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Each year, every student completing a Unit 3 & 4 VCE subject are required to complete the General Achievement Test (GAT). Last year, the GAT changed as part of the reform of the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) and the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) systems. As part of the VCE and VCAL reform, Victorian senior secondary students now have their literacy and numeracy skills measured against new standards in a reformed GAT and these will be reported in their end of year academic transcript. 

The standards indicate whether students have demonstrated the literacy and numeracy skills typically expected of someone completing their secondary schooling, which aims to give another indication of their readiness to move onto further education, training or employment.

The General Achievement Test (GAT) assesses skills in mathematics, science, technology, the arts and humanities by asking students to complete various written tasks and 150 multiple choice questions across the two exams.

Other than reporting on Literacy and Numeracy standards, the GAT results are used to check that VCE external assessments and school-based assessments have been accurately and fairly assessed and can be used in the calculation of a Derived Examination Score (DES) if required.

In the Senior School, we promote the motto ‘Faithful Learning, Faithful Living’. As our VCE students get closer to the end of the year, we wish to spur the students on to ‘work faithfully to be the best learners they can be, according to their gifting’ (Transformational Education p. 137). While there can be unhelpful narratives and emphasis around standardised testing and examinations, we don’t want our students to feel pressure on the ‘basis of rating, ranking and reward’ (p, 139). Rather, we hope to ‘foster a culture of effective learning, encouraging students to be faithful in their office (as students) and to academic faithfulness’ (p.139), be that at whatever level of ability the student is capable of.

As our VCE and VCE VM students take part in the GAT on Thursday 15 June, and also when they embark on the end of year examinations, can I encourage the MECS community to be praying for our students as they undertake these tasks.

Emma Tresidder

VCE Coordinator