18 Jun 2018
Beau Chaseling was just 10 years old when his parents realised they could no longer put off the decision they did not want to make.
What should they do about their guitar-playing, surf-loving son, who was chattering about astrophysics at dinner, poring over nuclear chemistry books in bed, and mastering scientific concepts that baffled them?
"Pete was like, 'we've got to do something, he's got a good brain'," said Beau's mother Angela. "But I didn't want him to be one of those kids that gets accelerated and doesn't have friends. I was all for keeping him with his friends."
After talking to the science faculty at Byron Bay High School, they came up with a plan that balanced both. He would stay with his year group for most subjects, but do HSC physics and chemistry. He will sit his exams in those two subjects in November, a month after his 13th birthday.
It was evident early that Beau was bright. As a toddler, he'd ask his parents to read him the encyclopaedia. By four or five, he was reading them himself. "I think a lot of it was nurture, not nature," said Beau. "My parents did a very good job."
His mum disagrees. "I reckon he was born that way."
The transition between primary school and senior high school was made easier by the fact that Beau has older siblings – twins – who are also sitting the HSC. Neither studies science but their friends have looked after Beau in class.
Beau Chaseling, centre, is 12 and doing HSC chemistry and physics this year
Photo: Supplied
"The senior students are fantastic, they treat him like a little brother," said his chemistry teacher, Kai Connell. His year seven mates have taken it in their stride. "Occasionally someone will say, 'he's the smart one', but we don't bring it up that much," said Beau.
"The students from the year seven class really get along with him and look up to him, but he doesn't act like he is above them, or arrogant. He really opens up in that class, I guess because he feels more comfortable."