VCE ASSESSMENT

Each VCE unit includes 2 to 4 outcomes that highlight the key knowledge and key skills to be achieved by students. Students will be given the opportunity in the assessment tasks of each unit to demonstrate the achievement of each outcome. The achievement of outcomes will be assessed by teachers and will be reported to the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA).

Levels of Performance

Within each unit students are required to complete a number of assessment tasks and an exam from which evaluations are made regarding the level of performance or standard attained.

School Based Assessment Units 1 and 2

Within Units 1 and 2, the subject teachers at Mazenod College determine assessment tasks and each will be ranked on a 10 point scale (A+ to E) indicating the level of performance on that task. These results will be communicated to parents in a school report for each subject, but will not be included on the statement of results from VCAA. For Unit 1 & 2 subjects VCAA only reports S or N for each unit.

School Assessment (SACs and SATs) Units 3 and 4

For most subjects this involves School Assessed Coursework (SACs) but some subjects such as Studio Arts or Visual Communication Design have School Assessed Tasks (SATs). In both cases, VCAA outlines the type of assessment tasks to be completed 10 point scale (A+ to E) are reported by VCAA for assessment tasks (SACs, SATs or exams) completed as part of Units 3 and 4.

Tertiary Selection

An Australian Tertiary Admission Ranking (ATAR) is calculated using the grades achieved on Assessment Tasks for each subject. It uses the scores in an English Study (includes English 3/4 or English Literature 3/4 or English Language 3-4) plus the best three other subject scores plus 10% of the next two subject scores. Only six subject scores are counted. Requirements for all institutions are:

• The satisfactory completion of the VCE, AND

• The satisfactory completion of units 3 and 4 of an English Study in the one year.

A subject will not be included in a tertiary entrance calculation, if

• A student has not obtained an S for the coursework

• More than one assessment task in a subject is graded either UG or NA.

The ATAR is used as the basis for selection into tertiary studies (Universities or TAFE Institutes).

Tertiary entrance is also affected by the prerequisite subjects which are included by the different university faculties and TAFE colleges. Students need to be aware of this information and if they have a particular interest in a tertiary course the best source of information is the selection officer of the faculty of the tertiary institution.