While the HSC can be a stressful time for any student, this year's Year 12 cohort have faced plenty of uncertainty in the lead up to their exams.
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Following months of questions surrounding the exams, local students have expressed concerns after it was announced earlier this month that the HSC would be delayed until November 9.
The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) issued a revised timetable, with 110 exams taking place over 19 days, ending on December 3.
Students will then receive their ATARs on January 20, 2022, with their HSC results released on January 24.
Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell said after a disruptive and stressful year, students now have the certainty of the timetable and eight weeks to focus on preparing for their exams.
"Being able to sit all their exams safely is the best and fairest outcome for our HSC students," Ms Mitchell said.
"Whether our students go on to university, vocational training or take on employment, it is important all of them are able to sit their exams and demonstrate what they know.
"I know that teachers, families and friends are supporting our HSC students every step of the way, and that the whole NSW community is wishing them well after a tough 18 months."
However local year 12 student Ashleigh Denison said the delay of exams has left her less motivated.
"I think it's gotten to the point now where we are all over it," she said.
"We're all just sick of it and I don't think anyone is taking their studies seriously anymore cause we just think it's a joke really.
"I'd rather get it out of the way, either do it and get it done and out of the way and then have special consideration from unis being understanding of the situation or just completely cut it off and go by exam results that we've already done."
Ashleigh said the speculation in the lead up to the announcement, as well as being forced to learn from home, had an impact on her studies.
"The whole lead up to that news, where the news articles were just releasing random stuff they've heard... saying that we'll have to sit the HSC outside, or saying just random stuff like that is really distracting," she said.
"I'm finding it really difficult especially because at school you're in a different environment, your mind is more set on it.
"Whereas at home, I'm in my bedroom, this is my own space so I get very distracted and I can't focus very well."
While he hasn't been too impacted by the delay of exams, fellow Year 12 student Finn Ryan said it's been difficult to get major assessments and revision done during the lockdown.
"I finished both of my major assessments now... the HSC markers can't come out, which is a little bit unfortunate," he said.
"I think most of my teachers probably feel the same way that the students do. I've actually finished all of my course work so it's mostly been just revision at this point in time but it's a little bit hard to do some of the revision for some of my courses."
Ashleigh says she has sorely missed face-to-face learning with teachers.
"For me anyway, when I don't understand something, I can't move onto something else, I just give up," she said.
"It's not great."
Looking to their last weeks of school, Finn says it's been difficult to celebrate the end of his schooling career due to the pandemic.
"It's all been a bit of a let down really," he said.
"It's all been the massive build up and then nothing. I've just sat at home and wondering what might be tomorrow's news.
"It's been nothing of what I've been expecting in all my six years of high school."
For Ashleigh, not being able to enjoy the same rites of passage as previous Year 12 students is disappointing.
"We're going to spend our whole summer just worrying about these results," she said.
"We're just all disappointed because we don't get a graduation."
Both students plan on attending university next year, with Ashleigh hoping to attend the University of Canberra and Finn receiving early entry to Charles Sturt University in Bathurst.
While students have been reassured the delay won't impact university offers, Ashleigh isn't as certain.
"I don't expect us to do very well," she said.
Strict COVID safe protocols, supported by NSW Health, will be in place to protect students, exam supervisors and school staff when HSC exams commence.
The protocols for a COVID-safe HSC require exam supervisors to be fully vaccinated and strongly encourage eligible HSC students to receive two vaccine doses before exams start.
Other safety measures include:
- Mandatory face masks for students and staff, indoors and outdoors
- Check-in and health screening protocols for students and staff
- Physical distancing between students and staff at all times
- Minimising mingling of student groups
- Keeping exam group sizes as small as possible
- Desks spaced a minimum of 1.5 metres apart and exam rooms well ventilated
- Hygiene marshals and regular cleaning of exam rooms.
An illness and misadventure process is available for students who are unable to attend an exam due to having a positive COVID-19 test result, or being a close contact.