VCE/VCAL/VET 2014 Information Evening

Keep your feet on the ground!! Get organised!!! Plan to use time effectively. Do your homework & study. Meet commitments and outcomes.

Program for the evening 1Welcome and introduction- Mrs Wendy Hobbs, Principal 2Overview of options for secondary studies at Balmoral Community College 3Year 9/10 Electives: Ms Bev Munro, Leading Teacher 9 – 12 4Work Experience: Ms Bev Munro 5VCE/VCAL/VET- Ms Bev Munro 6VET providers: Ms Dimity O’Brien VET coordinator, Ms Kim Boulton, Fed Uni, Mr Joe Richardson, Work Co & SBA 1Discussion time

Options for secondary schooling. VCAL: Competency based learning VET: TAFE certificate VCE: Academic- scored assessment Tertiary Studies/ Employment Apprenticeship/E mployment/TAFE/ Certs VCE VET Scored Unit 1&2 Unit 3&4 Foundation Intermediate Senior Structured Workplace Learning VET VCAL SBNA

The VCE The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE): The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) is the body responsible for delivery and assessment of the VCE. The VCE is a generally a two year course and begins with Units 1 & 2 All VCE subjects will include school assessed mid year and end of year exams (Unit 4 exams are externally assessed) Each VCE Study (subject) is broken down into semester length Units. Typically Units1/2 in Yr 11 and 3/4 in Yr 12. It is possible for a year 10 student to begin a VCE subject.

Year 10 students and VCE Year 10 students may apply to undertake units 1&2 in VCE. Student results will be considered Teachers will be consulted Maths exam result must be 85% or above Student and parent voice is considered No Year 10 student will be considered for Unit 3 & 4 study

Selecting a Unit 3/4 study in year 11 It is possible for a student in year 11 to consider selecting a Unit 3/4 study. Teacher consultation and results will be considered Unit 3 & 4 study includes a final exam Units 1 & 2 are generally not prerequisites to Units 3 & 4, but in some study areas it is advisable If progress is not satisfactory, enrolment will be changed to Unit 1 & 2, before the VASS cut off date (early May)

VCE graduation requirements Satisfactory completion of a minimum of 16 semester length units including: – 3 units of English studies (English or English Literature or ESL) with at least one unit at Units 3 & 4 level Note: if student requires an ATAR, they must satisfactorily complete Unit 3 & 4 English – 3 (minimum) sequences of Unit 3 and 4 studies, other than English – Up to two of the 3 sequences other than English can be approved VET Unit 3 and 4 sequences. Note: not all VET subjects provide VCE credits – By the end of the two-year VCE most students will have completed 22 units, which equates to 6 subjects in year 11 and 5 subjects in year 12.

Unit 1&2 Structure assessment Unit 1/2 subjects would normally be completed as a sequence but can be completed separately. It is expected that year 11 student complete 12 units which equates to 6 subjects. The awarding of a satisfactory completion for each study is determined by the student demonstrating that they achieved the prescribed outcomes for each unit. These are outlined in the subject study guides. The level of understanding demonstrated in each unit 1 and 2 is determined by a combination of: Teacher developed requirement tasks School Assessed Coursework tasks, assignments or projects Internally assessed examinations Student results are recorded with the VCAA as S or N

Unit 3&4 Structure assessment Unit 3/4 subjects must be completed in sequence. Most students would complete ten or twelve units equating to five or six 3/4 subjects. The awarding of a satisfactory completion for each study is determined by the student demonstrating that they achieved the prescribed outcomes for each unit. These are outlined in the subject study guides. The level of understanding demonstrated in each unit 3/4 sequence is determined by a combination of: School Assessed Coursework or Tasks (SACs or SATs). Externally assessed examinations Student results are recorded with the VCAA as a subject study score.

The ATAR ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) ATAR is produced by adding the (Primary Four): - ATAR subject score in one English subject - The next best three ATAR subject scores -10% of the fifth and sixth ATAR subject scores The ATAR subject score is the scaled subject score which will be different to the raw score you received from your teachers and the subject exam. Many students and teachers believe that to achieve a ‘good’ ATAR students need to choose studies that are scaled up. This is wrong!! It is more important that students do well in the subjects they have chosen with consideration to their future pathway. If students get a subject score above 45 the scaling process will have minimal impact on the ATAR subject score.

The GAT General Assessment Test (Conducted in June) Best indicator of student performance in final exams 3 components: written communication; maths, science & technology; humanities, the arts & social sciences All students enrolled in one or more Unit 3 & 4 study or VET scored assessment GAT scores used in: Statistical moderation of SAC’s & SAT’s Checking accuracy of student scores in examinations The calculation of a DES (Derived Exam Score)

VCAL: Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning Awarded at 3 levels: Foundation (do not contribute to the VCE) Intermediate (can contribute to the VCE; Units 1 & 2 level Senior (can contribute to the VCE; Units 3 & 4 level) Consists of 5 Strands: Literacy Skills Numeracy Skills Industry Specific Skills Work Related Skills Personal Development Skills

VCAL curriculum options Literacy Skills: Foundation & Intermediate level requirements can be met by VCE Units 1 & 2 English, Senior level requirements can be met by VCE Units 3 & 4 English. Numeracy skills: at all levels can be met by ANY VCE Maths unit, VCE Chemistry, VCE Environmental Science or VCE Physics. Industry Specific Skills: can be met by Cert 11 or above VET certificates Work Related Skills: can be met by Cert 11 or above VET certificates, any VCE Technology study (Food Tech, Product Design & Tech and Systems Engineering) VCE Outdoor & Environmental Studies, Unit 1 Industry & Enterprise Personal development Skills: PDS Unit at award level.

VCAL considerations for 2015 We plan to deliver Cert 11 Business as a compulsory VCAL Unit ( this can replace the Work Related Skills requirement) We plan for VCAL students at Year 11 to study Units 1 & 2 English. We plan for VCAL students at Year 11 to study either Foundation or General Mathematics. This will meet requirements and allow students to structure School Based Apprenticeships into their final year program.

VETiS: Vocational Education & Training in Schools. Enrolment of students in VET programs is subject to cost, availability, recommendation and student application. At this stage, BBNC support our students with bus transport to Horsham – if this was not available, it would be parent responsibility to transport students to VET. VET assessment is competency based.

SBNA: School Based National Apprenticeships Students are to approach potential placements/employers Program can be developed to suit either VCE or VCAL studies. Will involve 2 days a week in workplace and 3 days at school. 85 – 90% of SBA go on to gain full apprenticeships. Students are paid first year apprenticeship rates. A group training provider will supervise the placement.

Senior Years Discuss your program with coordinators, parents, fellow students, past students… Choose pathways that interest you… Commit to meeting all outcomes… Take ownership of YOUR future… Whatever choices you make – aim to succeed.