VCE Handbook 2024

VCE HANDBOOK 2024

VCE Handbook

WELCOME TO THE VCE

At The Knox School we are proud to pursue academic excellence within a well-rounded educational experience. We expect, value, and celebrate excellence in academic progress, effort and achievement.

We would like to emphasise that the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) is an important milestone in a secondary student’s academic journey. The VCE program is designed to engage and prepare students for the demands of tertiary study or the workforce.

Our goal is to provide a supportive and challenging learning environment for our students to succeed in their VCE studies.

It is important to recognise that each student is unique and may require different types of support. Our dedicated teaching staff are committed to helping each student. By working in partnership and providing a collaborative and personalised supportive approach, schools, teachers, and families can help every student reach their full learning potential and achieve their personal best.

With a wide range of subject offerings, opportunities for hands on learning, and a focus on developing critical thinking skills, we are confident that our students will be well prepared for their transition into adulthood and their future academic and professional endeavours.

Course planning, subject selection and post-Year 12 guidance is provided through our outstanding Careers Development program. In addition, our Senior School structure, Year 10 Mentors and VCE Academic Coaches empower students to take control of their own learning in VCE and help them build the skills and confidence they need to be prepared for lifelong learning and to contribute positively as global citizens beyond the gates of The Knox School.

This handbook will provide valuable information to help support your understanding of the VCE program and serves as a comprehensive guide to the structure and polices of the VCE, including course requirements, assessments, and the polices that support students’ progress and success.

We wish all our students the very best in their academic journey through the VCE. May you strive for excellence, embrace new challenges, and find success and personal growth in all that you do.

We believe in your potential and are here to support you every step of the way.

Ms Janelle Mathias

Acting Head of Senior School and Head of VCE

KEY DATES

Term Dates 2024

Term 1: 29 January 2024 to 28 March 2024

Term 2: 16 April 2024 to 21 June 2024

Term 3: 16 July 2024 to 20 September 2024

Term 4: 7 October 2024 to 6 December 2024

Examination Dates

General Achievement Test (GAT)

Tuesday 18 June 2024

VCE Written Examinations

Tuesday 29 October 2024 – Wednesday 20 November 2024

VCE OVERVIEW

Patterns of Study

Students in Year 10 undertake core subjects and can choose from a variety of other offerings to suit their individual needs. See the section “Course Selection: Year 10” for further details.

For studies in Years 11 and 12, students will typically undertake 22 units over the two-year VCE period; 6 units each semester in Year 11 and 5 units each semester in Year 12.

Ensuring specific criteria are met, this pathway leads to a VCE with an ATAR. Any changes to the usual number of subjects studied each semester will require approval from the Head of Senior School & VCE.

Students will be asked to nominate a two-year VCE study program during Term 3 of their Year 10 studies. Prior to this, students will have had time to study the contents of the Subject Handbook and to have completed their Morrisby Profile Career Assessment. They are also encouraged to make a time to see the Careers Development Practitioner, and to check their pathway with their Mentor or the Head of Academics (Years 8-10)

In selecting a study program for Years 11 and 12 students should:

• be aware that the VCE is a two-year study program and hence, plan ahead;

• select studies in which they are interested, enjoy and do well;

• be aware of any pre-requirements for tertiary courses or careers in which the student is interested;

• consider whether they will apply for the Acceleration Program and undertake a Units 3 and 4 study at Year 11;

• consider any limitations that might apply to prospective subject combinations;

• consider the recommendations of the School, the Careers Development Practitioner, their parents, their teachers, their Mentor/Academic Coach and Head of Academics/VCE

VCE Handbook

Course Selection: Year 10

Year 10 provides an opportunity to trial a number of different subjects whilst still retaining key compulsory studies which provide access to a wide range of tertiary courses. It is therefore an exciting and challenging year where students are consolidating their learning and thinking seriously about their preferred pathways.

Refer to the Subject Handbook for further details.

Acceleration in VCE Subjects

The Knox School’s VCE Acceleration Program

The Knox School’s VCE Acceleration Program applies to select Unit 3 and 4 subjects. This program enables high achieving and highly motivated students in Year 10 to apply for consideration to study a Unit 3 and 4 subject whilst in Year 11.

Studying a Unit 3 and 4 sequence as a Year 11 student can provide an enriching experience and academic challenge to students who have shown capacity and aptitude in their previous studies.

Involvement in this program is by application only and acceptance to study a Unit 3 and 4 sequence as a Year 11 student is not automatic, not available in all studies, nor is it always advised.

It is recommended that only students who have consistently achieved high grades across all their subjects apply for acceleration. This is so they are able to balance a Unit 3 and 4 study with their other commitments and studies.

Selection Criteria for Acceleration in a VCE subject

A student applying to be involved in the Acceleration Program will be required to meet the criteria for acceleration for individual subjects which will be outlined in the Subject Handbook. Criteria will include:

• Demonstration of an appropriate level of achievement, maturity and commitment to their studies, which is supported by their Semester 1 Report, teaching staff review, subject requirements, and student achievement data;

• Achievement of grades of B+ or higher in English/EAL and the majority of assessments in the study (or its close equivalent) that they wish to pursue at an accelerated level in the following year;

• Demonstration of consistently sound organisational skills especially in relation to deadlines and submission of work;

• Meeting all attendance guidelines (TKS sets attendance guidelines at 90%).

Formal application to be involved in the Acceleration Program is to be made at the time of Subject Selection during August of each year

Academic Review in Acceleration

Accelerated students are subject to regular academic reviews to gauge their potential for achieving their personal best. This will occur at the end of Term 1 and Term 2 and will include monitoring a student’s academic achievement with their ability to manage the increased responsibility. Their progress in other studies will also be monitored, as students who accelerate should be high achieving across all their subjects and should demonstrate the capacity to maintain their academic aptitude, even if studying at an accelerated level.

Academic reviews for students undertaking an accelerated Unit 3 and 4 subject may result in advice to transfer to the Unit 1 and 2 course of the accelerated subject, or to choose another Unit 1 and 2 sequence, subject to availability. In this instance students will not be permitted to take up another accelerated subject.

When choosing an accelerated subject students must also choose another subject to take in case their application is unsuccessful.

Pathways and Acceleration

It is the expectation of The Knox School that all Year 12 students take 5 subjects in their final year of schooling regardless of previous acceleration. Undertaking an accelerated subject in order to simply study fewer subjects in Year 12, will not be permitted.

If a student has an established and documented history of learning difficulties (and receives support from the Differentiated Learning Program) or a professionally diagnosed medical condition that precludes them from learning in the same way as their peers, they may seek a reduced load in Year 12 if they have already completed an accelerated subject.

Evidence is required for an application for studying a reduced load to be considered. Please note that the school values the advice and recommendations of doctors or specialists, and form part of the consideration of the individual context of a student's application.

Other Pathway Considerations

Studies in VET (Vocational Educational Training)

A range of other VET studies may also be available. Information and advice for access to VET programs is available from the Careers Office.

Studying VCE Languages Off-Campus

Should a language be offered at The Knox School, students are required to study that language at The Knox School when it is accessible by students within the scheduled timetable.

This is particularly relevant to students who wish to study VCE languages through an external provider, when these subjects are offered at The Knox School and timetabled to provide access for all students.

Should a student wish to study a VCE Language through an external provider, and only on the condition that the subject is not offered at The Knox School, it is expected that initial permission must first be given by The Knox School prior to applying to the external provider.

It is the expectation of The Knox School that students who are permitted to study a VCE Language externally, only enrol in the Victorian School of Languages programs.

VCE Handbook

VCE OVERVIEW

Part of the information in this section has been supplied from the VCAA website: http://www.VCAA.vic.edu.au/

There are numerous studies available within the VCE. Within each study there are 4 units of work Each Unit is a semester; a half year in length

Students will be considered to have satisfactorily completed a Unit if they have satisfied all the specified work requirements of the Unit. These vary depending on the study.

Unit Structure

• Each VCE Unit is numbered 1, 2, 3 or 4.

• Each Unit is one semester in length.

• Units 1 and 2, generally taken in Year 11, should be taken as a sequence.

• Units 3 and 4, generally taken in Year 12, must be taken as a sequence.

It is highly recommended that students undertake Unit 1 and/or 2 prior to commencing the Unit 3 and 4 sequence.

There are no pre-requisites for any Unit 1, 2 or 3 studies in the VCE. However, a Unit 3 study must be followed by its Unit 4 sequence study.

Assessment of VCE

In Unit 1 and 2 studies, assessments are called Outcomes. In Unit 3 and 4 studies they are called SACs (School Assessed Coursework) or SATs (School Assessed Tasks). Assessment in the VCE is either through internal and external examinations, Outcomes, SACs and SATs.

Students should be aware that initial school assessments for Units 3 and 4 will likely change following statistical moderation of School-based Assessment.

Satisfactory Completion of the VCE

For satisfactory completion of the VCE, a student must satisfactorily complete a total of no fewer than 16 Units, and must include:

• 3 Units of English from the English group, two of which much be a Unit 3 and 4 sequence, PLUS

• 3 sequences at Units 3 and 4 level of studies from VCE or VET Unit 3 and 4

Detailed information about the VCE is forwarded to students and parents during the year.

Statement of Results

The VCAA issues a Statement of Results at the end of the calendar year to all students enrolled in VCE Units.

The Statement of Results contains:

• A cumulative record of achievement – S or N – for all Units undertaken, and the year in which the result was obtained;

• Graded assessments (this includes both Coursework Assessments and revised VCE graded assessments) and a Study Score (Relative Position) for each sequence of Unit 3 and 4 studies undertaken either in the current year or earlier;

• Recognised VET Units;

• Credit obtained for study undertaken overseas, interstate or in the International Baccalaureate;

• The results for each of the GAT components;

• A student who successfully completes a recognised university VCE extension study has the title of the study and the university listed;

• A declaration that the student has or has not satisfactorily completed the VCE;

• For Graded Assessments, Study Score (Relative Position) and GAT component scores, where a derived examination score has been granted, results will be shown with an asterisk (*).

Satisfactory Completion of Units

In order to achieve an S (Satisfactory) for a VCE unit, a student must:

• complete all aspects of all work requirements or learning outcomes to the required standard

• submit all assessment tasks on time

• ensure that the work is clearly their own

• attend the required number of lessons (>90%)

• adhere to School and Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) rules

Teachers are responsible for using their professional judgement to determine whether the student has met each of the Outcomes of that Study Design in order to award the student an S.

VCE Handbook

ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS

Absence

In the case of absence, a medical certificate must be provided to the Head of Senior School & VCE immediately on returning to the school Any other supporting material should also be supplied The coursework assessment missed at this time will have to be rescheduled within one week of any absence being finalised.

Any missed class is counted as an unexcused absence unless the student has a medical certificate or note/communication from a parent/guardian, indicating that the student was unfit for school on that day or that the student needed to attend an unavoidable medical appointment.

The exceptions to this rule are:

• When a student is on a school excursion or participating in an ESSM sporting event;

• When a student is attending a VET subject; or

• When a student is attending a VCAA externally assessed performance examination

Unit 1 and 2 students must have a medical certificate or other professional certificate, provided by an independent practitioner who is not a family member, if they are absent on a day on which there is an Assessment Task scheduled or a major piece of work relating to an Outcome is due.

Unit 3 & 4 students must have a medical or other professional certificate, provided by an independent practitioner who is not a family member, if they are absent on a day on which there is a SAC or SAT scheduled.

If a student is absent from class for a prolonged period because of illness or other special circumstances, the student will have to apply for Special Consideration. Applications for Special Consideration will usually need to be supported by a medical certificate and must be made directly to the Head of VCE to develop the appropriate response.

Decisions in relation to the minimum attendance rule are the School’s to make. They are not subject to appeal to the VCAA Students should check their attendance record with their teachers from time to time to ensure that they are not in breach of the attendance requirement

If a student anticipates that they may miss a class for any other reason, they must seek special leave of absence in writing and in advance, where possible, from the Head of VCE.

It is the student’s responsibility to find out and complete the required work that was covered and set during their absence

Students need to attend at least 90% of class time to complete work. Students who do not meet the attendance requirements and who do not qualify for an excused absence may be given an ‘N’ (not satisfactory) for the VCE unit.

Unapproved Absence on the day of an Outcome (Year 11) or SAC (Year 12)

In order to promote fairness, transparency, and equity in the VCE process, it is a policy of The Knox School that any unapproved absence from class on the day of an Outcome or SAC will incur a penalty. The prescribed penalty is a deduction of 10% of the available marks1 for that particular outcome.

An unapproved absence on the day of the Outcome or SAC includes, but is not limited to:

• Missing any timetabled lesson(s) in order to study for the impending Outcome/SAC;

• Staying at home (or going elsewhere onsite) to study for the impending Outcome/SAC; and

• Being found to be studying for the impending Outcome/SAC during a different subject lesson.

This policy is not designed to penalise those who encounter genuine difficulties on the day an Outcome or SAC is scheduled; rather, it is in place to ensure that no student gains an unfair advantage by studying or preparing during timetabled class time when others in the cohort are attending and participating in their scheduled lessons.

Those who do encounter genuine difficulties (medical, personal or otherwise) on the day an Outcome or SAC is scheduled are urged to contact their classroom teacher as soon as possible so that measures can be put in place. The classroom teacher will then contact the Head of VCE. A medical certificate dated on the day of the absence will also need to be presented to the Head of VCE on return to school.

The final determination as to whether an absence on the day an Outcome or SAC is scheduled is authorised or unauthorised will be made by the Head of Senior School & VCE in consultation with the Head of Learning, Teaching and Innovation and any other relevant parties.

1 For example, if the SAC outcome is worth 40 marks, a deduction of 4 marks (10%) will be imposed. So a student who receives 28/40 will be downgraded to 24/40

ACADEMIC CONDUCT AND ASSESSMENTS

Assessment in all VCE subjects is both school-assessed and externally assessed by examination. All School Assessed Coursework (SACs) and School Assessed Tasks (SATs) in all studies are statistically moderated against external examination performance and, in some cases, the General Achievement Test (GAT).

This process follows a sophisticated mathematical algorithm but, by and large, it means that the actual strength of performance on all school assessments will be determined by how well all students in each subject perform on examinations. In essence, this means that students and staff must work together to develop examination techniques and examination preparation skills in order for each student’s work to be assessed at optimum levels.

Fairness and Equity in Assessment

Teachers regularly attend Professional Development opportunities to ensure that they are devising assessment tasks that are not only compliant with the study designs being delivered, but in keeping with the standards expected across the state. This includes

VCE Handbook

procedures such as internal and external professional development sessions and dialogue, review of statistical moderation, cross-marking and engaging in partnerships with other schools. Where there is more than one class of a particular study in the School, the School also applies internal moderation/cross-marking procedures to ensure consistency of assessments between teachers.

Plagiarism, Intellectual Theft and Authentication

The Knox School is committed to the achievement of personal academic excellence and the engendering of social and ethical responsibility in our students. Part of this process is recognising the intellectual property rights of others and accepting that the act of plagiarism is academic dishonesty as well as an ethical offence. A student who plagiarises is dishonest with their teachers, their peers and themselves.

Students and teachers are required to attest that all unacknowledged work is genuinely the work of the student. Should work submitted for a SAT or Coursework be deemed not to be that of the student, that work will not be assessed as part of the Unit.

The Knox School students are expected to demonstrate honesty and ethical behaviour in completing all of their assessment tasks

All academic work, including oral presentations, submitted by students is expected to be the result of their own thought, research, or creative ideas expressed in their own words When students submit work that has in any way borrowed ideas, organisation, wording or anything else from another source without appropriate acknowledgment of the fact, the students are guilty of plagiarism

In cases where students feel unsure about a question of plagiarism involving their work, they are strongly recommended to speak with their teacher on the matter before submitting their work. Teachers are more than happy to offer guidance to students regarding how much information can be legitimately taken from other sources and how it can be used properly.

When a student’s assignment involves researching outside sources of information, the student must carefully acknowledge exactly what, where and how it has been used. If the words of someone else are used, the student must put quotation marks around the passage in question and add an appropriate indication of its origin

Each of the following activities is plagiarism/academic misconduct and therefore unacceptable:

• Copying or ‘cobbling’ together other people’s work in part or in whole and presenting it as your own;

• Using material directly from books, journals, or digital sources without referencing;

• Building on the ideas of others without reference to the source;

• Handing in work to which another person such as a parent, tutor or subject expert has substantially contributed;

• Using words, ideas, designs or the workmanship of others in practical and performance tasks without appropriate acknowledgement or copyright permission;

• Paying someone to write or prepare material;

• Using artificial intelligence (AI) bots, apps, or sites to generate content/responses.

Plagiarism is not limited to words and ideas. It also includes materials such as video and audio recordings, art and graphics, photographs, maps, diagrams, graphs and tables, computer programs or codes, research, and so on. This material can come from published sources, including books, journals, websites, films, newspapers and journals as well as unpublished sources such as lecture and tutorial notes and work by other students.

In addition, teachers must also observe the following procedures for authenticating students’ work:

• For School-Assessed Tasks teachers must monitor and record in the Authentication Record each student’s development of work, from planning and drafting through to completion. This requires regular sightings of the work by the teacher (refer to Authentication Record Forms - SATs)

• For Coursework assessment done 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 and a record kept (refer to Authentication Record Form - SAC)

Teachers are required to record their monitoring of each student’s development of work Observations of individual work done in class should be recorded. The teacher may consider it appropriate to ask the student to demonstrate understanding of the task to verify that the work is genuinely that of the student.

Penalties for Plagiarising or Intellectual Theft

Work that is plagiarised will not be considered as part of the assessment and will therefore not be graded and the student will receive a numerical score of 0 and UG (Ungraded) on their report. Students may be able to resubmit work to gain an S, however, no change of score or grade will take place This also applies to Unit 3 and 4 studies and will impact on the overall Study Score for that subject. This is known as a Breach of Rules and is a serious offence.

Please also note that students who knowingly assist another student in a breach of rules are also subject to penalties.

VCE Handbook

If a teacher reasonably believes, based on significant evidence, that a student has been guilty of plagiarism or assisted another student to do so, then that student may be subject to any of the following penalties, depending on the nature and extent of the plagiarism:

• Plagiarised sections redacted and assignment marked on what remains.

• Criteria to be applied to those sections of the work that are the student’s original work or that are referenced correctly.

• Where it is unclear how to differentiate between the student’s original work and the work of others, no marks will be given for the assignment.

• Contact made with parent / guardian and record of the penalty to be made on internal student records. Possible parent interview with the Head of Senior School & VCE and subject teacher

These procedures are deliberately harsh and are in place to show how serious this offence is. Students should be advised that the penalties for tertiary plagiarism are even more severe, and may include expulsion from a subject or course, even if fees have been paid.

If the student decides to appeal the decision, they should follow the procedures set out in the Appeals section.

Breach of Rules and Breach of Authenticity in VCE

A Breach of Rules is when the rules set by the VCAA or set by a school for the purposes of a VCE assessment are compromised because a student has obtained advantage over other students by either using unauthorised materials for an assessment, or they have not been able to prove the work is theirs through a process of authentication.

It is appropriate for teachers and schools to ask students about how they completed work that has been submitted for assessment. They are also able to investigate or if they are found with unauthorised materials during an assessment.

In the event that a student has been found to have breached rules, either in a test, examination environment, or through submitted work, the following will occur:

• The teacher will immediately notify the Head of VCE to arrange a meeting with the student(s) involved and discuss the matter; this meeting may involve the Head of Department

• If the staff involved are not satisfied with the explanation, then the following may occur depending on the context of the breach:

- A meeting will take place between the Head of Senior School & VCE, teacher and student whereby the student is required to provide evidence that the work is their own The student may have another person accompany them to this meeting. This person may be their Academic Coach, another teacher, or their parent.

- If the work is deemed not to be that of the student, the penalty will be decided by the Head of Senior School & VCE and Head of Learning, Teaching and Innovation

- The teacher will contact the parent of the student, Head of Department, and Head of VCE and Head of Learning, Teaching and Innovation in writing informing them of the breach of authentication and the penalty given

Penalties for Breach of Rules

If plagiarism or other academic misconduct is found to have occurred, the penalties will be determined by the Head of Senior School & VCE and Head of Learning, Teaching and Innovation in consultation with the teacher concerned. The consequences will be taken from the following schedule in accordance with the nature and degree of the breach of rules.

Schedule of Penalties:

Disciplinary action taken for the first instance of academic misconduct will involve one of the following:

• Making alternative arrangements for reassessment;

• The application of a mark penalty by awarding of the lowest mark in the cohort

• Cancellation of the result for the outcome – score 0 and N for outcome;

• Applying an NA for the school-based assessment in the unit or course concerned. Subsequent or more serious academic misconduct such as an attempt to gain access to, or alter, computer records of student assessments, may lead to:

• Cancellation of the result for the outcome – score 0 and N for outcome;

• Applying an UG/NA for the school-based assessment in the unit or course concerned

• Cancellation of all the student’s results for a period of study, with that period of time being determined by the school

In some instances, if there is sufficient time before the due dates designated by the VCAA, students will be given the opportunity to resubmit work for satisfactory completion and attain an S for the outcome, although the mark penalties imposed will remain in effect on the student’s scores.

Notification of Penalty to the Student

If a decision is made to impose a penalty, the student will be notified in writing. This notification will include:

• The nature of the breach of rules by the student

• The reasons for making the decision and the supporting evidence

• The consequences of the action

• Advice about the student’s right to appeal

Student’s Right of Appeal

Section 2 5 21 of the Education Training and Reform Act 2006 provides that a student has a right of appeal to the VCAA against a decision of a school and any penalty imposed in respect of a contravention of the VCAA assessment rules 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

Appeals: Procedures for lodging

In the event of a disagreement on issues regarding academic achievement, academic misconduct, attendance, authentication, uniform, careers counselling or counselling, students are encouraged to discuss the respective issue with the teacher concerned If the matter cannot be resolved with the individual teacher, the student should promptly seek the guidance of their Academic Coach or the Head of VCE

VCE Handbook

Students have the right to take any unresolved matter to the Head of Senior School & VCE, in writing or in person. At this stage the student may also include one other person, of their own choosing, to accompany them when they speak with the Head of Senior School & VCE. The Head of Senior School & VCE will hear the complaint and will seek further information from all relevant parties, including the teacher concerned with the dispute and then after consideration of the matter the student will be informed of the outcome of their appeal.

If the dispute remains unsatisfactorily resolved, the student is encouraged to put their case, in writing, to the Principal within three school days of receiving the outcome of the meeting with the Head of Senior School & VCE

Assessment Task Completion

Outcome and SAC Calendar

An assessment Calendar with both Outcomes and SACs will be published for Units 1 - 4 subjects and will contain dates for all school-assessed coursework and tasks

Submission of Work

It is the student’s responsibility to make sure pieces for assessment are submitted on time. Failure to submit work by the stated deadline may result in zero being recorded for that piece of assessment unless an extension has been granted for due cause with adequate documentary evidence, such as a medical certificate. To gain an S for an Outcome or SAC, the work must be submitted If it is not submitted, then an N will be recorded for that piece of assessment which will mean an N is given to the entire Unit of Study.

Students and teachers are required to attest that all unacknowledged work is genuinely the work of the student.

Retention of VCE school-based assessments

The school is required to have access to all work completed for assessment until the end of the academic year. Any work assessed as N, or which may be the subject of dispute at a later date, must be retained by your teacher.

Please note that earliest date that School-assessed Tasks (SATs) may be returned to students is at the completion of the academic year, which includes the examination period. Please also be aware that if a student changes school after a SAT is submitted, the student’s SAT must remain at the school until after all student work is returned.

Lost or damaged work

Prior to submitting Coursework, the student must, where possible, copy the work and retain a copy at least until the teacher has assessed and returned the original material.

Non submission of work that is lost or damaged due to computer misuse or malfunction is unacceptable, as students must make backup copies of work and/or have hard copies of the work to show its development.

Redemption Policy

Redeemable work is defined as work which has not satisfactorily achieved the outcome and has received an N (not satisfactory.) Students who have failed to satisfy the outcomes are given every opportunity to redeem themselves, as is required by the VCAA The

student will be given the opportunity to redeem the N by resitting a different SAC or a commensurate task as indicated by the teacher.

If the student fails to satisfy the outcome through this process, then further discussion will occur between the teacher and the Head of Senior School & VCE about other possible arrangements. These might include: using classwork, practice pieces, an additional assignment, oral presentation or sitting another SAC to get an S (satisfactory).

It should be noted that the decision to award an S for the task is distinct from the assessment of levels of achievement Redeemed work will not be reassessed for a new numerical score and can only be redeemed to an S level If this occurs the students will receive S for the outcome Failure to meet requirements for redemption will result in N for the outcome and therefore N for the unit If an N is given in a Unit 3 study, the student cannot complete Unit 4.

Extensions to Assessments

Students should work consistently and steadily on specified tasks throughout the semester Individual work in any given unit of study must be completed within the period designated by the teacher

In exceptional circumstances, students may wish to apply for an extension of time Work lost due to computer misuse or malfunction is not an acceptable reason for granting an extension of time

Process

Students must request an extension (in writing) from their subject teacher The written request must show the following:

• Student’s name and date of request;

• Relevant unit of study;

• Relevant Coursework, Assessment Task or SAT;

• Set submission date; and

• Specific details of the reasons leading to the request for an extension of time

This extension should be requested well before the due date of the assessment task wherever practicable. The student and subject teacher will then negotiate an appropriate length of time for the extension The teacher must notify the student’s Academic Coach, Head of VCE, and the Head of Department of the extension granted via email

Should the teacher refuse to grant the student an extension of time or if an agreement cannot be reached on the specific details, the student has the option of appealing to the Head of VCE who will assist in conciliation

In circumstances where a student is affected by an event or condition that causes multiple assessment items to be impacted upon, a student should directly liaise with their Head of VCE to act on their behalf with the teachers concerned The Head of VCE will ensure that no student is disadvantaged by circumstances beyond their control. Examples of such events include prolonged illness and bereavement.

Senior School SAC/Test and Exam Guidelines

At The Knox School, tests and SACs are run like they will be in final exams in Year 12 and our rules and expectations are taken from the VCAA Examination Guides. Strict penalties

VCE Handbook

will apply to students who breach these rules (please see section on Breach of Rules) as we take the integrity of assessment very seriously.

All students should be familiar with these rules and be aware of them before the assessment.

• Students must enter the room in absolute silence and remain so until the conclusion of the SAC/test

• Mobile phones, electronic devices and smart watches are not permitted in the assessment room and must be left in lockers. Any devices accidentally carried into the assessment room should be surrendered before reading time commences, otherwise penalties can apply.

• Only transparent water bottles are permitted.

• No pencil cases or books are allowed into the assessment room. All pens and required materials should be stored in a transparent zip lock bag.

• Non-smart watches must be removed and placed on the table in plain sight.

• All materials, other than those specifically allowed for the SAC/test, such as writing implements or notes, are regarded as unauthorised and are not permitted.

• Students are not permitted toilet breaks in SACs/Tests where there is not a teacher to accompany them to the toilet supervised. In an internal exam, they are not permitted a toilet break until after the first 30 minutes of the beginning of writing time. Nor are they permitted to take a toilet break in the last 30 minutes of the SAC/test. Students who leave the assessment room will be accompanied by a supervisor to prevent any advantage by accessing materials. They will also be required to empty their pockets before the toilet break.

• Students who use unauthorised materials or are found to be accessing materials or students without permission will have their SAC/test collected and they will be reported to the Head of Senior School & Student Wellbeing and the Head of VCE for a Breach of Rules.

• Students who arrive late to the SAC will not be given extra time to complete their work

• No students are permitted to leave as assessment early

• A student must not cheat or assist another student to cheat

• A student must not take any action that gives or attempts to give that student or another student an unfair advantage in an examination

• A student must obey and observe all proper instructions or directions given by an examination supervisor

• A student must not communicate with another student while the examination is being conducted

• A student must not cause any nuisance, annoyance or interference to any other student while in an examination

• A student must not remove, tear out or damage any part of a bound reference, script book, question and answer book or answer book except formula sheets or similar permitted examination materials

• A student must not begin to write or mark his or her paper or response material in any way, or use a calculator, until advised by a supervisor that writing may commence

• A student must stay in their place or raise their hand if they wish to communicate with a supervisor

• A student must cease writing when instructed to do so by a supervisor

• A student must remain silent and seated in their place at the end of the examination until response materials have been collected, and an announcement is made to students to leave the examination room

• A student must not leave their place until directed by a supervisor

• A student must not communicate with an assessor, either before or after a written examination or during a performance examination, except when communication is necessary for the conduct of the examination

Calculators

Only VCAA approved calculator models may be used. Calculators that have graphical or programmable capabilities may be used provided that the model is approved. The conditions under which calculators may be used are:

• the calculator must be silent, and be of the hand- held type containing its own power source

• students will be entirely responsible for ensuring adequate power supply to, and proper working of, their calculators Students must supply their own spare batteries. Any battery failure or other fault which limits the usefulness of a calculator during an examination will not be taken into consideration by the assessors

• no student may borrow a calculator from another student after entering the examination room

• no magnetic cards may be used

• the use of calculators in the GAT is permitted

• supervisors have the right to check any student’s calculator

• calculators must not be used during reading time

Multiple Choice Answer Sheets

Some examinations require students to complete a multiple-choice answer sheet. All multiple-choice answer sheets must be completed using a pencil only. Multiple-choice answer sheets are processed by an optical scanner, which automatically reads pencil marks recorded by the student on the sheet.

Students should ensure that they use the multiple-choice answer sheets provided, carefully reading the instructions printed on the sheet.

Sample multiple-choice answer sheets are published in the VCE Bulletin prior to each major examination period.

Dictionaries

Dictionaries must not contain any highlighting or annotation. Electronic dictionaries are not permitted in any examination In examinations where they are permitted, a dictionary may be consulted during reading time. However, no notes maybe made during reading time.

VCE Handbook

SPECIAL PROVISIONS AND ASSISTANCE

Special Provisions

The underlying principle of the VCAA Special Provision Policy is to ensure that the most appropriate, fair and reasonable options are available for students 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

School-Based Assessment

Students are eligible for Special Provision for classroom learning and School-based Assessment if their ability to demonstrate achievement is adversely affected by:

• An acute or chronic illness

• A long-term impairment or disability

• Personal circumstances

Decisions on whether to approve special provisions for classroom learning and/or Schoolbased Assessment must be evidence based and made using a range of appropriate sources including professional testing and reports, educational assessments and teacher observations

Special Examination Arrangements

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

• Physical disability

• Specific learning disorder

• Language disorder

• Hearing impairment

• Vision impairment

Applications for Special Examination Arrangements must be made to the Head of Personalised Learning – Inclusivity and Diversity 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

If you require access to any type of Special Provisions, contact the Head of Personalised Learning – Inclusivity and Diversity who will work closely with the Head of VCE to establish what needs to be done to assist the student in their learning.

Derived Examination Scores (DES)

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.

VTAC - SEAS Applications

Access and equity schemes are targeted at applicants who have been unable to reach their full educational potential or who may have access to the courses of their choice restricted because of life circumstances.

The Special Entry Access Scheme (SEAS) is the umbrella program for all special entry schemes conducted by participating tertiary institutions in Victoria The majority of institutions operate schemes designed to address issues of access and equity relating to entry into undergraduate courses Institutions also acknowledge types of disadvantage that may have affected students in the final years of secondary schooling and which fall outside of programs available through the secondary school structures This allows consideration for a Year 12 student’s ongoing challenging circumstances

The Careers Development Practitioner will provide additional information about the SEAS applications throughout the year

All SEAS applications usually close in early October.

VCE Handbook

VCAA INFORMATION AND EXPLANATIONS

General Achievement Test (GAT)

All students enrolled in one or more sequences of Units 3 and 4 must sit for the General Achievement Test each year. The GAT assesses general knowledge and skills that students are likely to have built up through their school years.

As a general test, there is no special study required for the GAT Students will already have prepared for the GAT in past study of subjects like English, Mathematics, Science and History, where they have built up general knowledge and skills in writing, numeracy and reasoning. These are the knowledge and skills that will be tested.

Use of the GAT

The VCAA will use students’ GAT scores as a basis for:

• Contributing to statistical moderation of school- based assessment results

• Checking the accuracy of external assessment marking

• Calculating the derived examination scores

Vocational Education and Training - (VET)

Vocational Education and Training refers to the option, which enables a secondary student to combine VCE studies with vocational training. For full descriptions of VET subjects on offer, students should speak to Ms. Burton, our Career Development Practitioner and VET coordinator.

Features of VET

• It is usually a two-year program and contributes towards the VCE

• It enables students to study a nationally recognised vocational qualification and the VCE at the same time.

• Students can receive credit towards further study

Benefits of students undertaking VET programs:

• Broadens VCE options

• Upon successful completion of the program, students may be awarded a nationally accredited Vocational Training Certificate.

• Matches student interest and career directions through the provision of strong pathways

• A VET qualification may articulate directly into further education and training

• Provides preparation for the workforce

How does VET work?

• Students choose a VET course as they would any VCE subject

• The course is delivered in modules

• All modules must be completed to achieve the qualification.

VET in the VCE

With the exception of English, there is no limit on the VET programs that may contribute to satisfactory completion of the VCE VET may be fully incorporated into the VCE as VCE VET or Block Credit Programs VCE VET Programs:

VET Programs:

• Are fully recognized within the Units 1 – 4 structure of the VCE

• Have equal status with other VCE studies;

• May offer scored assessment and provide a study score (selected programs only);

• With a study score, of the 16 units that make up the VCE, an unlimited number can be VET units;

• All three sequences other than English, can be approved VCE VET Unit 3 and 4 sequences, with study scores;

• VET programs may contribute directly to the ATAR in the Primary 4 or as a 5th or 6th study increment

Further information on VET in the VCE can be found at: http://www.VCAA.vic.edu.au/Pages/VET/index.aspx

Study Scores

The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) awards study scores to students who satisfactorily complete units 3 and 4 of a VCE subject These study scores give students a ranking in the group (or cohort) of students taking that subject across the state in that year The ranking of students in the cohort is determined by detailed evaluation of the students’ performances in the graded assessments for that subject

A study score of 50 indicates that the student has finished at the top of the cohort. A study score of 30 indicates that the student has finished in the middle of the cohort Study scores are awarded so that they cluster around 30 For any subject, about 70% of students get a study score between 23 and 37

The table below shows the approximate percentages of students who will obtain study scores in a particular range

VCE Handbook

THE ATAR

The Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) uses study scores as a basis for determining a student’s ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank). The ATAR is an overall ranking based on VCE performance, but one which is only designed for use in tertiary selection.

The ATAR is a ranking number between 0 and 99.95 in intervals of 0.05. More information can be found at http://www.vtac.edu.au/results-offers.html

How is my ATAR score calculated?

The ATAR is determined in three steps. It is based on the scaled scores in the English study and at least three other studies in an allowable combination. It may include up to six subjects, including English. The study scores need not all be from the one year.

The ATAR is calculated by:

• English/Literature/EAL VTAC scaled study score, PLUS

• Next best three VTAC scaled study scores, AND

• 10% of up to the next two VTAC scaled study scores (if available)

Scaling

Scaling ensures that all studies are treated equally in the ATAR calculation, so that students are not advantaged or disadvantaged by the studies they undertake.

In selecting a program of studies, a student should not be solely informed by the scaling of Study Scores which the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) applies to all VCAA study scores when final results at the end of Year 12 are known. Scaling adjusts for the fact that it is more difficult to obtain a high VCE study score in some studies than others. This is not because some studies are inherently harder or easier, it is because some studies attract a more competitive cohort of students.

Scaling ensures that students are neither advantaged nor disadvantaged based on the studies they choose. All VCE study scores are scaled by VTAC. It is, however, important to understand that if a student performs at a very high level in any subject then scaling has very little effect–a very high score remains a very high score regardless of whether the subject is preparing a student for entry into Higher Education courses or is practical in nature. Students should choose subjects they are interested in studying–they will do better in subjects they enjoy over subjects that they are not engaged in but may offer a perceived strategic advantage

More information can be found at http://www.vtac.edu.au/results-offers/ATAR-explained/scaling.html

UNIVERSITY AND CAREERS INFORMATION

Careers Counselling

The Careers Development Practitioner will provide counselling on issues relating to careers Careers counselling is available throughout the year. Initial career interviews determine that students are on the correct path to achieving their career goals, confirm that they are doing the right subjects, and that they are aware of relevant career options

For Year 10 and 11, most careers counselling occurs around subject selection time to help students develop or consolidate their awareness of personal career pathways. Comprehensive careers testing is offered to all Year 10 students to help in this process. Parents are especially encouraged to discuss the results of this testing with their child.

Parents wishing to accompany their children to careers counselling are invited to make an appointment by telephoning the school or emailing careers@knox.vic.edu.au.

The checking of VCE pre-requisites for tertiary study can be checked with the Careers Development Practitioner.

University Entry

Prerequisites and Extra Requirements

Your ATAR score is an important component in the selection process for University and TAFE courses. Other factors used to select students include prerequisite studies and extra requirements.

Any further discussion around tertiary courses, the pre-requisites and/or extra requirements, please speak to the Careers Development Practitioner.

Some tertiary courses, like Graphic Design, Architecture, etc may require students to attend an interview, present a folio, and/or send in an extra application form. It remains the responsibility of the student to ensure all these extra requirements are complied with. Students can obtain advice from the Careers Development Practitioner in relation to these applications.

Different courses, although similar, can have different prerequisites. Students should check the most up-to- date information about subject prerequisites for their graduating year. This is available in the Careers Department and at http://www.vtac.edu.au/publications/

GLOSSARY

Accreditation period - The period during which a study is accredited as a VCE study

Assessing school - The school responsible for providing the assessment (through VASS) for one or more units for a student The assessing school is usually, but not always, the home school A student may have more than one assessing school

Assessment plan - A set of tasks relating to the assessment of units of competence/modules undertaken in the Unit

3 and 4 sequence of a scored VCE VET program

Assessment task - A task set by the teacher to assess students’ achievements of unit outcomes (see also Outcomes)

Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR)The overall ranking on a scale of zero to 99 95 that a student receives based on his/her study scores The ATAR is calculated by VTAC and used by universities and TAFE institutes to select students for courses Formerly known

VCE Handbook

as Equivalent National Tertiary Entrance Rank (ENTER)

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

Block Credit Recognition - Training in a nationally recognised VET/FE qualification outside the suite of approved VCE VET and School Based Apprenticeship and Traineeship programs, that provides credit in the VCE

Chief Assessor - An expert appointed by the VCAA in each study to supervise the marking of the external examination(s) in that study

Coursework Audit - As part of the VCAA ongoing monitoring and quality assurance program, samples of student coursework assessment tasks are collected from schools each semester. The work collected is used to monitor schools’ administration of Coursework assessment

Derived Examination Score (DES) - Provision available for students who have missed an examination or whose examination performance has been impaired due to illness or other serious cause

Examinations - External assessments set and marked by the VCAA. All VCE Unit 3 and 4 studies have at least one examination Most written examinations are held in November, with a small number in June Performance examinations and oral components of LOTE examinations are held in October

General Achievement Test (GAT) - The test that is done by all students doing a Unit 3 and 4 sequence. It is used by the VCAA to check that schools are marking school-assessed tasks to the same standard and as part of statistical moderation of coursework It doesn’t count towards students’ VCE graduation, but students’ GAT results are reported to them with their Statement of Results

Graded assessment - All VCE studies 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

Higher Education Studies in the VCE - Firstyear university studies approved by the VCAA for contribution towards satisfactory completion of the VCE for students who are academically very able

Home school - Refers to the major school of the student. Only the home school may enter a student’s personal details through VASS 21 A student may only have one home school at a

time The home school is usually but not always the assessing school

Module - A distinct component of the vocational training curriculum, comprising specified learning outcomes, assessment criteria and other information to support the delivery of training and conduct of assessment

Nominal Hours - The scheduled hours required for the delivery and assessment of vocational training as determined by the Office of Training and Tertiary Education.

On Track - A Department of Education & Training yearly survey which asks exit students whether they are in employment, higher education, training or looking for work and providing access to support for those exstudents

Outcomes - 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 - Enquiry Service. A free telephone enquiry service provided by the VCAA after the release of the VCE results

Registered Training Organisation (RTO) - An organisation, which is registered and approved to deliver Vocational Education and Training (VET) programs within a defined Scope of Registration

Satisfactory Completion - 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 If they do not satisfactorily complete a unit, they receive an ‘N’ for it

School-assessed Coursework - A school-based assessment which is reported as a grade for either a Units 3 and 4 sequence or Unit 3 and Unit 4 individually Coursework assessment consists of a set of assessment tasks that assess students’ achievement of Unit 3 and 4 outcomes

School-assessed Task - A school-based assessment for a Unit 3 and 4 sequence and reported as a grade A school- assessed Task is set by the VCAA and assessed by teachers in accordance with published criteria. Tasks are subject to review by a panel appointed by VCAA

Semester One - Half of the academic year

Most units are completed in one semester

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

Special Provision - 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

Statement of Marks - For each examination including the GAT, students can apply for a statement showing the marks they obtained for each question/criteria and the maximum mark available A fee is charged for each statement

Statement of Marks – Study Score - A Statement is also available containing the scores for each of the graded assessments and describing the calculation of the Study Score. See also Statement of Results A fee is charged for each statement

Statement of Results - The document(s) issued by the VCAA showing the results a student achieved in the VCE, and whether he or she has graduated. See also VCE Certificate.

Statistical moderation - 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

Student Number - The number assigned to each student enrolled in VCE, VCE VET and VCAL

Studies - The subjects available in the VCE

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

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

Unit of competence - Unit of competence means the specification of knowledge and skills and the application of that knowledge and skills to the standard of performance expected in the workplace The RTO assesses competence

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

VASS Administrator - School-based users of VASS who have system control for their school

VASS - The Internet-based VCE Administrative Software System (VASS) used by schools to administer VCE enrolments and results and transfer data onto VCAA central database

VCAA - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority

VCE Certificate - The Certificate awarded to students who meet the requirements for graduation of the VCE See also Statement of Results

VCE provider - A school or other institution authorised to offer VCE units.

Victorian Student Number (VSN) - The unique number assigned to an individual aged between 4 and 24 years of age who is enrolled in an educational program

Vocational Education and Training (VET)Nationally recognised vocational certificates now integrated within the VCE

VTAC - Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre acts on behalf of universities and TAFE’s coordinating the joint selection It calculates and distributes the ATAR