Wantirna College Newsletter

Senior School

Unit 3 & 4 VCE Exam Timetable Now Available 

Click HERE to access the VCE examination timetable for 2025, including rules and authorised material and equipment list.

 

 All students must read the  VCAA examination rules  for VCE exams and the GAT.  

 

 It is also the responsibility of all students to be familiar with  materials and equipment authorised for use in the GAT and VCE written examinations.

 

General Achievement Test (GAT)  

All VCE and VM Unit 3 and 4 students will be required to sit the General Achievement Test (GAT), which assesses skills in mathematics, science, technology, the arts and humanities. The GAT will also assess students’ skills against the new literacy and numeracy standards, which were introduced last year. Sitting the GAT is an opportunity for students to demonstrate their literacy and numeracy skills – essential skills that show they’re ready to move on to further study, training or employment.  

 

The GAT plays an important role in the quality assurance of VCE assessments. GAT results are important for checking that VCE external assessments and school-based assessments have been accurately and fairly assessed and can be used if students have a Derived Examination Score (DES) approved.  

 

Students who obtained GAT results are issued with a statement that indicates whether a student has met the literacy and numeracy standards. For students who completed both Sections A and B of the GAT, the scores achieved for each component and a descriptive statement of these results, along with a standardized score for each component, is also reported.  

 

When is the GAT? 

The GAT will take place on Tuesday 17 June in two sections. Students are expected to arrive at least 30 minutes before the start of each section. 

 

Who is required to sit the GAT? 

  1. Both Sections A and B: Students enrolled in one or more VCE or scored VCE VET Unit 3–4 sequence. This includes early start students and any student undertaking an unscored VCE pathway. 

     

  2. Section A only: Students enrolled in one or more VCE Vocational Major (VM) Unit 3–4 sequence or Senior VCAL studies, but who are not enrolled in any VCE or scored VCE VET Unit 3–4 sequences. 

 

GAT Structure 

The GAT is structured into Section A and Section B, with a range of question difficulties. 

 

Section A: 9:00am – 11:15am 

Assesses skills in literacy (reading and writing) and numeracy, and is comprised of: 

  • One writing task with two parts 

  • 50 numeracy multiple-choice questions  

  • 50 reading multiple-choice questions 

Break: 11:15am – 1:15pm 

 

Section B: 1:15pm – 3:00pm 

Assesses general knowledge and skills and is comprised of: 

  • One extended writing task  

  • 25 mathematics, science and technology multiple-choice questions 

  • 25 arts and humanities multiple-choice questions 

What to bring? 

  • Student may take an English and/or bilingual printed dictionary into both sections of the GAT, but not a thesaurus or a combined thesaurus-dictionary. Electronic dictionaries are not permitted.  

  • A scientific calculator is permitted in both sections of the GAT. Students will need pens, pencils and an eraser to complete the GAT. 

Students and parents can find more information regarding the GAT from the VCAA website HERE.  

 

Further information regarding the GAT will be distributed to all Unit 3 and 4 VCE and VM students over the coming weeks.  If you have any questions regarding the upcoming GAT, please don't hesitate to ring the College and contact the Senior School Team.

 

James Doble

Assistant Principal

Senior School