Stage 5 Subject Options

Welcome to Stage 5, and the subjects available to those in Year 9 and 10.


The commencement of Stage 5 learning is an exciting time for our students. For the first time in their school journeys, students are able to make choices in terms of the curriculum they study. Avondale School’s innovative Stage 5 curriculum offers a broad range of courses, allowing students to develop the requisite knowledge, skills and dispositions essential for their further learning and success in life after school, or as we like to say - Real Learning for Real Life.

STAGE 5: YEAR 9 & 10 SUBJECT LINES 2023-24

Compulsory subject lines for both years:

In addition, students will select one elective course from each of the following lines.

Please note: These lines may change if the number of students expressing interest in any subject/s is too low.

Elective Subjects for Year 9 and 10:

LINE 1: 

LINE 2: 


Stage 5 Subject Booklet [PDF]
Record of Student Achievement (RoSA)

Students entering Year 9 are eligible for the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) credential, the Record of School Achievement (RoSA) when they have completed Stage 5 at the end of Year 10. The RoSA will be issued to students only if they complete Year 10 and leave school before they complete the HSC. Students must have:

  • Attended a government school, or have attended a registered non-government school to which a current certificate of accreditation for presentation of candidates for the Record of School Achievement applies, or have attended a school outside New South Wales recognised by NESA
  • Participated in and satisfactorily completed courses of study which have been determined as appropriate by the NESA for the
  • Record of School Achievement
  • To the NESA’s satisfaction, undertaken the requisite examinations or other forms of assessment Completed Year 10
Issuance of RoSA

Students, who the Principal has indicated are leaving school and have met all the requirements, will receive a Record of School Achievement credential from the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA). Students, who are leaving school, but who have not met the requirements for the Record of School Achievement, will receive a Transcript of Study from NESA.

Changing Selections

The elective choices students make for the commencement of Stage 5 are for two years, however, students may apply to change elective subjects at the end of Year 9. Considerable effort is made to satisfy the requests from students, however, it should be noted that class changes will only be possible when there is room in the new classes being selected. Requests for change will not be granted if they render the student ineligible to complete the Stage 5 requirements.

Students will be provided with printouts of their unit selections on several occasions throughout Stage 5. These will be used to check that the courses being undertaken by each student satisfy the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) requirements.

What follows in this booklet are information pages and videos relating to the full suite of compulsory and elective courses offered at Avondale School. Please take some time to read and view this information as you consider the pattern of study your child would like to take in Stage 5. You may also like to contact teaching staff if you have any questions about any of the courses. To assist you to contact these staff, their email addresses have also been included throughout this booklet. At the beginning of Term 3, parents will receive more direction about subject choices before students will be able to formally make their elective choices.