NSC Senior School Handbook

VET

Vocational Education and Training (VET) is a comprehensive program offered to senior school students at Norwood across a large number of vocational areas. These subjects span two years and provide students with a nationally recognized vocational qualification, such as a Certificate II or III, which can lead directly into further education and training at TAFE. VET subjects can be part of either a VCE or VCE VM program. VET subjects (except Sport and Recreation which is run onsite at Norwood) are conducted at various secondary schools and training providers.

 

VET Expectations:

 NSC expects students to demonstrate the highest levels of conduct and effort when attending VET classes, especially when these classes are held at other schools.

 

VET Attendance, Achievement, and Behaviour:

The host school monitors VET attendance, achievement, and behaviour, and will inform NSC if any concerns arise.

 

Students are expected to attend all VET classes. They are allowed two absences (8 hours) per semester or four absences (16 hours) for the year. An additional two approved absences are permitted for school camps, excursions, or illness with a medical certificate.

 

In some cases of approved absence, the content may need to be delivered and completed outside of scheduled classes, such as white card training for building site access.

 

If a student is absent from a VET class, they must notify their VET teacher by email or phone, as well as Senior School.

 

Students and parents should understand that a VET session is equivalent to four periods of VCE, so missing even one class has a significant impact. Students may need to attend make-up classes after school, during school holidays, or on weekends to meet VET requirements.

 

VET attendance issues are reported to the Careers and Pathways Coordinator. If a student misses three VET classes, parents will be notified, indicating that the student’s continued enrolment in the subject is ‘At Risk.’

 

If a student needs to leave a VET class early, they must provide a note from their parent or carer to the VET teacher. The home school will also be notified.

 

Several courses conduct a week of classes during the school holidays in July or September. These weeks are compulsory, so it is important for students to understand this commitment when enrolling in a VET subject. Family holidays should not be planned in weeks that these classes are running.

 

Consequence of Poor Attendance:

Incomplete hours of competency will result in only a partial completion of the VET certificate. For a VCE student, this means that the credit for a VCE unit will not be awarded, and it will not contribute to the overall VCE unit count or ATAR calculation.

 

A VCE VM student will only receive a partial statement of results if they do not meet the required hours. To satisfy the minimum VET requirements for any VCE VM certificate, a student needs at least 90 hours of credit in units of competency.

 

Assessment:

VET teachers will assign specific tasks that must be completed to meet the course requirements. All tasks must be submitted by the due date. In approved circumstances, students who miss a deadline may negotiate a second submission date.

 

If a student is absent on the day of an assessed task, they must:

  • Notify their VET Coordinator at school and their VET teacher by 9:00am that morning.
  • Notify Senior School immediately upon returning to school.
  • Provide a detailed parental note immediately upon return.
  • Provide a Doctor’s Certificate to the VET Coordinator at their home school.

Consultation with the VET teacher will determine if the absence is excused and whether the missed task will be rescheduled.

 

Uniform and Materials Cost:

Students are expected to attend VET classes in their home school uniform or the specific uniform required by some subjects, such as Hospitality (chef whites) or Building and Construction (high visibility work gear). Whilst in most subjects the materials cost is covered by the Education Department, students and families must agree to pay any additional VET cost associated with the relevant VET subject before the end of the year in which the subject runs. These charges are generally paid directly to the training provider. 

 

VET Study Periods:

VET classes are condensed into a 4-hour session once a week, typically scheduled on Wednesday afternoons. These classes are blocked to ensure they do not impact a student's regular school days.

 

For VCE students (Years 10, 11, and 12), the VET subject replaces four classes from one block in their timetable. This means that their VET class takes the place of one of their other subjects and they will have a spare period.

 

If a ‘spare’ occurs during periods 1 or 5, Year 11 and 12 students can arrive late or leave early. To do this, they need to submit a letter to the Senior Sub-School signed by their parent or carer so that rolls can be adjusted for the year. Even after submitting this l, students must sign in and out at the Compass kiosk for late arrivals or early dismissals to ensure the school maintains accurate records for duty of care.