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Normanhurst Boys High School

Normanhurst Boys High School

Fostering excellence in young men through holistic education

Telephone02 9489 1077

Emailoffice@normanhurstboys.nsw.edu.au

Key learning areas

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)

In Year 9 and 10, all students study:
  • 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