Dear Families, Students and Community Members,

As we enter the final few weeks of Term 3, I hope everyone is keeping well and staying safe as we continue to navigate these uncertain times within Stage 4 lockdown restrictions. We will get through this period of adversity together and we understand that everyone is doing the best they can in the current climate. Even though Stage 4 restrictions are to be reviewed in the lead up to 13 September, schools will most likely remain in remote learning for the rest of this term.

As we await the next Covid news and plan from the Premier and Chief Health Officer, we are all are hoping for a gradual ease back into the opening up of the community as we remember all too well the results from last term.

As soon as I have any official advice about the transition back to onsite learning, I will let everyone know. We all look forward to returning to onsite learning.

As previously communicated, please contact the College if you or your child have any concerns or questions during this period of remote learning. We want all of our students to be successful and will be available to assist in any way we can. Please email Tarneit.sc@education.vic.gov.au and the office will forward it to the most appropriate person to respond.

To assist with student organisation, teachers are continuing to put due dates onto Weekly Learning Plans and/or Google Classroom. I encourage parents to have a conversation with their child about what Google Meets they have each day, what they have learnt on any given day, how do they know when something is due and how are they progressing in completing the assigned work. Students can show parents their Google Classroom for each class they have so they can view what work has been set. It is crucial for students and families to remember that SAC’s and other school based assessment are continuing during this period of remote learning. Students absent from a SAC will require an appropriate medical certificate – which needs to be forwarded to Monique or Leanne in the general Office.

SUCCESS IN THE GAT IS CRUCIAL

This year, perhaps more so than in others, the GAT will be significant in the final calculation of students’ study scores.

Former VCAA employee and VCE data expert, Carmel Richardson, cannot emphasise enough the importance of the GAT on the statistical moderation of a student's study scores. It should always be taken seriously.

If in the unfortunate event of a student being unable to sit their final exams the GAT will be used as a key factor in determining a derived score for each subject

Every effort should be made to maximise the GAT results and students should practise the different types of questions that they will encounter in the test.

Calculation of scores – 2020

All students will be eligible for Consideration of Disadvantage – however schools will be asked to make informed judgements on the level of disadvantage experienced by each student.

A student’s final score for a subject will be calculated using “a range of statistical analyses used to calculate final results.” (VCAA)

The information below is from the VCAA website.

The VCAA will consider a range of data provided by schools, together with each student’s exam results.

The data will include:

the ranked order of students prior to and following the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19)
a student’s indicative grades prior to and following the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19)
school assessments completed prior to remote and flexible learning
the General Achievement Test (GAT)
a range of statistical analyses used to calculate final results.

Previous GAT papers and the answers to the multi-choice questions are available on the VCAA site. Use them to practise between now and your GAT!

https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/assessment/vce-assessment/general-achievement-test/pastGAT/Pages/index.aspx

Kindest regards

Stay well and safe

Simon Haber

College Principal

Support for VCAL students