ASSESSMENT POLICY HANDBOOK

FOR

PRELIMINARY HSC STUDENTS 2016

To the Student:

This booklet contains important information about your Preliminary HSC assessment which will occur throughout Terms 1, 2 and 3, 2016. Your Higher School Certificate assessment tasks will commence in Term 1, 2016. A calendar is provided on the next page to map your assessment tasks. You are advised to complete this calendar and use it for planning and studying purposes. It is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with each relevant course schedule and to seek clarification from your class teacher or the Head Teacher of that course before the task is attempted.

You are expected to attempt ALL assessment tasks as required and to be present for any test or examination timetabled as part of the assessment program. You are also required to complete other assigned work, such as homework, assignments, work placements or fieldwork which may not be part of the actual assessment program but which is still vital for you to achieve the outcomes of each course.

The Principal is required to certify to the Board of Studies Teaching and Educational Standards (BOSTES) that you have satisfactorily completed each course you are studying.

Remember that it is your responsibility to keep this Handbook, to refer to it when necessary and be familiar with all of its contents.

I would like to wish you a very successful Preliminary HSC year and hope that every student will achieve her personal best!

Andrew Anderson

Andrew Anderson

Deputy Principal

28January 2016

ASSESSMENT CALENDAR 2016

Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday
TERM
1 / Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
TERM
2 / Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
TERM
3 / Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Year 11 Courses 2016
Key Learning Area / Subject/Courses
English / English Advanced: 2 Unit
English Standard: 2 Unit
English ESL: 2 Unit
English Extension: 1 Unit
English Fundamentals: 1 Unit
Mathematics / Mathematics: 2Unit
General Mathematics: 2 Unit
Mathematics Extension 1: 1 Unit
Science / Biology: 2 Unit
Chemistry: 2 Unit
Physics: 2 Unit
Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE) / Ancient History: 2 Unit
Business Studies: 2 Unit
Economics: 2 Unit
Legal Studies: 2 Unit
Modern History: 2 Unit
Society and Culture: 2 Unit
Studies of Religion: 2 Unit
Business Services: 2 Unit (VET)
Technology and Applied Studies / Hospitality Operations: 2 Unit (VET)
Textiles & Design: 2 Unit
Personal Development/Health/Physical Education / Personal Development/Health and Physical Education: 2 Unit
Community & Family Studies: 2 Unit
Creative Arts / Dance: 2 Unit
Drama: 2 Unit
Music: 2 Unit
Visual Arts: 2 Unit
Languages other than English (LOTE) / Chinese – Background Speakers: 2 Unit
Chinese – Continuers: 2 Unit
Saturday school and Community based Languages
OTEN

Information to Ensure the Successful Completion of Year 11, 2016

Year 11 Record of School Achievement (RoSA)

The Record of School Achievement (RoSA) is the credential for students who leave school after Year 10 and before they receive their Higher School Certificate (HSC).

Students who leave school after Year 10 and before they receive the Higher School Certificate will receive a cumulative credential called the Record of School Achievement (RoSA).

As part of the RoSA, schools award students grades based on their achievements in the Stage 5 and Stage 6 Preliminary courses they complete.

Schools are responsible for awarding each student studying and completing a Stage 6 Preliminary course with a grade (A, B, C, D or E) to represent the student’s achievement (except Life Skills courses and VET). The grade is reported on the student’s Record of School Achievement.

Common Grade Scale for Preliminary Courses

The Common Grade Scale shown below should be used to report student achievement in the Preliminary Stage 6 year in all NSW schools.

The Common Grade Scale describes performance at each of the five grade levels.

A

The student demonstrates extensive knowledge of content and understanding of course concepts, and applies highly developed skills and processes in a wide variety of contexts. In addition the student demonstrates creative and critical thinking skills using perceptive analysis and evaluation. The student effectively communicates complex ideas and information.

B

The student demonstrates thorough knowledge of content and understanding of course concepts, and applies well-developed skills and processes in a variety of contexts. In addition the student demonstrates creative and critical thinking skills using analysis and evaluation. The student clearly communicates complex ideas and information.

C

The student demonstrates sound knowledge of content and understanding of course concepts, and applies skills and processes in a range of familiar contexts. In addition the student demonstrates skills in selecting and integrating information and communicates relevant ideas in an appropriate manner.

D

The student demonstrates a basic knowledge of content and understanding of course concepts, and applies skills and processes in some familiar contexts. In addition the student demonstrates skills in selecting and using information and communicates ideas in a descriptive manner.

E

The student demonstrates an elementary knowledge of content and understanding of course concepts, and applies some skills and processes with guidance. In addition the student demonstrates elementary skills in recounting information and communicating ideas.

Assessment Using a Standards-Referenced Framework

All Preliminary students undertake a program of assessment tasks. These tasks are conducted throughout Year 11 and each has a weighting determined by the school within guidelines provided by the Board of Studies. School-based assessment tasks are linked to standards because the tasks focus on outcomes, they are valid instruments for what they are designed to assess, and where appropriate, the marking guidelines are related to the wording of the outcomes and the performance standards.

Each task enables teachers to collect information about the students' achievement in relation to several outcomes, to award marks in accordance with marking guidelines, and to provide constructive feedback to students on their performances highlighting their strengths and where they could make improvements. The marks awarded for each task should be commensurate with the quality of the response. Work that shows more complex development and higher order achievement should receive more marks than work that demonstrates a more basic level of achievement.

Measuring achievement at several points during the course can provide a better indication of student achievement than a single, final measure on its own as:

  • multiple measures generally give a more accurate measure of each student's achievement
  • this caters for any knowledge and skills outcomes that are better assessed in specific settings or at specific times (for example research, fieldwork or practical skills).

At the end of the course the marks for each task are aggregated using appropriate weightings previously published in the school's assessment policy to arrive at a final assessment mark for each student. These assessment marks provide a rank order of students and show relative differences between students' performances.

Assessment tasks are marked by one or more common markers. This ensures the Standards-Reference Framework developed for each task has been consistently applied to the candidature in that course. The fact that all assessment tasks have been assessed by common markers ensures marks are fairly and consistently allocated to students.

The Allocation of Preliminary HSC Grades

The schoolawards each student who completes a Preliminary HSC course (except Life Skills and VET courses) a grade to represent that student’s achievement. The grade is reported on the student’s HSC Record of Achievementusing the following process.

  1. Establish an assessment program that consists of a number of assessment activities.
  2. Ensure that the assessment activities cover the full range of outcomes.
  3. Determine the weightings or relative importance of each activity.
  4. Award marks for each completed activity.
  5. Combine the marks awarded in each activity to obtain a total mark for each student.
  6. On the basis of these marks, determine the order of merit for the group.
  7. Refer to the course performance descriptors to relate the order of merit to grades awarded.
  8. Review the grade awarded to each student to make sure that no anomaly has occurred. The order of merit obtained by the summation of marks may require adjustment after consideration of students' achievement at or near each grade cut-off.

Teachers follow a process of ‘moderation’ to ensure that grades awarded are consistent with published standards. This means that the grade a student receives in one school can be compared to the same grade anywhere in NSW.

Teachers moderate their judgements by comparing work samples for their students with samples aligned to grades A to E. To strengthen the consistency of teachers’ professional judgements in relation to statewide standards, subject teachers keep student work samples and corresponding assessment tasksrepresenting the upper, middle and lower range of achievement. Each of these work samples demonstrates performance towards the end of the year that is typical of the student(s) awarded a particular grade (A to E) by the school.

Preliminary HSC Requirements

  1. Application

Satisfactory application is essential for the award of a Year 11 Record of School Achievement (RoSA) Certificate. The Principal must certify as to whether students have applied themselves at school to a degree that warrants the award of this Certificate. In determining this judgement, the Principal will take into account the degree of effort shown by students and their attitude towards their studies.

Determinations regarding satisfactory completions are decisions which affect the award of theRoSA. Determinations regarding individual courses are made in terms of the requirements for satisfactory completion by the Head Teacher responsible for that course.

In circumstances where overall application is unsatisfactory, NO Record of the RoSA will be issued.

  1. Completion of Course Requirements

The following course completion criteria refer to both Preliminary and HSC courses.
A student will be considered to have satisfactorily completed a course if, in the principal’s view, there is sufficient evidence that the student has:

1. followed the course developed or endorsed by the Board; and

2. applied themselves with diligence and sustained effort to the set tasks and experiences provided in the course by the school; and

3. achieved some or all of the course outcomes.

If such evidence does not exist, the school MUST apply an ‘N’ determination for that course.

You must have satisfactorily completed courses totalling at least 12 units to be eligible for the award of a Preliminary Higher School Certificate.

  1. Completion of Assessment Tasks

You are expected to undertake ALL assessment tasks set in the period timetabled for your course. This includes practicals, tests and hand-in tasks.

3.1Requirements

The minimum requirement for Board-determined courses is that you undertake tasks which contribute in excess of 50% of the available marks.

It is emphasised that completion of tasks totalling exactly 50% is NOT sufficient.

Failure to comply with this ruling will render the course not to have been satisfactorily completed. You must also complete non-assessable tasks worth more than 50% of the available marks to be considered to have satisfactorily completed a course.

If you do not comply with the assessment requirements in any course you do not get a moderated assessment mark or an examination mark for that course, and an N determination will be applied. In the case of Extension 1 or Extension 2 courses, if the assessment requirements are not met for the common (2 units or Extension 1) part, then you will not receive a result in the course at all.

3.2Electronic Presentation of Tasks

All task/assignments are to be handed in as a hard copy. Electronic presentation of a task must be at the discretion of the Head Teacher of the course.

In the event that a task is required to be presented electronically and there is a computer failure, the student must contact the Head Teacher immediately. In support of their claim, students must be able to show they have made a sustained effort over the time of the task and will need to produce evidence to support this sustained effort at the time of notifying the Head Teacher. Depending on the requirements of the task, evidence may include:

  • a backup disk copy/USB of the task/assignment to the stage of the incident
  • a hard copy of the partially completed task/assignment to the stage of the incident
  • a completed hand written draft of the task/assignment (will be required to be produced if plagiarism or copying is suspected)
  • print out of electronic transmission
  • an explanation from the parent/caregiver.

This may be supported by a receipt for repairs, clearly indicating the repairer, the repairs carried out, the owners name and the date.

The Head Teacher may refer the matter to the Deputy Principal for a final decision.

  1. Submission of Assessment Tasks, Malpractice, Breaches of Assessment Procedures and Illness/Misadventure

4.1Submission of Assessment Tasks

4.1.1Students will be issued with a calendar, as part of this policy, showing the proposed weeks for assessable tasks in all subjects. The calendar will give the task name and week for completion.

4.1.2Notice will be given for each specific task. Details of the task will be given by class teachers. Two weeks’notice will be given for variations to the published Assessment Calendar or content of tasks.

4.1.3You are expected to undertake ALL assessment tasks set in the period timetabled for your Course. This includes Practicals, Tests and Hand in tasks.

4.1.4No assessable task will be set for submission on the last day of the term, although students may be required to complete practical tasks and hand in associated materials.

4.2Late Submission of Tasks

If an assessable task has to be submitted and a student fails to do so by the specified date, a mark of 0 will be given, unless a note or doctor’s certificate giving acceptable reasons is given to the teacher, Head Teacher or the Deputy Principal, on the morning of the first day of the student’s return to school and an Illness / Misadventure form completed.

If a student fails to hand in an assessable task before a holiday period, a mark of 0 will be given unless evidence is provided.Parent letters and medical certificates are necessary if medical reasons are given for late submission. They must be produced on the morning of the first day of the student’s return and an Illness / Misadventure application completed.If a student misses scheduled classes or arrives late on an assessable task day without a valid reason, a mark of 0 will be given. Students cannot absent themselves from class to complete tasks.

4.3Non Submission of Assessment Tasks

4.3.1A mark of 0 will be given for non-submission of an assessable task.

4.3.2If a student does not submit or present for tasks totalling 50% of the final Assessment mark of a course neither the examination mark nor the assessment mark will be reported for that course.

4.3.3Written notification will be given of each occurrence of a zero assessment mark.

4.4Non Attendance at a Test, Exam, Field Study, Work Placement or Practical Assessment

4.4.1If a valid reason (see below 10.6) is given for non-attendance (illness or approved leave) then students may be issued with a substitute task, and assessed on their performance in that task. Failure to complete a substitute task will mean a zero mark will be given.

4.4.2In exceptional circumstances, an estimate based on appropriate evidence will be used, where the completion of a substitute task is not feasible, is unreasonable, or where the missed task is difficult to duplicate.

4.4.3If a student is late for a test, practical or examination, no extra time will be given except in extraordinary circumstances and an Illness / Misadventure application has been lodged with the relevant Head Teacher.

4.4.4If no valid reason for non-attendance is given, a mark of 0 will be awarded.

4.4.5If a student misses scheduled classes before an assessable test, without a valid reason, a mark of 0 will be awarded. (This includes Extension classes scheduled outside normal periods).

4.5.Cheating During an Examination or Assessment Task

4.5.1If a student cheats during assessable tasks or examinations, home assignments, essays, projects or tests, a mark of 0 will be awarded.

4.5.2If a student submits a prepared task, which her teacher believes is not entirely the student’s own work, the student may be required to reproduce the work under examination conditions. Failure to do so will result in a mark of 0.

4.5.3Cheating includes plagiarism. See section 4.8 for additional information.

4.6.Valid Reasons for Late Submissions, Non Attendance, Lateness

4.6.1Medical reasons i.e. Illness verified by a medical certificate from a health professional.

4.6.2Non-Medical Reasons: leave approved only by the Principal, attendance at Court etc. – to be verified by Deputy Principal.

4.7 Illness/Misadventure

The following applies to the non-completion of assessment tasks due to illness and/or misadventure for Year 11:

  1. All students are required to comply with the school’s assessment policies as outlined in the assessment handbooks for school Preliminary Higher School Certificate students.
  1. Students may be prevented from completing an assessment task on time, or completing an assessment to a standard commensurate with their ability, due to them experiencing Illness/Misadventure.
  1. A student may lodge an Illness/Misadventure Appeal form in support of any assessment task not completed or adversely affected by Illness and/or Misadventure. Note: Illness/Misadventure does NOT cover:
  • difficulties in preparation
  • alleged deficiencies in tuition
  • family celebrations / commitments
  • loss of study time prior to the formal study vacation
  • misreading the examination timetable
  • misreading of examination instructions, and,
  • long-term illness such as glandular fever, asthma and epilepsy unless there is evidence of a sudden reoccurrence during the examination period.
  1. To complete an Illness/Misadventure application you should:
  1. Ring the Head Teacher on the morning of the task, and let them know you are going to miss the assessment task and why.
  2. Visit the Head Teacher on the morning of your first day back at school and request an Illness/Misadventure form
  3. Complete the Illness/Misadventure form that night and have your parents sign it
  4. Attach any medical certificate or supporting documentation (e.g. letter from a parent/caregiver or other professional such as police, social worker, counsellor) to the Illness/Misadventure form
  5. Return the completed and signed Illness/Misadventure form to the Head Teacher the next day you are at school.
  1. Student Medical/Misadventure Certificates must be completed using the form (Attachment 1 – last page of booklet).
  • Include the Practitioner’s details and stamp
  • Include the date of the missed task
  • Include testimony and signature of the practitioner
  • Show the length of time the student will be unfit for school.
  1. A decision as to whether the appeal will be upheld should be made within three working days by the Deputy Principal in consultation with the Head Teacher. The Deputy Principal will inform the student and their parents of this decision.
  1. If the appeal is upheld, a decision will be made as to whether to allow the student to re-sit/resubmit the assessment task, or to adjust the result in accordance with their performance in previously undertaken tasks.
  1. If the appeal is not upheld, the existing assessment mark will remain for any task attempted; a zero allocated and a warning letter sent for any task not attempted.
  1. Applications will be discreetly managed on a case by case basis – no blanket rule in the case of illness and misadventure can apply.

4.8Plagiarism