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Wyndham College

Wyndham College

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Trial HSC Update

Trial HSC Update

Information for Year 12 about the written Trial HSC / Alternative Task in response to COVID19. 

Dear Parents/Carers and Year 12 Students

Re: Written Trial HSC Examinations/Alternative Tasks in Response to COVID-19

The NSW Government today announced that HSC students or those completing Year 12 in the identified LGAs including Blacktown, will not return to school at this time but continue to learn from home until otherwise advised.

We thank you for your patience as we considered what this would mean for the Wyndham College community and in particular, the written Trial HSC examinations. This year, NESA has allowed schools to adjust their assessment program in response to the current COVID-19 situation. To ensure equity and fairness for every student, Wyndham College has decided to use alternatives to the traditional written Trial HSC examinations, in order to finalise students’ school-based assessment marks.

We are aware of the important role the written Trial HSC examination has, as a means of practicing for the actual HSC. Thus, other opportunities for exam practice will be provided as and when it becomes safe to do so.

At Wyndham College, our approach will be to provide an alternative task for each subject that was scheduled for a written Trial HSC examination. The alternative assessments will be fair and rigorous and are scheduled to commence on 16 August 2021. Significant differences in student performance will be monitored and addressed appropriately. A ‘Timetable for Assessment Task 4’ will be attached to the email to which this letter is also attached. The specific information for each course will be provided by Year 12 class teachers.

All students will have the opportunity to complete their HSC from 19 October. Planning is underway to ensure that the final examinations can occur in a COVID-safe way in line with Health advice. NESA will provide further advice on the impact on oral and performance examinations.

NESA has also reminded students that the new COVID-19 Special Consideration Program is available for any student who experiences significant COVID-related disruption or disadvantage in their preparation for language (oral), performance exams and the completion of their major projects.

It’s extremely important that we all continue to support student wellbeing at this time. We want to take this opportunity to remind all students of the counselling support and the COVID Intensive Learning & Support Program (COVID ILSP) tutorials, which are available to all our students. For information regarding the COVID ILSP, please contact the COVID ILSP Co-ordinator, Anjani Bachu, via email - anjani.bachu2@det.nsw.edu.au

If needed, students can reach out to their Year Advisers and Head Teacher Wellbeing and, for any student who requires urgent wellbeing and/or counselling support, our School Counsellor, Anna Jakymin may be contacted via email - Anna.Jakymin@det.nsw.edu.au.  Also available for contact is Juanita McMillan via email – juanita.mcmillan@det.nsw.edu.au

The Wellbeing Team will continue to check in with you regularly. The college will also continue to conduct weekly Zoom Year Meetings. The Year 12 meeting will be on Thursday mornings at 10am. We will use these meetings to advise the latest information we have available.

We encourage all students to continue with the online learning platforms in preparation for the alternative assessments and the HSC. The current health orders allow Year 12 students to come on-site to collect their major works so they can continue to work on them at home. Of course, we must adhere to all COVID-19 safety protocols, including the wearing of masks. Please advise the college, in advance if you would like to collect your works, technology etc.

For information regarding the Pfizer COVID Vaccination Program available for Year 12/HSC students, please refer to the email and attached documents sent on the evening of 4 August and the correspondence forwarded, also via email on 5 August 2021.

As information and situations are changing rapidly, we ask that you regularly check our normal communication channels for updates - email, Facebook, lnstagram and the Wyndham College website.

The date for the Year 12 graduation has been postponed to 15 November and the Formal to 25 November. More information will be forwarded later.

We wish to reassure all Year 12 students and their families that the wellbeing of our students and staff is paramount. The college will ensure no student's education will be disadvantaged.

Please contact the college if there is anything we can do to assist our students and their families. Thank you again for your support, as we continue to work together to respond to COVID-19.

Please take care.

Kind regards

Karen Smith - Principal & Brian Ewin - Deputy Principal Y12