Key learning areas

English study is mandatory in NSW from Kindergarten to Year 12.

Students learn about the English language through written, spoken and visual texts of increasing complexity as they progress through their schooling.

An understanding of the English language is central to how we communicate and essential for intellectual, social and emotional development.

The study of English should develop a love of literature and learning and be challenging and enjoyable. It develops skills to enable students to experiment with ideas and expression, to become active, independent and lifelong learners, to work with each other and to reflect on their learning.

In Year 11 and 12, the study of English is mandatory. Courses offered include:

• English Advanced
• English Extension 1
  
• English Extension 2 (Year 12 only)
• Drama  

Other English courses are offered based on indivdual needs.

The study of mathematics at Normanhurst Boys High School involves cohort-wide enrichment and acceleration, with a possibility of extra acceleration under exceptional circumstances.

Years 7-8

The Stage 4 curriculum is supplemented by accelerated learning of parts of the Stage 5 course, such as area and volume, advanced algebraic techniques and indices. Students are encouraged to take part in the Australian Mathematics Challenge Stage and Enrichment Stage, offered by the Australian Mathematics Trust (AMT).

Years 9-10

During these two years, all of the option topics in the Stage 5.3 syllabus are taught to equip our students for even more rigorous senior courses.

Years 11-12

The Year 11 and 12 courses offered are:

• Mathematics Advanced – Year 11 and 12
• Mathematics Extension 1 – Year 11 and 12
• Mathematics Extension 2 – Year 12 only

Under exceptional circumstances, Mathematics Standard (Year 11 Course) and Mathematics Standard 2 (Year 12 Course) may be arranged to be studied via distance education.

Course Outlines

Download course outlines and learning programs for mathematics courses from Years 7-12.

Help when it’s needed

At Normanhurst Boys, we use technology innovatively to enhance the learning experience in mathematics and give students the best chance to succeed. This is done by providing online homework assistance and having class notes made available anytime and anywhere for students to access and revise from. The Mathematics Department also supports its students extensively online via Microsoft Teams. Details on how to sign up are distributed at the commencement of each year.

A study of science is mandatory for all students from Kindergarten to Year 10.

In science, students explore the natural and made worlds. They learn how to apply scientific skills, knowledge and understanding across a broad range of contexts.

Science provides a way of inquiring about the world around us. It explores evidence and investigates ways to discover, develop and produce solutions to real-world problems. The inquiry and skill-based nature of science opens doors to ideas and discoveries.

In Years 11 and 12, students can choose from different science disciplines, including:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Investigating Science
• Physics
• Science Extension (Year 12 only, not offered in 2019)

In human society and its environment (HSIE), History and Geography are mandatory from Year 7-10. Students learn specific historical and geographical concepts and skills in History and Geography.

In Year 9-10, students have the opportunity to learn more about people and the societies and environments in which they live, by taking:

• Elective History
• Elective Geography
• Commerce

A large number of individual subjects make up the key learning area of HSIE in which students:

• research, gather and analyse information
• question and make judgements
• write for a variety of purposes.

In Year 11 and 12, students can choose from a range of HSIE courses. These include:

• Modern History
• Ancient History
• History Extension (Year 12 only)
• Business Studies
• Economics
• Legal Studies
• Geography (accelerated – students study the Year 11 course in Year 10 and the Year 12 course in Year 11)
• Society and Culture (accelerated – students study the Year 11 course in Year 10 and the Year 12 course in Year 11)

Technological and applied studies (TAS) courses in Year 7-10, aim to build real-world technical skills to prepare our young men for success in the 21st century. We offer a wide array of learning contexts within the areas of STEM (Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics) to challenge gifted students and encourage them to develop practical knowledge.

Digital Technologies, Food Technology and Engineering are our most popular subject areas due to outstanding academic performance, teacher expertise and high levels of student engagement. Our subjects expand student understanding of how mathematics and sciences are used in technology industries while honing their ability to manage projects and work in teams. In fact, Problem and Project-Based Learning underpin many learning units including mechatronics, aerodynamics, 3D CAD/CAM, civil structures and software development projects.

The continuum of technology learning is:

• based on students becoming increasingly sophisticated in their ability to design and produce solutions for authentic needs and opportunities
• an option for student specialisation in high school through a range of syllabuses addressing particular technologies and aspects of design.

TAS is mandatory for all students in Year 7 and 8, after which, students can select from a range of elective TAS subjects.

Available courses include:

• Technology Mandatory Year 7-8
• Food Technology Year 9-10
• Information and Software Technology Year 9-10
• Industrial Technology - Engineering Year 9-10
• Engineering Studies Year 11-12
• Information Processes and Technology (accelerated – students study the Year 11 course in Year 9, and Year 12 course in Year 10)
• Software Design and Development Year 11-12

In creative arts, students discover a variety of art forms through a study of dance, drama, Music and Visual Arts.

By studying the creative arts, students learn to appreciate, compose, listen, make and perform. Each art form has its own unique knowledge and skills, elements or concepts as well as a capacity to inspire and enrich lives. Students must study 100 hours of both music and visual arts during Years 7 to 10. They also have an opportunity to further develop their knowledge and skills in other art forms through elective subjects. Students can then select from a range of courses in Years 11 to 12.

Visual Arts

In contemporary societies many kinds of knowledge are increasingly managed through imagery and visual codes and much of students' knowledge is acquired in this way. Visual Arts empowers students to engage in visual forms of communication and provides an outlet for students to express their personal view of the world in which they live.

The courses offered at Normanhurst Boys are:

• Visual Arts Year 7-10
• Visual Arts Year 11-12
• Photography and Digital Media Year 9-10
• Photogram to Instagram Year 9-10
• Visual Design Year 9-10

Music

The courses offered are:

• Music Year 7-10
• Music Technology Year 10
  
• Music 1 Year 11-12
• Music 2 Year 11-12
• Music Extension Year 12

Personal development, health and physical education (PDHPE) is mandatory from Kindergarten to Year 10.

PDHPE provides students with opportunities to explore issues that are likely to impact on the health, safety and wellbeing of themselves and others – now and in the future. Students also participate in challenging and enjoyable physical activity, improving their capacity to move with skill and confidence.

In Year 11 and 12, courses available include:

• Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE)

In NSW high schools, languages is a key learning area.

Language study allows students to develop communication skills, learn about languages as systems and explore the relationship between language and culture. Students engage with the linguistic and cultural diversity of societies and reflect on their understanding of how people interact.

The study of a language is compulsory for 100 hours in one continuous school year from Year 7 to Year 10, but preferably in Years 7 or 8.

In Years 11 and 12, NSW schools offer a wide variety of languages, catering for beginning students to background speakers.

We offer the following elective language courses:

• Japanese (Year 9-10)
  
• Japanese Continuers (Year 11-12)
  
• French (Year 9-10)
  
• French Continuers Year 11-12)

The A Team at Normanhurst Boys High School delivers quality teaching and learning to students with special needs. It consists of three Autism Support Classes with a maximum number of 7 students per class.

The unit strives to work in partnership with parents, carers, external organisations and fellow teaching colleagues to develop unique and relevant learning experiences. Students can engage with a fulltime Life Skills pattern of study or a tailored program to their unique needs in which differentiated curriculum drives the teaching and learning process.

Our programs focus on providing a least restrictive environment in which many of our students can venture out into mainstream classes across faculties, based on their individual strengths and interests. The inclusion of students into mainstream classes and activities provides social and academic opportunities essential for the students’ individual success at school and in the future. As Normanhurst Boys High School is fully selective, opportunities for integration is dependent on availability.

The school also collaborates with others schools in the area to plan and prepare students for transition to their local high schools.

Ultimately, our classrooms are fun, innovative and embrace learning and pedagogy for success of the learner. Importantly, all the full time teachers within the A Team are specialised education practitioners.

For more information on Support classes in regular schools (subject to placement panel procedures) please visit the following Disability, Learning and support page from the Department of Education.