From 2020 students will be required to meet a minimum literacy and numeracy standard to gain their HSC, a measure introduced as part of the HSC reforms.

Students with a disability who undertake Stage 6 Life Skills English and Stage 6 Life Skills Mathematics courses will be exempt from the minimum standard. The BOSTES website provides information and advice on making decisions for students to study a Life Skills course.

Other exemptions, including for students with English as an additional language and dialect and students with learning difficulties, will be considered in the development of policy in relation to the minimum standard. BOSTES will consult with its key stakeholders in the consideration of further exemptions.

The minimum standard has been set at Level 3 of the Australian Core Skills Framework.

Students will have a number of opportunities to demonstrate the minimum standard including in Year 9 through NAPLAN or passing the BOSTES online literacy and numeracy tests in Years 10, 11 or 12.

Students with a disability will continue to use adjustments to undertake the NAPLAN tests and will be eligible for similar provisions in the online literacy and numeracy tests.

Read more information on the HSC reforms.

For more information, contact:
Rhonda Clarke
Principal Project Officer
rhonda.clarke@bostes.nsw.edu.au
(02) 9367 8246