Find out more about what your child will learn at our school.
The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) is responsible for the curriculum, Kindergarten to Year 12, for all NSW schools.
For the high school years, NESA develops syllabuses for all subjects in 8 key learning areas:
- creative arts
- English
- human society and its environment (HSIE)
- languages
- mathematics
- personal development, health and physical education (PDHPE)
- science
- technological and applied studies (TAS).
NSW schools also offer special religious education and special education in ethics via approved providers, where available.
Within these key learning areas there are courses and elective subjects.
Detailed information about the courses offered at Mount Austin High School is available in the curriculum handbooks.
Mandatory Courses in Years 7-10 are studied by all students in NSW public schools and are set by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA).
Students also choose from a range of elective courses that we offer depending on teacher expertise and the number of students interested in that subject. Information on mandatory and elective courses is available in NESA syllabus course descriptions (PDF 163 KB).
Eligible students who leave school prior to receiving their Higher School Certificate will receive the NSW Record of School Achievement.
Like all NSW schools, we have developed teaching and learning programs to suit our local context and the needs of our students.
To learn more about the curriculum in NSW, visit:
- NSW Department of Education – key learning areas
- NESA’s Parent Guide – Schooling in NSW which provides information about learning stages, key learning areas and syllabuses
- NSW Department of Education policy – Curriculum planning and programming, assessing and reporting to parents K–12.
Stages of learning
There are 6 stages of learning from Kindergarten to Year 12. High school covers Stages 4 to 6.
- Stage 4 includes Years 7 and 8.
- Stage 5 includes Years 9 and 10.
- Stage 6 includes Years 11 and 12.
Years 11 and 12 - Senior College
In Years 11 and 12 students study for the Higher School Certificate (HSC).
HSC courses
There are two types of courses students can study in the senior college at Mount Austin High School:
Board developed courses
These courses are set and externally examined by NESA, and may contribute to the calculation of an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR).
These include courses in
- English
- Mathematics
- Science
- Technological and applied studies
- Creative arts
- Personal development, health and physical education
- Human society and its environment
- Languages
- Vocational Education and Training (VET) curriculum frameworks
Read a list of the subjects available and a description of each course on the NESA website.
Board endorsed courses
These courses are developed by schools, TAFE institutes or universities. They count towards the HSC but do not count towards the calculation of an Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR).
Vocational education and training courses
Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses are either Board developed courses, which may contribute to the calculation of an ATAR, or Board endorsed courses.
VET courses give students work-related skills in a variety of industry areas. Students will receive a nationally recognised qualification when they complete their course.
Some VET courses are studied at school while others can be studied at TAFE institutes and other training providers. Many VET courses involve work placement.
Board developed VET courses are available in a number of industry curriculum frameworks, such as hospitality and information technology.
Other programs
Additional programs are offered at Mount Austin High School, for more information visit programs.
Related information
- Department of Education - English as a second language program
- Department of Education - Curriculum, assessing and reporting to parents policy
- Department of Education - Homework policy - information in community languages
- Department of Education - Career development for students (in community languages)