Senior School
Unit 3 & 4 VCE Exam timetable Now Available
To access the VCE examination timetable for 2024, including the rules and authorised material and equipment list, please click HERE.
All Year 11 & 12 students must read theVCAA examination rulesfor VCE exams and the GAT.
It is also the responsibility of all students to be familiar with thematerials and equipment authorised for use in the GAT and VCE written examinations.
General Achievement Test (GAT) Tue 18 June
All VCE and VM Unit 3 and 4 students will be required to sit the 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.
Students and parents should read the attached 2024 GAT information brochure for students published on Compass.
When is the GAT?
The GAT will take place on Tuesday 18 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?
The GAT is structured into Section A and Section B, with a range of question difficulties.
For 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.
For 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
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?
· Students 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 & 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 or email Ms. Katerina Fonda.
Early Start 2025
Expression of interest for Early Start will be open in Week 10 of this term. Completing an Early Start subject gives students an opportunity to study a Year 11 VCE subject in Year 10, and a Year 12 VCE subject in Year 11 as part of a VCE program.
What are the benefits of undertaking an Early Start VCE Subject/s in Year 10?
· Students gain valuable experience and early exposure to the VCE program in Year 10.
· For some, this is a taste of what the rigour and expectation of VCE is like, and in some cases help students understand ‘what it takes’ to be a successful VCE student.
· A great opportunity and pathway for learning extension and challenge.
· May assist students in identifying subjects they enjoy and prepare them for future pathways, such as university or TAFE.
· Distribute the completion of Year 12 subjects across two years. High achieving students, with approval, may also apply to undertake two early start VCE subjects in year 10. This may result in undertaking 4 x Unit 3 and 4 subjects in Year 12, instead of the traditional 5 subjects. This provides more time to study and focus on the remaining subjects in Year 12.
· Potential to improve your ATAR (admission rank) at the end of year 12. Completing a VCE Year 11 subject in Year 10 allows students to study a Year 12 subject/s in Year 11. This will mean that the total VCE subjects will be 6 rather than 5, providing students with an additional 10% of the fifth and sixth permissible scores that are available towards their ATAR.
For more information on ATAR, please read below.
How do students apply?
Year 9 students wishing to undertake an Early Start VCE Unit 1 & 2 subject/s in Year 10 should complete an Expression of Interest form. The Expression of Interest form will be available to all Year 9 students on Compass, on Microsoft Teams and in the Senior School from Monday 17 June.
This form is not an enrolment form, and does not guarantee a place in a chosen VCE subject. Eligibility is determined based on a combination of a student’s academic suitability, teacher recommendations and meeting the selection criteria provided. Access to a VCE subject/s in Year 10 is also dependent on availability of places after all Year 11 students have been accommodated. Note: undertaking a VCE subject in Year 10 will replace two semester electives.
The teacher recommendations page must be completed by teachers relevant to the subject/s students are expressing interest in.
VCE Early Start Application Process 2024
Students are required to complete and submit an expression of interest form to Senior School by 8:45am, Friday 19 July be eligible for selection. Applicants may be interviewed as part of the application process and students will be notified of the outcome of the process (successful/unsuccessful) by the end of Week 3, Term 3 prior to subject selection.
VCE Early Start Selection Criteria
Students must demonstrate the following criteria to be eligible for selection.
1. Commitment to achieving academically and progressing in learning across all subjects, including demonstrating ‘at level’ or ‘above level’ based on the VC standards.
2. Demonstrates appropriate learning behaviours across subjects.
3. Works towards achieving their full potential across all studies.
4. Displays appropriate learning behaviours and attitude to learning, such as achieving ‘excellent’ on reports.
5. Displays expected ready to learn behaviours, including punctuality, equipped to learn and organisation skills.
6. Attendance at a high level, consistent with VCE attendance requirements.
7. Provides two teacher recommendations to support the expression of interest
All Year 9 students attended a Preparation for Subject Selection Assembly in Week 7, during Explore, to hear more about the process of applying for Early Start VCE, Sports Excellence and Peer Support.
If students or parents/ guardian have any questions regarding Early Start VCE, please don’t hesitate to ring the College or contact Ms. Katerina Fonda.
Reflection, Assessment and Feedback (RAF) Cycle
The upcoming RAF Cycle for Year 9 & 10 students will occur during normal scheduled classes from Wed 19 to Friday 28 June.
What is the RAF Cycle?
At the end of each semester, a period of 8-9 days is marked into the calendar for Revision, Assessment and Feedback in Years 9 & 10. During this time, classes will engage in a cycle of structured revision, a common assessment activity/task which assesses several skills taught in the unit/s of learning, and also undertake a reflective feedback session. Through this process, students demonstrate evidence of learning (knowledge and skills) learnt within a unit of learning, topic, or semester, whilst still engaging in the learning process.
The purpose of the RAF in Year 9/10 is to give students the opportunity to:
- demonstrate evidence of learning (knowledge and skills) learnt within a unit of learning, topic, or semester,
- engage in a cycle of structured revision, a common assessment activity/task and to reflect on the feedback provided on the assessment task, as well as the revision undertaken by students in the lead up to an assessment,
- experience a variety of assessments, which could be include, an exam, a test, a practical assessment tasks, a problem-solving task, or a sustained writing task (e.g., essay or report), and
- review their performance on the assessment activities through– self and peer feedback activities.
For more information about the RAF Cycle, please refer to the attached PDF which is also available on Compass newsfeed.
Katarina Fonda
Acting Senior School Leader
Learning and Improvement
FON@wantirnacollege.vic.edu.au