Newcastle students to gain access to advanced HSC subjects through Aurora College

newy.com.au – Newcastle public high school students will be able to study advanced and extension HSC subjects through NSW’s virtual public school from 2027, as part of a statewide guarantee aimed at widening access to academically demanding courses.

The Minns government says its new HSC Subject Guarantee will allow every NSW public high school to offer a suite of senior subjects through Aurora College, regardless of a student’s postcode or the subjects available face to face at their local school.

Until now, access to HSC courses through Aurora College has been limited to students in rural and remote parts of NSW. The expansion will open the virtual public school to students across the state, including in Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong.

While Year 11 and 12 students can choose from more than 120 HSC courses, not every public school is able to provide every subject in classrooms. The government says Aurora College will help address that gap by connecting students with specialist teachers for subjects their school may not otherwise be able to offer.

The 11 HSC courses to be offered virtually to all public school students for the first time are English Advanced, English Extension 1, English Extension 2, Mathematics Advanced, Mathematics Extension 1, Mathematics Extension 2, Chemistry, Physics, Science Extension, Economics and History Extension.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said the change was designed to ensure students could pursue subjects that matched their strengths and ambitions.

“Every HSC student in a NSW public school should be able to choose the courses they want to study, setting themselves up for success, regardless of their postcode or which public school they attend,” Ms Car said.

“That’s why the Minns Labor Government is expanding access to advanced and extension HSC subjects, ensuring all students can reach their full potential at school.

“Our government will ensure every student can pursue their passion and strengths as we continue our work to build a stronger public education system.”

The subject expansion builds on the government’s Inspire High Potential and Gifted Education program, which is being rolled out across NSW public schools. Schools are now expected to embed high potential and gifted education in their teaching, with their Inspire offerings published on school websites.

The government has also committed $100 million to build learning facilities at 33 high potential and gifted education partner schools across NSW and to roll out new extension class opportunities. It says the expansion is supported by efforts to rebuild the teaching workforce, with teacher vacancies now at a 12-year low following a wage rise and workload reduction measures.