Record of changes for Studies of Religion I Life Skills
All changes made to Studies of Religion I Life Skills are recorded here. Learn about these updates.
About the record of changes
This record details amendments to the syllabus, school-based assessment and credentialing for the course.
When amendments are published, they are also communicated via NESA official notices in the NESA News.
New course option for Stage 6 Studies of Religion Life Skills
Students may now undertake Stage 6 Studies of Religion Life Skills as either a 1-unit or 2-unit course. The new course options will become Studies of Religion I Life Skills and Studies of Religion II Life Skills.
Schools may select outcomes and content from the current Stage 6 Studies of Religion Life Skills course to comprise 60 indicative hours (Studies of Religion I Life Skills) or 120 indicative hours (Studies of Religion II Life Skills).
Implementation of Studies of Religion I Life Skills will be available for Year 11 and 12 students in 2014.
Outcomes credentialed for RoSA
Students undertaking Life Skills courses in Year 11 will have the outcomes they have achieved credentialed for their Record of School Achievement (RoSA). This will involve the same processes that apply to HSC reporting.
New work health and safety legislation
New work health and safety (WHS) laws replaced the occupational health and safety (OHS) laws in NSW on 1 January 2012.
As a result of this new legislation, any reference in Years 7–10 syllabuses and support materials; Stage 6 syllabuses, support materials and associated documents; other Board advice or documents to:
- ‘occupational health and safety’ is replaced by ‘work health and safety’
- ‘OHS’ is replaced by ‘WHS’
- Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 (NSW) is replaced by Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) (as amended)
- Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2001 (NSW) is replaced by Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (NSW) (as amended).
These changes are effective immediately, including where applicable for 2012 HSC exams and beyond.
In the 2012 HSC exams, questions related to work health and safety legislation and requirements will be phrased in such a way that students who are unaware of the changes will not be disadvantaged.
Details regarding the new legislation, including key changes for NSW, are available on the WorkCover NSW website under ‘Work health and safety’.
Enhanced processes for credentialling
The Board of Studies has introduced enhanced processes for credentialling Higher School Certificate students who are undertaking Life Skills courses.
The new processes are effective from 2011.
Key amendments include:
- The Board of Studies NSW will generate and issue the HSC Profile of Student Achievement to the student in January, as part of their official HSC credentials.
- The HSC Profile of Student Achievement will no longer be issued by schools.
- Schools will enter information in Schools Online relating to Life Skills outcomes achieved for each student undertaking one or more HSC Life Skills courses.
- Life Skills outcome collection will follow the same timeline as submission of HSC assessment marks (opening on Schools Online from 8 August, 2011).
- Schools may now download from Schools Online personalised Life Skills Outcomes Worksheets for each student enrolled in an HSC Life Skills course to assist in the collection of information relating to achievement of outcomes in each Life Skills course.
New Stage 6 Human Society and Its Environment Life Skills Syllabus
The Board reviewed the Stage 6 Citizenship and Society Life Skills Syllabus (1999, amended 2007) to provide:
- additional curriculum options in the HSIE Learning Area
- a continuum of learning from the Life Skills outcomes and content in the Years 7–10 syllabuses.
As part of the review, a new Stage 6 Human Society and Its Environment Life Skills Syllabus was developed to replace the Stage 6 Citizenship and Society Life Skills Syllabus. The new syllabus will be implemented in 2012 for students undertaking a Preliminary course or courses from the syllabus. Teachers will continue to use the existing syllabus for students studying the Preliminary Citizenship and Society Life Skills course in 2011 and HSC Stage 6 Citizenship and Society Life Skills course in 2011 and 2012.
Remove reference to 'special program of study'
The study of one or more Life Skills courses in Stage 6 is no longer considered by the Board of Studies to be a ‘special program of study’. The Board wishes to advise teachers of minor amendments to the web versions of the Stage 6 Life Skills Syllabuses and support materials. The effect of the amendments is to remove reference to a ‘special program of study’.