Steps is for you if you are looking to score top marks in Year 11 and 12, and want to ensure that the study that you do now is relevant to succeeding in Year 11 and 12. The Steps program helps you build strong foundations in Maths and English; the two most important subjects needed to excel in the HSC.

Maths: By developing proficiency in the core topics of Mathematics, you are not only equipped to perform in the higher levels of Mathematics (Extension 1 and 2), you are also well placed to choose the other highest-scaling subjects in the HSC, such as Physics, Chemistry, and Economics.

English: Strong reading, analytic and writing skills are essential for you to succeed in English and the humanities.

Doing well in Mathematics in Year 9 is important not only because it gives you the greatest opportunity in taking the higher levels of Mathematics in Year 11 and 12, but also because mathematical concepts underpin the majority of the theory in other high scaling subjects.

Subjects like Physics, Chemistry and Economics constantly test mathematical concepts and weak numeracy often limits the highest marks that you can achieve in these subjects.

Hence, a strong foundation in Maths well prepare you for success in 8 units of the HSC (the other two units must be English units)

English is the only compulsory subject in the HSC and hence your performance in English is a critical factor in determining your ATAR. Strong textual analysis, and clear and concise writing skills will not only help you develop the foundations needed to succeed in English; these same skills are needed to perform well in humanities, such as History, Geography and Economics.

Whilst many students recognise that English is important, they often start too late. Even for naturally gifted students, it is impossible to become good at English overnight. The Steps English helps you develop these skills early, by building proficiency in textual analysis, creative and essay writing, and public speaking.

Many students who do well in the earlier years of secondary school are often surprised when their rankings and scores start to drop in Year 11 and 12. There are two main reasons for this.

The Steps course builds strong foundations in the fundamental subjects to ensure that you can achieve the top ranks in Year 11 and 12. Having a strong foundation in Maths and English not only helps you score the top ranks in Maths and English, but will also help your score the top ranks in other subjects such as the sciences and humanities.

We understand that excessive tutoring in the junior years can lead to 'burnout' and be counter-productive to your HSC. The Steps course ensures that your time at tuition is efficient and kept to a minimum, and at the same time, develop a strong foundation for success in all subjects you take in the Year 11 and 12.

Whilst there is no 'right' or 'wrong' combination of subjects to take, there are subjects that scale higher in terms of calculating your ATAR. In general, the best subjects to take are:

Doing moderately well in these subjects will ensure that you get a relatively high ATAR whilst doing exceptionally well in the lower scaling subjects will not guarantee you a high ATAR, after the marks have been scaled.

For example, if you were in the Top 1% of Standard English, your score will be scaled lower than someone who ranked in the Top 25% of Advanced English. Similarly, if you scored an average mark in 4 Unit Mathematics it will give you a higher mark than someone who came in the Top 2% for Biology, Top 3% for Economics, and Top 5% of English and Physics. For this reason, students who score an ATAR of over 99 usually take 3U or 4U Mathematics as well as Physics, Chemistry and Advanced English.

For more information on Scaling, read our Scaling FAQ

The courses we offer in Year 9 are Steps Mathematics and Steps English. A strong numerical foundations in taught in Steps Maths in Year 9 will help you successfully transition into our Year 10 Headstart programs, which include Maths, and Physics & Chemistry.

Conversely, our English programs develop the key analytic, reading and writing skills needed for you to succeed in Year 10 English and beyond. It also helps you write concisely and effectively in other subjects such as the humanities.