VCE Unit 3 & 4 Students: Critical Dates and Behaviours

Dear students and parents,

Having finished a very busy Term 1, students completing one or more VCE Unit 3 & 4 studies will almost certainly need a break before embarking on Term 2. They do need to be aware of what is expected of them in the future, however, and listed below are some of the key assessments and VTAC dates that you may want to make a note of to help remind students to prepare appropriately for assessments. 

We would also like to take this opportunity to remind parents and students that the VCAA expect students studying VCE Unit 3 & 4 outcomes to be completing between three and five hours of study outside of their assigned class time each week for each subject. For those completing 4 subjects, this would be 12-20 hours and for most of our Year 12 students who are studying 5 subjects, this would be 15-25 hours. Consequently, to allow for appropriate rest and relaxation, students also need to take care that they are participating in no more than 10 hours of paid work each week. Additionally, as the footy and netball seasons ramp up, these are also activities that, whilst vital for students’ health, well-being and sense of belonging, also take up considerable time. We would never expect students to cut out their hobbies, but we do expect them to reflect on what is possible, particularly for those completing a heavy study load. The last thing we want is for students to feel burnt out and struggle to perform due to over committing themselves. We ask that parents and carers monitor such commitments and discuss with students how important a balanced approach is to success in their final years of school. 

Finally, a reminder that attendance in class must be a priority for student success. As we move into the colder months, it is inevitable that students will at times feel under the weather, and in serious cases, we would always encourage students to stay home and recover. However, if students still feel able to attend training or meet with friends, it’s safe to assume that they can come to school, and we would expect to see them in our classrooms. Teachers take great care in ensuring that lesson plans are up to date so that students who are absent can catch up, but there is really no replacement for being in class and learning with your peers to improve engagement and results.

We wish all of our senior students and their families a restful break, and look forward to seeing them back with us on Wednesday 23rd April.

Alison Edgar 

Director of Senior Studies