Just In > HSC Exams Kick Off

HSC Exams Kick Off

Filed in Just In by Taylah Fellows October 19, 2020

TOMORROW Year 12 students in New South Wales will begin the High School Certificate (HSC) exam period that lasts until Monday, November 11.

Brian Drewe, Principal of Scone High School, feels very confident that his students are prepared after they took time away from school in term two due to COVID-19.

“Our concern all along has been making sure that students have adequate preparation so we really concentrated on fine tuning,” Mr Drewe said.

“Throughout term two, we did quite a bit reshuffling but it didn’t really have any impact on Year 12 at all; they were our focus and we maintained consistency for them wherever possible.

“The time in term two when they weren’t in school was very short for us, compared to Victoria. With regards to online learning, the kids came back and said that was fantastic; they felt, when they came back to school, that they had not fallen back at all,” he said.

“Talking to teachers throughout the year, they have been on track. The kids haven’t been affected by that,” Mr Drewe said.

Scone High School ensured that extra classes were available for students during the school holidays and continued their Year 12classes during the last week of term three.

“Every holiday we’ve had a planned study timetable where kids have come in and done extra classes here at school;

that’s a fairly normal occurrence anyway but we really made sure that every course was represented this year and the kids made use of that,” Mr Drewe said.

“During the last week, kids usually done come back to school but we ran the normal timetable for lessons in Year 12 and the kids were really appreciative of getting that little bit of polish on their studies in that final week,” he said.

“They felt like at the end of that week, they were ready to rock ‘n’ roll, and bring those exams on; they’re very positive,” he said.

Mr Drewe noticed a sense of gratitude from his students, which he said made them more comfortable and confident in their ability to tackle the exams.

“They really understand that they’ve done alright and they’re very appreciative of everybody around them and the work that they’ve done to help them get through.

“They sense that the teachers have done extra; they have been aware of the way they feel about their world and HSC in particular,” he said.

“They feel that they’re very ready. We believe that they’re very ready and that’s due to the hard work they’ve put in and the hard work put in by their teachers and families to make sure they were all well and right in reaching their goals,” he said.

“The camaraderie, the teamsmanship that has come around, is the icing on the cake,” said Mr Drewe.

Scone High School has complied with the New South Wales COVID safe guidelines and has plans in place should anything interrupt the exam period.

“We have 37 students and they’re all in the school hall, where there’s an enormous amount of room and lots of air, so we meet all requirements and guidelines there,” Mr Drewe said.

“We’ve got some plans in place if the worst happens, let’s say if schools in Scone have to close for the day,” he said.

“Our first plan is at Scone Public School; our alternate place, if things aren’t going well there, then we’ll head towards a private venue, the bowling club, and we can even bus kids to Muswellbrook High School if need be,” he said.

“We’ve had to re-think our planing and have all of those B’s, C’s and D’s plans in place, just in case, but we’re crossing every finger and toe to make sure it doesn’t end that way,” said Principal Drewe.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian wished all Year 12 students the very best at the start of her daily COVID update.

“Its been a tough year for everybody in our state but especially tough for students and their families,” the Premier said.

“We’re thinking of your tomorrow; we hope you will do your very best; we know you will and we hope you have the best outcome for you personally,” she said.

NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell also posted a video on Facebook last week, wishing all HSC participants good luck.

“We are all so proud of the amazing efforts that you’ve put in this year,” Ms Mitchell said.

“2020 has been unlike any other and your resilience that you’ve shown has just been incredible.

“All the very best from me and everyone in New South Wales,” she said.

Tags: Covid-19, Exams, HSC, Scone High School