VCE Structure at Norwood Secondary College

To satisfactorily complete the VCE a student must:

• Satisfactorily complete at least 16 Units over the 2 or 3 years of the certificate, including 3 units from the English group (must pass Units 3 & 4) and 8 units from Units 3 & 4
• Complete English 3 & 4 or Literature 3 & 4
• Satisfactorily complete 3 other Unit 3 & 4 sequences (approved VET studies i.e. Cert III in Sport & Recreation are counted and used in ATAR score calculations).

To satisfactorily complete a unit, a student must complete all Outcomes for that Unit. Achievement of the Outcomes is based on the teacher’s assessment of the student’s performance on the assessment tasks for that unit. Therefore, students will need to demonstrate an understanding of and display the key skills and key knowledge required for that unit. A typical Norwood Secondary College student will complete 12 Units in Year 11 (6 per semester; 4 sessions per week) and 10 Units in Year 12 (5 per semester; 4 sessions per week). This makes a total of 22 VCE Units.

Some students will have already completed two Units at 1 & 2 level. It is expected that students will go on to complete Units 3 & 4 of the study whilst in Year 11, however their performance across Units 1 & 2 will be reviewed first. The aim of this is to enhance a student’s final performance by allowing them to score a higher ATAR from six subjects and to increase their level of experience. It is not to allow for a reduced number of subjects in Year 12. Students and parents must be clear of this requirement when selecting to complete Units 1 & 2 in Year 10.

Year 10 students will need to:

• Select a preliminary two-year program
• Start thinking about subject choices now, research material (provided by the Careers/Pathways Coordinator) and the Norwood Careers website
• Ask questions; seek advice from your family, Careers/Pathways Coordinator, subject teachers, friends who have experience in specialist areas etc. and attend advertised events such as university Open Days.

And be aware that:

• Preliminary choices and research will be completed by the student and family in their own time.
• There will be course information sessions held at school for students in Term 3.
• Virtual attendance at the Senior School Information evening is an important part of this process. This will take place on Monday, 28 July 2025 at 6.45pm via Microsoft Teams.
• Year 10 into 11 confirmation interviews will be held on Thursday, 14 August 2025. Students submit their courses online at this time.
• Subject selection sheets MUST be signed by a parent/guardian.
• Any changes after Thursday, 14 August 2025 may not be possible – written notification will be required, and negotiations will occur with the Head of Year Level or Coordinator.
• Late selections cannot be guaranteed priority in allocation to subjects.
• The College does not guarantee that students will be able to study all subjects selected. Normal restrictions will apply such as class sizes, availability, clashes etc.

2026 VCE 1 & 2 Units

Please note:

*The College offers a wide range of subjects but only subjects with sufficient final numbers will run.

**These count as the same subject. Students cannot choose both.

VCE 1-4 Units and Contributions

*Please note that the costs listed below are the 2025 contributions. These contributions are currently under review for 2026 and are yet to be ratified by College Council.

Curriculum Contributions for Year 11 and 12, 2026

During Term 4 2025, families will be notified via Compass of the 2026 contributions, payment dates, instalment options and the date the Compass “Billing Module” will open for families to be able to make a payment. The Compass Billing Module has for many families become their preferred means of payment. The College will still, however, accept payments at the General Office.

You would be aware that the State Government provides a substantial amount of the College’s funding. This funding allows government schools to offer the standard curriculum requirements, but it is not sufficient to meet all costs incurred to allow us to provide the diverse curriculum offered at NSC. Our vibrant curriculum offers students significant subject and elective choices, hands-on experiences across a broad range of key learning areas, subject-specific equipment, and full access to a wide range of materials. Therefore, we rely on your contributions to maintain these quality programs for your child/children. Without your support, some of our programs would need to be significantly altered or reduced.