Victorian Certificate of Education 2016

Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE)

The VCE is the certificate that the majority of students in Victoria receive on satisfactory completion of their secondary education.

The VCE is designed to be completed over a minimum of two years and includes VCE subjects as well as Vocational Education and Training (VET).

VCE studies usually consist of four units (Units 1-4)

Units 1 & 2 are usually completed in Year 11.Units 3 & 4 are usually completed in Year 12.

VCE

University

TAFE

Employment

Apprenticeship or Traineeship

The VCE provides pathways to university, Technical and Further Education (TAFE) ,employment and apprenticeships/traineeships.

VCE Units 1 and 2Units 1 and 2 may be completed as single units (separately) or as a pair. Unit 1 is completed in Semester 1 and Unit 2 is completed in Semester 2.

VCE Units 3 and 4Units 3 and 4 of all studies must be undertaken together (as a sequence). Unit 3 is completed in Semester 1 and Unit 4 is completed in Semester 2.

Each VCE study is designed to provide a two-year program. Eg. Legal studies units 1&2 (yr 11)

Legal studies 3&4 (yr 12)

“I did unit 1 Textiles then I switched over in semester 2 and did unit 2 Accounting”

“You have to do units 3&4 together.I did unit 3 Studio Art and then unit 4 Studio Art”

“Josh did you really do Textiles in year 11?” “He did and he

loved it but then decided he wanted to become an Accountant”

There are multiple options for students to choose from in each study.EnglishEnglish, Literature, English as an Additional LanguageThe ArtsArt, Music Performance (Solo & Group), Studio Arts, Theatre Studies, Media,Visual Communication & Design, DramaHealth and Physical EducationHealth and Human Development, Outdoor and Environmental Studies, Physical EducationHumanitiesAccounting, Business Management, Geography, History, Classical Studies, Legal Studies, Philosophy Languages Other Than English (LOTE)German, ChineseMathematicsFoundation Mathematics, Further Mathematics, General Mathematics, Mathematical Methods, Specialist MathematicsScienceBiology, Chemistry, Physics, Psychology TechnologyProduct Design and Technology(Wood, Metal, Textiles) , Food and Technology, Computing, Systems Engineering

There are many other studies that can be done via Distance Education Economics, Environmental Science, English Language Australian History, Religion, Sociology Politics, many Languages (Italian, Japanese, Greek, French,.....

There are no restrictions on the number or combinations of units which students may undertake in each study. For example, students may obtain credit for any number of units in the Mathematics or English study areas.Students may enter studies at Units 1, 2 or 3 level.

It is recommended that students complete both Units 1 and 2 before attempting Unit 3.

There are no restrictions on students repeating units, but students may obtain credit once only for each unit.

NEW VCE STUDYExtended Investigation (units 3&4 only)

Students complete an extended and detailed investigation of their choice.

Focus is on critical thinking and research skills.

The student must meet a number of milestones over the duration of the study: formulating a question, researching the field, designing a methodology, collecting and analysing data, and reporting on findings.

The purpose is to test a student’s ability to think critically rather than their knowledge of a specific field. Students learn ‘skills’ rather than content.

Students will have the opportunity to engage in inquiry learning, pursuean academic interest that they have, and focus on a problem for an extended amount of time.

Due to the scope of this research project, students must be practical and realistic when deciding on an area of investigation.

VCE Extended Investigation is specifically designed for academically able students.

VCE Extended Investigation requires self motivation and resilience.

Students will undertake an area of investigation that suits the time frame, and for which students can get information and collect data.

What programs can contribute towards the VCE• any VCE study

• any VET units

• School-based Apprenticeship or Traineeship

• VCAL units (Intermediate VCAL units may contributeto the satisfactory completion of the VCE at Units 1 and 2 level. Senior VCAL units may contribute to the satisfactory completion of the VCE at Units 3 and 4 level but no study score is available.)

VCE (Baccalaureate) The VCE (Baccalaureate) is contained within the VCE and is not another senior secondary certificate.

To be eligible to receive the VCE (Baccalaureate) the student must satisfactorily complete the VCE and receive a study score for each prescribed study component.  The VCE program of study must include: a Units 3 and 4 sequence in English or Literature or English Language

with a study score of 30 or above; or a Units 3 and 4 sequence in EAL with a study score of 33 or above

a Units 3 and 4 sequence in either Mathematics Methods (CAS) or Specialist Mathematics

a Units 3 and 4 sequence in a VCE Language at least two other Units 3 and 4 sequences  The VCE (Baccalaureate) will not affect the calculation of the ATAR. Tertiary institutions have indicated that they strongly support initiatives that

encourage students to study a higher level mathematics and a language in the final years of schooling. Some tertiary institutions will look favourably upon students that have achieved the VCE (Baccalaureate).

INDUSTRY PATHWAYS

The Industry Pathways (IP) program provide a new form of recognition for students who complete a program of study designed to prepare them for further study or direct employment in a specific vocational area.

The IPs will be available through both the VCE and VCAL in the following industries: Building and Construction, Manufacturing and Engineering, Community Services and Health, and Sport and Recreation. More pathways will become available in the future.

Development of the IPs will occur in consultation with the relevant industry to determine the best mix of industry-based learning and academic studies.

Each IP will include • Vocational Education and Training (VET) units • Structured work placements in the relevant industry

Students meeting the requirements of an Industry Pathway will receive a certificate indicating they have been awarded the VCE or VCAL and have successfully completed an Industry Pathway in the relevant industry area.

School-based Apprenticeships and Traineeships (SBATs) will also continue to be available. SBATs offer students enrolled in the VCE or VCAL the opportunity to combine employment, school and training. These programs will continue to be delivered under a training plan signed by the school and a training contract with an employer.

Year 10 students doing Units 1&2 • Students must apply to do Units 1&2 (a recommendation

signed by the current ‘relevant’ teacher and Year 9 Team Leader)

• Can select one VCE subject (2 units) • Can select two VCE subjects (4 units) if a SEAL student• Must pass Unit 1 to continue with Unit 2• Cannot select English Units 1&2 or Literature Units 1&2

It is possible to start your VCE in Year 10 by selecting Units 1& 2.Students who show excellence in a subject are able to combine their Year 10 studies with some VCE Units 1 & 2. This allows students to gain more VCE units and to increase the breadth of subjects to accommodate interests or skills.

For Students entering Year 10 in 2016

STUDENTS CAN APPLY TO THE SENIOR SITE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR AN EXEMPTION TO THE ABOVE CRITERIA

For Students entering Year 11 in 2016 You must select 6 units in each semester (a total of 12 units)

It is compulsory that of the 12 units selected you must include two units from the English group (students usually select English Units 1&2 or Literature Units 1&2).

If a student completed units 1&2 in year 10 in 2015 they can continue and complete units 3&4 in year 11 in 2016 provided that they:

• have passed all Units 1 and 2 attempted • have at least a B average in the equivalent Unit 2

subject

• Cannot do more than two Unit 3 & 4 sequences in Year 11 (or one unit 3&4 plus one VET 3&4)

• If your teachers feel you can manage the units 3 & 4 sequence you wish to do you need a recommendation signed by the current ‘relevant’ teacher and Year 10 Team Leader.

• Cannot select English Units 3&4 or Literature Units 3&4

STUDENTS CAN APPLY TO THE SENIOR SITE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL IF THEY WISH TO STUDY MORE THAN TWO UNIT 3&4 SEQUENCES

For Students entering Year 12 in 2016 Most year 12 students select five Unit 3&4 sequences (including a Unit 3&4 sequence from the English group.)

• When you select unit 3 of a subject, you must also select unit 4 of that subject.

Higher Education Studies in the VCEA number of universities offer enhancement programs for very able students to extend their learning in a particular subject area by completing the first year of a standard university subject as part of their VCE studies.

SELECTING A VCE PROGRAM OF STUDY

• What are your strengths (and weaknesses)?

• What are your interests?

• Select the VCE units you need for your chosen career or further study (prerequisites)

• Talk to the subject teachers and find out more about each VCE subject and what will be expected of you.

• Talk with your family, careers teacher (Mr. Wallis), your learning advisor and your current subject teachers.

• Plan your VCE program over the next two years. You are not “locked into” that program. Changes to your program are possible early in the year or at the start of Semester 2.

•Choose VCE Mathematics carefully, as Mathematics is often a requirement for a very wide range of careers and courses of study. Talk to your current Maths teacher for advice on which are the most appropriate units for you (Maths is not compulsory at VCE, but most students select Maths at Units 1 & 2 level as it is a pre-requisite for tertiary study).

•There should be room for VCE units that you enjoy and do well in. Not only will such units make your VCE experience more enjoyable, but doing well in these units can help boost your overall Year 11& 12 performance.

SATISFACTORY COMPLETION OF VCE UNITS

Satisfactory completion of units is determined by the school, in accordance with Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) requirements.

• Each VCE unit includes a set of two to four learning outcomes.

• All of the learning outcomes must be satisfactorily completed in order to gain credit for that unit.

• A learning outcome is what students must know, or be able to do, by the time they have finished the Unit.

A student’s levels of achievement for Units 1 and 2 are determined by the school and not reported to the VCAA.

In addition to satisfactory completion of a unit you will also receive levels of achievement.

LEVELS OF ACHIEVEMENT FOR UNITS 1 and 2

To determine a student’s level of achievement they will complete graded assessments tasks such as tests, projects, assignments, essays, practicals, oral presentations, constructing a model...............that are reported on an eleven-point scale as grades from A+ to E or UG (Ungraded).

LEVELS OF ACHIEVEMENT FOR UNITS 3 and 4

To determine a student’s level of achievement you complete• graded school based assessment (SACs or SATs) • external examinations. These school based assessments for Units 3 and 4 are referred to as • SACs (school assessed coursework) and/or• SATs (school assessed tasks)

SAC and SAT scores are determined by the school and are reported to the VCAA.

In Units 3&4 SACs and SATs are generally used to determine both satisfactory completion of the unit and a study score.

1) School-assessed Coursework (SACs)SACs are graded assessment tasks for assessing achievement of the unit outcomes. Students receive a score for each SAC completed. The SAC scores are aggregated into a single total score for each student. This score is then statistically moderated to match your exam results. NOTE: The VCAA does this to ensure that the SACs set by all schools are comparable.

2) School-assessed Tasks (SATs)

SATs are set by the VCAA to assess specific sets of practical skills and knowledge in the following subjects Art, Design and Technology, Food and Technology, Media, Studio Arts, Systems Engineering, and Visual Communication and Design.

How do you get your VCE ?

You need to satisfactorily complete a minimum of 16 units. These must include:

• three units from the English group, with at least one unit at Units 3 and 4 level• at least three sequences of Units 3 and 4 studies other than English, which may include any number of English sequences once the English requirement has been met.

• attend at least 80% of classes.

NOTE: As units 3 & 4 are a sequence, you must pass unit 3 AND unit 4 to pass a sequence

• the 16 units may include an unlimited number of units of VET.

VCE STUDY SCORES

For each Unit 3&4 sequence you will receive a study score made up of either SACs (34%) and two examinations (66%)

or SACs (40-50%)and one examination (50-

60%). Exams are held in November.

There are written examinations for all VCE studies and VCE VET units.

To receive a study score students must receive an S for both Units 3 and 4.

The study scores for all Unit 3&4 studies are reported on a scale of 0 to 50 with 30 being the average study score. The study score is actually a ranking or relative position which shows how a student performed in relation to all others who took that study in the same year.

A student with a study score of 30 is in the middle of the cohort, or has performed better than about half of all students who did that study.

A student with a study score of 40 has performed better than about 91% of all students who did that study. Most of the study scores are between 23 and 37 (68%).

Each study score is calculated by using the total marks you received for each graded assessment in that study. Eg. English has three graded assessments(Standardised Unit 3 coursework score x 0.25) +(Standardised Unit 4 coursework score x 0.25) +(Standardised November examination score x 0.50This is then converted to a study score(ranking) from 0 to 50

Study score 20 25 30 35 40 45

Percentage of students on or above this position

93 78 53 26 9 2

DO YOU WANT TO GO TO UNIVERSITY?

You will need an ATAR score

ATAR stands for Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank

The ATAR is used by tertiary institutions to select students.

The ATAR is reported as a percentile rank between 0.00 and 99.95

An ATAR of 75.00 means that students have achieved VCE results that places them in the top 25% of students.

To qualify for an ATAR a student must • successfully complete the VCE • achieve study scores in four Unit 3 and 4 VCE studies, including one from the English group.

You will receive a study score out of 50 for each VCE subject.All study scores are scaled before they are used to calculate the ATAR. Scaling is used to make scores in different subjects equivalent.

Up to six studies can be used:• your best scaled study score from the English Group (English, Literature, ESL or English Language)• your next best three scaled study scores (which together with the English study make the “Primary Four”)• 10% of any fifth and/or sixth scores that are available (these are called Increments).

You get a total aggregate of 210 which is then converted to a rank between 0 and 99.95.

BRITNEY SPEARS Unit 3&4 study Study score (out of 50) Scaled

scoreChemistry 30 35Biology 30 30English 30 28Further Maths 30 27VET Multimedia 30 26Business Management 30 26

The ATAR

ATAR of

ATAR CALCULATION

68ATAR of 68

Be sure to meet the deadline for submitting your VCE selections. If your selection is late, it may affect your chances of being placed in all of your subject choices.

Monday August 7th

Year 11 Course Selection sheets to be handed into Year 11 Team Leader Miss Breed

Year 12 Course Selection sheets to be handed into Year 12 Team Leader Mr. Pallot