Wheelers Hill Secondary College - Senior School Handbook 2024

The Victorian Certificate of Education

Creating Futures Together

The VCE  

The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) is usually undertaken over 2 years.  However, it can be undertaken over 3 years if needed. The VCE provides diverse pathways to further study or training at university or TAFE and to employment.  During the second semester of Year 10 at Wheelers Hill Secondary College you will already have begun your transition to the VCE.  You will notice that work requirements become more complex and that you are asked to use higher order thinking skills more frequently.  Teachers will be encouraging you to develop and exhibit the work habits and responsibility expected in the VCE.  These take a considerable time to effectively establish and are supported by suitable study habits in Years 7 to 10. 

 

How is the VCE different? 

You are expected to take more responsibility for your own learning, with the teacher acting more as a facilitator to the learning rather than a director.  It is not just a matter of gaining skills and knowledge but being able to apply them in an increasing range of situations.  The challenge is to become more analytical and to be able to undertake problem solving.  There will be more unsupervised study time outside normal lessons, requiring increased self-discipline and motivation to complete tasks and revise efficiently.  Year 12 students will have access to the VCE Study Centre outside of their scheduled class time.  During Years 7 to 10 the College designs content, assessment, rules and guidelines within a framework provided by the government.  The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) determine the study designs, rules and guidelines for the VCE, which must be followed.  Therefore, it is important that you understand and follow these as our school cannot modify them for you.  Full details are on the VCAA web site http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au. 

 

What will help me to do my best?  

As motivation and self-direction are important, it is crucial that you select studies that interest you, give you confidence, or offer positive challenges.  Those who have excellent organisation and time management skills will work more efficiently and find it easier to work independently.  A lifestyle where a strong work ethic is balanced with spending time with family, friends and other interests, is important in your personal development.  Adequate rest, exercise and good nutrition also play a part in helping you to maintain good health and cope with the additional study required.  Having a positive and proactive outlook, accepting support from and providing support to peers and family, accepting personal responsibility and making the most of the available opportunities will assist you to always do your personal best. 

  

How does the VCE work?  

It is a program of study, made up of 20 to 24 units that you select under certain rules.  Each subject (called a study) has 2 or 4 units, each unit taking one semester (half a year) to complete.  Units 1 & 2 are taken in Year 11 and Units 3 & 4 in Year 12.  Units 3 and 4 are usually more demanding and challenging.  You normally do 6 studies (12 Units) in Year 11 and 5 studies (10 Units) in Year 12.  Some students have already completed Units 1-2 in a study in Year 10 and may be able to do Units 3-4 in Year 11.  If you have not done Units 1-2 but have done very well in a study in Year 10, you may apply to undertake Units 3-4 in Year 11 in some subjects.  Completing a Unit 3-4 sequence in Year 11 will allow you to have an extra study score to add to your final total rank (ATAR). You will still need to complete 5 Unit 3 and 4 sequences in Year 12 even if you complete an advance study of a sequence of Unit 3 and 4 in Year 11. You may take 3 years to complete the VCE with a combination of Units 1-2 and 3-4 in the second year.  This may be an option if you wish to try lots of studies or do TAFE courses that do not count towards the VCE.  

THE MAIN FEATURES OF THE VCE 

UNITS 1 AND 2:           

To satisfactorily complete a unit, you must be able to demonstrate the minimum achievement of the set of outcomes specified for the unit (usually through designated coursework tasks).  Coursework tasks may be research activities, tests, classroom presentations, essays, comprehension questions, etc. Teachers will select the tasks that they consider most appropriate or that are prescribed in the subject’s Study Design.  These coursework tasks, except for some subjects with a practical component, will usually be undertaken during class time and during a fairly short time span.  The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority require each outcome to be given an S or N. Special provision is available for students who have suffered some disadvantage during the time an assessment task is being undertaken.  

 

UNITS 3 AND 4           

In addition to the above, 

  • Work which you do in class as assessment is called School Assessed Coursework (SAC).  In the case of subjects such as Art, Studio Art and Visual Communication, this is referred to as a School Assessed Tasks (SAT) which consists of folios or models. 
  • Each SAC or SAT is graded i.e., teachers are required to give each task a numerical score but reported as a letter grade to allow for statistical moderation. 
  • SACs or SATs must be completed on the set date/dates unless you have a medical certificate for an illness. 
  • Students will not be able to re-do SACs or SATs to gain a higher score (scores cannot be changed).  However, you may be required to submit an extra work task in order to demonstrate the minimum knowledge, skill and capabilities to achieve an S or N. 
  • The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) prescribe the structure of the assessment tasks to be used to assess each outcome.  The weighting to be given to each scored assessment task is also prescribed in the subject’s Study Design. 
  • In all VCE studies, an examination is conducted at the end of Unit 4.  The Study Score for each study is derived from coursework assessment (completed during class time) and the external examinations along with the GAT (General Achievement Test).  Study Scores are used to calculate the Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR). 

VCE at Wheelers Hill Secondary College  

Wheelers Hill Secondary College offers many VCE studies in a flexible program catering for student needs.  While the VCE is normally completed over two years of full-time study, the provision exists for you to undertake a greater range of studies or programs and complete your VCE over a longer period.  Timetabling arrangements allow you to study Units 1 and 2 (Year 11) and a Unit 3 and 4 sequence (Year 12) concurrently.  You do not have to do all units in a study – Units 1 and 2 may be taken as a single unit (e.g., Geography 1 and History 2). However, Units 3 and 4 must be taken as a sequence in that order.  The main premise of the structure of the VCE at Wheelers Hill Secondary College is to maximise student choice over a comprehensive curriculum. 

 

Enrolment Policy and Workload  

It is anticipated that you will be a full-time student, unless you have special requirements.  In Year 11 you will enrol in a minimum of six units each semester and remain enrolled in these units for the entire semester.  In Year 12 you will enrol in a minimum of five pairs of units for the year and remain enrolled in the pairs of units for the entire year.  If you are undertaking an approved VCE/VET Program which is the equivalent of a VCE subject, you will substitute this for a pair of units each year. Only students with special requirements (i.e., experiencing personal difficulties, a chronic illness or have a disability) may undertake fewer units. Having completed an advanced study is NOT an acceptable reason to undertake fewer subjects.  If you are undertaking a TAFE or Training program which does not carry credit for VCE, you may be required to take an extra year to complete the VCE.  

 

Attendance 

All coursework must be completed to pass a subject.  If you are absent, you will require a medical certificate.  This certificate cannot be post-dated. We require a 90% attendance rate and each VCE unit involves 50 hours of scheduled classroom instruction. In addition, it is expected that students will undertake 50 hours of self-directed learning for each unit. 

 

Studies Undertaken Elsewhere 

Students are encouraged to undertake Language units, which are not offered by Wheelers Hill Secondary College, at the Victorian School of Languages (Saturday morning school).  Many students are maintaining their cultural heritage by studying languages their families speak at home. However, these subjects are voluntary and so do not allow students to reduce the number of subjects undertaken at the College. Vocational Education and Training (VET) programs at a local TAFE or school can contribute to the VCE and the attainment of a VET Certificate. Enrolment with an external Language provider does not reduce the number of units undertaken at the College (i.e., 12 at Units 1 & 2 and 10 at Units 3 & 4)   

 

VCE Rules At Wheelers Hill Secondary College 

The rules for the VCE at Wheelers Hill Secondary College are contained in the "VCE Student Handbook" which will be provided to students as part of their VCE Orientation Program.  You should familiarise yourself with the rules relating to submission dates, extensions, absences, special provision and lateness.  Ignorance of these rules will not be accepted as a reason for non-compliance and may lead to a Not Satisfactory (N) outcome for a unit of study.  

 

What is Required to Complete The VCE? 

To be awarded the VCE, students must satisfactorily complete at least 16 units.  These 16 units must include: 

  • an approved combination of at least 3 units from the group of English studies. 
  • at least 3 pairs of Unit 3 & 4 studies other than English.  

English Requirements 

Three units of English studies are required to receive the VCE.  These units may be selected from: 

  • English 
  • English as Alternative Language (EAL) 
  • Literature 

However, no more than two units of either English at Units 1 and 2, (or English EAL Units 1 and 2) can be counted towards the English requirement. 

 

In terms of calculating the ATAR, the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Committee (VTAC) has determined that: 

  • Satisfactory completion of any English group study Unit 3 & 4 sequence is required. 
  • Any of the approved Units 3 & 4 sequences within the English group will be counted in the ATAR, but no more than two will be permitted in the primary four.  

What is required for the satisfactory completion of a Unit? 

Each unit of study has clearly designated outcomes as listed in the Study Design for the subject. You must receive an “S” for each outcome to satisfactorily pass the unit.  In addition to outcomes, Units 3 & 4 have School Assessed Coursework or School-Assessed Tasks. The purpose of these is to determine student performance scores for the calculation of ATAR scores and tertiary selection. 

 

While special provision exists for students who experience a disadvantage, students who are frequently absent not only miss the study program but may have difficulty in having their work authenticated. Each VCE unit involves 50 hours of scheduled classroom instruction. In addition, it is expected that students will undertake 50 hours of self-directed learning for each unit.  

 

Tertiary selection 

Tertiary selection depends primarily on the level of performance grades which students achieve in School Assessed Coursework, School Assessed Tasks and external examinations. These are undertaken in Units 3 and 4 only. 

 

At the completion of Year 12, students receive three pieces of information: 

  • Letter grades for each School Assessed Coursework, School Assessed Tasks or examinations from A+ to E and UG. Most studies have 3 assessment components. 
  • VCE Study Score for each study. In addition to the individual letter grades, students will receive an overall Study Score out of 50 which sums up the student's total achievement in all the assessment components for that study. 
  • Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR). Students who have satisfactorily completed their VCE will receive an ATAR score. This is used by tertiary institutions to offer students places in their courses. The ATAR is a ranking from 0.00 – 99.95 and is an aggregation of marks adjusted through a scaling process. It shows each student's ranking in comparison with all other Year 12 students across the state.