Record of changes for PDHPE Life Skills

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.

Updated guidelines for basic life support

The Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) has released updated guidelines for basic life support.

As a result, any reference in Stage 6 syllabuses, support materials and associated documents to:

• DRABCD – danger, response, airway, breathing, CPR and defibrillator (if available)

is replaced by

• DRSABCD – danger, response, send for help, airway, breathing, CPR and defibrillator (if available).

These changes are effective immediately, including where applicable for 2012 HSC exams and beyond

Details of the updated guidelines are available on the Australian Resuscitation Council website under ‘Flowcharts and signs’ at www.resus.org.au.

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.

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’.