Providing the widest choice of courses to suit the learning needs of gifted boys
Courses and Subject Choices
Subject selection booklets for Year 9 and Years 11-12 can be downloaded from the file repository.
More detail regarding each key learning area, subject and course choices are accessible on the left-hand side menu.
Year 7 and 8 students follow a compulsory curriculum that is largely determined by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA).
Year 9 and 10 students follow a combination of mandatory and elective subjects. From Year 9 onwards, students can choose an increasing number of elective subjects for each stage.
In Years 11 and 12 students are prepared for the NSW Higher School Certificate. A broad range of courses are offered and the curriculum has a clear path to university entrance. The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) requires students to study a minimum of 12 units in Year 11 and 10 units in Year 12.
Senior Schooling consists of the Stage 6 Curriculum studied during Years 11 and 12. All students must study at least four different subjects totalling a minimum of 12 Units in Year 11 and 10 Units in Year 12 including 2 units of English.
Curriculum choice patterns are formulated from student needs. A small number of students can negotiate or are invited into acceleration in one subject. At Normanhurst Boys High School, students have accelerated in Information Processes & Technology, Chemistry, Geography and Society and Culture.
In Year 7 and 8, students study:
- English
- Mathematics
- Science
- History (Semesterised)
- Geography (Semesterised)
- Technology Mandatory
- Music (Semesterised)
- Visual Arts (Semesterised)
- Drama
- Personal Development, Health and Physical Education
- Languages (French and Japanese)
- WLST (Wellbeing Period)
- English
- Mathematics
- Science
- Geography
- History
- Personal Development, Health and Physical Education
- WLST (Wellbeing Period)
Students also choose to study three elective subjects in Year 9 and 10 from the following elective choices:
- Commerce
- Drama
- Food Technology
- French
- Industrial Technology Engineering
- iSTEM
- Japanese
- Music
- Photographic and Digital Media
- Physical Activity and Sport Studies
- Visual Arts
- Visual Design
In Year 10, students are offered a fourth elective as part of a new curriculum initiative to broaden their learning opportunities. This will be in addition the three electives that they have already chosen. This model provides a chance for students to engage in a subject of interest, talent or passion, or another chance to participate in a course that was not available to them in Year 9. In 2024, the following fourth elective subject choice will run:
- Elective History
- International Studies
- Latin
In Year 11 and 12, all students across NSW must study English, and additionally engage in the fortnightly WLST (Wellbeing Period) lessson. On top of this, students must select a minimum of 12 units worth of courses to study for Year 11, and a minimum of 10 units for Year 12. The following course choices are offered to Year 11 and 12 students:
- Ancient History
- Biology
- Business Studies
- Chemistry
- Drama
- Economics
- Engineering Studies
- English Extension 1
- English Extension 2 (Year 12 only)
- Enterprise Computing (Accelerated in Year 9 and 10)
- Geography (Accelerated in Year 10 and 11)
- French Continuers
- History Extension (Year 12 Only)
- Japanese Continuers
- Japanese Extension (Year 12 only)
- Legal Studies
- Mathematics Advanced
- Mathematics Extension 1
- Mathematics Extension 2 (Year 12 only)
- Modern History
- Music 1
- Music 2
- Music Extension (Year 12 only)
- Personal Development, Health and Physical Education
- Philosophy (Year 11 only)
- Physics
- Society and Culture (Accelerated)
- Software Engineering
- Visual Arts