2023 Senior School Handbook

VCE Assessment

How do I satisfactorily complete a unit?

Learning outcomes set by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) is the basis of satisfactory completion of VCE Units. Each VCE unit includes a set of two to four outcomes. The award of satisfactory completion of a unit is based on a decision that the student has demonstrated achievement of the outcomes. This decision will be based on the teacher’s assessment of the student’s performance on assessment tasks and class based activities designated for the unit. The school, in accordance with the VCAA requirements determines satisfactory completion of units. The VCAA supplies schools with assessment guidelines for each subject:

 http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/vce/studies/index.aspx 

Assessment of Units 1 and 2

Satisfactory completion at the Unit 1 & 2 level requires that students achieve the set of outcomes specified for each unit. The Learning Area Leader and classroom teachers for that subject will determine the assessment tasks and the level of achievement in accordance with guidelines determined by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority each year.

 

For satisfactory completion of each Unit 1 & 2 VCE subject, students must demonstrate their achievement of the set of outcomes as specified in the study design. The decision about satisfactory completion of outcomes is based on the teacher’s assessment of the student’s overall performance on assessment tasks designated for the unit. 

 

In order to receive a Satisfactory (S) for a Unit 1 and 2 VCE subject, a student must:

  • produce work that demonstrates achievement of the outcomes
  • submit work on time
  • submit work that is clearly their own
  • adhere to the college’s attendance requirements ​

Assessment of Units 3 and 4

Unlike Units 1 and 2, Units 3 and 4 are connected and must be studied in order and together as a sequence. For each study, students’ level of achievement for Units 3 and 4 sequences is assessed using school-based assessment and external examinations.  Each study has three assessment components in each Unit 3 and 4 sequence. Each study includes at least one examination.

 

The weighting of examinations varies from subject to subject. These assessments will be reported as grades A+ to UG. For a detailed description of assessment in each subject, refer to the appropriate section in the handbook. Additional information is available in the relevant study design for each subject. This is available through the subject pages of the VCAA website.

School Assessment

There are two forms of school assessment, school assessed coursework (SAC) and school assessed tasks (SAT). The form or forms of school assessment and their weighting is specified for each study.

 

1. School Assessed Coursework

  • Is made up of a number of assessment tasks that are specified by the study design.
  • Is used to assess the unit learning outcomes.
  • Is part of the regular teaching and learning program.
  • Is completed mainly in class in a specified time frame.

2. School Assessed Tasks

A small number of studies will have school-assessed tasks (SATs). They are used in studies where products and models are to be assessed: Art, Media, Studio Arts, Food and Technology, Product Design and Technology and Visual Communication and Design. Results of these school assessments will count towards your study score in each VCE study and ultimately towards your Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR).

 

Obtaining an “S” in a unit is predicated upon students meeting all outcomes for that unit. This is not normally a concern unless attendance issues interfere with this. Therefore students should attend all timetabled classes in order for teachers to be able to attest that the student has met the unit outcomes.

Although all studies at Units 1- 4 in the VCE are subject to overview from the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA), this is particularly true at Units 3 and 4 due to the requirement for a level playing field across all schools in the system. This ensures that Study Scores are truly a reflection of student’s aptitude in the study.

 

At Unit 3 and 4 level, part of all studies are School Assessed Coursework (SACs) or School Assessed Tasks (SATs) which are used to assess performance of students during the year. The amount that these components contribute to the Study Score varies across studies but it is always a significant proportion.

SACs and SATs are often used (in conjunction with other school based activities) to assess satisfactory performance (S or N). In addition they also assist students to improve subject knowledge and give an indication of what is to be expected in exams at the end of the year. Finally they are a way of determining rank order of the student cohort of the study concerned. It is for this reason that the school must act in such a way to provide a fair way of deciding a performance ranking. This means that:

  • Published dates for submission of drafts / assessment tasks must be strictly adhered to. Failure to do so without adequate explanation could mean that the task is not commented upon or not assessed. In the latter case a zero would result for this component of the School Assessed Coursework.
  • Extensions to due dates generally will not be made without appropriate documentation. This could be a medical certificate or similar document completed by a professional in the field.
  • Where an extension is granted, the assessment must be completed as soon as practicable after the original due date.
  • Students and families must keep the Year 12 Year Level Leader/Assistant Leader advised of any issue that may impact on classroom performance generally and SAC/SAT performance in particular.
  • Some students will be given Special Provision in terms of the conditions under which they complete SACs/SATs.

VCE Assessment Protocols: School Assessed Coursework & Tasks

 

Students are required to observe the following protocols for the conduct of School Assessed Coursework (SAC) and School Assessed Tasks (SAT). These are in line with the rules and expectations of the VCAA (VCAA assessment protocols can be found through the VCAA Exam Navigator which is updated annually for each assessment period.

 

  1. Students must not take any action that gives or attempts to give them or another student an unfair advantage in an assessment.
  2. Students must obey and observe all proper instructions or directions given by their supervisor.
  3. Students must not possess mobile phones and electronic devices that are capable of storing, receiving or transmitting information or electronic signals, such as recorded music and video players, organizers, dictionaries and computerized watches during any assessment.
  4. Students detected with any device defined in Rule 2 must, upon the direction of the supervisor, surrender that device. The assessment at this point will cease to continue and the student in breach of the rules will be referred to their Year Level Leader.
  5. Students must not communicate with any other student while the assessment is being conducted.
  6. Students must not share any of the following items during an assessment: calculator, dictionary, bound reference or stationery.
  7. Students must not remove any response material, used or unused, from the assessment room.
  8. Students must remain silent and seated in their place at the end of the assessment until response materials have been collected, checked and they have been given permission to leave the room.
  9. Students are not permitted to bring bags of any kind into an assessment. Notes and books are not permitted into any assessment unless it falls under the category of being an approved material.
  10. Bottled water is permitted in any assessment. The water must be in a transparent plastic bottle (all labels removed). Water bottles must not be placed on the table at any time and must not be shared between students.
  11. Students must raise their hand if they wish to communicate with a supervisor.
  12. Students are not permitted to leave the assessment before the end of writing time.
  13. Students are not permitted to mark their assessment paper in any way during the allocated reading time.
  14. The start of reading time, the start of writing time and the end of writing time will be written on the whiteboard for any assessment. Students may refer to the clock in the classroom for time elapsed. The supervisor will give a 5-min warning prior to the end of the assessment time.
  15. Students must cease writing when instructed to do so by a supervisor.
  16. Students completing a subject where SATs are a component of assessment must attend all scheduled authentication meetings to demonstrate their progress and process.
  17. Students must attend all scheduled classes on the day of an assessment*. Should a student be absent from any class on the day of an assessment, a medical certificate explaining this absence is required.

*Assessment includes: a SAC, submission date of a SAT or Folio.

 

All authentication issues and breaches of rules will be investigated and dealt with in accordance to VCAA rules as outlined in the VCE and VCAL Administrative Handbook.

 

Approved Absences 

 

Students are permitted to bring basic stationery items into any written assessment. This includes pens, pencils, highlighters, erasers, sharpeners and rules.

  • Pencil cases can only be brought into the assessment if they are transparent (i.e.) the contents are visible to the supervisor.
  • Correction fluid/tape and loose sheets of paper are not allowed in any assessment.

For assessments where students are permitted to bring additional specific materials, subject teachers will notify students prior to the assessment. 

 

Dictionaries

  • Dictionaries are only allowed in English, English as an Additional Language (EAL) and Languages written assessments.
  • Dictionaries may be consulted during reading and writing time.
  • In English and EAL assessments, a printed English and/or bilingual dictionary may be used.
  • In the written component of a Languages assessment, any printed monolingual and/or bilingual dictionary in one or two separate volumes may be used.
  • Dictionaries may not contain any highlighting, annotation or tabs that are not part of the original publication.
  • A thesaurus or a dictionary that contains a thesaurus in the same volume is not permitted in any assessment.
  • Dictionaries may not be shared between students during an assessment.
  • Electronic dictionaries are not permitted in any assessment.

Absences 

  • If a student is absent from an assessment, they must communicate this to both their Classroom Teacher and Year Level Leader (YLL).
  • Absences from test-based assessments require a medical certificate to be provided to the YLL (as soon as the student returns to school following their absence). The missed assessment will then be scheduled for the closest time to the original assessment through the YLL.
  • Students must attend all timetabled classes on the day that an assessment needs to be completed or submitted. If a student is absent for any part of the day during a scheduled assessment, a medical certificate must be provided for the absence.
  • If a student knows of their absence prior to an assessment, they are required to complete the assessment before their absence (prior to the original scheduled date).
  • If a student is absent on the day an assessment is due for submission (i.e.) essay, folio submission, performance etc., a medical certificate is required to be provided to the YLL. The task should then be submitted in the next lesson that the student is present.
  • Failure to provide appropriate documentation to the YLL (in a timely manner) places students at risk of receiving zero for the task.  Demonstration of the outcomes still needs to occur for students to receive an ‘S’ – this task will be arranged with the YLL and Classroom Teacher.

Late Work

  • The penalty for the late submission of an assessment is 10 % per day (not including weekends) up to a maximum 50 % deduction.
    • Example: A student who received 18/20 (90%) for a task but handed it in 2 days late will get 72%.
  • Any task more than 5 days late will only be assessed for S/N purposes.

Study Scores

Students’ overall achievement for each study will continue to be calculated and reported as a Study Score (Relative Position) on a scale of 0 to 50. In order to qualify for a Study Score, a student must have satisfactorily met each outcome for Units 3 and 4 in that study and it must be completed in the same calendar year.

Special Provision for Unit 3 and 4 Studies

Some conditions or events in a student’s life mean that performance in exams and/or SACs can be negatively impacted upon. Special Provision is the term used for a variety of processes designed to ensure a level playing field.

 

Special Examination Arrangements

This is one of the forms of Special Provision, and can mean extra reading or writing time, rest breaks, use of a computer, taking food into an exam, a scribe, a braille paper, a separate room etc. Some of these are only possible during the GAT or end of year exams, but some can be used during SACs.

The VCAA normally requires applications for Special Examination Arrangements to be submitted in early March for conditions that are chronic or known at that time. Emergency Special Examination Arrangements are also available where a condition has arisen later in the year. In both cases, however, documentation from a professional in the field is required before the VCAA or the school will consider the application. The College will only vary conditions for students in SACs where the VCAA has already approved Special Examination Arrangements for that student.

Application forms for Special Examination Arrangements are available from the Year 12 Level Leader. It is the student’s responsibility to liaise with the Year 12 Level Leader when applying for Special Examination  Arrangements should they believe it is necessary.

 

Derived Examination Score

This is another aspect of Special Provision. Some students may miss an exam due to a traumatic event. Others may undertake an exam but due to negative changed circumstances would not be expected to perform to the level that would have been the case had the event not occurred. A Derived Examination Score (DES) is a score determined by VCAA. It is determined by looking at a variety of data including the GAT. It is designed to deal with issues that have occurred close to or in the end of year examination period. Note that a DES is approved at the discretion of the VCAA.

It is the student’s responsibility to apply for a DES should they believe it is necessary, and application forms are available from the Year 12 Year Level Leader. Similar to Special Exam Arrangements, documentation from a professional in the field is required before the application would be favourably considered.