School Assessed Coursework (SACs)

Prior to each SAC or SAT, students will be given a ‘SAC notification’ with an overview of their task and the expected date(s) for their completion or submission. 

SACs are scheduled on Monday and Tuesday afternoons and during class time for smaller subjects. Work commitments and unapproved extra-curricular activities do not take precedence over SAC attendance.

Achievement of Outcomes for Satisfactory Completion

Students are required to complete and submit each assessment task to the subject teacher on or before the due date. If the work meets the requirements of the Study Design, the student will receive an ‘S’ for satisfactory demonstration of the designated outcomes. If the work submitted does not meet the requirement of the Study Design, or the student has not adhered to the attendance requirement, the student may receive an ‘N’ for non-satisfactory. 

*Note: An ‘N’ for a Coursework Assessment would result in an ‘N’ for the Unit of Study REGARDLESS of the student’s Examination Grades. Coursework results in ‘N’ subjects do not contribute to a student’s ATAR.

School Assessed Coursework (SACs)

Coursework Assessment is an assessment of each student’s level of achievement based on the School Assessed Coursework tasks (SACs) set by the subject teacher. These tasks must be completed within a limited timeframe and must be completed mainly in class time, though some work can be set for completion out of class. Any out of class work must be authenticated by the subject teacher. In each case teachers will indicate, as part of the instructions for the coursework assessment, the method by which the work is to be submitted. Teachers are to collect all student work at the end of each session. Students must ensure they submit their work to the teacher before leaving the room. Teachers must not provide undue input before completion of a task and all resources need to be acknowledged. Students must only have authorised materials during the assessment.

Students who submit work that does not satisfactorily demonstrate the knowledge and skills of their subject’s Study Design, may receive a provisional N. Students may resubmit work to meet satisfactory completion requirements of a Unit. Students are encouraged to keep all coursework notes in order as this may provide further evidence of satisfactory completion of an outcome.

School Assessed Coursework tasks (SACs) are set by the subject teacher(s). These tasks must be completed within a limited timeframe and must be completed mainly in class time, though some work can be set for completion out of class.

SAC Absence

A SAC/SAT Calendar will be published at the beginning of each Semester. Amendments to the SAC Calendar will only be made due to unforeseen circumstances, with all affected students being notified of any changes.

To have an absence marked as ‘approved,’ students must provide a medical certificate, which must be submitted to Senior School within three school days, regardless of the return date. This requirement also applies to Mid-Year and End-of-Year Examinations.

If a VCE student misses a formal SAC or SAT (folio) due to a legitimate reason, such as a medical condition verified by a medical certificate or a school event (e.g., sport or an excursion), they are expected to complete the SAC after school during the official SAC resit session on a Thursday afternoon to remain eligible for both an ‘S’ and a scored result.  Students who do not provide the required documentation to verify their absence must still complete the SAC/SAT and will receive an ‘S’ but no scored result. 

An email with the task details, location and time allowance will be sent to the parent/carer and student via Compass. If the student is also absent on the resit date, then a medical certificate is also required and should be submitted to Senior School. The SAC/SAT will then occur on the first day upon return to school. NB: It is likely that the student will complete a different version of the SAC with equal rigour to ensure that VCAA authentication requirements are met.

Students who fail to attend the resit SAC session, or submit the SAT on the new designated date, will need a new medical certificate to have another opportunity to complete the task. Those who fail to provide the required documentation and have no documentation for the original date will have the SAC or SAT declared ‘Not Satisfactory,’ which may result in an overall ‘N’ for the unit. Depending on the student’s pass rate in other subjects, this could affect their ability to proceed to the next unit or obtain a VCE with their cohort.

After any absence, it is the student’s responsibility to contact their relevant subject teachers to complete missed work or reschedule assessment tasks.

*NB: To ensure fairness and equity for all students, those who have not attended school during the day are not permitted to sit a scheduled after-school SAC and a valid medical certificate must be provided to support any rescheduling. This is designed to maintain consistent expectations and uphold the integrity of assessment conditions for all students.

SAC and Exam Conditions

Students must arrive on time for any School Assessed Coursework Task. Late arrivals will be admitted but will not receive extra time.

In extremely rare circumstances, students may be granted extra time to complete SACs or SATs. This extension can be approved by the Head of Year Level in consultation with the relevant classroom teacher.

The SAC conditions at Norwood Secondary College align with the exam conditions set by VCAA. For further information about SAC and test conditions, refer to the 'Plagiarism and Authentication Policy' in this Handbook.

SAC Feedback to Students

After SACs are submitted and marked, teachers will give students detailed feedback, including:

• Guidance on how and where to improve for future learning.
• Identification of areas of difficulty.
• An indication of performance level as a raw mark, percentage, or through the school-based reporting system.
• An indication of ‘S’ or ‘N’ decisions for the outcome.
• Feedback will be provided within two weeks of the SAC date, except when moderation of work is required, which may extend the time frame.
• Unless otherwise specified, summative feedback will be provided via Compass.

Teachers are not allowed to mark or comment on any draft of work that will be submitted for graded assessment.

SAC Retention

All School-Assessed Coursework (SACs) completed in VCE Units 3 and 4 must be kept by the school until the end of the academic year. This is a requirement of the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA). Retaining SACs ensures fairness, supports authentication, and allows the school to meet VCAA audit processes. After this period, SACs may be returned to students or disposed of in our secure bins. 

What This Means for Students:

• Your SACs will be stored securely by the school until the end of the year.
• You will receive timely feedback on your SACs as outlined above.
• SACs may be returned to you after the retention period, once VCAA requirements are met.

Lost, Stolen or Damaged Work

Students are responsible for ensuring all required work is submitted and for keeping evidence of their progress, such as drafts, notes, or planning materials when relevant.

School-Assessed Coursework (SACs)

If SAC work cannot be provided because it has been lost, stolen, or damaged, the student or teacher must submit a signed and dated written explanation of the incident to the relevant Head of Year Level. The Head of Year Level will review the information and advise the student of the outcome.

Computer-related issues are not grounds for special consideration. Students using digital tools must

• maintain a reliable backup option in case of technical failure
• save work to a secure cloud service (e.g., Google Drive) and keep regular backup copies

School-Assessed Tasks (SATs)

If a SAT is missing, stolen, or damaged, a signed and dated written account of the circumstances must be completed and kept on file.

The VCE Coordinator and subject teacher will complete the required VCAA form for lost or damaged SATs and submit an estimated score through VASS. The form is then forwarded to the VCAA School‑based Assessment Audit team.

The Senior School Principal will make an initial assessment based on the documentation provided and the authentication records for the task.