VCE /VCAL / VET/ POLICY
2015
Index
VCE POLICY...... 2
VCAL POLICY………………………………………………… 15
VCE POLICY
2015
Introduction
This document sets out the guidelines for VCE studies. It covers student and teacher responsibilities. It is important that students, parents and staff read this thoroughly.
The school’s responsibility is to ensure that all VCE/VCAL courses are resourced adequately and appropriately. This includes buildings, teaching resources (textbooks, equipment and other learning materials) and teaching staff.
- Requirements of the VCE
1.1 The minimum requirements for a student’s program for the award of the VCE
is satisfactory completion of 16 units, which include:
three units from the English group with at least one at Unit 3 or 4 level. English units may be selected from Foundation English Units 1 & 2, English Units 1 to 4, English Language Units 1 to 4 and Literature Units 1 to 4, where these units are offered at the College.
- three sequences of Unit 3 & 4 studies other than English, including VCE VET sequences. It is strongly advised that, where possible, the VET Units studied should be scored studies.
This is a minimum requirement. Students are advised to complete 5 VCE sequences in Year 12. (generally over and above VET)
Students with credit from VCAL may also be eligible to complete the VCE upon completion of required units within the VCE. (see VCAA Handbook for eligibility requirements, p 34)
Students may also have VCE VET units recognised towards the VCE. (see VCAAA Handbook p 49)
1.2Students must complete the Personal details form. They are required to sign the General Declaration in which they agree to “observe the rules and instructions relating to the conduct of the VCE assessment program and all matters of discipline.” Without this signature, the Board of Studies will not accept a student’s enrolment.
1.3 For more information on course outlines refer to the VCE Course Handbook.
2. Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) Requirements
The VCAA sets down six rules which students must observe when preparing work for assessment. These rules apply to coursework and SACs (School Assessed Coursework). They are:
2.1Students must ensure that all unacknowledged work submitted for coursework is genuinely their own.
2.2Students must acknowledge all resources used, including;
- text & source material
the name(s) & status of any person who provided assistance & the type of assistance provided.
2.3 Students must not receive undue assistance from any other person in the preparation & submission of work.
Acceptable levels of assistance include:
- the incorporation of ideas or material derived from other sources (eg. by reading, viewing or notetaking) but which has been transformed by the student and used in a new context
- Prompting & general advice from another person or source which leads to refinements and/or self-correction.
Unacceptable forms of assistance include:
use of, or copying of, another person’s work or other resources without acknowledgment.
Actual corrections or improvements made or dictated by another person.
2.4Students must not submit the same piece of work for assessment more than once.
2.5Students who knowingly assist other students in a Breach of Rules may be penalised.
2.6Students must sign the declaration of authenticity at the time of submitting completed tasks. (Teachers will issue this declaration as part of the administration of each SAC or SAT. See Appendix for copy of form.) The declaration states that all unacknowledged work is the student’s own. Students must also sign a general declaration that they will observe the rules & instructions for the VCE and accept disciplinary provisions.
3. Achievement of an Outcome
3.1An 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.
3.2 A student may not be granted satisfactory completion if:
- the work is not of the required standard as outlined in the task description.
- the student has failed to meet a school deadline for the assessment task, including where an extension of time has been granted for any reason, including special provisions.
- the work cannot be authenticated.
- there has been a substantive breach of rules, including school attendance rules.Please note this.
If any of the outcomes are not achieved, the student receives N for the unit.
4. Timelines & Completion Dates
4.1Parents & students will be given completion dates for all assessments at the start of the year. This may need some minor modification due to interruptions and / or variations in time taken in completing class work.
4.2Dates will be stated in terms of “week ending…”
4.3Specific details of the task will only be given just prior to the starting date.
5. Assessment
5.1Students must complete all outcomes to complete a unit successfully.
5.2At Units 1 & 2 every aspect of coursework is related to an outcome and must be completed to successfully achieve that outcome.
5.3At Units 1 & 2 teachers will develop assessment criteria which are given to students when the task is commenced.
5.4Most aspects of each of the tasks are to be completed in class time.
5.5This does not preclude some of the work being completed out of class, for example, where students are using computers to produce the work, reading, note-taking, studying for tests or collecting data. In allowing students to complete part of their work out of class, teachers must be able to authenticate that work. They are required to sign declarations to this effect.
5.6Each VCE Study will devise its own set of subject specific guidelines in relation to the completion of SACs and the use of out-of-class time.
5.7All students undertaking a Unit 3 & 4 subject must sit the GAT (General Assessment Task) in the mid year exam period. There may be some variation in this for students who are only undertaking a VET study.
5.8Assessment for small classes (less than 5 students) will generally be carried out using a moderation process which will involve teachers from 2 or more schools cooperating in the setting and assessment of SACs.
5.9In studies which include a SAT as part of their assessment, students must have the detailed outline of their proposed SAT approved by the class teacher, parent and Principal prior to beginning the task. (See Appendix)
6. Submission of Late Work
6.1If students do not submit their SACS by the specified date the teacher will refuse to assess it and award an ‘NA’. Teachers may accept late work to satisfy coursework requirements therefore allowing a student to successfully complete a Unit.
6.2The exception to this is if there is:
An application in writing for an extension on the part of the student. (Refer to section 10)
Teacher absences during the course of a SAC.
An application/decision made by the teacher for a whole class extension.
6.3Students must attend all SACs. A Doctor’s Certificate is the only valid
support to justify an absence, but students may apply for Special Provision and complete paperwork as necessary.Doctor’s Certificate must state the exact reason for an absence and what impact this has had on the student’s ability to complete the SAC or SAT.
7. Reporting to Students & Parents
7.1Students will be issued with a report for each unit at the end of the semester
except Unit 4.
7.2 Class Teachers will flag concern to the student, the VCE Coordinator and 7-12 Engagement Co-ordinator if thestudent is, in the teacher’s judgement, at risk of not meeting the requirements of the Outcome. This should be done as soon as possible and not after the student has already achieved an ‘N’. (Parents will be notified at the concern stage by 7-12 Engagement Co-ordinator).
7.3 An S or N will indicate whether all coursework has been completed to a
satisfactory level.
7.4 Feedback to students completing Unit 3 & 4 subjects will be in the form o
descriptive comments relating specifically to parts of the outcome. Descriptive comments should not be general.
7.5At Units 1 & 2 level SACS (Assessment tasks) will be graded A+ - UG.
7.6 A grade of UG indicates that work has been submitted but not graded (generally
due to late submission).
7.7N/A indicates that the work is non-assessable due to absence from school or
other reasons, which means that the work has not been submitted.
7.8It should also be noted that students’ total scores for coursework will be
moderated, not the scores for individual tasks/outcomes. Teachers are not permitted to give students the results of their SACs/SATs as they are open to the moderation proves and could change.
8. Attendance
8.1Students are expected to attend all classes punctually. A medical certificate is required for absences due to illness.This must be a detailed account of the reason and the likely impact on the student’s ability to complete requirements.
8.2 An explanatory note, (outlining a valid reason/s for the absence), from the
parent/guardian for each absence must verify absences for all students.
8.3 Absences which are not accounted for appropriately may impact on
successful completion of VCE, and also eligibility for student allowances.
8.4Teachers keep daily records of attendance. They will need to advise students and their parents who are at risk of not meeting the attendance requirements prior to the situation becoming of concern.
8.5 These class attendance records may be called upon by the VCE Coordinator at the end of each month. An attendance percentage can then be calculated regularly to see if a student is at risk of not meeting the required rate. It is imperative that all teachers keep accurate records of student attendance, taking into account VET or VCAL work placements as well.
8.6Where a student has completed work but there has been a substantive breach of class attendance, the student may be awarded N. (pg. 37 Adm. Handbook) This situation will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, taking into account all available information before an N or S can be given. Students and parents will be required to attend a meeting with the VCE Coordinator, the Principal and/or Assistant Principal, and the student’s Advocate.
8.7Students who are late must fill in a late-slip at the front office and hand it to the Assistant Principal before being admitted to class.
8.8A student who is less than 10 minutes late to class will have that recorded as a ½ period absence. Any time of arrival after this will be recorded as a full absence.
8.9 Students who undertake work placements or VET subjects are deemed to be
present on those days. Scheduled sports days & excursions are also exempt from inclusion in attendance records. Only those “attendable” lessons are included in the quota. The student must catch up any work missed during affected class. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that s/he collects any such tasks.
8.10 If a student is unable to attend their work placement or VET classes for any reason, then the absence must be accounted for in the usual manner with a note and/or medical certificate. The student must make a phone call to the College on Wednesday morning to inform us of his/her absence. Their employer/or VET Provider must also be informed of the absence.
8.11Students who undertake work placement or VET studies must ensure that they find out what work was done during their absences and catch up on this work as close to that class as possible. It is the responsibility of the student to catch up.
9.Non-attendance during SACS
9.1Students are to be informed at the start of each semester when the tasks are occurring, so there should be no need for absences on the date of the task.
9.2Should an absence occur a medical certificate will need to be produced or evidence of exceptional circumstances outlined in writing where possible. (Refer to section on Special Provision)
9.3Absences will only be accepted should a medical certificate be produced and/or other evidence is produced indicating exceptional circumstances.
9.4If accepted a similar task must be completed ASAP, or where appropriate be substituted with a like task previously undertaken.
9.5 If the absence is unacceptable the student will receive an NA for the SAC.
9.6 These requirements apply to mid-year and end of year exam periods as well as SACs.
10.Authentication
10.1Students must submit for assessment only work that is their own. All assistance received by the student in producing the work must be acknowledged and be obvious to the reader. (Bibliography, quotations, etc.)
10.2Students must be responsible for ensuring that the teacher has no difficulty in authenticating their work. They should understand that teachers cannot authenticate work about which they have doubts until further evidence is provided.
10.3Students must produce appropriate evidence of the development of the work,
from planning through to the final piece of work. (Drafting)
10.4Teachers must monitor and record each student’s development of work, from planning & drafting through to completion.
10.5Teachers must satisfy themselves about the authencity of any student work that:
Is not typical of other work produced by the student
- Is inconsistent with the teacher’s knowledge of the student’s ability
- Contains unacknowledged material
- Has not been sighted & monitored by the teacher during its development.
10.6The students must provide evidence that the work submitted is their own and was completed in accordance with the requirements.
10.7In order to obtain the necessary evidence, students may be required to;
- Provide evidence of the development of the work. (This may include plans and drafts.)
- Discuss the content of the work with the teacher & answer questions to demonstrate their knowledge & understanding.
- Provide samples of other work
- Complete, under supervision, a supplementary task related to the original task.
- Attend an interview or complete a test to demonstrate an understanding of the work.
11. Extensions
11.1Students are expected to complete all coursework during the semester the unit is undertaken. Provisional dates for completion of these tasks will be available to students at the beginning of the year.
11.2In exceptional circumstances it may be decided to grant extensions to these final submission dates.
11.3Application for extension must be made in writing except where circumstances do not allow (eg. illness or accident). See Special Provision form.
11.4It is the responsibility of the student to apply for an extension.
11.5Extensions may be granted under the following guidelines:
- Students must demonstrate that their ability to meet submission dates was beyond their control. Where it is due to mismanagement of time or lack of effort, the extension will not be granted.
- A student will not normally be considered for an extension of time in more than 3 units in any semester.
- A student will not normally be granted an extension of time to complete more than 2 tasks for any one unit.
- The maximum extension of time will be one week after the final date of submission.
- A student who seeks an extension of time must obtain approval from the teacher of the subject at least three days prior to the last day of submission.
- Class wide extensions may be granted. This will be after teacher consultation with the VCE Co-ordinator. This extension will apply to all students and will not exceed one week.
11.6Application forms for extensions are available from the VCE Co-ordinator.
12. Special Needs, Special Provision and Chronic Circumstances
12.1Special Provision provides all students (including those with special needs) with the maximum opportunity to participate in and complete their secondary studies. Individual students may need Special Provisions in curriculum to achieve their learning outcomes and in assessment to demonstrate their learning.
Forms of Special Provision are:
*Curriculum delivery and student programmes
*School-based assessment
*Special Examination Arrangements
*Derived Examination Scores
*Use of integration aids and other staff interventions
*Modified programmes and delivery
*Ensuring physical access to buildings where delivery is occuring
12.2Eligibility for Special Provision in curriculum delivery:
A student is eligible for Special Provision in curriculum delivery if, at any time while studying for the VCE, he/she is:
*significantly adversely affected by illness (physical or psychological), by any factors relating to personal environment or by serious cause. (not just a cold)
*disadvantaged by disability or impairment, including learning disabilities.
Clear evidence must support any claims in this circumstance.
12.3Eligibility for Special Provision in School-based assessment:
A student is eligible for Special Provision in School-based assessment if their ability to achieve is adversely affected by:
*illness – acute and chronic
*impairment – long term
*personal circumstances
There are a number of ways in which schools can make alternative arrangements to enable students to be assessed against the outcomes of the study design including:
- allowing the student to undertake the task at a later date
- allowing the student extra time to complete the task
- setting a substitute task of the same type
- replacing one task with a task of a different type
- using another planned task to assess more outcomes than originally intended
- using technology, aides or special arrangements to undertake assessment tasks
- deriving a score from other assessments or work completed by the student (in circumstances where the above provisions are not feasible or reasonable)
12.4Eligibility for Special Examination Arrangements:
Students are eligible for Special Examination Arrangements if it can be demonstrated that achievement on the examination is adversely affected by:
*accident or onset of illness
*personal circumstances
*long-term impairment
Applications for Special Examination Arrangements must be accompanied by recent supporting medical of other specialist documentation.
12.5Eligibility for a Derived Examination Score:
The Derived Exam Score (DES) is calculated by the VCAA and may be used as the student’s exam result where the student has met the eligibility requirements for the provision. The DES is intended for the student who is ill or affected by other personal circumstances at the time of an examination and whose exam result is unlikely to be a fair or accurate indication of their learning or achievement in the study.