The Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards (BOSTES) has released the 2013 data for three programs that support the fairness and integrity of the HSC. Namely:

• Disability provisions
• Illness and misadventure appeals
• Maintaining integrity in assessments and examinations.

The HSC is highly regarded both within Australia and internationally and reflects the quality of our syllabuses, teaching, and the fairness and integrity of the examinations and school assessments.

BOSTES applies stringent processes when assessing disability provisions applications, illness/misadventure appeals and examination integrity rules.

Every case is carefully considered so students have every chance to show what they can do in the examinations and school assessments.

Schools are encouraged to understand and consider whether a student requires disability provisions or illness/misadventure consideration.

Disability provisions in the HSC give practical assistance to students who may otherwise be disadvantaged when undertaking their exams. Emergency provisions are also approved for late injuries such as a broken arm prior to the examinations.

Last year an Ombudsman’s review of 2012 HSC applications for disability provisions found that provisions were granted appropriately. The Ombudsman also made a series of recommendations about the conduct of the disability provisions program which were accepted and implemented by BOSTES.

Illness and misadventure appeals generally apply to unforeseen or unexpected events, such as the 2013 bushfires. Schools submit an illness/misadventure application and BOSTES reviews each application before the student’s mark is finalised.

Disability provisions do not confer additional marks, and are not intended to confer any advantage. They allow students to participate in the examination process in the same way as their peers.

If an illness/misadventure appeal is upheld, students will be awarded the higher of their examination mark and a mark derived from their assessment mark and unaffected components of their examination. Their Record of Achievement will indicate if this alternative is used.

Examination integrity includes breaches of examination rules and of malpractice by students undertaking HSC school assessment tasks. BOSTES and schools take incidents of malpractice seriously, and warn students that the consequences of malpractice can range from loss of some marks to their entire HSC.

From next year, BOSTES will also report on instances of malpractice in school-based HSC assessment tasks.

For more information, contact:
Kevin Ford
Manager, Student Support Services
kevin.ford@bos.nsw.edu.au
(02) 9367 8298