Course Information
VCE students at Macleod College will receive information from their teachers regarding each VCE unit of study they undertake.
This information will generally include:
- an overview of the unit of study
- the aims and objectives of the unit of study
- a description of each learning outcome relating to the unit of study • a list of the
Assessment Tasks
- key dates for Learning Outcomes.
Further details can be found in the VCE Study Designs, which are available from the VCAA
VCE Program - Application for Modification Program
Students who wish to make modifications to the standard of VCE Program must complete the Application for VCE Modification Form and return it to the VCE Manager.
School-Assessed VCE Program
For students not intending to pursue a career pathway that requires an ATAR, this viable alternative could be worth considering. In this instance the student is required to demonstrate the achievement of the outcomes as outlined in the VCE Study Designs.
School-assessed students will not need to complete external assessments, such as the GAT and VCAA examinations.
Students should meet the following criteria in order to apply for a school-assessed pathway: A student not needing a study score with a pathway that does not require an ATAR.
For students who are school-assessed, each piece of assessment will be marked as ‘satisfactory and not satisfactory’ only. No marks will be awarded and no grades will be entered into the VCAA system. Consequently, there is no need to sit any of the VCE examinations in June OR in November, including the GAT. It is important to understand that a study score will not be generated for each subject, and consequently no ATAR will be calculated.
However, a Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) will be awarded at the end of the year, provided the student has met the requirements of the certificate.
These are the satisfactory completion of 16 units as a minimum requirement, which must include:
- three units from the English group, including a Unit 3–4 sequence
- at least three sequences of Unit 3–4 studies, which can include further sequences from
the English group.
Students must also maintain 85 per cent attendance rate in their classes.
It is important to note that school-based assessment will be used to determine the satisfactory completion of a unit. However, for school assessed students there are a number of ways in which they could demonstrate an understanding of the outcomes, such as a folio of works, written test, open book assessments, performances, interviews and oral presentations.
The number of assessments and the format of those assessments may look different to a traditional VCE pathway but must be at the equivalent standard to a VCE student. The ‘S’ needs to be valid and credible so there is parity between an unscored student achieving an ‘S’ and a VCE student.
In order to be valid and credible, students will be completing the equivalent assessments and learning of the same curriculum from the subject’s relevant Study Design. The Study Design cannot be modified, amended or adjusted in the delivery of the curriculum or assessment, eg to reduce the study.
In cases where it is likely that a student is unable to successfully achieve a VCE, whether scored or school-assessed, it may be more appropriate for the student to undertake a parallel, individualised teaching and learning program like VCAL.
An application to undertake a school-assessed VCE should not be made without discussing the implications first with the VCE Manager and the Careers Coordinator. The absence of graded assessments may limit a student’s option for further training, work or study. Following this discussion, an application form will need to be completed which is available from the Senior School Leader.