Life At Sydney Girls High School

Curious to see what life at Sydney Girls high School is like?

In this article, we’ll discuss the assessment procedures, accelerated programs, co-curriculars, and high school life in Sydney Girls.

HSC performance

Accelerated programs

Assessments

Assessment period

Students from Year 9-12 follow a formal assessment program. This means that they are allocated a specific assessment block where they will complete their exams and/or assessments.

Here is an example of the dates of each grade’s assessment blocks in 2020.

How are the students graded?

In Year 7-10, Sydney Girls uses NESA’s common grade scale reporting. This means that students are given a grade from A to E based on their knowledge and application of skills:

• A: Extensive knowledge and understanding, can readily apply knowledge and has high level of competence in skills
• B: Thorough knowledge and understanding, and high level of competence in skills
• C: Sound knowledge and understanding, and adequate level of competence in skills
• D: Basic knowledge and understanding of content, and has limited level of competence in skills
• E: Elementary knowledge and understanding in few areas of content, and limited competence in skills

For students in Year 11-12, Sydney Girls uses NESA’s Preliminary Grade Scale.

This means that the students are graded against a set of achievement standards for the subject across the state. The grade from A-E reflects the level of achievement.

Check out NESA’s links identifying the the achievement standards for:

• English grades
• Maths grades

Year 7 and 8

Students are given assessments, tests, and exams in Year 7 and 8.

Year 7 students are required to sit the NAPLAN test, and Year 8 students sit the VALID test.

Year 9

Year 9 students are expected to be more familiar with formal assessment processes, including assessment blocks.

Students must also sit the NAPLAN test in this year.

Year 10

Year 10 students follow a formal assessment program. This means that their exams will be allocated a specific period in during the assessment block.

Year 11

Year 11 students will receive an assessment schedule at the beginning of the year. This includes the dates and weighting for all assessment tasks for each subject.

Year 12

In the beginning of Year 12, students will receive their HSC assessment schedule. This will include all the dates and weightings for all assessment tasks for each subject.

Day in the life of a Sydney Girls High School student

The official school day at Sydney Girls High School begins at 8:55 AM and finishes at 3:20 PM.

With optional Year 8 off-timetable Language classes, extracurricular activities and Senior Extension subjects, school days may begin earlier, or end later than usual.

The day is divided into four 80-minute periods, and there are three breaks:

• 20-minute recess
• 5-minute break between 2nd and 3rd period
• 40-minute lunch break

Senior students typically have one or two free periods per fortnight, which may be used as a study period to catch up on homework or class work, or to work on assignments.

Assessment blocks and Common tasks

Assessment blocks are given exact dates once students enter Years 11 and 12.

For Years 7 – 10, Common Tasks are issued each Term. The number of Common Tasks may vary per subject.

For example, Languages will typically have at least one written and spoken Common Task per term.

On the other hand, Maths will have three Common Tasks, leaving Term 4 as a time to relax from the earlier terms, and to focus on consolidating the assumed knowledge required for the next year.

The busiest times in terms of exams for Junior students are as follows:

• Late term one
• Early term two
• Mid term three
• Early term four

These times are also dependent on when reports for students are due to be approved by the Executives.

Reports and Parent-Teacher interviews

Reports are received at the end of each Semester (i.e. at the end of Terms Two and Four).

Parent-Teacher Interviews are held once per year, usually in Term Two.

This offers a chance for parents to meet with their child’s teachers and discuss their progress.

As a result of COVID-19, the usual in-person Parent-Teacher Interviews have been adapted to take place over the phone.

Co-curricular activities

School is not all about academic studies. It’s a place for you to cultivate your interests and develop necessary soft and social skills.

That is why Sydney Girls High School offers a range of co-curricular activities. This includes sports, creative arts, fun clubs and leadership opportunities!