Our Philosophy

The Social Science Faculty strives to become a faculty of excellence in teaching and learning by encouraging independent thinking and creativity in an intellectually stimulating environment.

Our objectives

• To implement teaching strategies for the development of independent and critical thinking;
• To develop a stimulating and cooperative learning environment for both staff and students;
• To prepare students for active involvement within our contemporary society.

Junior School Courses

All students study Geography for 1 semester (2 terms) in Years 7, 8, 9. In Year 10, Geography is studied throughout the year. Commerce is studied as an elective subject in Years 9 and 10.

Geography
The aim of the Geography Years 7–10 program is to stimulate students’ enjoyment of and interest in the interaction of the physical and human environments. Students achieve this as they develop geographic knowledge, understanding, skills, values and attitudes and engage in the community as informed and active citizens.

Commerce
The aim of the Commerce Years 7–10 program is to enable young people to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills to research and develop solutions to consumer, financial, legal, business and employment issues in order to make informed and responsible decisions as individuals and as part of the community.

Senior School Courses

HSC courses in Business studies, Earth and Environmental Science, Economics, Geography and Legal Studies are offered to students for study in Years 11 and 12. Our HSC results in these subjects have consistently been considerably above the state average.

Business Studies
The Preliminary course is based on a study of four compulsory topics (Nature of Business, Key Business Functions, Establishing a Business, Developing a Business Plan) and the completion of a Business Research Task. The Business Research Task is a project undertaken throughout the course to support course concepts. The HSC course is based on a study of five compulsory topics (Business Management and Change, Financial Planning and Management, Marketing, Employment Relations, Global Business).  The ordering of the topics is not prescriptive and in practice may be influenced by students’ needs, interests and access to case study and other resources.
Business Studies Course Structure

Economics
The Preliminary course is essentially microeconomic in nature, focusing on aspects of the economic behaviour of consumers, business and governments. Much of this behaviour is influenced by the operation of markets. Two key markets, the labour market and the financial market, are examined in detail. The Preliminary course provides an essential foundation for the HSC course. The HSC course focuses on the management of an economy and is therefore essentially macroeconomic in nature. It examines the external framework in which the Australian economy operates. The course investigates the impact of the global economy on the Australian economy and the link between economic issues and the management of an economy, with specific reference to the Australian economy.
Economics Course Structure

Geography
In the preliminary course, students undertake study of two topic areas: Biophysical Interactions and Global Challenges. They also undertake a major Geography Project to complete their year 11 assessment. In the HSC Course, students study three topic areas: Ecosystems at Risk, Urban Places and People and Economic Activity.
Geography Course Structure

Legal Studies
Legal Studies develops students' knowledge, understanding and skills in relation to the legal system and its effectiveness in promoting a just and fair society, with a view to empowering students to participate effectively as citizens at the local, national and international level. Studied themes include Justice, law and society, Culture, values and ethics, Legal processes and institutions, Conflict and cooperation and the Effectiveness of the legal system. In the preliminary course, students study two broad topics of the basics of the legal system and the Individual and the State. They then perform a focus study of two marginalised groups and their position the the law. In the HSC course, students engage in the topics of Law and Society and a number of focus studies on crime (compulsory) and two other general themes in law.
Legal Studies Course Structure

Earth and Environmental Science
Earth and Environmental Science is the study of the Earth and its processes. The course aims to provide an understanding of systems and processes in both aquatic and terrestrial environments. It seeks to explore changes that have occurred during Earth’s history, including changes in the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere and biosphere, and the evolution of organisms since the origin of life on Earth
Earth and Environmental Science Course Structure

Outcomes and Results

Careers and Tertiary Courses
Tertiary courses in Commerce, Economics, Business and Law are very popular choices for students when they leave Sydney Boys High School.

Consistently, over 35% of students from High selected university courses in Commerce/Economics, Business and Actuarial Studies while 10% of students selected combined Law courses, others entered courses requiring further studies in Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

Fieldwork
Excursions and fieldtrips remain a part of a wider pedagogical framework engaging students beyond traditional subject boundaries.

Competitions
Participation in national competitions has remained high with a large number of students receiving awards of a credit or higher. Competitions include the National Geographic Australian Geography Competition (where High was ranked first in Australia), the UNSW PwC Australia and NZ Economics Competition, the UNSW PwC Business Studies Competition and the Planning Your Own Enterprise Competition.

2009 Highlights

Competitions
In 2009 a large number of our students entered the National Geographic Channel Australian Geography Competition, the ASX game and the UNSW Economics and Business Studies competition.

ASX
This year we saw record entries of students from Year 9-12 entered into the ASX (stock market game). Sydney High had over 250 syndicates of 1-4 students competing in this national competition. Each student was given hypothetically $50,000 for trading. The first game started in April and the second in September. Unlike last year, many boys enjoyed success with most making a handy profit over a short period of time. Andy Ho of Year 10 was the most notable place getter turning his $50,000 into $86,398, also finishing 3rd in NSW and 7th in the nation. Well done to all the participants and to Mr Dolan who organised the event over the years.

Geography Competition
All students Year 7-10 participated in the 2009 National Geographic Channel Australian Geography Competition (along with all senior Geography and Earth and Environmnental Studies students and others wishing to participate). Of the 764 participants, 270 students received a high distinction, 134 received a distinction and 164 received a credit. Of particular note this year are Ashwin Rudder (equal second in State) with Andrew Chan , Andy Ho and Yu Sing Chan as equal fifth in State. Overall, results were so strong that we won the State and National titles making it the second time we had been national winners and highlighting the general interest in and knowledge of Geography.

Well done to all the boys and Dr Ganderton for organising the event.

Economics Competition
Students from Year 10 Commerce and all Year 11-12 Economics students were entered into the competition. Of the 157 participants, 7 received prizes, (Frank Li, Bohan Tang, Kang Lim. Liam Aylmer, Nathan Kok, David Nam and Tian Yu Li), 5 boys received a high distinction, 41received a distinction and 63 received a credit.

Business Studies Competition
All students studying Business Studies in the senior school entered the competition plus a small group of interested Year 10 Commerce students. The results were rather impressive. Of the total 55 boys who participated 15 received Prizes, (Tian Yu, Patrick Hsiao, Barry Chen, Eric Feng, Clinton Jiang, Andy Lu, Stephen Yoon, Yixin Liu, Jun Gao, Daniel Huang, Jimari Bastable, Dale Chen, Leo Gordon, Walter Santucci and Michael Wang), 7 received a high distinction, 14 got a distinction and 10 received a credit. Well done boys.

Other extra curricula activities
Social Science students participated in the usual array of other activities. Yr 7 Geographers participated in Beyond Earth Hour lead by a group of yr 10 boys, Year 8 visited Bicentennial Park Wetlands as part of their study unit “Investigating Global Environments and Communities”. Year 9 Geographers visited Pyrmont as part of their studies investigating “Communities” and “Urban Dynamics”. Year 10 attended Long Reef as part of their study unit “Coastal Management”. Stage 6 Geographers had two field studies in urban dynamics and sustainable Sydney. The Senior Geography residential fieldtrip to Mt. Koscuiszko marked a departure because it was an interdisciplinary study taking two groups of Science students as well. Students had the opportunity of studying rare and usually restricted habitats.

School Certificate Results
This year we saw a slight improvement in the Geography School Certificate results. Of the 202 students who sat the exam 53 gained a Band 6 (26.23%) and 118 gained a Band 5 (58.41%). In total, 85% of students gained a Band 5 or 6.

HSC Results 2009
The 2009 HSC Social Science results reflected the long term average for Geography and Legal studies with Business Studies showing an improvement and Economics slightly down.

2008 Highlights

Apart from the usual mix of competitions and other extra curricular activities the most notable achievements were: Justin Zuo who came 1st in NSW for HSC Economics, with another placed 7th, and four boys gaining a top 10 position for Legal Studies. It was pleasing to see 22 of our boys receiving special prizes for the Business Studies and Economics competitions.

2007 Highlights

In the 2007 National Geographic Channel Australian Geography Competition, Anthony Morris (Year 12) was again outstanding, taking out first in NSW and Australia in the senior division with a perfect score. John Wormell (Year 9) was first in Australia at the junior level and equal sixth in NSW at the intermediate level. Ashwin Rudder (Year 8) scored equal sixth in Australia in the junior division. Maxwell Phillis (Year 9) came equal ninth in Australia at the intermediate level. High won the school prize for NSW and was ranked first in Australia in the competition.

There have been many outstanding achievements by students in Social Science in 2007. In terms of Band 6 awards, students achieved the following results:

Other highlights of 2007 included: a presentation by Don Russell, former economics advisor to Paul Keating, to Year 12 Economics on Structural Change and Economic Reform; four Year 9 students who took part in a key inter-school debate to raise awareness of the Kyoto Protocol and how it could be implemented in schools; and three of our senior economics students accompanied by Mr Storey visited Taiwan for the International Taiwan Youth Cultural Conference. Our boys delivered an impressive presentation on Globalisation and Australian Companies. Dominic Bowes participated in a live global web cast linking students to discuss climatic change issues as expressed at the Climatic Change Forum in Bali in December 2007.