11–12Music 1 11–12 Syllabus (2025)

Schools are required to submit to NESA a grade for each student based on their achievement at the end of the course.

Teachers use professional, on-balance judgement to allocate grades based on the Common Grade Scale for Preliminary courses.

Teachers consider all available assessment information, including formal and informal assessment, to determine the grade that best matches each student’s achievement at the end of the course.

See Assessment Certification Examination (ACE) rules and requirements for further information.

The course components and component weightings for Year 11 are mandatory.

Schools have authority to determine the number, type of task and the weighting allocated to an assessment task. Schools may also follow the sample assessment programs provided by NESA.

Sample assessment program

NESA's sample Year 11 formal school-based assessment program for Music 1 is:

• 3 assessment tasks, including:
  • a practical component(s)
  • a task that assesses the development of composition(s)
  • a formal written examination
  • a weighting for any individual task of 20% to 40%.

Some students with disability may require adjustments in order to access assessment opportunities and demonstrate achievement of outcomes.

NESA requires schools to submit a school-based assessment mark for each Year 12 student who completes this course. Formal school-based assessment tasks should reflect the syllabus outcomes and content. The mark submitted by the school provides a summation of each student’s achievement measured at several points throughout the course.

A school’s program of school-based assessment includes both mandatory and non-mandatory elements.

See Assessment Certification Examination (ACE) rules and requirements for further information.

The course components and component weightings for Year 12 are mandatory.

Schools have authority to determine the number, type of task and the weighting allocated to an assessment task. Schools may also follow the sample assessment programs provided by NESA.

Sample assessment program

NESA's sample Year 12 formal school-based assessment program for Music 1 is:

• 4 assessment tasks, including:
  • a practical component(s)
  • a task that assesses the development of composition(s)
  • a formal written examination
  • a weighting for any individual task of 10% to 40%.

Some students with disability may require adjustments in order to access assessment opportunities and demonstrate achievement of outcomes.

School-based assessment of the development of composition(s)

The following information applies to schools who choose to assess the development of composition(s) as part of the school-based assessment program.

The development of the composition(s) may be assessed as follows:

• one or more stages in the development, such as early exploration of ideas and concepts, evaluation and justification of creative processes
• reflection on the progress and refinement of the composition at a point in time
• the Composition log that students have maintained.

Further information relating to the Composition log can be found in the Music 1 11–12 Syllabus.

For schools that formally assess the development of the HSC practical examinations, appropriate school-based marking guidelines should be developed. Schools should not use the external HSC marking guidelines that have been developed by NESA. Assessment of the development of HSC practical examinations should focus on students engaging in the development process rather than their presentation of a complete product.

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• Adjustments to assessment for students with disability
• Life Skills
• Assessment Certification Examination (ACE)