YEAR 10 & 12 CERTIFICATE

Sherwood Hills Christian School is a registered school from Years K-12, but we are exempt from accreditation on religious grounds.  In order to receive that exemption, the school must meet all requirements from the New South Wales Education Authority (NESA) before we can apply for the exemption. 

The school must meet all requirements of each syllabus/subject for our students. In order to do this, we utilise a school-based Year 10 and Year 12 educational program, currently the student-directed Accelerated Christian Education program combined with a regular teacher-directed program whereby we meet all the syllabus requirements per core subject. The important difference with our Year 10 and Year 12 certificate is that students must pass each subject to receive either certificate.  Students who do not pass the required subjects will repeat that year of study.

Since our school is exempt from accreditation our students are not eligible for the ROSA nor are they able to sit for the HSC.  Instead, the school-based Year 10 and Year 12 Certificate that we offer is accepted by NESA as completion of a Year 10 and Year 12 level of education.

The Year 10 and Year 12 Certificate that we offer is accepted by all TAFEs, Colleges, Apprenticeship programs, the Defence Force and all Universities.  In order to be offered a place at University, the senior students are required to complete the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), which is a university entrance exam conducted in one day and recognised around the world. The Senior Students receive extensive practice lessons to prepare for this test. Upon completion of the SAT, the students receive a SAT score which they use to apply to the University Admissions Centre, who then convert the SAT score into an equivalent ATAR (HSC) score.  Our students have successfully gained entry into all universities in New South Wales since the mid-1980s. 

The school has successfully operated in this manner since its inception in 1979.

Explanation of the Year 10 Program

Sherwood Hills Christian School is a registered school with the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA), but we are not an accredited Year 10 school.  This means that the subjects delivered by the school are approved by the NESA as being courses that meet the requirements for accreditation, but as the school does not currently deliver a language course in High School we are unable to be classified as accredited.  

The school offers a school-based Year 10 that requires each student to pass each subject, or complete the required amount of PACE work, before they can receive their Year 10 school-based certificate.  Any student who does not pass each subject or complete the required amount of PACE work, will stay in year 10 the following school year until they meet all the requirements.

The school-based Year 10 that we offer is accepted by TAFE, apprenticeship programs and prospective employers as certification that a student has attained a certain level of education.

TVET Studies

Students in Years 11 & 12 may choose to undertake a one- or two-year course in a particular TVET course.  This course will require parent payment of the course fees.  This fee will vary depending on what course you enrol in.  A student who enrolls in a TVET course is responsible for their own transport to and from the course.

Any student wishing to undertake a TVET course in Year 11 or 12 must inform the school office before the end of term 3 of their Year 10 or Year 11 school year.   For more information regarding this program please visit their website: https://www.tafensw.edu.au/courses/types/tvet.htm

Explanation of the Year 12 Graduate Program (SAT, etc)

Sherwood Hills Christian School does not offer the NSW HSC program.  The school offers a school-based Year 12 Academic Certificate.  This certificate is recognised as an international year 12 certificate.  Students who undertake a senior program of study do so with the majority use of the PACE program.  Students are required to complete a specific amount of work in order to receive the ACE Year 12 Academic Certificate.  If they do not finish and pass the required amount of work by the end of their Year 12 year, they will need to return to school in order to finish and pass the required amount of work.

The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and University entrance:

Students wishing to proceed onto University after completing their studies must take the SAT exam. This SAT exam takes place instead of the HSC exams.  The SAT test is a university entrance exam that is recognised internationally.  Students are required to take the SAT exam and then their marks are sent to the University Admission Centre (UAC) for NSW.  ATAR is the score received by students who sit the HSC. Since our students do not sit the HSC exams, the SAT score is used for the university application instead. UAC then transfers their SAT score into an ATAR equivalent and a student is offered a place in their chosen university course based on their SAT score.  

The school provides SAT preparatory classes for two years to help prepare the student, and students are encouraged to take the exam in Year 11 and Year 12.  The school then sends the higher of the two scores to UAC.  This test is taken at specific venues in NSW.

Sherwood Hills Christian School has an excellent record for students who received offers for university.  In the past 14 years over 90% of students who applied to University have received first round offers.