Languages in NSW schools and the HSC: a parent's guide

Languages in NSW can feel like a maze. Primary schools may or may not offer one, high school has a set amount, and the HSC has several course types with names that are not obvious. This guide sets out what the NSW Government and the Department of Education say, and points you to the pages to check for the current detail. Rules change, so treat this as a map and confirm with your school.

What does NSW require before Year 11?

Primary school (K-6). Languages are optional. The NSW Department of Education says schools are not required to start a languages program, but any primary school that runs one must use the Modern Languages syllabus (NSW Department of Education).

Years 7 to 10. Each student takes a single language for one unbroken year, ideally early in high school (Year 7 or 8). That year is the mandatory 100 hours. Schools decide which language to offer, and the department notes this depends on resources, especially whether a school has a qualified languages teacher. That means the language your child studies in Year 7 may not be one you chose.

The syllabus. The Modern Languages K-10 Syllabus (2022) is a single framework that can be used to teach any modern language in NSW, rather than a separate syllabus for each. It replaced a set of language-specific syllabuses, and NSW provides language-specific support for 19 languages. Aboriginal Languages, Auslan and Classical Languages have their own syllabuses (NSW Government, Languages). Implementation began in 2024.

What language courses exist for the HSC?

The NSW Government's languages page sets out the Stage 6 (Years 11 and 12) courses. Alongside an Aboriginal Languages course, there are Beginners, Continuers, In Context, Literature and Extension courses for other languages.

Beginners. The Beginners page says these courses give students a chance to develop linguistic and intercultural knowledge and understanding, along with the speaking, listening, reading and writing skills needed to communicate. It does not spell out who the course is for, and notes that students must meet eligibility criteria for some Stage 6 languages courses. It lists Chinese, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Modern Greek and Spanish (Beginners).

Continuers. The Continuers page lists a much longer set of languages, 32 when we checked, including Arabic, Armenian, Chinese, French, German, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Modern Greek, Punjabi, Spanish and Vietnamese (Continuers). Gujarati did not appear on that page when we looked.

Others. We could not read which languages have an In Context, Literature or Extension course, so check the NSW pages for your language.

Who is eligible for which course?

Some courses have eligibility rules, and the page we read sets out the general pattern (eligibility):

Students apply for an eligibility determination before they enrol, and the principal makes the decision. The criteria and forms are detailed on the NSW page, so ask your school's languages teacher or careers adviser early, ideally in Year 10.

What if the school doesn't teach our language?

For families who speak another language at home, the Secondary College of Languages is a NSW Department of Education school that offers a pathway for studying a background community language on Saturday mornings, with campuses in Sydney, Wollongong and Newcastle. It is open to students from government and non-government schools (Secondary College of Languages). We could not read a language list on that page, so check which languages are currently available. Our piece on heritage languages at home covers other options.

What should I ask the school?

A few questions tend to save confusion later:

1. Which language will my child study in Years 7 to 10, and in which year?
2. Is the 100 hours taught as one continuous block, as the department describes?
3. Does the school offer a Stage 6 course in this language, or would my child need another provider?
4. If my child speaks the language at home, which course might apply, and who decides eligibility?
5. Are there timetable or cost differences for study outside school hours?

Schools know their own timetable and staffing, and the answers can differ from one school to the next.

How can a family support school language study?

The school gives limited hours, so some short practice at home can fill gaps. Reasonable ideas:

• Ask your child to teach you three new words from class each week.
• Practise a few minutes, several times a week, rather than a long block before a test.
• Listen to short texts or songs in the language.
• Keep a simple word list and review it.

Our parent's guide to home practice has a longer routine, and the CEFR explainer shows the kinds of things a learner can do at each step.

A note on XLingo

XLingo is a languages course for families and adult learners, covering eleven languages across six levels. Its B1 levels include units on everyday themes such as family and friends, work and being young today. We do not claim that this matches any NSW syllabus, and we make no promise about HSC results. The price and free trial are on the pricing page.