Tarneit Senior College

The GAT

General Achievement Test

All about the GAT

VCAAGATParentInformationSheet.pdf
When:Wednesday 7th September
  
Where:Tarneit Senior College - Building G

The new GAT

 

In 2022, The GAT will move to a new format.

  • It will be conducted in 2 parts
  • Literacy and Numeracy skills will be measured against new standards
  • The GAT still retains its existing purpose in ensuring that VCE external assessments are fairly assessed.

Why is it changing?

 

Literacy and Numeracy are essential skills needed in everyday life and are part of the curriculum in both VCE and VCAL.

 

By testing literacy and numeracy for all students the GAT will:

  • Give students the confidence that they are ready to move onto further study, training or employment.
  • Provide students the opportunity to prove the literacy and numeracy skills - regardless of the pathway they choose.
  • Provide a measure to assess achievement and help identify where students may need support.

Structure of the GAT

 

Section A will assess literacy and numeracy skills.

Section B will assess skills in mathematics, science, technology, the arts and humanities.

 

Who is doing the GAT?

 

All students enrolled in one or more VCE or scored VCE VET unit 3-4 sequence are expected to sit Section A and Section B of the GAT (including Senior VCAL students)

 

All Senior VCAL students and unscored VCE students are expected to sit 

Section A.

 

Reporting of the GAT

 

The results from both Section A and Section B (where applicable) will be used to calculate student's achievement in reading, writing, and numeracy.

 

This will be reported against the standards derived from level 3 of the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF).

 

It will be included in the student's GAT statement of results.

 

If the student does not meet the standards they will be able to resit the GAT to demonstrate their skills to standard.

 

The Purpose of the GAT

 

All students enrolled in one or more VCE or scored VCE VET Unit 3 and 4 sequences must sit the GAT.

 

GAT results:

  • Do not count directly towards a student's VCE results.
  • Help check that school based and external assessments have been accurately assessed.
  • Contribute to statistical moderation of school based assessment results.
  • Help calculate Derived Examination Scores.
  • Determine scores in school based assessment, external assessment and if a derived examination score is required due to illness, accident and trauma.

There is a close correlation between receiving good GAT results and academic achievement.

 

External Exams and the GAT

 

Each external exam is marked by two assessors  and if needed it will go to a third assessor.

 

If a student's exam score is considerably different from the predicted GAT score, their indicative grade or external assessments grades, the exam will be marked by a chief assessor to ensure results are accurate. This can result in a study score staying the same, going up but it will not cause the score to be decreased.

 

The GAT can act as a safeguard to ensure your results are accurate.

 

VCAA Rules 

 

Important to note that the GAT is not run by the school.

 

Tarneit Senior College must meet strict VCAA guidelines in order to conduct on-site examinations.

 

By accepting to take on VCE/VCAL students are bound by VCAA conditions and agree to abide by VCAA conditions.

 

 

 

Regards

Tarneit Senior College