harvestcows said:
ahh okay i see =)...sorry for all the questions but the school never really explained it
and does it test the things that are learnt in year 9 + year 10 or only the things learnt in year 10
Also do the marks you get in schoool (assesments yearly etc.) hold any effect on the SC mark ?
The School Certificate is not like the Higher School Certificate. Unlike the Higher School Certificate, where for every course you take your assessments are really significant for your final mark because they are combined with your examination mark, the School Certificate reports every course you take at school in the form of grades (*i.e. A, B, C, D, E or N) which are based on assessments held by your school. It usually depends on your teachers and faculty, on whether an assessment (e.g. Yearly Exam) is tested on Year 9 and Year 10 work.
*Grade Descriptor
A: Excellent
B: High
C: Substantial
D: Satisfactory
E: Elementary
N: Non-Attempt
The School Certificate external exam is reported separately in the form of performance bands. The mandatory external examinations include English-literacy, Mathematics, Science, Australian History Geography Civics & Citizenship (Note that Australian History and Australian Geography are reported as two different tests, even though when examined, they are combined as one test) and from 2006 Computer Studies. (Computer Studies for now is an optional trial examination)
The topics tested should be from both the Year 9 and 10 syllabus. (There were rumours of changes in Australian History & Geography to examine Year 10 syllabus only, starting from 2006). The majority of School Cerificate exams are based on general knowledge and skills so there really is no need for extreme "intensive" study unless you are a struggling student.
Your reported marks come in a School Certificate Portfolio which is distributed about a month after your external examinations. Here's a guide to what you will find in the portfolio:
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/schoolcertificate/sc_portfolio/sc_portfolio.html
