This information was originally written for the former Freedom of Information Act 1989, which has been repealed and replaced with the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009. I have updated this guide for the new Act, however if there's any mistakes you spot here, please tell me!
I've written up this quick guide for anyone who wants to make a request for access to their raw marks. If I've missed anything please say so.
At present, if you want your raw marks from the Board of Studies, you may lodge a request for access to information under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 (GIPA Act) asking for the information you're looking for. You should be able to request this information from around early December.
An application for access under the GIPA Act is subject to the strict legal criteria in the Act. A Board officer will assess your application in accordance with the Act, and they are legally required to provide the information requested unless the Act exempts it from release. In the event that the Board refuses to grant you access to information, you have the right to have the decision reviewed. For more information about the GIPA Act, contact the NSW Office of the Information Commissioner. (
http://www.oic.nsw.gov.au/)
Before spending money on a formal access application, you should try requesting the information informally. Contact the Office of the Board of Studies via email (service@bos.nsw.edu.au). As far as I am aware, no-one has attempted to obtain this information informally. As an informal request has no legal significance, they may not provide the information at this stage.
Alternatively, you may choose to make a request for this information under section 14 of the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998. These requests are (at least initially) free of charge, however the law does not specify a strict timeframe for the Board of Studies to respond, so they could take longer than making a request under the GIPA Act. Again, as far as I know, no-one has attempted such a request as yet.
If you have decided you want to go ahead with a formal application for access under the GIPA Act:
1. Write a letter to:
GIPA Coordinator
Office of the Board of Studies
GPO Box 5300
SYDNEY NSW 2001
Alternatively, you can use the BOS-provided GIPA form (
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/administration/gipa/gipa-access-application-form.pdf) however I prefer typing to handwriting
2. State that you are making an application for access to information under the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009.
3. Ask for the information you want in relation to your HSC enrolment:
* raw marks and weighted marks for each question
* details of optional question scaling
* state rank
* initial school assessment mark
* initial moderated assessment mark
* copies of examination scripts (within 6 months of HSC marking)
* details of the marking of major works (if applicable)
State that the information you are seeking is considered 'personal information'. Note that if it takes the BOS staff more than 20 hours to find the information requested, they may bill you at a rate of $30 per hour, but it is unlikely that it will take that long to process.
4. List your personal details: at a minimum, your name, DOB, postal address within Australia and BOS student number. You will probably want to attach some identification certified by a school official, JP, police officer or similar official.
5. You may state your preferred form for receiving the requested information. By default, they'll post it to you, but you can request any other format e.g. email or fax. Remember to give the relevant contact details if you request an alternative format.
6. You will generally need to attach payment for the application fee, in the form of a cheque or money order. The application fee is $30. Under the GIPA Act, full-time students, pensioners and those suffering financial hardship can claim a 50% discount on processing fees, however this does not apply to the application fee. If you are suffering financial hardship, you can request that the application fee be completely waived, however this is at the discretion of the Board.
7. Send!
The Board is required to respond within 20 working days of receiving your application, however there are some circumstances where they may extend the time if they need to retrieve archived records. If you have made errors in your application or there are issues that need to be discussed, a Board officer should contact you and assist you in amending your application or resolving the issues.
In the event that access to your information is denied, you have the right to a non-binding review by the Information Commissioner (free), a formal internal review (fees apply), or a legally binding review by the Administrative Decisions Tribunal (fees apply). If this happens, contact the Office of the Information Commissioner for further advice - and post the details up here!
Once you've got your marks, please post them up here and I'll add them to the list - this will help future students who want to know more about how the alignment system works.
Useful Links
Office of the Information Commissioner (NSW)
Office of the Board of Studies - GIPA Guidelines (
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/administration/gipa/)
FAQs
Will my request take over 20 hours, resulting in a processing charge?
Probably not. I requested all this information, and wasn't charged anything beyond the application fee. According to the Board of Studies annual reports, they have had very few, if any, requests that take more than 20 hours to process. Most likely, a standard request would take 10 hours or less, which is included for free in the application fee.
Can I request that my raw marks and exam scripts be sent to me by email?
Yes. Just state that on your application and be sure to include your email address.
How long do I have to make my request?
If you want full examination scripts, you must apply within 6 months of the conclusion of HSC marking. However, if you only want your raw marks, rankings and similar information, you can apply at any time.
When is the earliest I can lodge an application?
The earliest you should lodge an application is around results day (i.e. the middle Wednesday of December) in the year you complete the exam.
