Assessment & Reporting
Assessment of student learning is carried out on a continuous basis and reports are issued each term. Progress Reports provide a mid-semester indication of academic progress at the end of Terms 1 and 3. These are followed by Subject Reports with an award at the end of Terms 2 and 4. In some cases, where there has been limited evidence of achievement, a ‘Comment Only’ report may be issued. This report does not include an award but instead focuses on specific achievements and skills. Reports each term also include an indication of a student’s approaches to learning.
At various times in each term, written feedback on learning tasks is provided through SEQTA. This provides students with the opportunity to reflect on their learning, identify areas of strength, and to set goals for future growth. Release of this feedback through SEQTA Engage also provides parents with the opportunity to view and follow learning progress.
Learning conferences provide formal opportunities for parents and students to have discussions with tutors and subject teachers regarding student progress, although parents are encouraged to contact teachers or tutors at any time should the need arise.
Assessment
Students are assessed in each subject against the applicable Achievement Standards of the Australian Curriculum. Where the Australian Curriculum does not apply, a school Achievement Standard is used. The Achievement Standard describes the standard of knowledge, skills and understanding expected by the end of the course.
On individual assessments, students receive ratings of A, B, C, D or E to indicate the extent to which they are meeting the relevant descriptors of the year level Achievement Standard. Ratings of C, B and A respectively, indicate sound, high and excellent levels of achievement within the year level standard. A rating of D indicates that a student is approaching the standard expected for their year level. An E rating is used where there is limited evidence of achievement.
Feedback is an integral and continual part of the assessment process and the primary means of communicating strengths, areas for growth and next steps in learning. Students are encouraged to actively engage with and implement various forms of feedback to help improve their learning outcomes.
Subject Awards
Students are given an overall award in each subject at the end of each semester. The award indicates the extent to which they have met the Achievement Standard for the subject. Awards are given according to the following scale:
A
| Excellent level of achievement of knowledge, skills and understandings expected at this year level |
|---|---|
B
| High level of achievement of knowledge, skills and understandings expected at this year level |
C
| Sound level of achievement of knowledge, skills and understandings expected at this year level |
D
| Approaching the level of achievement of knowledge, skills and understandings expected at this year level |
E
| Limited level of achievement of knowledge, skills and understanding expected at this year level |
The knowledge, skills and understanding expected at any year level includes a range of achievement from C-A.
Homework
Students in Years 7 and 8 are expected to complete homework on a regular basis. The number of hours per week may vary.
In some subjects, such as Languages and Mathematics, it can be beneficial to have shorter, regular bursts of homework. Other assignments may be of longer duration, requiring students to coordinate homework requirements over several days or weeks. It is important that students learn the skills of pacing their work over time and meeting deadlines, and homework is designed to assist with this learning process.