Red Cliffs Secondary College Senior School Handbook

Pathways:

 VCE/VCAL

VCE Requirements

STUDENT PROGRAM SELECTION AND SATISFACTORY COMPLETION OF THE VCE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

The minimum requirement for a student’s program for the award of the VCE is satisfactory completion of 16 units, which include:

  • Three units of the common study of English/English ESL/Literature (Units 1, 2, 3, or 4)
  • Three sequences of Units 3 and 4 studies other than English. These can include VCE VET sequences.

*Please note that VTAC advises that for the calculation of a student’s ATAR, satisfactory completion of both Units 3 and 4 of English/English ESL/Literature (in the same calendar year) is required.

 

SATISFACTORY COMPLETION OF UNITS

This section deals with the Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority (VCAA) policy and procedures relating to the achievement of learning outcomes, for the purpose of determining satisfactory completion of a unit. 

For satisfactory completion of a unit, a student must demonstrate achievement of each of the outcomes for that unit as specified in the Study Design. This decision will be based on the teacher’s judgement of the student’s performance on assessment tasks designated for the unit.

 

WHAT THE STUDENT MUST DO

Achievement of an outcome means:

  • The work meets the required standard;
  • The work was submitted on time;
  • The work is clearly the student’s own;
  • There has been no substantive breach of rules.

If all outcomes are achieved, the student receives S for the unit.

 

A student may not be granted satisfactory completion if:

  • The work is not of the required standard;
  • The student has failed to meet the school deadline for the assessment task;
  • The work cannot be authenticated;
  • There has been a substantive breach of rules including school attendance rules.

If any of the outcomes are not achieved, the student receives N for the unit.

 

Where a student has completed work but there has been a substantive breach of class attendance rules, the student may be awarded an N.

 
 
Have more questions about the VCE?  Click here.

VCAL Requirements

VCAL (Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning)

VCAL aims to provide the skills, knowledge and attitudes to enable students to make informed choices regarding pathways to work, training and further education. The VCAL has three award levels:

  • Foundation
  • Intermediate
  • Senior

Each VCAL unit is 100 nominal hours in length.  Each unit successfully completed, contributes one credit towards the VCAL at the appropriate award level.  The nominal hours include both scheduled and unscheduled class time.

 

The three qualification levels provide flexible entry and exit points for a range of students’ abilities and interests and offer a clear progression for skills, knowledge and attitudinal development.

The VCAL units include:

  • Work Related Skills/Structured Workplace Learning (SWL)
  • Personal Development Skills
  • Literacy Skills – Reading and Writing
  • Literacy Skills – Oral Communication
  • Numeracy Skills
  • Industry Specific Skills - VET studies
  • VCE Units

To gain a Foundation VCAL Certificate, students must obtain a minimum of 10 Units at Foundation Level (or equivalent), of which VCAL PDS, Numeracy/Mathematics, Reading and Writing/English, VCAL WRS must be included.

 

To gain an Intermediate VCAL Certificate, students must obtain a minimum of 10 Units at Intermediate Level (or equivalent), of which VCAL PDS, Numeracy/Mathematics, Reading and Writing/English, and 90 nominal VET hours must be included.

 

To gain a Senior VCAL Certificate, students must obtain a minimum of 10 Units, 6 of which must be at Senior or Yr.12 level, of which VCAL PDS, Numeracy/Mathematics, Reading and Writing/English, and 90 nominal VET hours must be included.

 

ASSESSMENT IN VCAL

A VCAL unit provides learning outcomes that are not linked to a particular curriculum or syllabus design. They enable development of locally relevant teaching and learning programs that will lead to achievement of the learning outcomes. 

 

A range of assessment methods can be used to verify successful completion of the learning outcomes of each VCAL unit. They may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Student self-assessment
  • Teacher observation
  • Reflective work journals
  • Student log books
  • Oral presentations
  • Written text
  • Oral explanation of text
  • Discussion
  • Role plays
  • Folios of tasks or investigations
  • Photos
 
 
Have more questions about VCAL?  Click here.

 

 

ATTENDANCE in VCE and VCAL

Attendance at your VET subject and Work Placement is compulsory.  For any absences from school, VET, or Work Placement, your parent/guardian must call your VET Teacher or Work Placement supervisor before 8am (and the school after 8.30am) on the morning of your absence.  If this is not done, your parent/guardian will receive a text message from the school asking for an explanation of your absence.

 

Students are expected to attend all time-tabled classes, VET and Work Placement. Any absences may lead to an inability to authenticate work.  Failure to attend a minimum of 90% of lessons for a subject may lead to an unsatisfactory result.

 

Lateness to class or work placements will not be tolerated. If you are going to be absent for any reason you must notify your employer or the VET teacher AND the school before 8am that morning.