The state government announced in 2016 that students would be required to achieve a band eight standard in the year 9 NAPLAN reading, writing and maths to guarantee eligibility for the HSC.

Why has this measure been introduced?

Former NSW education minister Adrian Piccoli said the measure would ensure students awarded the HSC met minimum literacy and numeracy standards.

"This is about motivating students in junior high school particularly," Mr Piccoli said in 2016. "We do have an issue in NSW that our results aren't as good as they should be."

The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) said the experience of Western Australia, where a minimum standard has been introduced, suggests the measure will lead to improvement in students' literacy and numeracy skills.

What happens if my child fails to achieve band 8s?

Students will have multiple opportunities between year 9 and when they complete the HSC to meet the literacy and numeracy standards.

Online literacy and numeracy tests will be available for students to sit up to twice a year in years 10, 11 and 12.

Students who reach year 12 without passing the test for the minimum standards will receive a Record of School Achievement, and have up to five years to reach the required benchmark and get the HSC.

What measures have the department and schools put in place to ensure children are able to achieve band 8s?

Additional support will be given to students at risk of not achieving the minimum standard of literacy and numeracy, according to NESA.

The NSW Literacy and Numeracy Strategy 2017-2020 provides for a new framework for teaching and assessing writing, resources for parents to support literacy and numeracy and updates on children's learning progress.

What percentage of year 9 students achieved a band 8 in 2016 in reading? Writing? Maths?

NAPLAN results in 2016 indicated that more than half of all year 9 students in the reading, grammar and punctuation, spelling and numeracy tests received Band 7 or below, Fairfax Media reported in December.

In writing, more than two-thirds of students scored band 7 and below.

My child got band 8s in year 5 and/or 7. Do these count?

No. Students will pre-qualify for the minimum standard required for the HSC if they achieve band 8 or above in the year 9 NAPLAN reading, writing and numeracy tests.

My child was sick or absent for year 9 NAPLAN. What happens now?

Students can demonstrate they have met the standard by achieving a band 8 in their year 9 NAPLAN reading, writing and numeracy tests or a pass in the online literacy and numeracy test in years 10, 11 or 12.

I choose to exclude my child from NAPLAN tests. What happens now?

The online tests for literacy and numeracy provide an alternative pathway to achieve the minimum standard.

My child has an intellectual disability. Will he or she be required to achieve band 8s to get an HSC?

Some students may not have to meet the minimum standard of literacy and numeracy for the HSC, according to NESA's website.

Students with an intellectual disability taking Life Skills courses will be exempt from meeting the minimum standard.

My child has a learning difficulty (eg ADHD, autism, dyslexia, hearing loss) but no intellectual disability. Will he or she be required to achieve band 8s to get an HSC?

NESA is developing an exemption policy to determine other circumstances in which a student will be exempt from the minimum standard requirement.

Will a failure to be awarded an HSC stop my child from getting an ATAR and attending university?

No. Year 12 students who do not meet the new literacy and numeracy standard and do not receive their HSC will still be able to get an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) and go to university.

The ATAR, which is used by universities to allocate placements, is calculated by the Universities Admissions Centre independently of the government.