CLC VCE & VCE-VM Policy 2024

Each year, the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority publishes the VCE Administrative Handbook which provides much greater detail about rules, procedures and regulations governing the conduct of the VCE. This policy provides some information regarding VCE and

and

It is absolutely essential that students and parents/guardians familiarise themselves with all contents of this policy. All students must abide by the rules and regulations set out in this policy if they are undertaking the VCE or VCE-Vocational Major (VM)

In this 2024 edition of the VCE Policy, information relating to the VCE includes the Vocational Major (VM), unless otherwise stated or when referring to scored school-based and external assessments and related processes and results.

Welcome to the VCE. These following years will offer you great opportunities to develop your own initiative, to explore new areas of learning and to develop organisational skills and communication techniques.

I hope that these years will also enable you to enjoy the excitement of learning, to be challenged by new ideas and to realise more fully your own ability to achieve the goals you set yourself.

May they be great years for all of you.

Mrs Stephanie Evans

INTRODUCTION

The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) is a senior secondary certificate of education recognised within the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). It is designed to be completed over a minimum of two years and includes VCE curriculum components and programs from VET qualifications.

Students have two enrolment options:

• the VCE, which includes studies with school-based and external assessments that can provide a study score towards an Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR)

• the VCE VM, which includes studies with school-based assessments that do not provide a study score towards an ATAR.

Satisfactory completion of a VCE unit is based on successful completion of outcomes. Each VCE unit comprises a set of two to four outcomes. Satisfactory completion of units is determined by the school, in accordance with Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) requirements. The learning outcomes and associated Assessment Tasks are specified in accredited VCE study designs.

Most VCE studies are designed to provide a two year program. Studies are nationally and internationally benchmarked at Units 1 and 2 levels to a Year 11 standard and Units 3 and 4 levels to a Year 12 standard. Units 1 and 2 can be completed as single units. However, Units 3 and 4 must be completed as a sequence. Students granted ‘Interrupted Studies’ status by the VCAA are an exception to this rule.

Levels of achievement for Units 1 and 2 are determined by schools and not reported to the VCAA. Levels of achievement for Units 3 and 4 sequences are assessed using School-based Assessment and external assessments (including) examinations.

There is one examination period each year for Units 3 and 4 sequences The performance and oral examinations occur in October and the written examinations are held in October and November. The General Achievement Test (GAT) is conducted in June.

The VCE can include components of nationally recognised Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualifications These components can contribute towards the VCE through the following recognition arrangements:

• enrolment in a VCAA-approved VCE VET program, or a School-based Apprenticeship or Traineeship

• enrolment in any other nationally recognised qualification at Certificate II or above (block credit recognition).

The minimum requirement is satisfactory completion of 16 units, which must include:

• Three units from the English group, including a Unit 3-4 sequence

• Three Unit 3-4 sequences, which can include further sequences from the English group.

The Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) advises that satisfactory completion of a scored Unit 3–4 sequence from the English group of studies (excluding VCE VM Literacy) is required for the calculation of a student’s ATAR.

Note: The VCE Politics (accreditation period – Units 1 and 2: 2024–2028 and Units 3 and 4: 2025 - 2028) will replace the previous study of VCE Australian and Global Politics. From 2024, students who have completed either Units 1 or 2 or both of Australian and Global Politics cannot count either Units 1 or 2 or both of VCE Politics towards satisfactory VCE completion.

The minimum VCE VM requirement is satisfactory completion of 16 units, which must include:

• Three VCE VM Literacy or VCE English units (including a Unit 3–4 sequence)

• Two VCE VM Numeracy or VCE Mathematics units

• Two VCE VM Work Related Skills units

• Two VCE VM Personal Development Skills units

• Two VET credits at Certificate II level or above (students may accrue two units of credit following the completion of UoCs to the total of 180 nominal hours drawn from multiple VET qualifications).

In addition to their Unit 3–4 sequence from the English group, students must complete a minimum of three other Unit 3–4 sequences as part of their program.

Upon satisfactory completion of the VCE VM program, the student will receive the appellation of ‘Vocational Major’ on their VCE certificate.

If a VCE VM student meets the requirements for satisfactory VCE completion, but not the requirements for the satisfactory completion of the VM appellation, the student will be awarded the VCE without an appellation.

The minimum requirement English units may be selected from:

• English Units 1–4

• English as an Additional Language Units 1–4

• Literature Units 1–4

• VCE VM Literacy Units 1–4 (for VCE VM students only).

English and English as an Additional Language (EAL) are equivalent studies so only one study at each unit level may be counted towards the award of the VCE.

Further units from the English group may contribute to the requirement for other Unit 3–4 sequences. A student’s English units are calculated first to determine if they have met the minimum requirements for awarding the VCE. Once a student has met the English requirement by satisfactorily completing an English sequence, any additional sequences from the English group will be credited towards the requirement for at least three other Unit 3–4 sequences.

Students with credit from interstate study and from overseas study can use their previous studies to satisfy the English requirement.

Higher Education studies (HES) are offered by higher education institutions and are designed for independent, highachieving and interested VCE students. Satisfactory completion of an approved Higher Education study within the VCE will contribute towards the satisfactory completion of the VCE as an unscored Unit 3-4 sequence. The VCAA publishes the list of approved Higher Education studies annually on its website. Students may count only one Higher Education study towards satisfactory completion of the VCE. Students may only undertake HES with the approval of the principal. For enrolment in HES, students usually demonstrate high achievement across all studies and have a VCE study score of at least 40 in the prerequisite study, if applicable.

There are no restrictions on students repeating units, but students may obtain credit once only for each unit. Students who repeat a unit are required to repeat the full unit, including outcomes specified for the unit as accredited in the year of repetition.

There are specific eligibility requirements for:

• Chinese Language, Culture and Society

• English as an Additional Language (EAL)

• VCE Second Language studies in Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese

• VCE VM studies

Students enrolled in the VCE, excluding students enrolled in the VCE VM, are encouraged to undertake scored assessment. Scored assessment provides VCE students a more detailed record of what they have achieved and is the best way to maximise their employment opportunities and pathways to further education.

The VCE provides the flexibility to satisfactorily complete units without being assessed for levels of achievement in all or any graded assessments (two graded assessment scores are required to achieve a study score).

Where students are at risk of not completing or have other valid reasons for not undertaking scored assessment, they may undertake one or more VCE units without being assessed for levels of achievement or sitting external assessment. Students must still undertake all requirements of the outcomes specified for the unit, including any school-based assessments.

A teacher’s judgement on whether the student has satisfactorily achieved the outcomes for a study as determined by evidence gained through the assessment of a range of set work (learning activities) and assessment tasks (including school-based assessments) must be consistent for all students who are being assessed for levels of achievement in the study and those who are not. All graded assessment will be entered as NA (not assessed) on VASS. In this case, a study score will not be calculated.

A student who has the support of their parents or carers to complete a unit or units without a study score must meet with the Career Pathways Leader to discuss the implications of this decision. An application should then be lodged with the VCE Leader.

Students can meet Unit 3–4 sequence requirements when studying Units 3 and 4 of VCE VM studies concurrently over two semesters or over multiple years, provided they complete the requisite number of units and sequences. For example, if a student completes Unit 3 PDS across Semesters One and Two (a full year) and then completes Unit 4 PDS over two semesters in the following academic year, this would be considered a Unit 3–4 sequence.

Students who complete all or part of a nationally recognised Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification drawn from a training package or accredited course receive credit towards satisfactorily completing the VCE. Students typically undertake training at Certificate II or III levels.

VCE VET programs provide credit towards the VCE, typically at Units 1 to 4 level, although some programs provide credit only at Units 1 and 2 or Units 3 and 4 levels.

School-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships (SBATs) occur where a student undertakes a vocational training program within a part-time employment arrangement. Each student is required to enter a formal training contract. SBATs typically offer credit at Units 1–4 level towards the VCE/VCE VM/VPC. Students wishing to undertake an SBAT must speak with the VET Leader/Career Pathways Leader.

The Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC) is an accredited foundation secondary qualification under the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic) and aligned to Level 1 in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). The VPC is a foundation secondary qualification designed for students in Years 11 and 12 who would benefit from a more individualised program at a more accessible level than a senior secondary certificate.

The VPC curriculum provides learning based on applied learning principles and serves as a practical pathway into further education, employment and training.

The VPC is designed to engage students through applied learning and provide flexibility to meet an individual’s learning needs. The VPC aims to build the skills, knowledge, values and capabilities that enable students to make informed choices about pathways into further education, training and/or employment. Students who participate in the VPC will gain the necessary foundation skills to allow them to make a successful post-schooling transition.

The VPC is designed to be delivered in Years 11 and 12 and within a flexible duration, depending on a student’s individual learning plan and delivery setting. Students who participate in the VPC can include units from VCE studies and VCE Vocational Major (VCE VM) studies, as well as units of competency from nationally recognised Vocational Education and Training (VET).

The VPC aims to:

• equip students with the skills, knowledge, values and capabilities to be active and informed citizens, lifelong learners and confident and creative individuals

• empower students to make informed decisions about the next stages of their lives through authentic workplace experiences

• provide them with the best opportunity to achieve their personal goals and aspirations in a rapidly changing world.

The VPC is designed to develop and extend pathways for young people while providing flexibility for different cohorts. After completing the VPC, students will be able to make informed choices about future employment or education pathways. Meaningful pathways are created by linking student aspirations and future employment goals to the choice of accredited curriculum. VPC learning programs also link to work and industry experiences and active participation in the community. Including VET in VPC learning programs helps connect students with broader options for work, further education and active community participation.

Possible future pathways for VPC students include:

• completion of VCE or VCE Vocational Major

• apprenticeships and traineeships

• VET courses

• employment

Entry into the VPC is handled on a case-by-case basis. Where a student would benefit from enrolment in the VPC, the school will meet directly with the student and their parent/guardian to discuss this pathway option.

Assessment: Satisfactory completion of units

To satisfactorily complete a VCE unit, students must demonstrate their achievement of the set of outcomes as specified in the study design. The decision about satisfactory completion of outcomes is based on the teacher's judgement of the student's overall performance on a combination of set work (learning activities) and assessment tasks (including school-based assessments) related to the outcomes Students are provided with multiple opportunities to develop and demonstrate the key knowledge and key skills required for the outcomes for the unit.

The decision to award an S for satisfactorily completing a unit is separate from the assessment of levels of achievement for study score calculation. VCE unit results (S or N) contribute to satisfactory completion of the certificate.

There are no external assessments of VCE VM Unit 3–4 sequences and students enrolled in VCE VM studies do not receive a study score. If a student wants to receive study scores, they can choose from the wide range of VCE studies and scored VCE VET programs that contain both internal and external assessment components. VCE VM studies do not contribute to the ATAR.

The student will receive an S (satisfactory) for a unit if the teacher determines that the student has:

• produced work that demonstrates achievement of the outcomes

• submitted work that is clearly their own

Decisions about satisfactory completion of a unit are solely the responsibility of the school. Results for each unit must be based on a judgment of satisfactory or non-satisfactory achievement of outcomes.

At the beginning of the academic year, schools must provide students with clear written details of both the VCAA rules and the school’s rules and procedures.

The student will receive an N (not satisfactory) for the unit when one or more of the following occurs:

• the work does not demonstrate achievement of the outcomes

• the student has failed to meet a school deadline for the school-based assessment task (which can include time granted through an extension for any reason or a special provision or both)

• the work cannot be authenticated, for example through lack of attendance

• there has been a substantial breach of the VCAA’s rules and the school’s rules and procedures

If, in the judgment of the teacher, work submitted by a student for the assessment of an outcome does not meet the required standard for satisfactory completion, the teacher should consider other work relating to outcomes that has been undertaken and submitted by the student for the unit This work may include class work, homework, additional tasks or discussions with the student that demonstrate their achievement of the outcome. The school may decide to delay the decision about satisfactory completion to allow a student to complete or submit further work.

A student may only submit further evidence or resubmit a school-based assessment for reconsideration, to redeem an N to an S for the outcome. Students may not resubmit to improve a school-based assessment score. See CLC Assessment and Reporting Policy for further information regarding the process for redeeming outcomes

If a student is no longer attending but they have not officially withdrawn by signing a Student Exit form, the symbol J is included on VASS.

The J result should be used if the student:

• is no longer attending class

• has not submitted work for assessment.

The J result is recorded on the VCAA database but is not reported on the student's Statement of Results. Units with a J result are made available to Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) and are treated as equivalent to those with an N result. The award or amendment of a J result must be made in consultation with the VCE Leader.

If a teacher or student has lost work, or had work stolen or damaged, they must make a written statement of the circumstances. The statement must be signed, dated and filed at the school. Schools must keep a record of the loss or damage but should not report it to the VCAA (unless it is a School-assessed Task). The Principal, acting on advice from the teacher, and on the basis of records kept, shall determine the unit result for the student.

A student who uses a computer to produce work for assessment is responsible for ensuring that:

• there is an alternative system available for producing assessable work in case of computer or printer malfunction or unavailability

• hard copies of the work in progress and backup versions are produced regularly

A student will receive an S (Satisfactory) for VPC units when they have demonstrated achievement in all learning outcomes for the unit.

All VPC assessment activities should be reviewed by the teacher to verify their successful completion. The elements in the curriculum documents further describe the learning outcomes and are intended as a guide for teachers in the design of assessment tasks to ensure consistency in how learning outcomes are interpreted and assessed.

To be credited with a satisfactory unit result, a student must demonstrate achievement in all learning outcomes in that unit.

The curriculum components in a learning program must be assessed in accordance with the requirements and guidelines outlined in the curriculum documents for the units.

The VPC provider coordinates the assessment and collection of results for all curriculum components within the VCE VM learning program. Students will receive an S or N (not yet completed) result for each unit.

Teachers assessing students who have particular needs must maintain the validity and reliability of assessment. Flexible assessment methods should be used to allow students to demonstrate the successful completion of learning outcomes without disadvantage.

Teachers should use a variety of assessment tasks that provide a range of opportunities for students to demonstrate achievement of each learning outcome. Students should be observed on more than one occasion and, wherever possible, in a range of contexts to make sure the assessment is consistent, reliable, fair and equitable.

For VCE units included in the VPC learning program, assessment must be in accordance with the VCE/VCE VM study designs.

Students will receive an S for a unit of competency if they have been assessed as competent in the unit. The final assessment decision is made by their registered training organisation (RTO).

Students will receive an N (not yet competent) result for a UoC if they have not yet demonstrated competence. This may be due to not completing the unit or not being able to demonstrate competence as required by the UoC. If a student has not met sufficient UoCs to the nominated hour value to be awarded satisfactory completion of a VCE VET unit, the result will be left blank.

Assessment: School-based Assessment

Students must observe and apply rules for the authentication of School-based Assessment. Students must sign an authentication record for work done outside class when they submit the completed task.

Teachers may consider it appropriate to ask students to demonstrate their understanding of the task at or about the time of submission of the work. If any part or all of the work cannot be authenticated, the matter must be dealt with as a breach of rules and referred to the VCE Leader.

A student must:

• ensure that all unacknowledged work submitted for assessment is their own

• not plagiarise the work of someone else or other source (including AI)

• not cheat

• acknowledge all resources used, including:

– texts, websites and other source material

– the name and status of any person who provided assistance and the type of assistance provided

• not receive undue assistance from another person, including their teacher, or source in the preparation and submission of work

• Acceptable levels of assistance include:

– the incorporation of ideas or material derived from other sources (for example, by reading, viewing or note taking), but which have been transformed by the student and used in a new context

– prompting and general advice from another person or source, which leads to refinements and/or selfcorrection

• Acceptable levels of assistance include:

– incorporating ideas or material derived from other sources (for example, by reading, viewing or note taking) but which have been transformed by the student and used in a new context

– prompting and general advice from another person or source, which leads to refinements or selfcorrection or both

• Unacceptable forms of assistance include:

– use of, or copying, another person’s work or other resources without acknowledgement – corrections or improvements made or dictated by another person

• A student must not submit the same piece of work for assessment in more than one study, or more than once within a study.

• A student must not circulate or publish written work that is being submitted for assessment in a study in the academic year of enrolment

• A student must not knowingly assist another student in a breach of rules.

In considering whether a student’s work is genuinely their own, teachers should consider whether the work:

• is atypical of other work produced by the student

• is inconsistent with the teacher’s knowledge of the student’s ability

• contains unacknowledged material

• has not been sighted and monitored by the teacher during its development.

Teachers must develop courses that include appropriate learning activities to enable students to demonstrate achievement of outcomes. Undue assistance should not be provided to students while undertaking Assessment Tasks.

Students should be clearly informed of the timelines and the conditions under which Assessment Tasks are to be conducted, including whether any resources are permitted.

Work completed outside class

Most work for the assessment of unit outcomes and school-assessed coursework (SACs) will be completed in class; however, this does not preclude normal teacher expectations for students to complete research and set work (learning activities) that contribute to gaining key knowledge and skills outside of class time.

For SACs taken outside class-time, teachers must monitor and record each student’s progress through to completion. This requires regular sightings of the work by the teacher the keeping of records in the Authentication Record for school-based assessment (available on VASS).

Teachers must ensure that there is a sufficient range of topics within their class to enable them to distinguish an individual student's work and, therefore, to assist in the authentication process.

Teachers must monitor and record each student’s development of work, from planning and drafting through to completion, in the study-specific School-assessed task authentication record form (available on the relevant VCE study page). This requires regular sightings of the work by the teacher.

Observations of individual work done in class should be recorded. The teacher and student must sign each recorded observation.

At the commencement of each semester, the school will publish a schedule of dates for completion of assessment tasks. Adjustments to dates may be needed to account for circumstances in which a student or group of students has not been given appropriate time to undertake or complete school-based assessment.

Rescheduling Assessment Tasks for an entire class

If teachers wish to reschedule a task because their students are not ready to be assessed, or due to other circumstances, they should provide adequate written notification via CLC Connect or email to all students in the class or classes.

An extension of time for all students in a class should only be given on the condition that they are all given adequate notice and that no student in the class or in another class is advantaged or disadvantaged by the change.

Rescheduling Assessment Tasks for an individual student

See CLC Assessment and Reporting Policy for further information regarding the process for redeeming outcomes.

Teachers are not required to formally sight drafts or record students’ completion of drafts unless it is a requirement of the VCE study design or for authentication purposes or both. Drafting can remain a part of a teaching and learning strategy, and students may do preliminary drafting for SACs. However, students and teachers must follow the VCAA authentication rules regarding acceptable levels of assistance in relation to providing feedback on the draft, in order to maintain the integrity of the SACs and ensure the authenticity of each student’s work.

After assessment tasks are submitted and marked, teachers should provide feedback to students.

Appropriate feedback includes:

• advice on particular problem areas

• advice on where and how improvements can be made for further learning

• reporting S or N decisions and/or written comments on students' performance against each outcome.

On completion of school-assessed course work students will receive a numerical score for VCE studies excluding VM The numerical score is ‘conditional’ and may change as a result of statistical moderation.

Although schools may permit students to submit further work for satisfactory completion of a unit, students may not submit further tasks for the reconsideration of SAC scores awarded by the school.

If a teacher or student has lost a SAC task, or it has been stolen or damaged, they must complete a written statement explaining the circumstances. The statement must be signed, dated and filed at the school. The school must keep a record but is not required to report it to the VCAA. The principal will determine an initial score for the assessment task, acting on advice from the teacher and based on their assessment records.

This section applies to the School-assessed Tasks for the following studies offered at the College:

• Art Making and Exhibiting (SA03)

• Media (ME03)

• Visual Communication and Design (VC03)

As part of the authentication process through observations, teachers are required to provide feedback to students on work in progress for an SAT. These comments are to be noted on the Authentication record form. Teachers must follow the authentication advice in the relevant Administrative information for school-based assessment for their VCE study to make sure no undue assistance is provided to students during the development of a SAT that might lead to uncertainty about the student’s authorship or ownership of the work

The following forms of teacher assistance are not appropriate:

• providing detailed advice on, corrections to, or actual reworking of, students' drafts or productions or folios

• providing structured outlines with detailed suggestions or instructions for completing work that may constitute undue assistance

• providing or interpreting data and providing content or concepts not already mentioned by the student in draft work or in their design briefs.

Schools are responsible for the assessment of School-assessed Tasks. The sole basis for this assessment is the set of criteria for the award of scores, published each year by the VCAA on the VCE study pages of its website. The VCAA provides detailed descriptors of levels of performance for each criterion. These criteria are mandated and schools must use the descriptors when making assessment judgements.

Feedback is provided to students at observation points throughout the SAT. These comments are noted on the Authentication Record form. In addition, after the SAT has been submitted and marked, teachers provide feedback to students on their level of achievement. This is also documented on the Authentication Record form. Note that that school assessment results may change due to the statistical moderation process.

If a teacher or student has lost a School-assessed Task, or the task has been stolen or damaged, they must complete a written statement of the circumstances. The statement must be signed and dated. The school must complete the Lost/Stolen/Damaged School-assessed Tasks form, enter an estimated score on VASS, and send the form to the VCAA.

The Principal, acting on advice from the teacher and on the basis of records kept, will determine an initial assessment. The initial assessment may be adjusted as a result of the review process.

If the School-assessed Task is required for review, the Study Record form for that student must be annotated as Lost/Stolen/Damaged (LSD) by the school. This procedure does not apply to work lost or damaged due to computer misuse or malfunction (see Assessment: Satisfactory completion of units).

Externally assessed tasks assess a student’s level of achievement in accordance with the specified outcomes in the study design and published assessment criteria.

Externally assessed tasks are marked by assessors appointed by the VCAA, however the authentication requirements for school-based assessment must be followed for all student work submitted to the VCAA.

Teachers must make sure that there is a sufficient range of topics or types of works within their class to enable them to distinguish an individual student’s work and therefore to assist in the authentication process.

Teachers must monitor and record each student’s development of work, from planning and drafting through to completion, in the Authentication record for externally assessed task. This requires regular sightings of the work by the teacher.

Observations of individual work done in class should be recorded. The teacher and student must sign each recorded observation.

The Student/Teacher Authentication form, signed by the teacher and the student must be included with the documents submitted for assessment.

If the teacher is unable to authenticate the final student work, they should contact the VCAA prior to submitting the student’s work for assessment.

To be eligible for a study score, students must demonstrate competence in the UoCs that make up the Unit 3–4 sequence. Students must also satisfy all the requirements of scored assessment.

Each scored VCE VET program requires the satisfactory completion of three SAC tasks that are integrated into the delivery of the VET training program. An Assessment Plan is required for each VCE VET scored program. Full details of the assessment process for scored VCE VET programs are published in the VCE VET scored assessment guide.

General Achievement Test

The General Achievement Test (GAT) is a pen-and-paper test of general knowledge and skills taken by students in the course of completing their senior secondary studies.

The GAT plays an important role in the quality assurance of VCE assessments and also provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate they meet the Victorian Literacy and Numeracy Standards expected at a senior secondary level. GAT results are also used in the calculation of the Derived Examination Score (DES).

No special study is needed. Past study of subjects like English, Mathematics, Science and History prepares students for the GAT by building their general knowledge and skills in writing, numeracy and reasoning.

The GAT is structured into Section A and Section B, each of which are administered in separate sessions on the same day.

Section A is comprised of:

• a 2-part writing task

• 50 numeracy multiple-choice questions

• 50 reading multiple-choice questions.

Section B is comprised of:

• an extended writing task

• 25 mathematics, science and technology multiple-choice questions

• 25 arts and humanities multiple-choice questions.

Both Sections A and B

• Students enrolled in one or more VCE or scored VCE VET Unit 3–4 sequence, including students not planning to undertake scored assessment even if they have met the standards in a previous year.

Section A only

• Students enrolled in one or more VCE Vocational Major Unit 3–4 sequence but who are not enrolled in any VCE or scored VCE VET Unit 3–4 sequences

If a student has already met the standards in a previous year and they are enrolled in VCE Vocational Major but not in any VCE or scored VCE VET Unit 3–4 sequences, they will not be expected to sit Section A. However, they may opt to do so if they wish.

School-based assessment

The VCAA applies statistical moderation procedures to school-based assessment scores to make sure they are comparable across the state and fair to all students. The statistical moderation process compares the level and spread of each school’s assessments of its students in each study with the level and spread of the same students’ scores in the external assessment, and adjusts the school scores, if necessary.

In some studies, GAT scores will also be used for statistical moderation. This will be done only if they provide a better match with school-based assessments throughout the state. The external assessment scores will always have the major influence in the statistical moderation calculations.

External assessments

The GAT is used as part of a final check on external assessment scores. If there is a significant statistical difference between the final score for an external assessment and the score predicted by the GAT and school indicative grades, the external assessment will be assessed again by the chief assessor. Scores may go up or stay the same, but they will not go down because of this final check.

Derived Examination Score (DES)

The calculation for the DES uses all available scores for the student in the affected study, the indicative grade for any external assessments provided by the school and the GAT component scores. For each approved application for a specific external assessment, the VCAA will calculate a range of possible scores using the DES. This will be calculated statistically from the student’s other assessments, including:

• moderated school-based assessments

• GAT component scores

• other external assessment scores, if applicable

• indicative grades provided by the school.

The contribution made by the graded assessments, the indicative grade and the GAT component scores is determined by analysis of the comparison data with the final score for the specific external assessments for all students who have not applied for a DES. For all external assessments, the two graded school-based assessment scores provide the greatest contribution to all the predictors.

If a student is eligible for a DES and the highest of the predictors is greater than the achieved external assessment score, the highest predictor is chosen as the final score for the student in the relevant external assessment.

A request for an exemption from the GAT on the grounds of requiring SEAs will not be approved unless the necessary arrangements exceed those normally offered for the GAT.

Students who experience the onset of an illness, the exacerbation of an existing condition or the occurrence of an injury or personal trauma in the period before or on the day of the GAT should discuss applying for Emergency Special Examination Arrangements with the VCE Leader, which may assist them to sit the GAT.

It is important for students enrolled in one or more VCE or scored VCE VET Unit 3–4 sequence to sit Sections A and B of the GAT, and for students enrolled in one or more VCE VM Unit 3–4 sequence to sit Section A.

If a student is unable to attend the GAT, they are advised to contact the VCE Leader immediately to discuss whether they are eligible to apply for exemption from the GAT. All applications for exemption are made via the VCE Leader.

A student may be deemed eligible for an exemption from the GAT if they meet one or more of the following criteria:

• they have a condition, circumstance or impairment for which arrangements cannot reasonably be made. Special Examination Arrangements (SEAs) for the GAT can be provided for students with a vision impairment or students who are deaf or hard of hearing

• they are prevented from sitting the GAT by injury, illness, personal trauma or a serious intervening event

• they are employed and cannot be absent from work (evidence from their employer is required).

Students may be eligible to sit the GAT interstate or overseas if they:

• are on an exchange program overseas

• are on exchange in Victoria and are returning home immediately before or during the VCE external assessment period

• are representing Australia in an official capacity, for example, at a sporting, academic, military or cultural event

• have a parent(s) or guardian(s) who has been asked to work interstate or overseas.

Students are advised to speak the VCE Leader about lodging an Application to sit VCE external assessments interstate or overseas as soon as possible.

Events such as family holidays, birthdays and weddings are not considered valid grounds for an application to sit VCE external assessments interstate or overseas.

Students who obtained GAT results are issued with a statement that indicates their performance against the standards for writing, reading and numeracy. For students who completed both Sections A and B of the GAT, the scores achieved for each component and a descriptive statement of these results, along with a standardised score for each component, is also reported.

Reporting VCE

At the end of the academic year, the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) issues a Statement of Results to all students who have obtained results in Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) units, VCE VET units and units of competency, and VCE certificates to students who are eligible.

The VCE certificate contains the student’s full name but does not list their individual studies or results. The certificate is issued in the academic year in which the student first satisfies the requirements of the VCE. Students who have previously satisfied the requirements of the VCE certificate, but choose to do additional studies in subsequent years, do not have their certificate reissued. Upon satisfactory completion of the VCE VM, students receive recognition through the appellation of ‘Vocational Major’ on their Victorian Certificate of Education and a Statement of Results.

The VCAA issues a VCE Statement of Results to all students enrolled in the VCE as their primary program. This contains:

• a cumulative record of achievement for all VCE and VCE VET units undertaken, and the academic year in which the result was obtained (units awarded a J result will not be printed)

• graded assessment and study scores for each sequence of Unit 3 and 4 studies undertaken, either in the current academic year or earlier (if both Units 3 and 4 are awarded a J result, the entire record for the sequence is not printed)

• credit obtained for study taken overseas, interstate or as part of the International Baccalaureate (IB) or for a vocational certificate

• university studies successfully completed

• a statement indicating whether the student sat the GAT

• if relevant, a statement indicating that the student was granted English as an Additional Language (EAL) status, along with the years in which that status was conferred

• a statement indicating whether or not the student has successfully completed the VCE.

All VCE studies have three graded assessments for each Unit 3–4 sequence. Scored VCE VET studies have two graded assessments for each Unit 3–4 sequence

Levels of performance in graded assessments are reported as being from A+ to E, UG (ungraded) or NA (not assessed). UG indicates that the score achieved was too low to assign a grade. NA indicates that the School-based Assessment was not submitted, or the examination was not undertaken.

A study score indicates how a student performed in relation to all others who took the study. It is calculated using the student’s moderated School-based Assessment scores, the Externally-assessed Task and the examination scores for each study.

The maximum study score is 50. For studies with many enrolments (1000 or more) the following table shows the approximate proportion of students who will achieve a study score on or above the stated values. For studies with fewer enrolments the proportions may vary slightly.

If the study score is less than 20, the score will be reported to the student as <20. The actual score will be sent to the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC; www.vtac.edu.au). This is available to the student's school on VASS, and is available to the student on the Results Service, by contacting the VCAA or by applying for a Statement of Study Score.

If the study score is unavailable, the score will be reported to the student as UN. A study score is unavailable when more than one graded assessment is NA or because the student has not satisfactorily completed both Units 3 and 4 of the study.

Units of competency that have been satisfactorily completed are reported on the student’s VCE VET Statement of Results. Units of competency not yet completed, although entered as N on VASS, will not appear on the student’s Statement of Results.

VCE VET units are reported on the VCE Statement of Results. All certificates and statements of attainment are awarded by the student’s registered training organisation (RTO).

VET Statements of Results are issued to students who satisfactorily complete units of competency in a VCE VET program, a School-based Apprenticeship or Traineeship, or a VET certificate.

Each Statement of Results contains a cumulative record of achievement for all units of competency undertaken towards a certificate with a current enrolment. If students are undertaking more than one VCE VET program but are yet to complete all units of competency, results for all programs may appear on one Statement of Results.

Investigation of breaches of School-based Assessment rules:

On receipt of an allegation, the student’s work should not be accepted for assessment, pending the conduct of an investigation by the College. The original of the final version of the work is to be retained by the College. The student should be given a copy of the work.

Students who have been observed breaching the rules or allegations have been made will be informed by the supervising teacher of such observations. The supervising teacher will report the incident to the VCE Leader. The student will be interviewed by the subject teacher and the VCE Leader to allow them to respond to the allegations. Allegations must be handled sensitively and may need to be kept confidential.

The VCE Leader and subject teacher must:

• explain clearly to the student the purpose of the interview, the rules allegedly breached and the possible outcomes

• present any necessary evidence collected earlier to support the case

• give the student an opportunity to respond to the allegations against them

• pose questions and conduct the interview in a way that allows the student to feel as comfortable as possible in the circumstances

• keep very detailed records of the interview.

The VCE Leader will report to the Principal on the findings and may recommend that no further action is to be taken.

If there is evidence to support further investigation then the student will be informed of the need to come before a hearing panel to respond to the allegation of an investigation by the school The original of the final version of the work is to be retained by the school. The student should be given a copy of the work.

If the allegation raises the suggestion that a student has submitted work that is not their own, the student must provide evidence that the work submitted is their own and/or was completed in accordance with VCAA requirements.

Students may be asked to:

• provide evidence of the development of the work

• discuss the content of the work with the teacher and answer questions to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the work

• provide samples of other work

• complete under supervision a supplementary Assessment Task related to the original task.

An interview panel will be established. The panel must consist of at least two, but no more than three teachers, the subject teacher and up to two representatives of the Principal.

The VCE Leader, or other relevant Coordinator, must give the student at least 24 hours written notice before the hearing.

This notice must include:

• the allegations against the student

• the purpose of the hearing

• the date, time and place of the hearing

• the composition of the hearing

• advice that a parent/friend may accompany the student to provide moral support, but will not represent student or speak on their behalf’

• the name of the person with whom the student may clarify procedures

• if applicable, advise that the student looks at the copy of their work prior to the hearing and bring this to the interview.

The final decision will be made based on consideration of all evidence and submissions, including the student’s response and whether the allegations (and the student’s defence) are supported by evidence that is relevant to and credible.

If any allegations against a student are to be found to be proven, it must then be decided whether a penalty should be imposed and if so, what penalty is appropriate.

Possible penalties include:

• a verbal or written warning

• detention or suspension

• refusal to consider the student’s work, but giving the student the opportunity to resubmit the work if there is sufficient time before the due date for submission of results according to VCAA schedule

• refusal to accept the part of the student’s work found to have been completed in contravention of VCAA rules and determination of the appropriate result for the relevant outcome forming part of the VCE Unit

• refusal to accept any part of the work, awarding an N for the Outcome.

All notes from the hearing must be kept.

After the hearing the school must write to the student to confirm:

• the findings of the hearing

• reasons for the decision and supporting evidence

• penalty that will be imposed

• information about the student’s right to appeal to the VCAA which must be lodged no later than 14 days after the student receives written notice of the decision from the school.

Section 2.5.21 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 provides that a student may appeal to the VCAA against a decision by the school, and any penalty imposed by the school, in respect of a contravention of the assessment rules (including the authentication rules) of the VCAA relating to School-based Assessments. This right of appeal does not apply to decisions about the satisfactory completion of a course arising from a student's attendance, or other disciplinary decisions of a school not arising from a contravention of VCAA assessment rules.

An appeal against a school decision must be made in writing to the Chief Executive Officer of the VCAA not later than 14 days after the student receives written notice of the decision from the school. On receipt of a notice of appeal from a student, the Chief Executive Officer of the VCAA will nominate an officer of the VCAA to interview the parties to the appeal and attempt to resolve the matter.

Student Attendance - Units 1 - 4

Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes. A student must attend 90% of all classes in order to satisfy the attendance requirements for completion of the unit. The 90% attendance requirement does not include time away that has been an approved absence.

• The Year Level Team Leader will notify the VCE Leader of the student’s breach.

• The VCE Leader will consult with the Principal who will then decide whether or not to award an N for the unit. Approved absence may be the result of:

• Illness

• Personal Environment

• Physical Disability

• Significant Hardship

• Approved College Events

All absences from school must be supported by relevant documentation:

• Medical Certificate; or

• Professional Documentation.

The College must be notified if a student is absent and on immediately returning to school the student must produce the documentation explaining the absence.

Students must produce a letter to explain any extended absence. In such cases students are responsible for ensuring that they complete all work missed during their absence.

If a student is to be absent because of a College Co-Curricular Activity, they must give prior notification to all teachers who will have had them on the day.

If a student is to be absent for more than five school days due to family holidays, they must submit the Appendix 3 - VCE Units 1-4 Planned Extended Absence Application Form.

In the event of absence for an Assessment Task (AT), School Assessed Coursework (SAC) or School Assessed Task (SAT) the following procedure must be followed:

• The subject teacher must email the student, the student’s parent/guardian and the relevant Year Level Team Leader alerting them to the student’s absence from an AT/SAC/SAT reminding them that Medical Documentation is required.

• The student on returning to school must complete Appendix 1 - Absence or Extension Form Units 1 - 4 The form with the relevant documentation must be sighted by the subject teacher and returned to the VCE Leader on the day of return The relevant documentation includes:

➢ Medical Certificate; or

➢ Professional Documentation

• An alternative date and time will be set by the subject teacher for practical and/or oral tasks, whilst all written tasks require the student to attend the resit time during the Thursday afterschool session from (3:30 – 5:00 pm) in C8 with the VCE Leader

• The VCE Leader will inform the student and subject teacher only if the application is not approved via email

• Unapproved absence will result in an ‘zero’ for a Units 1-2 Assessment Task (AT), and Units 3-4 School Assessed Coursework (SAC) and School Assessed Task (SAT)

Where the school does not approve an absence, a student may appeal to an internal appeals body consisting of the Principal or the Principal’s delegate, an impartial staff member currently teaching VCE and a staff representative of the student’s choice and/or a Student Services staff representative. A student has seven days in which to lodge a complaint.

Extension of time for an individual student to complete a task will be granted only in special circumstances.

Eligibility for an extension of time

A student may be eligible for an extension if the need results from:

• Illness

• Personal Environment

• Physical Disability

• Significant Hardship.

Procedure for an application for an extension of time:

• The student must complete Appendix 1 - Absence or Extension Form Units 1 - 4. The form with the relevant documentation must be returned to the VCE Leader as soon as practicable and a meeting will be convened to discuss the extension application

• The maximum extension period will be ONE week.

• The VCE Leader will inform the student, parent/guardian, subject teacher and the relevant Year Level Team Leader of the outcome of the extension application via email

Co-Curricular Activity Absence

Co-curricular activity absence is an approved College absence if Appendix 2 - Years 10 - 12 Co-Curricular Activity Form Units 1 - 4 has been approved by the VCE Leader.

• The student must complete Appendix 2 - Years 10 - 12 Co-Curricular Activity Form Units 1 - 4 ONE week prior to the College event.

• The VCE Leader will inform the student and organising teacher only if the application is not approved via email

Special Provision within the VCE or VCE-VM

The VCAA Special Provision policy aims to provide students in defined circumstances with the opportunity to participate in and complete their secondary level studies. Special Provision is available to VCE students for classroom learning and School-based Assessment and VCE external assessments.

The underlying principle of the VCAA Special Provision Policy is to make sure students are offered the most appropriate, fair and reasonable options to demonstrate their capabilities if their learning and assessment programs are affected by disability, illness, impairment or other circumstances. Special provision should provide equivalent, alternative arrangements for students but not confer an advantage to any student over other students.

Although there is no limit on the period of time allowed for a student to achieve the VCE, the provisions available seek to help a student complete the requirements in a timeframe comparable to that of their peers.

Individual students may need special provisions in their learning program to achieve the learning outcomes, and in assessment to demonstrate their learning and achievement.

At the same time, students who have been granted Special Provision are not exempt from meeting the requirements for satisfactory completion of the VCE, or from being assessed against the outcomes for a study. Students are still required to demonstrate their achievement fairly in meeting the outcomes of the study design as well as completing School-based Assessments and VCE external assessments.

Specific eligibility criteria apply to the granting of Special Provision for the VCE or VCE-VM

Special Provision is available to students completing the VCE or VCE-VM for classroom learning, School-based Assessment and VCE external assessments.

Specific eligibility requirements apply for each type of Special Provision:

• For classroom learning and School-based Assessment, the school is primarily responsible for determining eligibility and the nature of the provisions granted. Schools are encouraged to consult the VCAA if they are unsure about appropriate arrangements. The school’s policies and procedures should be clearly documented and communicated to students. It is strongly recommended that schools keep records of all decisions made for each student.

• For VCE external assessments, which include all VCE examinations, the Extended Investigation Critical Thinking Test and oral presentation and the General Achievement Test (GAT), the VCAA is responsible for determining eligibility and for granting approval in the form of Special Examination Arrangements and the Derived Examination Score (DES).

Students may be eligible for Special Provision if, at any time, they are adversely affected in a significant way by:

• an acute or chronic illness (physical or psychological)

• factors relating to personal circumstance

• an impairment or disability, including learning disorders.

These circumstances do not include matters or situations of the student’s own choosing, such as involvement in social or sporting activities or school events.

Prolonged absence from school or study is not in itself grounds for Special Provision. However, provisions are available to students experiencing severe hardship that may result in prolonged absence. Students granted Special Provision must still complete all schoolwork related to satisfactory completion of the outcomes of a VCE unit. Students absent from school for prolonged periods must still comply with the school’s authentication procedures to demonstrate that they have completed the work and that the work is their own.

Students who are eligible for integration funding may not necessarily meet the eligibility criteria for Special Provision in the VCE or VCE-VM

Students who have been granted EAL status on the basis of unfamiliarity with the English language are not eligible for Special Provision on this basis alone, unless they qualify for EAL status because of deafness or hearing loss

Schools may approve special provision for both classroom learning and School-based Assessments to enable students with a disability, illness, impairment or a personal circumstance to demonstrate what they know, and to participate in classroom learning and/or School-based Assessments. Where considered appropriate, alternative assessment strategies may be needed. Decisions on whether to approve school-based provisions are made by schools. The VCAA recognises that school personnel, because of their knowledge of individual students and their circumstances, can sensitively vary the school learning programs and School-based Assessments to accommodate student circumstances.

The school will consult the VCAA if unsure about appropriate arrangements and seek advice about what provisions might be appropriate.

The VCAA requires schools to maintain records of their decisions.

Course completion

There are a number of ways in which Catholic Ladies’ College can make alternative arrangements to assist students with their learning and to enable them to be assessed against the unit outcomes, including:

• rescheduling classroom activities and/or an assessment task

• allowing the student extra time to complete work or an assessment task

• setting a substitute task of the same type

• replacing a task with a different type

• using a planned task to assess more outcomes, or aspects of outcomes, than originally intended

• using technology, aides or other special arrangements to complete classroom learning and/or undertake assessment tasks

• deriving satisfactory completion of outcomes or a score from other assessments or work completed by the student (if the provisions already mentioned are not feasible or reasonable).

The decision made by the school needs to reflect the best interest of the student and should be based on the available medical or other professional advice.

Students who are granted an extension of time are required to complete the work and undertake the task in the same way as all other students.

Further information regarding the range of strategies available to the school are available at https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/administration/special-provision/Pages/SpecialProvisionforClassroomLearning.aspx

School-assessed Tasks, Music Style and Composition Externally-assessed Task and Extended Investigation Externally-assessed Task Written Report

Some VCE studies require completion of a folio, production item or research report. Students who may be injured, ill or experiencing adverse personal circumstances during the period of time designated by the school for the completion of these types of tasks should be encouraged to complete the task.

The school will consider a range of options for the student, including:

• allowing an extension of time for the student to complete the task, but within the timeframe for the school to lodge the score by the relevant VCAA submission date. If the student is given an extension, but the work is still not complete by the due date, it should be assessed by the teacher as is and that score sent to the VCAA

• contacting the VCAA (via a letter from the principal) for permission to allow the student an extension of time to complete the task that will enable a score to be submitted after the VCAA submission date. A VASS Score Amendment Sheet (SAS) must be lodged when the score becomes available

• allowing the student to complete the task in an agreed extended timeline for satisfactory completion purposes only, that is, if the student receives an S result for the VCE unit outcome, but is awarded a score of NA (not assessed) for the task

Special Examination Arrangements may be approved for students with disabilities, illnesses or other circumstances that affect their ability to access a VCE external assessment.

Special Examination Arrangements applications are made to the VCAA through the school (via the VCE Leader) and must be endorsed by the principal. Such applications will be considered by the VCAA in accordance with the VCAA Special Provision policy.

The VCAA recognises that some students with a disability, as defined in the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cwlth), or illness may require Special Examination Arrangements to enable them to access the examination/test questions and communicate their responses in a timed external assessment.

The VCAA considers a large number of applications for Special Examination Arrangements every year. As it is the school that makes the application on behalf of students, and will ultimately administer their VCE external assessments, the VCAA’s consultation with a student and/or their representative will usually take place through the school.

A student may not receive Special Examination Arrangements without the VCAA’s approval.

The VCAA considers each application for Special Examination Arrangements on a case-by-case basis. The VCAA will make a decision based primarily on the school-based evidence and recommendations taking into consideration any additional academic and educational assessments and independent evidence provided with the application.

Students are eligible for Special Examination Arrangements if it can be demonstrated that their capacity to access a VCE external assessment is impaired due to one or more of the following:

• mental health condition

• health impairment or physical disability

• specific learning disorders

• language disorder

• motor disorders

• deaf and hard of hearing

• vision impairment.

Applications for Special Examination Arrangements for each student must be made through the VCE Leader, be endorsed by the Principal and be supported by recent professional and/or other specialist reports and school-based evidence. The VCAA will only accept an application from a school on the Special Examination Arrangements application for students enrolled in one or more VCE or scored VCE VET Unit 3–4 sequence in 2024.

Special Examination Arrangements may take the form of:

• rest breaks

• extra working time

• separate rooms for individual students

• use of computers, tablets, and/or assistive technology

• readers

• scribes

• clarifiers

• Auslan interpreters

• alternative format examination papers

• alternative examination venues

Applications for all these Special Examination Arrangements must meet the VCAA eligibility criteria. If approval has been granted for the use of a clarifier, reader, scribe, computer and/or assistive technology, students are required to sit their VCE external assessments in a separate room.

Any person who has worked with the student on previous occasions, other than during VCE external assessments, or who has been closely associated with the student as a teacher, a tutor, an integration aide or a visiting teacher or staff member in a deaf facility during the student’s VCE studies is not permitted to act as a reader, scribe or clarifier. The appointee may work with the student during any practice examinations.

Any person appointed as a reader, scribe and/or clarifier must not have a close relationship or association with:

• any student undertaking a VCE Unit 3 and 4 sequence at the school at which they are employed

• a VCE teacher of any student in a VCE Unit 3 and 4 sequence

• a tutor, an integration aide, a visiting teacher or staff member in a deaf facility who has a close relationship with any student undertaking a VCE Unit 3 and 4 sequence at the school at which they are employed.

The school is responsible for identifying who may be eligible for special provision for classroom learning, Schoolbased Assessments and VCE external assessments. Many students will already be known to school staff, having been identified though established and ongoing support programs and discussions with teachers and/or parents/guardians. All parents/guardians of students undertaking a VCE Unit 3-4 sequence will be given the opportunity to advise the school of their child’s need for special examination arrangements at the commencement of the academic year. It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to respond to the school’s communications in a timely manner to ensure their child is able to receive special provisions.

The process for applying for provisions is outlined below:

Further information regarding special examination arrangements can be accessed at https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/administration/special-provision/Pages/SpecialExaminationArrangements.aspx

Students who are ill or affected by other personal circumstances at the time of a VCE external assessment and whose result is unlikely to be a fair or accurate indication of their learning or achievement in the study may apply for a DES. If their application is approved, a DES will be calculated by the VCAA.

The purpose of a DES is to ensure that a student’s final result for an external assessment reflects as accurately as possible the level of achievement that would be expected based on the learning and achievement the student has demonstrated in the study over the year.

It is not designed to be used to compensate for learning or achievement that has not been possible because of longterm illness or other ongoing conditions that have been present over the year. These circumstances are best addressed by considering one or more strategies for special provision for classroom-learning and/or School-based Assessment. If an illness or personal circumstance has been so severe that a student has not been coping with the demands of the VCE, Compassionate Late Withdrawal or Interrupted Studies status should be considered.

Students who experience the onset of an illness or the occurrence of an injury or personal trauma before or during an assessment period should discuss, with the VCE Leader, a school application for Emergency Special Examination Arrangements, which may help them sit their VCE external assessments.

A DES is not available for the GAT.

Students are eligible for a DES if they meet all of the following criteria:

• They have completed the course of study leading to the external assessment and have a result for at least one other graded assessment in the same study.

• They experience the onset or an exacerbation of an illness or the occurrence of an injury, personal trauma or serious intervening event in the period before or during a VCE external assessment, that has either prevented them from attending the external assessment or significantly affected their performance during the external assessment.

• They provide evidence that demonstrates the illness, injury, personal trauma or serious intervening event has affected their performance in the external assessment or has prevented them from attending the external assessment.

A ‘personal trauma’ may include, but is not limited to, the death or serious illness of a family member, an accident involving a family member, or family break-up.

A ‘serious intervening event’ may include, but is not limited to, an accident on the way to or at an examination, attendance at a funeral of a family member or other person of close relationship, or the required attendance at a court proceeding.

Students cannot submit an application on the basis of:

• unfamiliarity with the English language

• teacher absence or other teacher-related difficulties

• long-term or chronic condition or illness

• matters that could have been avoided by the student, for example misreading the examination timetable or instructions, or matters related to school discipline

• matters of the student’s own choosing, such as involvement in social events, sporting or training activities, school events or volunteer work.

Students who believe that they are eligible for a DES must collect the VCAA form from the VCE Leader. The primary responsibility for submitting an application that meets all eligibility criteria rests with the student. The student must submit the completed form to the VCE Leader, who will consult with the Principal to determine whether the application has merit.

If circumstances are of an exceptionally private and sensitive nature, the student may apply directly to the VCAA. The VCAA must receive an application no later than seven days after the student’s last examination.

Further information regarding Derived Examination Scores can be accessed at https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/administration/special-provision/Pages/DerivedExaminationScore.aspx

Privacy Laws and Permission to Publish

Due to Privacy laws students must give written consent for both VCAA and Catholic Ladies’ College Ltd to publish results of VCE students.

VCAA seeks permission to give study scores over 40 to newspapers and release personal details for calculation of Premier’s Awards, Australian Students prize, and On Track data to Government departments. It also seeks permission to use student work in publicity publications. This is done using the VCE Student Personal Details form Catholic Ladies' College Ltd also seeks permission to publish high study and/or ATAR scores in College Publications. This is done using the Sharing of Results forms (see pro-forma section) for Year 11 and Year 12 students.

Both these forms are completed by students early in the academic year but can be amended at any time during that year.

VCE Examination Administration

Students attending VCE examinations are required to observe the rules for VCE external assessments conducted by or on behalf of the VCAA as well as the day-to-day rules of the institution hosting the examination. VCAA examination rules shall apply with appropriate and reasonable modifications to students who have disabilities or other impairments. The rules are available on the VCAA website and are included in the VCE Examinations Manual 2024 and relevant publications for students, such as the 2024 GAT brochure (distributed in Term 2) and VCE Exams Navigator 2024 (distributed in Term 3).

Students completing the GAT or a VCE written examination must write their VCAA student number on the response materials. Students attending a location other than their home school may also need to provide personal identification before entering the examination room.

All students undertaking a performance, Languages oral examination or the Extended Investigation oral presentation will need to provide personal identification at the registration point for their assessment. The personal identification must consist of a clear photograph of the student and their full name. Most existing student identification cards or personal documents (for example, a school ID card, a public transport ID card, a passport or a driver’s licence) are sufficient. Students undertaking the oral component of the VCE Languages examination will need to identify themselves by stating, in English, their VCAA student number.

A student’s home school provides them their VCAA student number.

Materials authorised by the VCAA for use in the GAT and VCE examinations are listed on the VCAA website and are included in the VCE Examinations Manual 2024, the 2024 GAT brochure and VCE Exams Navigator 2024 They can also be found at https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/assessment/vce-assessment/materials/Pages/index.aspx

Students are required to observe all VCAA examination rules for the conduct of VCE external assessments conducted by or on behalf of the VCAA, as well as the day-to-day rules of the school or institution providing the venue for the external assessment.

Principals and chief supervisors are responsible to the VCAA for the conduct of VCE external assessments. Any alleged breach of the VCAA examination rules or any allegation that a student’s assessment has been obtained by fraudulent, illegal or unfair means must be reported to the VCAA. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), VCAA, may refer serious cases to a review committee, which will conduct a hearing to consider the circumstances of the alleged breach and, if applicable, determine any appropriate penalty.

Further information about the role of principals and other school personnel in investigations is set out in the VCAA VCE Administrative Handbook 2024 which can be accessed at https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/administration/vcehandbook/Pages/index.aspx

At Catholic Ladies’ College we recognise that examinations need to have clear guidelines that support students at this time, so that they can give themselves the best chance to achieve their goals.

Students should read these guidelines carefully and then discuss with others to ensure they understand the following directions.

1. Examinations will be held in either the College Hall or classrooms.

2. Follow all instructions or directions given in the examination room by the supervisors.

3. Only bring the required material according to the approved materials and equipment for any given examination into the examination room. Students are not able to borrow from another student during the examination.

4. Any student experiencing any difficulties or illnesses must inform their Year Level Team Leader or Homeroom teacher immediately before the commencement of the exam period.

5. Students must enter and leave the examination room quickly and quietly when instructed.

6. Students will be seated in alphabetical order and must place their student card on their desk for identification.

7. Wait for the signal to begin from the supervisor. Only then will you be able to write or mark your paper in any way or use a calculator.

8. Water bottles are allowed but must be clear and must be placed on the floor. Any bottle with labels will be confiscated. Water bottles must not be refilled during the exam period or shared between students.

9. Dictionaries are allowed only for those subjects that specifically indicate the use of them. Students can consult dictionaries during reading time.

10. Watches are to be placed on top of the desk. Smart watches are not permitted.

11. The following items are not allowed into the examination room. If students are in possession of such items when entering the examination room, they will need to hand them to the exam supervisor at the start of the exam. Any such item not declared will be confiscated if found. These items include:

➢ mobile phones and electronic devices that are capable of storing, receiving or transmitting information or electronic signals, such as recorded music and video players, organisers, dictionaries and computerised watches

➢ correction fluid or tape

➢ lip balm

➢ food (this includes chewing gum, lollies, etc) unless prior arrangements have been made and only for health reasons. Any student who needs to bring food into the exams for health reasons must make arrangements with the VCE Leader prior to the exam.

12. Students will not be admitted into the examination room after the first half hour of the examination and will not be allowed to leave the examination room until the end of the examination.

13. If a student needs to go to the toilet, they must turn their exam paper over. The examination supervisor will record the name of the student.

14. All missed examinations must be completed during a scheduled catch-up session and students will be notified via email of the date and time.

15. Year 10 students studying a Unit 1 & 2 Sequence: If the examination timetable causes a student to have two exams occurring at exactly the same time, the Unit 1 & 2 sequence examination takes precedence and it is the student’s responsibility to contact the Year Level Team Leader to organise an alternate time for the Year 10 examination.

16. Respect others privacy and right to sit the examination without interruptions. Do not communicate with another student while the examination is being conducted.

17. A student must not remove any examination papers from the examination room.

18. All students are to remain seated in the examination room until the end of the scheduled examination time.

19. A signal will be given five minutes before the scheduled completion of writing time. Finish writing when asked to by the examination supervisor. Then, remain in your place, in silence, until directed to leave by the supervisor after all papers have been collected.

20. Consequences for Breach of Rules: The Year Level Team Leader and/or the VCE Leader will deal with any breaches of these rules.

Tick the relevant ‘absence’ box:

Absence for an Assessment Task Units 1 – 2

Absence for a School Assessed Task (SAT) or School Assessed Coursework (SAC) Units 3 - 4

OR

Tick the relevant ‘extension’ box:

Extension for an Assessment Task Units 1 – 2

Extension for a School Assessed Task (SAT) or School Assessed Coursework (SAC) Units 3 – 4

(i) Reason for extension being requested.

(ii) Date task is due: ____ / ____ / ____

(iii) Extension requested until (the maximum extension period will be one week): Date ____ / ____ / ____

Details:

Student Name Homeroom

Subject Teacher Name

Task Missed Date of Absence

Reason for Absence/Extension:

Please tick the relevant box:

Illness  Physical Disability  Approved School Activity 

Significant Hardship  Personal Situation  Other (please specify) 

Documentation:

Please tick the relevant box and attach the documentation to this form:

Doctor’s Certificate  Professional Documentation 

(eg. Positive RAT time and date stamped, Statutory Declaration)

Other (please specify) 

Student Signature: _______________________________________ Date: ____ / ____ / ____

Subject Teacher:

I have sighted the documentation: Y N

I have organised a new time for the practical or oral task: Y N

Date and Time:

Student to resit during Thursday after school session in C8 on Date: / / Time:

Teacher Signature: _________________________________________

Absence/Extension Approval:

Approved  Not Approved 

VCE Leader Signature: _________________________________________

Date: ____ / ____ / ____

Date: ____ / ____ / ____

Activity

Organiser

Student Name

Year Level Homeroom Day(s) Date Length of Activity

* If an Assessment Task is scheduled, please complete an ‘Absence or Extension Form’ which are available from outside Year Level Team Leader’s offices in Currajeen.

Students are reminded that it is their responsibility to catch up on work missed and complete any Assessment Tasks (ATs), School Assessed Tasks (SATs) and School Assessed Coursework (SACs) on their return. Note: Any excursion/incursion related to an AT, SAT or SAC takes priority over the Co-Curricular Activity.

Organising Teacher’s Name:

Organising Teacher’s Signature:

Co-Curricular Activity Approval:

Note: Must be submitted ONE week prior to the Co-Curricular Activity.

Approved  Not Approved 

VCE Leader Signature: Date: ____ / ____ / ____

In accordance with the Catholic Ladies’ College VCE & VCE-VM Policy 2024, all CLC VCE and VCE-VM students are expected to attend all scheduled classes. A student must attend 90% of all classes in order to satisfy the attendance requirements for completion of the unit. The 90% attendance requirement does not include time away that has been an approved absence.

Families wishing to take their children on a family holiday are advised to seek to schedule holidays within term breaks to prevent their child from receiving an ‘N’ for a subject due to low attendance or absence from an Assessment Task (AT), School Assessed Coursework (SAC) or School Assessed Task (SAT). Where extended holidays must be taken (greater than five school days), please complete the following form.

Student Name:

Dates of Absence:

HRM:

Reason for Absence:

Date for rescheduled

Declaration: I understand that approval for an extended absence is not automatic. I understand that absence without school approval will directly impact my attendance data and that if an assessment task is scheduled to occur during this time, I may not be granted permission to reschedule it for a scored result. I understand that if my application is approved, it is my responsibility to remain up to date with all course requirements.

Student Name:

Parent Name:

Signature:

Signature:

Date: / /

Date: / /

Please submit this form to Anja Drummond, VCE Leader. You will be notified in writing of the outcome of this application.

Absence Approval

 Approved  Not Approved

Reason:

Anja Drummond

VCE Leader

Joanna De Bono

Deputy Principal Learning & Teaching

Signature:

Signature:

OFFICE USE ONLY

Staff to be informed ✓

Subject teachers

Head of Learning – Assessment, Reporting & Exams (OBO)

Deputy Principal Learning & Teaching (JDE)

VCE Leader (ADR) / VASS Coordinator (MBU)

VET Leader (EKE)

VCE-VM Leader (CFY)

Year Level Team Leader

Timetabler (CBR)

College Attendance

Date: / /

Date: / /

Approved Higher

Education Studies

ATAR

First year University studies and some advanced standing TAFE courses recognised by VCAA.

Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank is the overall ranking on a scale of 0 - 99.95 that a student receives based on her study scores. The ATAR is calculated by VTAC and used by universities and TAFE institutes to select students for courses.

Authentication The process of ensuring that the work submitted by students for assessment is their own.

Coursework

Audit

Derived Examination

Score

Examinations

GAT

Graded Assessment

The VCAA will collect samples of student coursework Assessment Tasks from schools each semester. The work collected is to monitor the school’s administration of Coursework assessment.

Provision available for students who have missed an examination or whose examination performance has been impaired due to illness or other personal circumstances.

External assessments set and marked by the VCAA. All studies have at least one examination. All written examinations are held in November. Performance and Oral examinations are held in October and November.

A test of knowledge and skills in writing, mathematics, science and technology, humanities and social sciences and the arts. All students enrolled in a VCE Unit 3 and 4 sequence must sit the GAT. It is used by the VCAA to check that schools are marking School-assessed Tasks to the same standard, as part of the statistical moderation of School-assessed Coursework and as a quality assurance check on the VCAA’s marking of examinations and School-assessed Tasks.

All VCE subjects have three graded assessments for each Unit 3 and 4 sequence. Each study includes at least one examination, most have Coursework and some have School-Assessed Tasks.

N Result Means that not all outcomes have been achieved or there is a significant breach of rules.

Outcomes

PRAS

Satisfactory Completion

School-Assessed Coursework (SAC)

School-Assessed Task (SAT)

Semester

What a student must know, or be able to do, in order to satisfactorily complete a unit as specified in the study design.

Post-results and ATAR SERVICE - a free enquiry service provided by the VCAA after the release of VCE results.

School decision that a student has demonstrated achievement of the outcomes for a unit. Students receive an ‘S’ for the satisfactory completion of a unit or an ‘N’ if they do not satisfactorily complete a unit. An ‘S’ means that all outcomes as set out in the study design have been achieved.

A School-Assessed Assessment (SAC) which is reported as a grade for either a Unit 3 and 4 sequence or Unit 3 and Unit 4 individually.

A School-Assessed Task (SAT) for a Unit 3 and 4 sequence and reported as a grade in folio based subjects (eg. Art). A SAT is set by the VCAA and assessed by teachers in accordance with published criteria. Tasks are subject to review by a panel appointed by the VCAA.

One half of the academic year. Most units are completed in one semester.

Sequence Units 3 and 4 are designed to be taken as a sequence at Year 12 level.

Special Provision

Statement of marks

Statement of results

Special arrangements that are made to allow students who are experiencing significant hardship the maximum opportunity to demonstrate both what they know and what they can do.

For each examination including the GAT, students can apply for a statement showing the marks they obtained and describing the calculation of the Study Score. A fee is charged for each statement.

The document(s) issued by the VCAA showing the results a student achieved in the VCE, VCE-VM and VET units and whether they have graduated.

Statistical moderation

Studies

Study Design

Study Score

Units

VASS

VCAA

VCE Certificate

VCE VM

VET

VET FE

VPC

VTAC

The process used to ensure that schools’ assessments are comparable throughout the state. It involves adjusting each school’s coursework scores for each study to match the level and spread of the combined examination and GAT scores for the students in that school doing that study.

The subjects available in VCE, VCE-VM or VET.

A study design for each VCE and VCE-VM subject is published by the VCAA. It specifies the content for the study and how students’ work is to be assessed. Schools must adhere to the study design.

A score from 0 – 50 which shows how a student performed in a study, relative to all other students doing that same study. It is based on the students’ results in school assessments and examinations.

The components of a study. There are usually 4 units in a study, numbered 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Victorian Assessment Software System - a Victorian database for administration of the VCE, VCEVM and VET.

The vision of the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) is to be a global education leader. The VCAA's mission is to provide high quality curriculum, assessment and reporting to enable learning for life.

The Victorian Certificate of Education awarded to students who meet the requirements for graduation of the VCE.

The VCE Vocational Major (VM) is a vocational and applied learning program within the VCE designed to be completed over a minimum of two years. The VCE VM will give students greater choice and flexibility to pursue their strengths and interests and develop the skills and capabilities needed to succeed in further education, work and life. It prepares students to move into apprenticeships, traineeships, further education and training, university (via non-ATAR pathways) or directly into the workforce.

Vocational Education and Training – nationally recognised vocational certificates integrated within the VCE.

Vocational Education and Training Further Education – nationally recognised vocational certificates integrated within the VCE.

The Victorian Pathways Certificate is designed for a limited cohort of students in Years 11 and 12 who are not ready to undertake the VCE or the VCE Vocational Major for various reasons. Students and their families should discuss suitability for enrolment in the Victorian Pathways Certificate with their school.

Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre acts on behalf of the universities and TAFEs coordinating the joint selection. It calculates and distributes the ATAR.