Table of Contents
Table of contents 2
POLICY FOR ASSESSMENT IN THE HSC COURSE 2010 4
Mature Age Students 5
1. Student Responsibilities 5
2. Teacher Responsibilities 6
3. Assessment Policy 7
4. Non-Completion of Assessment Tasks 7
5. Examination Policy 10
6. Academic Misconduct 11
7. Recording and Reporting Procedures 12
8. The Review Mechanism for Students 12
9. Evaluation 13
10. Further Information 14
AGRICULTURE (ACS, BCS,HCS) 15
BIOLOGY (BCS, HCS, UCS) 16
BUSINESS STUDIES (ACS, BCS, HCS) 17
CHEMISTRY ( BCS, HCS) 18
COMMUNITY AND FAMILY STUDIES (APCS, HCS) 19
DRAMA (HCS) 20
ENGLISH (STANDARD) 21
ENGLISH (ADVANCED) (BCS, HCS) 22
INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY (ACS, HCS) 23
MATHEMATICS (BCS, HCS,OCS) 24
MATHEMATICS EXTENSION 1 (BCS) 25
GENERAL MATHEMATICS (ACS, APCS, BCS, HCS, UCS) 26
MODERN HISTORY (BCS, HCS, UCS) 27
MULTIMEDIA INDUSTRIES – INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY 28
MUSIC COURSE 1 (ACS, BCS, UCS) 29
PHYSICS (HCS) 30
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH & PHYSICAL EDUCATION 31
SENIOR SCIENCE (ACS, HCS, UCS) 32
SPORT, LIFESTYLE AND RECREATION 33
VISUAL ART (BCS, ACS) 34
CERAMICS (BCS) 35
VET HOSPITALITY OPERATIONS 240 Hours (ACS) 36
VET HOSPITALITY OPERATIONS 240 Hours (BCS) 37
VET HOSPITALITY OPERATIONS 240 Hours (APCS,HCS, OCS) 38
VET INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (HCS,OCS) (240hrs) 39
VET PRIMARY INDUSTRIES (240 hrs) (ACS) 40
CEC EXPLORING EARLY CHILDHOOD (APCS, HCS, OCS) 41
CEC PHOTOGRAPHY (ACS) 42
CEC PHOTOGRAPHY (HCS) 43
Glossary of Key Words 44
Re: OFFICIAL WARNING – Non-completion of a Higher School Certificate Course 46
Assessment Task Illness; Misadventure; OR Extension Of Time Application Form 48
Assessment Task Cover Sheet 49
Appendix - Plagiarism – What is it? 50
Riverina Access Partnership Preliminary Assessment Schedule Calendar - 2010 54
POLICY FOR ASSESSMENT IN THE HSC COURSE 2010
Introduction
The Riverina Access Partnership, was created for isolated senior secondary students so that they may gain access to a HSC education. This is made possible through the innovative use of technology. The program offers significant advantages for the students. Since 2000, Ardlethan, Ariah Park, Barellan and Hillston have made up a cluster of four Riverina schools that are linked by a video conferencing system involving a visual and audio link using a computer system as well as incorporating facsimile and mail delivery systems. Students study for their HSC via a mix of traditional lessons and videoconference lessons. Since the program commenced in 1990, other state high schools have joined the Access system in order to broaden their range of curriculum offerings in the same way Ardlethan, Ariah Park, Barellan and Hillston have been able to. A uniform approach to assessment in Years 11 and 12 is used in the four schools, to ensure equity for each student studying at the school.
A standards-referenced approach to assessment and reporting was introduced with the New Higher School Certificate in 2000. The following assessment policy has been devised for this purpose.
Rationale
Internal school assessment is used to complement the results attained by external examination. The purposes of internal assessment are to:
· Assist student learning
· Evaluate and improve teaching and learning programs
· Assess student achievement in the course
· Provide evidence of satisfactory completion of a course.
In a standard-referenced approach to assessment, the following features will be followed.
q Teachers will assess against standards.
q Towards the end of a Preliminary course, teachers might focus on overall achievement of syllabus outcomes. A judgment must then be made as to whether the student has satisfactorily completed the course.
q The assessment tasks that teachers will use will be linked to outcomes.
q Students will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their achievement of outcomes in a range of task types.
q The outcomes to be assessed influence the type of assessment tasks used.
q Students will know before the task the criteria on which they are to be judged.
q The marking schemes for each task are aligned to the standards by including the wording of syllabus outcomes and the performance bands.
q The ranking and relative differences between students come from different levels of achievement of the specified standards
q Students will receive feedback that recognises what they can do and what they need to do in order to improve their level of performance.
Mature Age Students
Mature age students are enrolled in accordance with the Departments enrolment policies. Mature age students will be subject to the same rigours as full time students. This includes: attendance, monitoring, assessment and reporting.
1. Student Responsibilities
(i) Assessment Schedule
Students must:
§ Make sure that they have a current copy of the Assessment Schedule for Formal Assessment Tasks for each course studied. (These assessment schedules will form part of this document)
· Students to have completed “All my Own Work”, on-line Board of Studies module.
§ Present work according to the schedule of dates for assessment tasks. The dates listed in the subject schedules are a guide only. The specific date for the submission of the task will be provided with the formal written notification of the task at least two weeks prior to the due date. Should there be any delay in this process students should contact their ISAC.
§ Be aware that non or late submission of assessment tasks without reasonable cause will be awarded zero.
§ Be aware of the procedures to be followed if absent when a task is to be submitted, or completed in class or when an extension is sought.
§ Satisfactorily explain all full and partial absences from school and class.
§ If absent when assessment task information is given out, make sure that they actively pursue this information.
§ Inform their teacher immediately if a task is scheduled for a date that they already have a task scheduled.
(ii) Presenting Work
Students must:
§ Submit the Assessment Task on the Due Date, before 9.00am, to the School Office and obtain the appropriate receipt except for in class tasks to be sat on the day.
§ Present their own work
§ Submit work to an acceptable standard and in an appropriate format
§ Not interfere with the efforts of others
§ Acknowledge all sources of information used
§ Submit an Assessment Task Cover Sheet for all assessment tasks submitted. Refer to copy at the end of this booklet.
(iii) Missed VET Practical Sessions
§ Students must be aware that all practical sessions in a VET subject may be used as evidence for competency.
2. Teacher Responsibilities
Coordinating teachers must:
§ Ensure that students have a copy of the Assessment Schedule for their class.
§ Follow the Assessment Schedule for their subject ensuring that outcomes listed in the schedule are assessed as per task and that the task runs on the scheduled week.
§ Give students at least TWO WEEKS written notice for each assessment task, advising the due date, type of task, assessment criteria and outcomes being assessed. A copy of the Assessment Task should be sent to the Co-Teachers in each school and the Head Teacher Access.
§ Ensure that an extension of time for individual students MUST be negotiated between the Co-ordinating Teacher and the ISAC of the individual student’s school
§ Ensure that absent students receive the information the next time the student attends the class.
§ NOT reschedule an assessment task on a day where students already have an assessment task scheduled, without first negotiating with the students and obtaining RAP Executive confirmation.
§ Ensure that non-assessment periods (e.g. 1 week before exams) are adhered to
§ Not request that an Assessment Task be rescheduled for an alternate week unless there are exceptional circumstances. Negotiation with students should take place concerning a suitable date and then it must be referred to the ISAC. Requested changes will then be passed on to the RAP Executives for consideration and possible approval. TWO WEEKS written notice should still be given to students prior to assessment date.
§ Provide their ISAC, their students’ ISACs, the Riverina Access Partnership Head Teacher Access and their co-teachers with a copy of the assessment marks following the completion of each task.
§ Ensure that the Riverina Access Partnership expectation, that students be given feedback regarding their task within three weeks of submission of the task, is adhered to.
3. Assessment Policy
Due to the unique nature of each subject, there will be assessment requirements that are specific to particular syllabi.
A. Total Number of Tasks
Formal assessment does not need to be made too frequently. A range and balance of task types should be used. Three to five assessment tasks, one of which must be the Trial HSC exam, for a 2 Unit subject. In the case of 2 Unit English courses, five to six tasks are considered appropriate.
Two to three assessment tasks, one of which must be the Trial HSC exam, for a 1 Unit subject. All Year 11 and 12 subjects, must have a Half Yearly and Yearly end of Preliminary written exams, including VET and CEC Courses, regardless of them being an assessment task.
B. Notice Given to Students
No Assessment Tasks shall be given to students with less than two weeks written notice. It is anticipated that considerably longer notice than this will usually be given, and this minimum period should rarely be
used. For tasks that require extended research or lengthy practical investigations, at least 4 weeks notice should be provided to students.
The information contained in this booklet is considered to be a guide to the notification of Assessment Tasks, however written notice, which will include the outcomes and the criteria of assessment, will be given by individual teachers no less than two weeks before the due date. Students will also be informed about what is expected of them to complete a particular task.
(Refer to the Riverina Access Partnership Assessment Task Proforma)
C. Across School/Subject Co-ordination
Where possible, students will not be given too many tasks during any given period. An attempt has been made to spread individual assessment tasks across the year. A Calendar of Assessment Tasks has been included. Refer to the last page of this booklet.
Teachers will ensure that:
q Individual faculty assessment tasks have a reasonable spread.
q Consultation with other staff will occur to avoid several major tasks falling due in same week.
D. Common Format for Giving Information to Students
Students will be provided with the following information for all subjects:
q Which components and outcomes are to be assessed,
q How these components and outcomes will be assessed,
q When these components and outcomes will be assessed,
q The relative value of each task.
4. Non-Completion of Assessment Tasks
A. Action to be Taken By Students When Illness/Misadventure Occurs or an Extension of Time is Required.
For tasks not completed in class, it is the responsibility of the student to submit work directly to the front office of their school by 9:00 am on the day the task is due. Any task submitted late without valid reason will receive a mark of zero for the task[1]. Students should ensure that an Assessment Task Cover Sheet is attached to their work and that they collect a signed Student Receipt upon submitting the task. Students who feel that they have a valid reason for submitting a task late should follow the procedures as set out under the heading B. Illness / Misadventure and Extension of Time Requested by Students, below.
B. What To Do To Apply For An Extension Of Time
Students who fail to submit or sit a task on time or feel that their performance on the task has been affected by factors outside their control e.g. Illness / Misadventure, may wish to apply for special consideration.
In such situations the mark for the task may stand, may be reviewed, an estimate given (with the approval of the Principal or their delegate) or a substitute task set, depending on the outcome of the review.
Students who feel that they cannot submit the task on or by the due date, for reasons beyond their control, can make a written application for an extension of time to complete the task two days prior to the due
date, on the Illness / Misadventure and Extension Application form (which can be copied from the back of this booklet or can be obtained from the school office or In School Access Coordinator).
What To Do To Apply For An Extension Of Time
Step 1 - Students must fully complete the Application form attaching any relevant
documentation.
Step 2 - Students must ensure that parents/guardians and themselves have signed
the Application form.
Step 3 - The Access Subject Co-Teacher or Access Coordinating Teacher in their
school for the particular subject must sign the form, then the student MUST
pass the form on to the In School Access Coordinator (ISAC) in their school.
Step 4 - Where the reason given for non submission is due to illness or endorsed leave1, the ISAC within the student’s school, in consultation with the Coordinating Teacher of the subject and the Head Teacher Access, will make a ruling. The student will be notified of the ruling as well as the Access Coordinating Teacher and Access Co-Teacher. Copies of all documentation will be sent to the Access Coordinating Teacher, Access Co-Teacher and Riverina Access Partnership Head Teacher.
What To Do To Apply For Illness Or Misadventure
Step 1 - If an unforeseen illness or misadventure occurs that prevents the student submitting the task, the student or their representative must notify the school immediately, and submit a completed application form within 10 school days of the due date, attaching any relevant documentation.
Step 2 - Students must ensure that parents/guardians and themselves have signed
the Application Form.
Step 3 - The Access Subject Co-Teacher or Access Coordinating Teacher in their
school for the particular subject must sign the form, then the student MUST
pass the form on to the In School Access Coordinator (ISAC) in their school.
Step 4 - Where the reason given for non submission is due to illness or endorsed leave1, the ISAC within the student’s school, in consultation with the Coordinating Teacher of the subject and the Head Teacher Access, will make a ruling. The student will be notified of the ruling as well as the Access Coordinating Teacher and Access Co-Teacher. Copies of all documentation will be sent to the Access Coordinating Teacher, Access Co-Teacher and Riverina Access Partnership Head Teacher.
Step 5 – If the illness or misadventure relates to an exam also note Section 5 Examination Policy, Part xiii.
Technical failures related to computing equipment will not constitute sufficient grounds for the granting of an extension. Students are expected to follow responsible practices in relation to the use of technologies, including the maintenance of reliable and up to date back up copies, allowing sufficient time to deal with potential technical failures and the retention of printed back up copies.