Twenty-three exam marks were shared between the lower and intermediate level maths courses,but many students in the non-calculus standard courseclaimed they were blindsided by the more difficult content. NESA has received complaints from parents,teachers and students about the exam.
"We are taking this feedback on board and,as is normal,will undertake analysis of how students approached the questions in this year’s maths exams,"Mr Martin said.
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But he said exams varied in difficulty each year and must differentiate student achievement. He said all students'results would ultimately be subject to a process that fairly aligned them to performance bands.
Some parents told theHerald their children had returned home in tears or despondent after the test;others labelled it a"cruel"or"soul-crushing"exam after achallenging year.
"A well-prepared student should come away[from an exam] feeling it was fair ... Most HSC students came out of yesterday's standard maths HSC exam reeling in dismay,"one parent said.
Another parent,who is also a school counsellor,said students were shattered."Not only were they unable to answer a lot of the questions,but they also made the very valid point that there were unable to show what they have learnt and studied this year."