Getting Started
It is never too late to join PEAK. If you join after the program has started, you will receive the relevant resources and can self-study any missed content in your own time. We recommend joining as soon as possible so you have more time to catch up.
For Year 11 students, we also offer “LATE” classes for students who join later in the year. These classes start from Module 1 around February and gradually catch up with the regular program by the start of Year 12 in early August.
If you are joining Year 11 late and would prefer to start from the beginning rather than self-study missed content, you can join the LATE class waitlist through the enrolment form.
PEAK’s regular program starts in early August each year. If you join after the program has started, you can receive the relevant resources and self-study missed content in your own time. We recommend joining as soon as possible to give yourself more time to catch up.
For Year 11 students, we also offer “LATE” classes for students who join later in the year. These classes usually start from Module 1 around February and gradually catch up with the regular program by the start of Year 12 in early August. From Year 12 onwards, the class becomes a regular class.
If you prefer to start from the beginning rather than self-study missed content, you can join the LATE class waitlist through the enrolment form.
PEAK follows a rough course schedule throughout the year, but the exact timing can vary from year to year depending on the pace of each class. Please refer to the course schedule shown on the left for a general guide.
If you are a new student, we recommend attending a trial lesson first. This gives you an opportunity to experience the class and see what content the class is currently up to before deciding whether to continue.
If you are a current student and want to know exactly where your class is up to, please contact your tutor through Discord. Your tutor can confirm the current content and schedule for your particular class.
Focus classes are designed for students from a specific school, allowing students from the same school to learn together and receive support that is more closely aligned with their school program.
On the website timetable, focus classes are shown in green, with the relevant school listed underneath the class time. These classes can focus more specifically on the school’s syllabus, program, upcoming assignments and exams.
Focus classes are not strictly limited to students from that school. If you are from another school and none of the regular sessions are suitable, you may be able to attend a focus class as a last resort.
If there are enough students from the same school who would benefit from a focus class, we can consider setting one up.
As a general guide, we usually need at least:
- 5 students for Parramatta
- 10 students for Canley Heights
Please contact us if you would like to request a focus class. We will consider the request based on student demand and tutor availability, which is usually the main limiting factor.
If a focus class can be arranged, we will work with students to find a suitable session time that works with the tutor’s availability.
Some NSW schools teach the Year 12 Chemistry modules in a different order. In particular:
- Girraween High School
- Macquarie Fields High School
- St Marys Senior High School
- Good Samaritan Catholic College
Instead of the usual Modules 5 → 6 → 7 → 8 order, these schools cover the content as Modules 7 → 8 → 5 → 6.
PEAK offers “MOD 7” classes to follow this sequence, so students from these schools can learn the content in the same order as their school program and stay ahead of their coursework.
Students from these schools are strongly encouraged to attend the MOD 7 class where possible. If the session does not suit your timetable, you can still attend a regular Chemistry class, but the content will be taught in the standard module order.
Yes. You can change classes at any time and as many times as needed. Please let us know whenever you change classes so we can update your enrolment and invoice accordingly.
Classes & Attendance
Yes. PEAK classes run throughout school and public holidays, except for a 4-week break over Christmas and New Year.
The dates for the end-of-year break change from year to year, but it usually begins around the week before Christmas. The exact dates will be listed on the PEAK calendar on our website and announced in early December.
If you expect to be away for an extended period, please contact us to discuss arrangements. Depending on the length of your absence, we may be able to make adjustments to your fees.
We provide lecture booklets for students to complete during class. These contain the bulk of the theory covered in the course and form the main set of class notes.
Students also receive homework sheets to complete at home and hand in the following week. Homework is marked by our team and returned with feedback.
Other printouts and worksheets may also be provided as hard copies during class as needed.
In Year 12, students receive a PEAK HSC textbook, included in the Year 12 resource fee. This is provided in PEAK Term 5, the second term of the Year 12 program, and contains past HSC questions with detailed answers for HSC preparation.
Although most class materials are provided, we recommend bringing basic stationery and an exercise book to every lesson in case you need them.
Most class resources are provided by PEAK, including lecture booklets and homework sheets. We recommend bringing basic stationery and an exercise book to every lesson just in case you need them.
If you miss your regular class, we encourage you to attend a make-up lesson where possible.
For most regular classes, the same content is covered each week, so you can attend another class during the same PEAK term. Make-up sessions run Monday to Sunday. You do not need to notify us in advance. Simply attend and the tutor will record your name on the roll.
Please check the timetable on our website for available sessions. If unsure which class to attend, send your tutor a quick message on Discord to confirm.
Focus classes and non-regular classes, such as those listed as “MOD 7”, follow their own schedule and may cover modules in a different order depending on the school program. Please check with your tutor on Discord before attending.
If no suitable make-up session is available, speak to your tutor or message them on Discord about other ways to catch up, usually through self-study using the relevant notes and homework materials.
Once your first invoice, including the one-off resource fee, has been paid, you will receive the relevant past notes and materials needed to catch up on the content you missed.
These are usually provided as hard-copy printouts, which may include lecture booklets completed in class, homework sheets and other relevant class materials.
Please speak to your tutor after your next lesson to collect the copies you need. Depending on the subject and tutor, class recordings may also be available, subject to tutor approval.
Your tutor will provide you with the materials needed to help you catch up. If you need assistance with any of the missed content, you can also reach out to your tutor through Discord outside of class.
You can contact your tutor through the official PEAK HSC Discord server, where we share important announcements, learning resources and provide academic support outside of class hours.
To join:
- Join the PEAK HSC Discord server
- Post your full name and class in the #the-sorting-hat channel so we can grant you access to the relevant channels.
Once you have access, you can send your tutor a direct message if you need academic assistance outside of class.
The Discord server is also used for online make-up lessons. If an online class is running and you wish to attend, please contact an @Admin directly through Discord to arrange access.
Online classes are run through Discord and Zoom and follow the same program as our in-person classes.
Each week, your tutor will post a Zoom link on Discord. Lessons are taught live through Zoom, with no requirement to turn on your camera or microphone. You can still ask questions and interact with your tutor during the lesson.
Homework is completed and uploaded digitally, usually through Google Classroom. Tutors mark and return your work online.
Exams can also be completed online, although we recommend sitting them in person where possible. Students who successfully complete an in-person exam may also be eligible for the Top 20 discount.
Online classes are currently offered based on student demand, with Chemistry being the most commonly offered. Online Physics classes have not been run recently due to limited demand.
Course & Exams
PEAK HSC operates on 5 terms per year, while NSW schools have 4 school terms. This is because PEAK classes continue to run throughout NSW school and public holidays, with the exception of a 4-week break over Christmas and New Year.
PEAK terms also start earlier than NSW school terms. For example, the PEAK academic year generally begins in early August, giving students a head start on their school coursework and allowing more time to cover the content.
Please note that when we refer to a “term” in our enrolment and payment information, we mean a PEAK term by default, not an NSW school term. This is important when processing enrolments, payments and class changes, so please do not assume that PEAK terms follow the NSW school term dates.
PEAK runs several exams throughout the Year 11 and Year 12 programs:
End-of-module exams are held at the end of each module. They are 2 hours long and completed during a regular class lesson.
The Mock Preliminary Exam is held towards the end of Year 11, usually in July. It is 2 hours long and completed during a regular class lesson.
The Mock Trial Exam is held towards the end of Year 12, usually in July. It is 3 hours long and completed in a separate, supervised session during the July school holidays.
The Mock HSC Exam is part of the separate HSC Preparation Program, which runs for 5 weeks around September after regular Year 12 classes finish. It has separate enrolment and payment.
All exams are marked and graded, with feedback provided in the following lesson. High-performing students may also be eligible for the Top 20 discount on their fees.
For regular end-of-module exams, Mock Preliminary, Mock Trial and Mock HSC exams, we strongly encourage students to sit the exam under supervised exam conditions at one of our centres.
If you cannot attend any of the scheduled sessions, you can usually come to the centre during opening hours and sit the exam in a separate room. Please check our website for the current opening hours of both centres.
As a last resort, a soft copy may be provided for you to complete at home, subject to tutor discretion. Please speak to your tutor or send them a message on Discord before choosing this option.
Exam vouchers are free lesson credits awarded based on exam performance.
The top 20 students in each cohort will usually receive one free lesson on their next term’s invoice. The number may be slightly higher or lower than 20 depending on the cohort’s overall performance and range of marks.
Vouchers are automatically applied, so there is no need to apply. The exam leaderboard will be posted on Discord, so we recommend joining the server to receive updates.
If you believe your voucher has not been applied to your invoice, please let our team know. We can check the leaderboard and revise your invoice if necessary.
The regular Year 12 program finishes at the end of PEAK Term 3, which is usually in early August. At this time, the new Year 11 program begins for the following academic year.
After the regular Year 12 classes finish, PEAK runs a separate HSC Preparation Program for Physics, Chemistry and Biology. This program includes mock exams and feedback lessons to help students prepare for the HSC.
The HSC Preparation Program is optional, with separate fees that are generally lower than the regular term fees. However, we strongly recommend students attend as part of their final HSC preparation.
More information about the HSC Preparation Program will be provided closer to the end of the Year 12 program.
Fees & Payments
Yes. If you join partway through a PEAK term, your invoice will be pro-rated based on the date you join through to the end of the term. You will only be charged for the remaining weeks of the term.
The PEAK term dates covered by your invoice are listed at the top of the invoice for reference.
Yes. Your first lesson is free only if you decide not to continue.
PEAK HSC offers a free, no-obligation trial lesson. After attending your first lesson, you can either:
- Continue: Pay the full fee covering your first lesson plus all remaining weeks of the term.
- Not continue: Simply walk away with no payment required.
If you decide to continue, your invoice will include the first trial lesson as part of the term fee, along with the remaining weeks of the term.
According to our payment policy, fees are non-refundable, including for weeks you do not attend. The full term fee covers lessons, class resources, catch-up materials and ongoing academic support outside the classroom.
If you are a new student, we recommend using the free trial lesson to decide whether you would like to continue before paying for the term.
Refunds are only considered in exceptional circumstances and on a case-by-case basis.
If you stop one subject while continuing another, you can transfer the unused amount to your other subject. For example, if you stop Physics but continue Chemistry, the remaining Physics fees can be transferred towards Chemistry.
Alternatively, you can transfer the unused amount to another current PEAK HSC student. Please let us know who you are transferring it to, then arrange reimbursement directly with that student.
If you pay the full invoice amount by the early bird deadline, you are eligible for a discount of:
- $20 off for one subject
- $50 off for two subjects
The early bird period is the first 2 weeks of the PEAK term, and the deadline is strict. Partial payments made after the deadline do not qualify for the early bird discount.
If you make a discounted payment after the deadline, the remaining balance will be carried forward and reflected on your next term’s invoice.
If you overpay or underpay your invoice, the difference will be automatically adjusted on your next term’s invoice.
We do not issue refunds for overpayments on the spot, as our payment policy is non-refundable. Any credit or outstanding balance will instead be carried forward and reflected on your next invoice.
If you notice an incorrect amount or are unsure about a payment, please contact us so we can check your account.
You can pay your PEAK fees by bank transfer or cash. Card and EFTPOS payments are not available.
Bank transfer:
Bank transfer details are provided on your invoice. After making the payment, please send us a screenshot of the transfer confirmation so we can confirm and mark your invoice as paid. If you do not send the screenshot, we cannot tick off the payment.
Cash:
- Canley Heights: Cash can be paid at reception.
- Parramatta: There is no reception. You can pay your tutor directly or place the cash in an envelope and drop it into the designated box.
The early bird discount applies to both bank transfer and cash payments, provided the payment meets the early bird requirements and deadline.
When a new student enrols, they can enter the name of the student who referred them on the enrolment form.
The referring student will receive a discount on their next term’s invoice:
- $80 for Canley Vale
- $100 for Parramatta
The discount is automatically applied, so there is no need to make a separate request.
A new student can only nominate one referrer, but there is no limit to how many students one student can refer.
If you forgot to enter a referrer when enrolling, simply let our team know. We can add the referral to our system afterwards and apply the discount to the referrer’s next invoice.
The sibling and staff discounts work by capping the fees for one eligible student, rather than providing a fixed dollar or percentage discount.
The sibling discount applies when two siblings are actively attending PEAK classes at the same time. The staff discount applies when a student is eligible through a PEAK staff member.
The student with the lower fees has their fees capped at the applicable discount amount, while the other student pays their full fees.
For example, if the discount cap is $400, and the two fees are $600 and $500, the eligible student would pay $400, while the other student pays their full $600.
The discount is therefore not a fixed dollar or percentage discount. It is applied as a fee cap to the eligible student’s fees.
Other Questions
Our phone line is staffed by one person, so we may not always be able to answer calls immediately, particularly during busy periods or when assisting students and parents.
We are generally more responsive by email, as multiple staff members can assist with enquiries.
We also recommend contacting us by email if your enquiry requires more detail or explanation, as it allows us to provide a clearer and more thorough response.
If you cannot reach us by phone, please feel free to send us an email instead and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
PEAK mainly accepts teaching and marking staff from our past students who have attended our program.
Applications are open to students who have finished their HSC at school and completed their studies with PEAK.
If you are interested in working with us after finishing Year 12, feel free to contact us at any time to express your interest.