NEWSLETTER

Senior School

Senior School Information VCE & VCAL

RE: VCE and VCAL information (Re-Covid19)

We have recently been advised of updates from VCAA and these are outlined below. All information is available on the VCAA website for you to access in the link below.

https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/HomePage.aspx

https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/curriculum/vce/vce-study-designs/Pages/vce-study-designs.aspx

 

We are pleased to advise that Amended 2020 Victorian Certificate of Education Study Designs have now been finalised. These amendments are to Unit 4 components of the studies, while Units 1 and 2 remain unchanged and there are very few changes to Unit 3 in a small number of specific studies (these are made clear in the Study Design). These amendments are in recognition of the move to remote and flexible learning and to address some of the uncertainty for Victoria’s senior secondary students

 

The VCAA has undertaken a review of the Unit 4 component of every Study Design consistent with the following key principles:

  • Maintain adherence to the health advice and directions regarding learning at home and social distancing arrangements at school sites.
  • Protect the integrity of the VCE as a nationally and internationally recognised high-quality qualification.
  • Protect the integrity and coherence of the individual Study Designs and provide a rationale for reasonable adjustments.
  • Reduce school-based assessment tasks where possible to relieve some pressure on students as they move to remote and flexible learning arrangements.
  • Ensure fairness and consistency across each learning area so that there is no unintended diminution in cognitive demand for this level of learning.
  • Sustain the content knowledge and skills across Units 1 to 4.
  • Keep all post-school pathways options open to 2020 VCE students.
  • Allow small groups of VCE and Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) students to attend on-site for short periods, consistent with social distancing measures and other requirements, if their learning and assessment requirements cannot be conducted at home.

Further details to this are outlined below:

Unit 1 & 2 - There are currently no changes to study design for 2020

Unit 3 -  There are some minor adjustments to Unit 3 for 2020

Unit 4 - Some Unit 4 study designs have bee adjusted and these are outlined in the links above.

VCE teachers will inform students and parents of the changes to the study design and the impact this will have on the subjects.

 

School Assessed Coursework (SACS)

  • SACs will be conducted remotely in line with VCAA assessment protocols.
  • All SACs completed remotely will require student to comply with Authentication of student work processes in line with VCAA.
  • All SACs will be scheduled with the Senior School and students will be informed of upcoming assessment via learning platforms.

School Assessed Task (SATS)

  • SATs will be conducted remotely in line with VCAA assessment protocols.
  • All SATs completed remotely will require student to comply with Authentication of student work processes in line with VCAA.
  • All SATs will be scheduled with the Senior School and students will be informed of upcoming assessment via learning platforms.

VCAL - We are awaiting the final revised advice moving forward.

GAT (General Achievement Test) - Currently the GAT has been postponed and is planned to be completed in October or November and we will be advised by VCAA as to when this will be scheduled state wide.

End of Year Exams - According to VCAA the Exam schedule will be released in May and will then activate internal processes in the effective management of Exams in line with the VCAA.

  • Any changes to the Study Designs will be reflected in the final exams.
  • There will be no changes to the length of individual Unit 4 Exams in 2020

Onsite Assessment Requirement

  • Applicable to studies that have a practical requirement whereby assessment can only be completed onsite (linked to SACs or SATs).
  • Allow small groups of VCE and Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) students to attend on-site for short periods, consistent with social distancing measures and other requirements, if their learning and assessment requirements cannot be conducted at home
  • All onsite requirements will be organised and scheduled on a subject case by case basis.

We hope you find this latest information from VCAA useful in understanding the changes to the VCE. We will continue to advise as we have more information.

 

Regards,

Colin Payne - Senior School Coordinator