11 Nov 2019
At Marsden High School (MHS), we are committed to ensuring that your child attains Minimum Standard in literacy (reading and writing) as early as possible before the HSC.
The current Year 11 cohort have already been attempting the tests. Year 10 will begin their preparation with the completion of a practice task that provides an indication of their current literacy level. All students will then complete the literacy examinations as they are eligible to attempt them twice per year.
- All students who pass the examinations will no longer need to complete any other HSC Standards tests.
- Those who need extra support may receive it in the form of an increased focus on literacy in teaching programs, targeted literacy support in the Senior Study Centre or small mentor group sessions. After these students have demonstrated sufficient progress, they will be invited to sit the tests again in 2020.
Looking to the future and Minimum Standard testing
To ensure that all students meet the Minimum Standard requirements as early as possible, MHS has taken an intensive approach to teaching literacy. With the support of the Literacy Advisors, Literacy team, Learning and Support Faculty and the EAL/D faculty, the literacy learning needs of all students are addressed and information is shared with all staff. Programs have been enriched with methods of how to explicitly teach literacy, assessments are being reviewed to ensure that they have strong literacy focuses and team teaching is offered for all staff who would like to improve their instruction of literacy no matter what subject they teach.
Understanding literacy is one of the basic foundations of success in adult life and we, the teachers of MHS, are committed to ensuring every success for our students.
For further information please download and read the NSW Education Standards Authority FACT SHEET | HSC minimum standard