Year 12 Important News

On-site attendance and preparation and participation in Permitted Essential Assessments

Dear Parents,

We received correspondence from the VCAA last Sunday (29 Aug) with regards to the conduct of assessments for Year 12 students on site. This information was relayed onto the students through Teams this week.

The Acting Chief Health Officer approved the conduct of a restricted list of Permitted Essential Assessments on site from Monday 30 August 2021.

Schools need to follow all COVID-Safe Settings and Department of Education and Training guidelines as well as a specific list of Health Controls for Essential Assessment

These included Unit 3/4 only Performing Arts studies in –

· Dance

· Drama

· Music Performance

· Music Investigation

· Theatre Studies

The Performing Arts studies have been prioritized due to performance examinations starting on 4 October 2021. Attendance is restricted to essential assessments that cannot be conducted remotely.

Other studies considered a priority include science studies with practical components, Visual Arts, Design and Technologies as well as VCE and VCAL students enrolled in VET programs and these will be added to the list progressively to be determined by the Chief Health Officer.

Once we receive notification that we can conduct on site assessments there will some Health Control measures that will need to be adopted:

· For students with assessments, they must be tested for COVID -19 in the 72 hours before attending onsite for assessments.

· Evidence of a negative test result is not required before the assessment but must be provided to the school on request. Students can attend the assessment with their test result still pending but must advise the school if they subsequently receive a positive result.

· All Permitted Essential Assessments to be conducted on site are capped at a maximum of 10 participants per session.

· COVID-19 testing sites have been informed of these requirements and will not require students to prove evidence to support asymptomatic testing.

Special consideration for VCAL and VET units

The department is finalising detailed advice regarding the implementation of Special Consideration for VCAL and VET Unspecified Credit processes, but in short:

· All students are treated with fairness and equity and supported to complete their senior secondary education.

· Schools will be able to determine the final assessment task score for VCE VET scored 3 and 4 sequences based on evidence gained from earlier assessments.

· Guidelines will be produced how schools and VET providers can apply to the VCAA for unspecified credits for unscored VET units for VCE and VCAL students.

· Schools will be able to apply special consideration to VCAL units where a student has made reasonable progress, attempted to complete all learning and demonstrated all learning outcomes; and the teacher considers that the student would have successfully completed the unit without the interruptions to face-to-face learning.

Key staff will be attending a Webinar to support schools to implement Special Consideration.

Please know that staff are doing everything in their powers to ensure your children achieve a satisfactory outcome with their studies come years end.

As part of the Consideration of Educational Disadvantage, last week students were provided with a student statement to complete on how COVID -19, and more specifically remote learning has impacted on their learning. Students are not required to provide any evidence to complete this process and they will not be penalized if they do not complete the statement.

 But it is providing them with an opportunity to highlight factors that the school may not be aware of.

If you have further queries please contact Mr Steven de man.