Assessment
Course standards
Course standards are comprised of syllabus standards and performance standards. Syllabus outcomes and content form the syllabus standards that describe what students are expected to know, understand and do. Performance standards, including the Common Grade Scale for Preliminary courses, HSC Performance Band Descriptions and Achievement Level Descriptions (for HSC courses with grades only) describe how well students have achieved in relation to syllabus standards. Performance standards are used to report student achievement on NESA credentials.
Common Grade Scale for Preliminary courses
The Loading provides generic, holistic descriptions for performance at each of the 5 grade levels. It is used to report student achievement in Year 11 courses in all NSW schools.
Performance Band Descriptions for Visual Arts
HSC performance band descriptions summarise the knowledge, understanding and skills typically demonstrated by students at each band level in a particular course. NESA uses these holistic descriptions to report a student's overall level of achievement in an HSC course.
Band 6
A student who performs at this level typically:
demonstrates extensive knowledge and insightful understanding of Practice through highly developed application of Artworld concepts and Viewpoints to represent meaning
demonstrates highly developed skills in critically analysing meaning in art criticism and art history through well-informed evaluation of Viewpoints and the roles and relationships of Artworld concepts
demonstrates highly skilful application of material techniques to make a cohesive, refined and resolved body of work with a sophisticated understanding of how ideas, concepts and intentions are communicated
demonstrates highly developed skills in applying conventions of Practice and integrating Artworld concepts and Viewpoints highly suited to the conditions of the body of work
skilfully communicates insightful arguments about artists and artworks in a range of critical interpretations and historical accounts.
Band 5
A student who performs at this level typically:
demonstrates thorough knowledge and clear understanding of Practice through well-developed application of Artworld concepts and Viewpoints to represent meaning
demonstrates well-developed skills in critically analysing meaning in art criticism and art history through informed evaluation of Viewpoints and the roles and relationships of Artworld concepts
demonstrates effective application of material techniques to make a cohesive and refined body of work with a clear understanding of how ideas, concepts and intentions are communicated
demonstrates well-developed skills in applying conventions of Practice and integrating Artworld concepts and Viewpoints well suited to the conditions of the body of work
communicates insightful arguments about artists and artworks in a range of critical interpretations and historical accounts.
Band 4
A student who performs at this level typically:
demonstrates sound knowledge and understanding of Practice through sound application of Artworld concepts and Viewpoints to represent meaning
demonstrates sound skills in critically analysing meaning in art criticism and art history through sound evaluation of Viewpoints and the roles and relationships of Artworld concepts
demonstrates application of material techniques to make a cohesive and refined body of work with a sound understanding of how ideas, concepts and intentions are communicated
demonstrates sound skills in applying conventions of Practice and integrating Artworld concepts and Viewpoints suited to the conditions of the body of work
communicates sound arguments about artists and artworks in a range of critical interpretations and historical accounts.
Band 3
A student who performs at this level typically:
demonstrates basic knowledge and understanding of Practice using Artworld concepts and Viewpoints to represent meaning
demonstrates basic skills in analysing meaning in art criticism and art history using Viewpoints and the Artworld concepts
demonstrates application of material techniques to make a body of work with a basic understanding of how ideas, concepts and intentions are communicated
demonstrates basic skills in using conventions of Practice, Artworld concepts and Viewpoints in the body of work
communicates basic arguments and points of view about artists and/or artworks in critical interpretations and/or historical accounts.
Band 2
A student who performs at this level typically:
demonstrates limited knowledge and understanding of Practice using Artworld concepts and/or Viewpoints to represent meaning
demonstrates limited skills in analysing meaning in art criticism and art history using Viewpoints and/or the Artworld concepts
demonstrates use of material techniques to make a body of work with limited understanding of how ideas, concepts and intentions are communicated
demonstrates limited skills in using conventions of Practice, Artworld concepts and/or Viewpoints in the body of work
communicates limited arguments about artists and/or artworks in critical interpretations and/or historical accounts.
Band 1
Performance reported as Band 1 indicates that the minimum standard expected was not demonstrated.