 2 93 86 179 15910 Latin Extension 1 49 32 81 15930 Lithuanian Continuers 2 1 1 2 15940 Macedonian Continuers 2 10 22 32 15950 Malay Background Speakers 2 0 1 1 15960 Maltese Continuers 2 2 2 4 15970 Modern Greek Beginners 2 7 18 25

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 17 epartrnent o ucat1on an ra1mng •

Entries by Course Course Course Name Units Male Female Total Number 15980 Modem Greek Continuers 2 51 124 175 15990 Modern Greek Extension 1 20 54 74 16000 Modem Hebrew Continuers 2 10 10 20 16010 Persian Background Speakers 2 23 38 61 16020 Polish Continuers 2 5 7 12 16030 Portuguese Continuers 2 10 7 17 16040 Russian Background Speakers 2 13 11 24 16050 Serbian Continuers 2 16 36 52 16070 Spanish Beginners 2 31 118 149 16080 Spanish Continuers 2 79 152 231 16090 Spanish Extension 1 21 58 79 16100 Swedish Continuers 2 5 6 11 16110 Tamil Continuers 2 10 9 19 16120 Turkish Continuers 2 30 40 70 16130 Ukrainian Continuers 2 1 3 4 16140 Vietnamese Continuers 2 41 63 104 Vocational Education and Training 16150 Accounting 2 183 235 418 16700 Business Services 1 0 1 1 16710 Business Services 2 473 2,038 2,511 16720 Business Services 4 15 45 60 16745 Business Services Examination 2 270 1,368 1,638 16730 Business Services Extension 1 2 5 7 16740 Business Services Extension 2 2 9 11 16260 Construction 2 1,781 23 1,804 16280 Construction 4 2 0 2 16305 Construction Examination 2 1,176 14 1,190 16300 Construction Specialist Studies 2 6 0 6 16940 Entertainment 2 189 250 439 16950 Entertainment 4 3 0 3 16955 Entertainment Examination 2 137 186 323 16750 Hospitality 2 2,128 5,446 7,574 16760 Hospitality 4 4 3 7 16665 Hospitality Examination 2 1,550 4,269 5,819 16770 Hospitality Extension 1 18 114 132 16780 Hospitality Extension 2 10 14 24 18000 Information Technology 2 3,020 1,168 4,188 18010 Information Technology 3 1 0 1 18020 Information Technology 4 42 18 60 16365 Information Technology Examination 2 2,571 933 3,504 18030 Information Technology Specialisation Studies 1 28 0 28 18040 Information Technology Specialisation Studies 2 46 2 48 16370 Metal and Engineering 1 2 0 2 16380 Metal and Engineering 2 700 2 702 16390 Metal and Engineering 3 1 0 1 16400 Metal and Engineering 4 5 0 5 16425 Metal and Engineering Examination 2 490 1 491 16410 Metal and Engineering Extension -Specialist Studies 1 2 0 2

18 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament • 19 er c oo e 11ca e ,

Entries by Course Course Course Name Units Male Female Total Number 16420 Metal and Engineering Extension -Specialist Studies 2 23 1 24 16430 Primary Industries 1 1 0 1 16440 Primary Industries 2 468 275 743 16460 Primary Industries 4 2 2 4 16485 Primary Industries Examination 2 292 223 515 16470 Primary Industries Extension 1 19 3 22 16480 Primary Industries Extension 2 31 1 32 16960 Retail Operations 2 622 1,327 1,949 16970 Retail Operations 4 6 14 20 16515 Retail Operations Examination 2 360 785 1,145 16900 Tourism 2 73 422 495 16910 Tourism 4 0 1 1 16695 Tourism Examination 2 42 309 351 Life Skills Courses 16630 Citizenship and Society Life Skills 2 265 223 488 16650 Creative Arts Life Skills 2 270 239 509 16600 English Life Skills 2 661 558 1,219 16610 Mathematics Life Skills 2 552 453 1,005 16620 Personal Development, Health & PE Life Skills 2 350 259 609 16640 Science Life Skills 2 176 136 312 16660 Technology & Applied Studies Life Skills 2 354 271 625 16670 Work and the Community Life Skills 2 403 352 755

Source: NSW Board of Studies (805), as at September 2005. Note: This data differs slighlty from that published In the 2004 DET Annual Report which is sourced from 80S as at January each year.

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 19 apartment o ucat1on an ra1mng t

Performance Information 2004 HSC Distinguished Achievers List Summary Tables

Performance by Location Male Female Total Country 1227 1850 3077 Metropolitan 4196 5586 9782 Overseas 28 44 72 Total 5451 7480 12931 Source: NSW Board of Studies (BOS), as at September 2005. Note: This data differs slightly from that published In the 2004 DET Annual Report which Is sourced from BOS as at January each year.

Performance by Sector Male. Female Total Government Schools 2751 3879 6630 Non-Government Schools 2665 3536 6201 Self Tuition 3 2 5 TAFE 32 63 95 Total 5451 7480 12931 Source. NSW Board of Stud1es (BOS), as at September 2005. Note: This data differs sl!ghlly from that published in the 2004 DET Annual Report which is sourced from BOS as at January each year.

Performance by Independent School Type Male Female Total Catholic Independent 535 783 1318 Catholic Systemic 637 888 1525 Other Independent 1470 1831 3301 Overseas Independent 23 34 57 Total 2665 3536 6201 Source: NSW Board of Studies (BOS), as at September 2005. Note: This data differs slightly from that published in the 2004 DET Annual Report which is sourced from 80S as at January each year.

2004 HSC First Place in Course Summary Tables

Performance by Location and Sex Male Female Total Country 7 11 18 Metropolitan 38 61 99 Total 45 72 117 Source: NSW Board of Studies (BOS), as at September 2005. Note: This data differs slightly from that published in the 2004 DET Annual Report which is sourced from 80S as at January each year.

Performance by Sector and Sex School Type Male Female Total Government Schools 17 39 56 Non-ljovernmenr 23 28 51 Catholic Independent 6 6 12 Catholic Systemic 1 3 4 Other Independent 16 19 35 Outside Tutor 2 3 5 Self Tuition 0 0 0 TAFE 1 1 2 University 2 1 3 Total 45 72 117 Source. NSW Board of Stud1es (BOS), as at September 2005. Note: This data differs slightly from that published in the 2004 DET Annual Report which is sourced from BOS as at January each year.

20 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament ~ 19 er o oo e 11ca e

The 2004 HSC All-Round Excellence List The All-Round Excellence List by Name and School

First Name Last Name School

Sadhana Abayasekara Sydney Girls High School Michael Abbott Newcastle Grammar School Aishah Rohaiza Bte Hj Abu Bakar Geneid Kambala Mate a Adamec MLC Burwood David Agoston-O'Connor Sydney Grammar School Tanvir Ahmed Sydney Boys High School Kris-Anne Alcantara Mount St Joseph Emma Louise Alcock Pymble Ladies' College Usaid Khalil Allahwala North Sydney Boys High School Marc Oliver Allante The Scots College Courtney All ely Roseville College Sara Allen Barker College Keith Joseph Almeida Baulkham Hills High School Ali Abdulkarim Alsamail Sydney Boys High School Anday Alias Wagga Wagga High School Gail Alvares Our Lady of Mercy College Parramatta Bernise Alviar Baulkham Hills High School Verity Claire Ambler Abbolsleigh Usa An North Sydney Girls High School Anisha Anantharaman Macarthur Girls High School Sarah Jayne Anderson Merewether High School Grant Joseph Andrews Cranbrook School Christopher Angelos Sydney Grammar School Chloe Sarah Angyal SCEGGS Oarlinghurst Joshua Anstey Moriah College (Queens Park Campus) Madhuri Anupindi James Ruse Agricultural High School Mayuri Anupindi North Sydney Girls High School Phillip Aquilina Parramatta Marist High School Mal Maruha Arasa Ratnam North Sydney Boys High School Elizabeth Arndt Central Coast Grammar School

Abraham Arui~Anandam Trinity Grammar School Dushyanthy Arumugam James Ruse Agricultural High School Prasad Jankiram Athreya James Ruse Agricultural High School Alpha Chi-Ki Au James Ruse Agricultural High School Wing Kei Au St George Girls High School Kogarah Alison Grace Auld La Salle Academy Chris Avdalis All Saints Greek Orthodox Grammar School Carina Louise Backhouse Nowra High School Matthew Charles Baines Davidson High School Jennifer Naomi Baldwin Baulkham Hills High School Hannah Bang Presbyterian Ladies College Sydney Jack Bao James Ruse Agricultural High School DeepaAnand Bapat Strathfield Girls High School David Jan Barker Normanhurst Boys High School Lauren Yvonne Baroukh Kambala Rachel Joy Bartholomeusz St Patrick's College Danielle Barton Masada College

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 21 epattment o ucat1o11 an ra n1ng "

The All-Round Excellence List by Name and School

First Name Last Name School

Rachel Maria Bas a Sylvania High School Kiera Joanne Batten Pymble Ladies' College Alix Mallory Baumgartner St George Girls High School Kogarah Benjamin John Baxter Hunter Valley Grammar School Kapil Dev Bazil Epping Boys High School Luke Beck lngleburn High School Kate Bedwell Stella Maris College Kang-Lei Bei James Ruse Agricultural High School Kate Fitzgerald Belling Pennant Hills High School Evgeniya Belousova Hurlstone Agricultural High School Glenfield James Thomas Bennett StJohn The Evangelist High School Matthew Bentley St Patrick's College Kristie Bergamin Freeman Catholic College Justine Berger Reddam House (Bondi Campus) Samantha Berrett Caringbah High School Northern Beaches Secondary College, Manly Nader Beshay Selective Campus Northern Beaches Secondary College, Manly Victoria Beyer Selective Campus Diane Beyrouthi Loreto Normanhurst Marthese Bezzina Our Lady of Mercy College Parramatta Aditya Bhagwat Fort Street High School Petersham Pranav Bhatt East Hills Boys Technology High School An am Bilgrami Hornsby Girls High School

Catherine Bills Trinity Catholic College Lismore- St Mary's Campus

David Birch Sydney Grammar School James Colin Bishop StJohn The Evangelist High School Mikaela Blackwood Ravenswood School for Girls Ashlee Jane Blanch Wingham High School Caitlin Blaxland Presbyterian Ladies College Sydney Northern Beaches Secondary College, Manly Tristan Alexander Blom Selective Campus Hamish William Boland-Rudder Baulkham Hills High School Mara Louise Bollard North Sydney Girls High School Philip Adam Boncardo Girraween High School Maryam Boroumand Turramurra High School Marcus Bertolotti St Ignatius' College Elias Bou Obeid Westfields Sports High School Darya Boukata St Catherine's School Lucy Boyle Ravenswood School for Girls Michael James Brady Central Coast Adventist School Sharyn Marie Brady Central Coast Adventist School SHORE -Sydney Church of England Grammar Daniel N Bragg School Courtney Gordon Gray Brell Smith's Hill High School Peter-John Brennan The Scots College Daniel Brescia Patrician Brothers' College Fairfield Samantha Brocker Bishop Druitt College

22 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament • 1g er c oo e 1ca e

The All-Round Excellence List by Name and School

First Name Last Name School

Georgina Sarah Brunsdon North Sydney Girls High School William Francis Buckley Gosford High School Minh Vinh Bui James Ruse Agricultural High School Sarah Jane Bullock Belmont High School Jason Wayne Burgess Trinity Grammar School Alison Burke Killara High School Alissa Anne Burney Pymble Ladies' College David Burt Barker College Hahna Dufour Busch St Marys Senior High School Emma Claire Butcher Abbotsleigh Bethany Jane Butler Kooringal High School Stephen Arran Butler lnverell High School Jessica Byron Lambton High School Miguel Cabalag Parramatta Marist High School Tian Cai Sydney Girls High School Lucy Cain St Vincent's College Andrew Crawford Cairns Wagga Wagga High School Anthony Thinh Gao James Ruse Agricultural High School Northern Beaches Secondary College, Manly Yuan Shan Cao Selective Campus Zhi Yan Gao North Sydney Girls High School Alexis Mary-Vivian Carey Wade High School Lauren Carter Hunter Valley Grammar School Lucinda Claire Carter North Sydney Girls High School Anna Honywood Cartwright SCEGGS Darlinghurst Hugh Caterson Newington College Catherine Chan Brigidine College Randwick Elton Chi Kin Chan James Ruse Agricultural High School Hung Mei Agnes Chan Baulkham Hills High School Jason Kwok Wai Chan Carlingford High School June Chung Yan Chan St Johns Park High School Karen Cecilia Chan Willoughby Girls High School Karen Ka Hang Chan North Sydney Girls High School Roslyn Wai Sze Chan Sydney Girls High School Sabrina Lai Mun Chan Pymble Ladies' College Simon Chan James Ruse Agricultural High School Stephen Sillan Chan Knox Grammar School Vasudha Chandra Presbyterian Ladies College Sydney Kai Chang James Ruse Agricultural High School Bruce Chau James Ruse Agricultural High School Jeffrey Kil Wah Chau Pemith High School Shien-Ning Chee MLC Burwood Kishor Tanujan Chelliah Trinity Grammar School Abigail Chen Ravenswood School for Girls Ami Chen Burwood Girls High School Amy Huiya Chen Baulkham Hills High School Ellen Chen James Ruse Agricultural High School James Jian Xin Chen Sydney Boys High School

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 23 epattment o ucat on an ra1n1ng "

The All-Round Excellence List by Name and School

First Name Last Name School

Xiao Yi Chen James Ruse Agricultural High School Ying Gang Chen James Ruse Agricultural High School Yufei Chen James Ruse Agricultural High School Cissie Chang Cheng Hornsby Girls High School Samuel Cheng James Ruse Agricultural High School Yen Szu Cheng North Sydney Girls High School Jason Jen Cheong Knox Grammar School Sarat Chandra Cheruvu James Ruse Agricultural High School Carmen Cheung MLC Burwood Clifford Cheung Baulkham Hills High School Kenneth Yun Lam Cheung Garlingford High School Phylannie Cheung James Ruse Agricultural High School Robert Cheung James Cook Boys Technology High School Benjamin Joseph Chin Girraween High School Desmond Wai Hong Chin Baulkham Hills High School Sabina Chitty Tara Anglican School for Girls Edward Min-Woo Cho North Sydney Boys High School Alicia Roma Chodkiewicz St Scholastica's College Glebe Point Angela Choi Fort Street High School Petersham Grace Moon Jung Choi Cherrybrook Technology High School Sue-Lynne Chok Baulkham Hills High School Julianne Jun Tze Chong Monte SantAngelo Mercy College Lauren Tze Ling Chong Pymble Ladies' College Emily Ye-Shun Choo Merewether High School Fiona Hin Fun Chow Hornsby Girls High School Jonathan Yan-Pui Chow North Sydney Boys High School Lisa Yan-Peng Chow Hornsby Girls High School Meganne Louise Christian The lllawarra Grammar School Edwina Christie Ascham School Myung Ho Eric Chu Kingsgrove High School Paul Thomas Chu Trinity Grammar School Samuel Chu North Sydney Boys High School Winnie Chu James Ruse Agricultural High School Carmen Hoi-Yee Chung Abbotsleigh Jessica Wing Hin Chung North Sydney Girls High School Neena Hsin-Lin Chung Pennant Hills High School Maris Cilia Greystanes High School Joshua James Clark Normanhurst Boys High School lndako Clarke MLC Burwood Katherine Clothier Marian Catholic College Sasha Cohen Killara High School Ilana Cohn Moriah College (Queens Park Campus) Margaret Cohn-Urbach Kambala Anna Frances Coleman Merewether High School Karen-Anne Coleman Roseville College Sarah Colenbrander Roseville College Gemma Elise Coller Hornsby Girls High School Geoff Peter Collins James Ruse Agricultural High School

24 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament ~ 19 er c oo e 11ca e

The All-Round Excellence List by Name and School

First Name Last Name School

Jessica Louise Collins Kurri Kurri High School Thomas Michael Conroy Penrith High School Nicholas Edwyn Conti St Andrew's Cathedral School Brittany Cooper Tara Anglican School for Girls SHORE- Sydney Church of England Grammar Thomas D Cooper School Timothy David Cooper Trinity Grammar School Nicola Cotton Ravenswood School for Girls Mia Coxon Hornsby Girls High School Imogen Cranna Brigidine College St lves Therese Crellin St Clare's High School Chaanah Zoe Crichton Kambala Georgina Crouch Barker College Sophie Cull Pymble Ladies' College Rose lshbel Cullen Pittwater High School Rachel Monique Cureton McAuley Catholic College Maeve Curry SCEGGS Darlinghurst Pei Dai James Ruse Agricultural High School Andrew Daidone St Patrick's College Saman Daneshjoo Monte SantAngelo Mercy College Thurston Hou Yeen Dang Caringbah High School Nicole Daniel Mount St Joseph Andrew Sudiro Darmawan North Sydney Boys High School Stephanie Dash MLC Burwood Sarah Bowen Davies North Sydney Girls High School Jessica Elizabeth Davis Pymble Ladies' College William Cunynghame Daymond Knox Grammar School Abigail Deakin Ravenswood School for Girls Ben Robin Dean Taree Christian Community School Theresa Jane Deegan Killara High School Neha Deshmukh Hurlstone Agricultural High School Glenfield Jason Deutsch Sydney Grammar School Matthew Jonathon DiPalma The King's School Melissa DiRienzo St Francis Xavier's College Amy Dobbin Loreto Kirribilli Nanshan Dong Sydney Boys High School Ashok Doraiswamy Baulkham Hills High School Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College, The Entrance Emily Kate Drayton Campus Daniel McCall Drew James Ruse Agricultural High School Kate Michelle Drewitt Smith Cumberland High School Kristy Deanne Drinkwater StGeorge Girls High School Kogarah David Fred D'Silva Baulkham Hills High School Jeffrey Robert Duncan Coomealla High School Stephanie Cecilia Thuy Duong Sydney Girls High School Sarah Eckstein Presbyterian Ladies College Sydney Alexandra Eggerking Presbyterian Ladies College Sydney David Eisman Moriah College (Queens Park Campus)

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 25 apartment o ucat1on an ra1mng •

The All-Round Excellence List by Name and School

First Name Last Name School

Hussein EI-Achkar Malek Fahd Islamic School Brian Ahmed Eli a Sydney Boys High School Alexandra Ellinson Roseville College Catherine Ellis Ravenswood School for Girls Brooke Elizabeth Elliston SCECGS Redlands Elizabeth Elston Santa Sabina College Kellie Eminson St Vincent's College Samantha Louise Ennis Westfields Sports High School Emil Ereve North Sydney Boys High School Christine Ernst Mount St Benedict College Kristina Erzikov Fort Street High School Petersham Bishoy Eskander Sydney Boys High School Jessica Kate Evans Baulkham Hills High School Alison Elizabeth Eveleigh Hunter Valley Grammar School Lauren Ashley Fahy Hunter Valley Grammar School Catherine Jane Farrell Pymble Ladies' College Emma Favretto Queenwood School for Girls Sarah Felden Ravenswood School for Girls Jeffrey Feng Sydney Technical High School Bexley Tony Meng Yu Feng Baulkham Hills High School Alexandra Ferendinos Brigidine College St lves Dominique Kahlee Ferguson Orange High School Chavi Jayanga Fernando James Ruse Agricultural High School Wimal Bellarmine Rehan Fernando Trinity Grammar School Laurence Field Sydney Grammar School Elizabeth Finn Loreto Kirribilli Talia Fisher Moriah College (Queens Park Campus) Zoe Fitzherbert Smith Ascham School Matthew Anthony Fitzpatrick Baulkham Hills High School

Nicole Louise Fitzsimons Kincoppal - Rose Bay School of the Sacred Heart

David Fleischer Moriah College (Queens Park Campus) Matthew Floro Oakhill College Castle Hill Amanda Ru Shan Foong Abbotsleigh James Andrew Stewart Ford Cranbrook School Madeleine Fraser Santa Sabina College Phillipa Alice Freeman Meriden School Carli Freiberg Moriah College (Queens Park Campus) Sarah Frost Trinity Catholic College (Auburn Campus) Gladys Qun Wei Fung Hornsby Girls High School Karen Kar-Kay Fung Pymble Ladies' College Pui Tak Edwin Fung North Sydney Boys High School Nicola Sara Gallace Pymble Ladies' College Sisi Gao Randwick Girls High School Sameer Garg Baulkham Hills High School Jennifer Lee Garrick Merewether High School Amy Kathryn Gibbs Sydney Girls High School Amitoz Singh Gill Epping Boys High School

26 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 19 er o oo e 11ca e

The All-Round Excellence List by Name and School

First Name Last Name School

Karinvir Gill Taormina High School Elisa Gilsenan The Forest High School Frenchs Forest Georgina Alice Glanfield Hornsby Girls High School Madeline Frances Gleeson SCEGGS Darlinghurst Shivany Gnaneswaran James Ruse Agricultural High School Nicola Goddard The Hills Grammar School Dominic Goh St Pius X College Michael Goldberg Moriah College (Queens Park Campus) Samuel Anthony Goldman The Scots College

Josephine Gollan Kincoppal- Rose Bay School of the Sacred Heart

Natalie Good acre Tara Anglican School for Girls Alyce Ann Gowan Port Hacking High School Amanda Jane Gowan Port Hacking High School Susan Montgomery Graham Pymble Ladies' College Matthew Erin Greco St Pius X College Audrey Claire Green James Fallon High School Wendy Green Newcastle Grammar School Lachlan Joel Grice Gosford High School Kelli Griffin Hurlstone Agricultural High School Glenfield Matthew Griffin Killara High School Eliza Dyson Griffiths Abbotsleigh Ying Gu StGeorge Girls High School Kogarah Anncilla Gunasingam Mount St Benedict College Ivan Wen Han Guo Sydney Boys High School Yuyang Neil Guo Baulkham Hills High School Rahil Gupta Cranbrook School Rohan Gupta James Ruse Agricultural High School Sarika Gupta Ascham School I! an Gutman Moriah College (Queens Park Campus) Thomas Habib Trinity Grammar School Rowena Penelope Hamer Caringbah High School Sabbir Hamid Sydney Boys High School Jenny Jia Yan Han BUiwood Girls High School Shu Yi Han Taylors College Matthew Hansen Sydney Grammar School Varun Harish Sydney Boys High School Chelsea Louise Harper Hornsby Girls High School Lucinda Harrington Loreto Kirribilli Rebecca Harris Sydney Girls High School Edward Hastings St Aloysius College SHORE- Sydney Church of England Grammar Henry F Hawthorne School Christopher Hay Sydney Grammar School Northern Beaches Secondary College, Manly Xiran (Simon) He Selective Campus Michael Damien Healy All Saints College (St Mary's Campus) Leah Hecht Moriah College (Queens Park Campus)

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 27 apartment o ucatlon an ra1n ng •

The All-Round Excellence List by Name and School

First Name Last Name School

Kate Hemphill Kambala Chelsea Rose Herman Woolgoolga High School

Gabriella Sophia Hespe~Poulos St George Girls High School Kogarah limothy Hewitt North Sydney Boys High School Katie Higgins Loreto Kirribilli Mitchell Lachlan Hilder North Sydney Boys High School Julia Ann Hingston Merewether High School Philippa Clare Hinton Riverside Girls High School Adam Lu Fei Ho James Ruse Agricultural High School Anita Ho MLC Bwwood Daniel Ho Newington College Kelvin Ho Sydney Grammar School Ken Po Lam Ho North Sydney Boys High School Simon Siu-Sang Ho James Ruse Agricultural High School Gemma Catherine Hogg Pymble Ladies' College Sally Holden Tara Anglican School for Girls Northern Beaches Secondary College, Freshwater Joobin Hooshmand Senior Campus Northern Beaches Secondary College, Manly Emma Louise Homcastle Selective Campus Benjamin Michael Horne Marist College Kogarah Julia Wennie Hu James Ruse Agricultural High School Lishi Huang James Ruse Agricultural High School Qin Huang Georges River College, Oatley Senior Campus Anne Margaret Huby Open Training and Education Network Julia Patricia Hudson Queenwood School for Girls SHORE -Sydney Church of England Grammar ThomasW Hughes School Laura Jane Hunt Cumberland High School Mahwish Hussain Macarthur Girls High School Alexei llinykh St Marys Senior High School Shah In am Sydney Grammar School David lndula Macquarie Fields High School Bernard Chun Shing lp James Ruse Agricultural High School John Ming Han lp North Sydney Boys High School Ricky lsserow Masada College Keerthi Iyengar Sydney Technical High School Bexley Nithin lyer Sydney Grammar School Daniel Jacobs Moriah College (Queens Park Campus) Megha Jain Sydney Girls High School John Doo-Won Jang Baulkham Hills High School Shaun Jankelowitz Emanuel School SHORE- Sydney Church of England Grammar Christopher RM Jansen School Nicholas Janu St Ignatius' College Supun lndunil Jayawardana James Ruse Agricultural High School Tina Jelenic Willoughby Girls High School Amy Claire Jennings Merewether High School

28 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament ~ 1g er o oo e 11oa e

The All-Round Excellence List by Name and School

First Name Last Name School .

Jenny Jing Yi Ji Hornsby Girls High School Jie Jiang James Ruse Agricultural High School Shan Jiang James Ruse Agricultural High School Juri Jin Baulkham Hills High School Dean Michael Joffe Reddam House (Bondi Campus) Kate Johnstone Loreto Kirribilli Anna Miree Jones Richmond River High School Yumiko Kadota Ravenswood School for Girls Jacob Kahwaji St Patrick's College Greg Kalogeropoulos Endeavour Sports High School Tarini Kalra Hornsby Gins High School Matthew Kalyk St Ignatius' College Nalinaa Kanapathipitlai Sydney Girls High School Ying Kang Concord High School Jehan Rux Rustom Kanga Sydney Grammar School Minai Kartekar Baulkham Hills High School Natasha Kassam James Ruse Agricultural High School Kanathiban (Theepan) Kathirgamanathan James Ruse Agricultural High School Megha Kaushik Merewether High School Sita Rani Kaye SCEGGS Oarlinghurst Grace Watson Keesing SCECGS Redlands Linda Jane Kelleher St Columba's High School Jessica Kelly Trinity Catholic College (Auburn Campus} Michael Kemeny Sydney Grammar School Jacqueline Lindsay Kempler Moriah College (Queens Park Campus) Tessa Kennedy St Catherine's School Hannah Reed Kennelly Monte SantAngelo Mercy College Jacqueline Kerr Roseville College Jessica Kerr Burwood Girls High School John James Ketelbey Knox Grammar School Rose Khalilizadeh James Ruse Agricultural High School May-Zin Khine Tempe High Languages School Yang Chern Kho James Ruse Agricultural High School Jennifer Khoo William Branwhite Clarke College Bong Sik (Matthew) Kim North Sydney Boys High School Jee-Yong Kim North Sydney Boys High School Minna Kim North Sydney Girls High School Katerina Kim morley Loreto Kirribilli Lucy King Cherrybrook Technology High School Nicholas Kipriotis Sydney Technical High School Bexley Mark Kirollos The Hills Grammar School Danielle Louise Knott Kinross Wolaroi School Charlene Yuen Ting Ko Fort Street High School Petersham Elly Ko North Sydney Girls High School Em my Ko North Sydney Girls High School Swaetha Koneru James Ruse Agricultural High School Kyrren Konstantinidis Presbyterian Ladies College Sydney Sandy Man Shan Koo Baulkham Hills High School

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 29 egarttnent o ucat1on an ra1mng 4

The All-Round Excellence List by Name and School

First Name Last Name School

Joshua Koonin Moriah College (Queens Park Campus) Marian Shiao Mei Kow Baulkham Hills High School Nataniel Kraizelburd Sydney Grammar School Chana Raizel Kraus Moriah College (Queens Park Campus) Amy Charlotte Krisenthal Hornsby Girls High School Harsha Krishnakumar The Scots College Thanuja Krishnananthan North Sydney Girls High School Tyron Krost Moriah College (Queens Park Campus) James Robert Krycer James Ruse Agricultural High School Benjamin Kumagaya Sydney Grammar School Varun Kumar Sydney Grammar School Rowan James Kunz Baulkham Hills High School

Ben Nai~Jung Kuo James Ruse Agricultural High School Iris Kwon Barker College Jessica Tin Yan Lai North Sydney Girls High School Joyce Pui Shuen Lai North Sydney Girls High School Justin Joseph Lai St Patrick's Marist College Shirman Suk Man Lai Baulkham Hills High School Yvonne Stephanie Lake Sydney Girls High School Alvin Wai Han Lam Normanhurst Boys High School Northern Beaches Secondary College, Manly Jennifer Lam Selective Campus Lok-Hin Lam James Ruse Agricultural High School Timothy Lamb Newington College Michelle Mengxi Lan North Sydney Girls High School David Larish Moriah College (Queens Park Campus) Arthur An Lau James Ruse Agricultural High School Brian Lau Sydney Technical High School Bexley Deborah Lau MLC Burwood Janice Wai Van Lau Pymble Ladies' College Kar Ming Clement Lau Sydney Boys High School Kelvin KaWai Lau Trinity Grammar School Raymond Lau Sydney Grammar School Stephen Chi Kwan Lau James Ruse Agricultural High School Heike Franziska Lautenschlager Roseville College Terence Yu Law Sydney Boys High School Abbie Suzanne Lawrie Roseville College Sylvia Ledang Pymble Ladies' College Alexandra Claire Lee Danebank- An Anglican School For Girls Annabel Lee MLC Burwood Edward Lee Sydney Grammar School SHORE- Sydney Church of England Grammar Edward R Lee School Keri Yu-Fang Lee James Ruse Agricultural High School Melinda Grace Lee Hornsby Girls High School Migie Lee North Sydney Girls High School Peter Lee Gosford High School Rachel Xiu-Zhen Lee Sydney Girls High School

30 2005 Minister's Regort to Parliament Pt 19 er c oo e 11ca e

The All-Round Excellence List by Name and School

First Name Last Name School

Sarah Lee North Sydney Girls High School Seung-Jae Eric Lee James Ruse Agricultural High School Zhi Ling (Shaun) Lee North Sydney Boys High School May Leo MLC Burwood Jody Mun-Yook Leong Baulkham Hills High School Georgina Jane Lester Queenwood School for Girls April Ming Sin Leung James Ruse Agricultural High School Emily Leung Tara Anglican School for Girls Jessica Leung Girraween High School Nga Man Leung Sydney Girls High School Rosana Hoi Shan Leung St George Girls High School Kogarah Tammy GarYi Leung North Sydney Girls High School Harriet Sylvie Levenston Kambala Bronwyn Jane Lever Sydney Girls High School David Lewin Moriah College (Queens Park Campus) Jiao Jiao l,i Sydney Girls High School Maggie Guanqun Li Hornsby Girls High School Man Shun Vincent Li Baulkham Hills High School Sophie Ting Ting Li StGeorge Girls High School Kogarah Susie Zhaoxi Li North Sydney Girls High School Angela Liang Presbyterian Ladies College Sydney Kathryn Uao James Ruse Agricultural High School Jodie Wayan Asli Lilir Gorokan High School Daniel Cheng Yang Lim Cranbrook School Melanie Yee Huan Lim Smith's Hill High School Melinda Su Kian Lim Cheltenham Girls' High School Melissa Su Ann Lim Cheltenham Girls' High School Xinyi Lim North Sydney Girls High School Cho-Yi Lin Marcellin College Katherine Grace Haldane Ling North Sydney Girls High School Catherine Siew Ling Lip Abbotsleigh Bob Liu James Ruse Agricultural High School Chao Uu Sydney Boys High School Cindy Siyao Liu James Ruse Agricultural High School Jia (Jenny) Liu James Ruse Agricultural High School Usa U Jia Uu Sydney Girls High School Thomson KaMYip Uu Sydney Boys High School Marianne Kathryn Livers Kambala Madeleine Uvesey SCECGS Redlands Alison Yin Kit La Hornsby Girls High School Marcus Walter Lockard James Ruse Agricultural High School Benjamin Kees Lodewijks Normanhurst Boys High School Mark David Longhurst Newington College Marianna Loper! Santa Sabina College Aidan David Lowe Nowra High School Jane Lu Sydney Girls High School Andrew Luboski Sydney Grammar School Sally Luff Hurlstone Agricultural High School Glenfield

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 31 eF)artment o ucat1on an ra1n11ng

The All-Round Excellence List by Name and School

First Name Last Name School

Shayne Lui North Sydney Girls High School Alice Luk Ascham School SHORE- Sydney Church of England Grammar William Lumsdaine School Davin Lunz Moriah College (Queens Park Campus) Yun Luo St Scholastica's College Glebe Point Hong Lien -Angela Luu Chester Hill High School Sarah Kay Lux Moriah College (Queens Park Campus) Angelica Ly Sydney Girls High School Jie Jia Ma Sydney Girls High School Ming-Yee Ma MLC Burwood Angus Macauley Newington College

Lisa Mackey Trinity Catholic College Lismore- St Mary's Campus

Rowan William MacQueen Orange High School Amanda Kate Madruga St Joseph's Catholic High School Mir Daani-el Mahmud Homebush Boys High School Adam Mahoney Barker College Blossom Po Sum Mak North Sydney Girls High School Steve Robert Makkar Patrician Brothers' College Fairfield Juwairia Malik Hornsby Girls High School Beth Maloney Merewether High School Jennifer Tsz Ying Man North Sydney Girls High School Johnathan Jansow Man Trinity Grammar School Maneesha Manglick James Ruse Agricultural High School Anthony Mardini St Mary's Cathedral College Dragana Marie Girraween High School David Lachlan Marshall Smith's Hill High School Stephen Martin Newington College Elie Matar Patrician Brothers' College Blacktown Sameer Mathur North Sydney Boys High School Gabrielle Matta Presbyterian Ladies College Sydney Samuel Geoffrey Matthews Knox Grammar School Danielle Mawer Meriden School Lucienne Maxwell Barker College Ryan John May Newington College Hannah Ky McCann Bega High School Georgia McCaughan Loreto Kirribilli Emma Louise McCutcheon Gilgandra High School Kate McDowell StJohn's College, Woodlawn Olivia Frances McDowell Ulladulla High School James Michael McEnaney Baulkham Hills High School Samantha McEncroe Loreto Normanhurst Jennifer Ann Mcinnes Merewether High School David Mclaren Trinity Catholic College Vanessa Angela McMahon North Sydney Girls High School

Johannah Jane McOwan Kincoppal- Rose Bay School of the Sacred Heart

32 2005 Minister's ReF)olrt to Parliament "' 19 \lr o oo e 11oa e

The All-Round Excellence List by Name and School

First Name Last Name School

Emma Jessica McQueen Girraween High School Karina Medina-Jimenez MLC Burwood Tanvi Mehta North Sydney Girls High School James Joseph Mesiti Trinity Grammar School Andrew Alexander Meyer Reddam House (Bondi Campus) Jane Mia a North Sydney Girls High School Zachary Midalia Moriah College (Queens Park Campus) Amanda Jayne Miller Muirfield High School Brook Elizabeth Miller Hornsby Girls High School Lauren Maree Miller Hornsby Girls High School Sophie Miller Newcastle Grammar School Laura Danielle Mineo Henry Kendall High School Rebecca Mitrevski Mount Annan Christian College Doreen Kar-Gee Mo Burwood Girls High School Melissa Mole St lves High School Konstantin Moltchanski Sydney Boys High School Kate Anne Montague Merewether High School Samantha Scott Mooney Pymble Ladies' College Timothy Charles Mooney The King's School Christopher Philip Moore Garingbah High School Christine Elizabeth Mortimer Hurlstone Agricultural High School Glenfield Suzanne Moses Our Lady of Mercy College Parramatta Vanessa Moss Catherine McAuley Westmead Kevin Stephen Mountain St Marys Senior High School Northern Beaches Secondary College, Manly Natalie Muller Selective Campus Alison Mumme Barker College Libby Munro Frensham School Flynn Murphy Fort Street High School Petersham James Nadel Moriah College (Queens Park Campus) Aniket Nadkarni Sydney Technical High School Bexley Prianka Nair Hornsby Girls High School Budhima Pavithra Nanayakkara Monaro High School Kruthika Lakshmi Narayan North Sydney Girls High School Daniel Nasri Pacific Hills Christian School Maria Nawaz Girraween High School Nadia Nawaz Girraween High School Keira Nelson William Branwhite Clarke College Olivia Newman Moriah College (Queens Park Campus) Tamara Newman Emanuel School Cynthia Sze Mei Ng North Sydney Girls High School Jocelyn (Xin Ling) Ng St George Christian School

Manna Wei~Sze Ng Hornsby Girls High School Andrew Tin-Pui Ngai James Ruse Agricultural High School AmyYee May Ngan James Ruse Agricultural High School Amanda Sheauling Ngo Sefton High School Amy Nguyen Sydney Girls High School Cybelle Nguyen Tara Anglican School for Girls

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 33 epattment o ucat1on an ramnng

The All-Round Excellence List by Name and School

First Name Last Name School

Hao Nguyen Hurlstone Agricultural High School Glenfield Katherine Thuy Van Nguyen St Scholastica's College Glebe Point Simon Duy Nguyen Baulkham Hills High School Adrian Nicholas St Patrick's College Natalie Jane Nichols Caringbah High School Jan a Nikolovski Smith's Hill High School Alice Julia Nivison Abbotsleigh Emma Katherine Northey Cardiff High School Maharani Nurcahya St Scholastica's College Glebe Point Lachlan lain Oakes Baulkham Hills High School Daniells Anna O'Brien Kotara High School Jessica O'Brien St Marys Senior High School Alison Janet O'Connor North Sydney Girls High School Angela May O'Connor Coleambally Central School Rachel Anneke Olding Abbotsleigh Daniel Ong Sydney Grammar School Nicole Renee Oreb Loreto Normanhurst Thomas Oriti Penrith High School Jonathan Scott Kieran Ortner Reddam House (Bondi Campus) Clare O'Sullivan St Vincent's College Glenn O'Sullivan St Ignatius' College Simone Coco Anne Page St Scholastica's College Glebe Point Stephanie Pain PLC Armidale Abhijit Pal James Ruse Agricultural High School Evan James Papageorgiou Cranbrook School Vincenzo Papalia La Salle Catholic College Gabrielle Papeix Gosford High School Kalppana Paramanandarajah Strathfield Girls High School Douglas Park North Sydney Boys High School James Jae-Hyun Park North Sydney Boys High School Kerrie Park Burwood Girls High School Sophie Parker St Luke's Grammar School Arianwen Alyssa Parkes-Lockwood Duval High School Christopher Parkin Penrith High School Rahil Patel Newington College Karman Pathmanandavel The King's School Michaela Patton Loreto Normanhurst Christopher William Paver The King's School Genevieve Peek Barker College Caroline Louise Clowes Pemberton Pymble Ladies' College Constance Yunzhi Peng North Sydney Girls High School Shi Qin Cecilia Peng Kogarah High School Oilhan Perera James Ruse Agricultural High School David Perkis Sydney Grammar School Karen Larissa Petch St Andrew's Cathedral School Marilee Ph am St Catherine's School Vivian Ph am Sefton High School Sarah Jane Philipson Lambton High School

34 2005 Minister's Repott to Parliament 1g er c oo e 11ca e

The All-Round Excellence List by Name and School

First Name Last Name School

Oliver William Pickles Sydney Boys High School Lodovico Pignatti-Morano Sydney Grammar School Matthew Bede Pinson Cowra High School Cassandra Platt Moriah College (Queens Park Campus) Annabel Louise Pokorny Sydney Girls High School Alisa Sarah Pollack Kambala Ira Iva Siu ling Po on North Sydney Boys High School Julia Po on Sydney Girls High School Nikhil Pooviah James Ruse Agricultural High School Alyson Peta Portlock North Sydney Girls High School Stephanie Pow Roseville College Alexandra ZsaZsa Power St lves High School Nidhi Prakash International Grammar School Bess Prescott Loreto Normanhurst Lorraine Kui Yun Pun Baulkham Hills High School Matthew Purdie-Smith Barker College Valerie Hui Qu James Ruse Agricultural High School Melissa Vue Ran James Ruse Agricultural High School Katherine Louise Rankin Baulkham Hills High School Ryan James Rathborne Byron Bay High School Agne Ratomskyte Taylors College Northern Beaches Secondary College, Manly Kristina Olivia Reddaway Selective Campus Chloe Belle Rees Pymble Ladies' College Robert Smyth Reid North Sydney Boys High School Anna Reach Loreto Kirribilli Reza Mohamed Reyaldeen Canberra Grammar School Laura Michelle Rice Abbotsleigh Lucy Richards Frensham School Parnel Winsome Richards Baulkham Hills High School Louise May Rigozzi St Marys Senior High School Patrick Riordan St Joseph's College David William Robertson Knox Grammar School Gemma Elizabeth Romuld Pymble Ladies' College Holly Roper Wenona School Michael Roth Moriah College (Queens Park Campus) Stephen Matthew Russell Casino High School Emma Ryan Our Lady of Mercy College Parramatta Rouslan Sabirzianov Rose Bay Secondary College Rodrigo Alejandro Salinas Hurlstone Agricultural High School Glenfield Behnoosh Samadi Pymble Ladies' College May Sa mali Cherrybrook Technology High School Ai Lin Irene Sang Riverside Girls High School Prem Kumar Sankaran Australian International School Singapore Kiran Sara thy Sydney Grammar School Anthony Satli StMary's Calhedral College Akshal Saxena James Ruse Agricultural High School Anneliese Nicole Schattiger North Sydney Girls High School

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 35 epartment o ucat1on an ram1ng

The All-Round Excellence List by Name and School

First Name Last Name School

Tahlia Scheinberg Moriah College (Queens Park Campus) Emma Georgina Schiller SGEGGS Darlinghurst Paul Lee Schmertmann North Sydney Boys High School lain Andrew Trantum Schmidt Baulkham Hills High School Jade Schroers Presbyterian Ladies College Sydney Deshan Frank Sebaratnam Baulkham Hills High School Martin Gerardo Sejas Patrician Brothers' College Fairfield Julie Sek Meriden School Jessica Margot Selby Kambala Adrian Gabriel Selim Trinity Grammar School Alexandra Louise Seller North Sydney Girls High School Muhummed Shah ldil Malek Fahd Islamic School Adam Jan Shand The King's School Rajiv Sharma St Marys Senior High School Sandhya Sharma Gherrybrook Technology High School Neela Shearer Northern Sydney Institute- Bradfield College Brooke Leanne Shearwood Narromine High School Caitlin Sheehy St Vincent's College Elizabeth Shek St Catherine's School Jian Shen James Ruse Agricultural High School

Max Zheng~Lan Shen James Ruse Agricultural High School NancyYue Shen James Ruse Agricultural High School Tao Shen James Ruse Agricultural High School Matthew Thomas Sherman Canberra Grammar School Jing Shi North Sydney Girls High School Neng Bi Shi James Ruse Agricultural High School Julie Shih Ravenswood School for Girls Ehson Shirazi Garlingford High School Ganeshwaran Shivapathasundram Sydney Grammar School Michael Joseph Shoory Thomas Reddall High School Daniel Shun St Patrick's College Katherine Silver Loreto Kirribilli

Katherine Grace Simcoe~Fitzmaurice Pacific Hills Christian School Meredith Anne Simons Pymble Ladies' College Julian Singer Central Coast Grammar School Sue Faye Siow North Sydney Girls High School Yogeesan Sivakumaran James Ruse Agricultural High School Sarah Rose Skidmore Pennant Hills High School Dennis Matthew Smith Gosford High School Myles Smith Sydney Grammar School Nicola Smith Presbyterian Ladies College Sydney Rebecca Smith MLG Burwood Jennifer Snaith Tara Anglican School for Girls Georgia Snow Emanuel School Janice Aileen So Abbotsleigh Armina Soemino Sydney Girls High School Arman Soetanto St Ignatius' College Sonja Sokolovska Smith's Hill High School

36 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 'K' 19 er c oo e 1ca e

The All-Round Excellence List by Name and School

First Name Last Name School

Carmen Renee Soldas Warners Bay High School Northern Beaches Secondary College, Manly Bryn Christopher Solomon Selective Campus Rachel Solomon Ravenswood School for Girls Hyung Rak (Matthew) Son Newington College Daniel Song James Ruse Agricultural High School Vishal Sood James Ruse Agricultural High School Daniel Spence Sydney Grammar School Ursula Spiers Hunter School of the Performing Arts Anna Rosalind Patricia Spies Abbotsleigh Llewellyn Thomas Spink North Sydney Boys High School Arunan Sriravindrarajah James Ruse Agricultural High School Shaun Joseph Star Epping Boys High School Sammi Brigid Stark Monte SantAngelo Mercy College Kate Elise Steinweg Kambala Danielle Sterling MLC Burwood Tess Hannah Steventon Orange High School Michael Stewart St Patrick's College Kate Elizabeth Stone Maitland Grossmann High School ZhiYao Su James Ruse Agricultural High School Gavin Michael Sugrue Trinity Grammar School Seunglee Suh Homebush Boys High School Robert Leon Summers Pennant Hills High School David Dong Sun The Scots College Michael Yuan Sun Normanhurst Boys High School Zhe Sun Taylors College Keran Sundaraj Trinity Grammar School Preethi Sundaram Cherrybrook Technology High School Deepti Sutrave Hurlstone Agricultural High School Glenfield lshwarya Swaminathan Hornsby Girls High School Paul Sztajer James Ruse Agricultural High School Catherine Namphuong Ta Sydney Girls High School DavidMJoel Taitz Reddam House (Bondi Campus) Krishna Tallapragada James Ruse Agricultural High School Claire Hing Tam Girraween High School Karen Ka Yan Tam Pymble Ladies' College Lawson Tam James Ruse Agricultural High School Elisa Fang-Jan Tan St lves High School HuiMYong Tan Pymble Ladies' College Sarah May Kim Tan St George Girls High School Kogarah Andy Yue-Sun Tang Baulkham Hills High School Catherine Wai Ying Tang James Ruse Agricultural High School Shuyin Tang Abbotsleigh Tom Savanh Tanhchareun Caringbah High School Marianne Tanios East Hills Girls Technology High School Raymond Tann Hurlstone Agricultural High School Glenfield Ben Teeger Moriah College (Queens Park Campus) Andrew Teh James Ruse Agricultural High School

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 37 apartment o ucat1on an ra n ng

The All-Round Excellence List by Name and School

First Name Last Name School

Samuel Thampapillai Sydney Grammar School lsaacArpit Thangasamy Sydney Boys High School Aaron Peter Thompson Smith's Hill High School Amelia Joy Thompson James Ruse Agricultural High School Robert Eric Allan Thompson Kinross Wolaroi School Jennifer Ruth Thorp Kambala Anna Clare licehurst Merewether High School Joanna Elizabeth Timms Byron Bay High School Esther Ting Presbyterian Ladies College Sydney Francis Tiew Long ling Caringbah High School Rachael H. S. liang Baulkham Hills High School Johanna Emily Todd St George Girls High School Kogarah Jessica Todhunter St Mary Star of The Sea College Scott Nathan Tolmie Hurlstone Agricultural High School Glenfield Bianca Tomanovic Macarthur Girls High School Carrie Lai-Man Tong Baulkham Hills High School Tais Topal Silva Macarthur Girls High School Ngoc Mai Tran Newcastle High School Anh Rebecca Tran-Nam Sydney Girls High School Airlie Trescowthick Frensham School Irena Trobec Hornsby Girls High School Emma Frances Truswell Queenwood School for Girls Julia Anne Tseris St George Girls High School Kogarah Deirdre Tshien James Ruse Agricultural High School Sophie Anne Tyler Lambton High School David Francis Van Gogh Trinity Grammar School Matthew James Varley Baulkham Hills High School Lucy Vasconcelos Domremy College Srinivas Vasista All Saints Catholic Senior College Christopher Edward Vaughan Trinity Grammar School Michael Vaughan Sydney Grammar School Garima Verma North Sydney Girls High School Hannah Elizabeth Verry Bishop Oruitt College Emma Claire Vickers Burwood Girls High School Nilru Priyanka Vitharana James Ruse Agricultural High School Lauren Wade Loreto Normanhurst Adel Wahab Newington College Joanna Wang StGeorge Girls High School Kogarah Linda Wang James Ruse Agricultural High School Xin Yi Cathy Wang James Ruse Agricultural High School Vanessa Warburton Barker College Benjamin Andrew Ward The Armidale School Daniel Ward Sydney Grammar School Jacqueline Louise Ward James Ruse Agricultural High School Hannah Kate Ware Abbotsleigh Cameron Charles Weber Baulkham Hills High School Jason Weeks Sydney Grammar School David Weiner Moriah College (Queens Park Campus)

38 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament I> 1g er o oo e 11oa e

The All-Round Excellence List by Name and School

First Name Last Name School

Ryan Anthony Welangoda James Ruse Agricultural High School Sophie Wells Loreto Kirribilti Qi Wen Our Lady of Mercy College Parramatta Tammie Werner Moriah College (Queens Park Campus) Michael James West Sydney Technical High School Bexley A lisa Wicks Mortah College (Queens Park Campus) Naren Wijeyamohan Trinity Grammar School Christopher David Williams Merewether High School Matthew Thomas Kent Williams Trinity Grammar School Tara Willis Marian Catholic College Alexandra Louise Wilson McAuley Catholic College James Richard Coventry Winten SCECGS Redlands Daniel Wodak Sydney Boys High School Aileen Christabel Wong North Sydney Girls High School Christine Hui Ai Wong James Ruse Agricultural High School Derek Tak Wei Wong North Sydney Boys High School Jason Wong St Ignatius' College Jean Tin-Yan Wong Abbotsleigh Joseph Cho-Pang Wong James Ruse Agricultural High School Michelle Wong James Ruse Agricultural High School Rebecca Wing-Sum Wong Hornsby Girls High School Steven Wong Fort Street High School Petersham Veronica Chi Ken Wong James Ruse Agricultural High School Victoria Hiu-Tung Wong Pymble Ladies' College Wendy Wong Pymble Ladies' College Phoebe Rose Wood Springwood High School Paul Wright St Patrick's College Cathy Linhua Wu North Sydney Girls High School Helen Zong Ying Wu North Sydney Girls High School Xiaolin Wu Taylors College Ross Xenos Newington College Jian Wen Xiao Baulkham Hills High School Qian Xiao James Ruse Agricultural High School Ken Xie Sydney Grammar School Yi Mike Xie James Ruse Agricultural High School Clare Qing Xu James Ruse Agricultural High School Yang John Xu Sydney Technical High School Bexley Zhe Xu James Ruse Agricultural High School Alice Chen Yan Sydney Girls High School Phillip Feifan Yang Sydney Boys High School Wei Xian (Wendy) Yang Sydney Girls High School Olivia Hana Yasukawa Kambala Nadia Yetton-Lim James Ruse Agricultural High School James Kwun Pong Yeung James Ruse Agricultural High School Johnson Ching Hong Yeung James Ruse Agricultural High School Timothy Chun Cheung Yeung James Ruse Agricultural High School Christopher Wai Keng Yang Knox Grammar School Christine Seung Hyun Yoo Cheltenham Girls' High School

2005 Minister's Report to Parliament 39 apartment o ucat1on an ra mng

The All-Round Excellence List by Name and School

First Name Last Name School

Peter Daechul Yo on St Pius X College Andrew Wen Zhi Yu James Ruse Agricultural High School Katrina Yu Sydney Girls High School Ann Marie Yuen Baulkham Hills High School Beata Zahorowska Hurlstone Agricultural High School Glenfield Amanda Marie Zeidan St Ursula's College Caren Zhang Sydney Girls High School Carl Ji Wei Zhang North Sydney Boys High School Helen Xiao He Zhang Sydney Girls High School Jason Sheng Feng Zhang James Ruse Agricultural High School Renyin Zhang North Sydney Girls High School Teresa Zhang Sydney Girls High School Whillam Zhang Sydney Grammar School Ning-Yan Zhao North Sydney Girls High School Sisi Zhao SCEGGS Oarlinghurst Zemi Zhao North Sydney Girls High School Alice Zheng James Ruse Agricultural High School Henry Hao Cheng Zhong Homebush Boys High School Yvonne Zhong MLC Burwood Angela Ru Zhou Fort Street High School Petersham Rose Jin Yu Zhou North Sydney Girls High School Ji Ting Mary Zhu Baulkham Hills High School Mengjie Zhu North Sydney Girls High School Davor Zmijanjac Edmund Rice College (Wollongong Campus) Matthew Benjamin Zwi North Sydney Boys High School

Source: NSW Board of Studies (BOS), as at September 2005. Note: This data differs slightly from that published in the 2004 DET Annual Report which is sourced from BOS as at January each year.

The All-Round Excellence List by Sector and Sex Male Female Total Government Schools 200 298 498 Non-Government Schools 168 245 413 Catholic Independent 20 52 72 Catholic Systemic 17 16 33 Overseas Independent 1 0 1 Other Independent 130 177 307 TAFE 0 2 2 Total 368 545 913 Source: NSW Board of Studies (BOS), as at September 2005. Note: This data differs slightly from that published in the 2004 OET Annual Report which is sourced from BOS as at January each year.

40 2005 Minister's Report to Parliament