Assistant Principal's Report
Mrs Sue Simadri
Semester One Reports and Awards Assembly
We are rapidly approaching the end of the first semester of 2021, and teachers are busy finalising assessments and are entering data into student reports.
Semester reports will be available to parents, on Compass, in the first week of Term 3.
Please be aware that parents will need to go into Compass to see specific comments that teachers have made on the Common Assessment Tasks or SACs/Learning Tasks completed by students during the semester, as the reports will include just the grades for these assessed tasks.
On the first day back next term, Monday 12th July, we will be recognising students across the school who have been nominated for an Academic or a Personal Best award. We look forward to welcoming families to our celebration of student achievement, which will commence at 10:30 am.
Course Selection for 2022
The end of Semester 1 is also the beginning of the course and subject selection process for the following year. This is an important time for students to make key decisions regarding elective choices, VCE/VCAL, and subjects in the VCE program. Students must engage in researching future pathways that are of interest so that they can make informed choices. The school will provide various forms of support, such as, the Careers Expo that occurred last month, subject information sessions provided by Heads of Learning Areas, course information sessions and workshops, and course approval interviews. We trust that students will make the most of these sessions and take responsibility to ensure that they are well prepared for the interviews in early August.
Senior Secondary Certificate reform
Victoria is transforming the delivery of senior secondary education with the introduction of a single senior secondary certificate that will offer greater access to quality vocational and applied learning pathways for all students. The senior secondary education reforms aim to provide access to education and training that is relevant, engaging and that delivers in-demand skills for the future world of work, ensuring that students can access education that leads to employment.
Next year students will still be able to enrol in either the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) or the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE). The following year, in 2023, VCAL students will be enrolled in the new VCE Vocational Specialisation or the new foundation pathways certificate which will be introduced to replace Foundation VCAL.
The VCE Vocational Specialisation will be recognised internationally, be valued by employers and will build on the strengths of VCAL including providing:
- flexible timetables that allow students to study at school, TAFE and work
- opportunities to experience real-life workplaces
- subjects that will build students skills and prepare them for life after school
- greater access to high-quality VET learning, either in school, a neighbouring school or a local TAFE
The new certificates are part of a suite of 38 reforms recommended in the Review into Vocational and Applied Learning Pathways in Senior Secondary Schooling
(the Firth Review) to lift the quality and perception of vocational education and help more students access high-quality applied learning programs.
If students are studying VCAL in 2022 they will transfer into the VCE Vocational Specialisation with credit for completed VCAL subjects in 2023. In 2023, students will continue to study Senior VCAL subjects in the new certificate as part of the implementation process. At the end of 2023, these students will be awarded the VCE Vocational Specialisation if they meet the requirements.
Students who are studying Foundation VCAL over multiple years, including in 2022, will transfer into a new foundation pathways certificate in 2023 with credit for completed subjects. These students will study the new foundation subjects and graduate with the foundation pathways certificate.
This approach provides assurance and clarity to current Year 10 students some of whom will be among the first cohort to receive a VCE Vocational Specialisation certificate in 2023.
The following diagram sets out the senior secondary pathways for students commencing the VCE or VCAL in 2022.
If you have any questions about these changes, please contact:
Westall will continue to keep students and families updated with information relating to the reform, as and when it is made available to us.
Mrs Simadri