Senior Pathways Information Handbook Vce & Vcal - 2021 Principal Mr Andrew Callow
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SENIOR PATHWAYS INFORMATION HANDBOOK VCE & VCAL - 2021 PRINCIPAL MR ANDREW CALLOW DEPUTY PRINCIPAL MR LANCE DAVIDSON HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL MR IVAN SESKIS HEAD OF VCE & VCAL MRS VICKY FRAANJE VCAL CO-ORDINATOR MR ANDREW WARE PATHWAYS/CAREERS CO-ORDINATOR MRS MICHELLE VISSER 20 WATTLE VALLEY ROAD, BELGRAVE HEIGHTS 3160 TELEPHONE: 9754 6435 | EMAIL: [email protected] WEBSITE: WWW.BHCS.VIC.EDU.AU CONTENTS OVERVIEW & GENERAL INFORMATION PHILOSOPHY 4 VCE/VCAL ENROLMENT 4 LEARNING PATHWAYS 5 ATTENDANCES & ABSENCES 6 VCE, VET & VCAL RESULTS 7 PRIVATE STUDY, SUPERVISED LEARNING & FREE PERIODS 7 TRANSFERRING BETWEEN VCE & VCAL 7 TERTIARY EDUCATION 8 UNIFORM 8 VCE PROGRAM SELECTING A VCE PROGRAM 9 ENTRY TO VCE STUDIES 11 AWARD OF THE VCE 12 AUSTRALIAN TERTIARY ADMISSIONS RANK 13 VCE STUDY SCORES 13 VCE ACCELERATION 14 GENERAL ACHIEVEMENT TEST 15 ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS FOR VCE SUBJECTS 17 MODIFYING A VCE PROGRAM 18 SPECIAL PROVISION FOR VCE STUDIES 19 SPECIAL EXAMINATION ARRANGEMENTS 20 DERIVED EXAMINATION SCORES 20 RESULTS & CHANGES OF PREFERENCE 21 ENROLLING AT UNIVERSITY 21 RESPONSE MATERIALS 21 VCAL PROGRAM ENTRY TO VCAL STUDIES 22 AWARD OF THE VCAL 23 GENERAL ACHIEVEMENT TEST 23 ATTENDING CLASSES & PLACEMENTS 24 TEXTBOOKS & STATIONERY 24 CURRICULUM - LITERACY SKILLS 25 - NUMERACY SKILLS 26 - WORK RELATED SKILLS 27 - PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT SKILLS 28 OTHER INFORMATION KEY WEBSITES 29 APPENDICES PATHWAYS POLICY 30 PLAGIARISM & AUTHENTICATION POLICY 32 VCE EXAMINATION POLICY 36 TERMINOLOGY 37 LIST OF ACRONYMS 39 OVERVIEW & GENERAL INFORMATION PHILOSOPHY BHCS’ philosophy is about supporting and All Year 11 and 12 students are engaged in courses encouraging our students to be the best they can which lead to either the Victorian Certificate of be. We believe that our students have God-given Education (VCE), or an alternative pathway such abilities and gifts and it is our responsibility to help as the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning them discover, develop and flourish in these. We (VCAL), both of which are issued by the Victorian expect all students to aim to achieve their very best. Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA). We aim to offer a broad range of subjects and to In most areas of Senior School, the School is bound encourage students to strive for excellence within by VCAA regulations and these have to be more their studies. We aim to prepare students for formally implemented than rules which students post-school study, employment and participation have experienced in earlier years. in a global community. VCE/VCAL ENROLMENT Enrolment in a VCE/VCAL course of study is conditional upon completion of: • VCE/VCAL Student Personal Details Form • VCE Subject Selection FormOR; • VCAL Application Form • VCE Permission to use ATAR Form (for those completing VCE only) • VCAL Permission for Extended Distribution of Results & Further Education Offers (for those completing VCAL only) BHCS SENIOR PATHWAYS INFORMATION HANDBOOK - VCE & VCAL, 2021 PAGE 4 OVERVIEW & GENERAL INFORMATION LEARNING PATHWAYS VCE VCAL (Victorian Certificate of Education) (Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning) Usually 20-24 units Literacy and Numeracy Skills, Personal Development 90 different studies available Skills, Work Related Skills, Industry-specific Skills HES University courses for independent, VET high-achieving VCE VET Program VCE students School-based Apprenticeship and Traineeship Other VET Certificate Training Structured (TAFE or school, Industry, Workplace Learning RTO, ACE) Completion of VCE Completion of VCAL Employment/Apprenticeship/ Traineeship TAFE Certificate II/III/IV, Diploma, Advanced Diploma University For more information regarding Learning Pathways, please see the Pathways Policy in Appendix 1. BHCS SENIOR PATHWAYS INFORMATION HANDBOOK - VCE & VCAL, 2021 PAGE 5 OVERVIEW & GENERAL INFORMATION ATTENDANCE & ABSENCES Students need to attend sufficient class time to ABSENCES FROM SAT/SAC undertake the coursework and complete class work and associated assessment tasks. Work done In the case of an absence from a class where a VCE in class time is necessary to allow work to be assessment work (SAC/SAT) was done, a student authenticated. (For more information regarding must supply a medical certificate. Authentication, see Appendix 2). REASONS FOR ATTENDANCE ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS RECORDS • Minimum of 90% attendance for all timetabled classes, devotions, excursions and assemblies. An accurate record of attendance is required to Attendance also includes camp, sports days be kept so that, if a case arises where a student is and any other school events timetabled during in danger of failing a Unit because of a breach of the course of a school term. attendance rules, the appropriate documentation is readily available. It is also vital that both parents Punctuality at all times. • and students have been informed at each stage • Legitimate absences MUST be reported to and as such the following procedures apply: the school by a parent, explaining the reason for the absence. This is as per the School’s • If a student has five lessons of unexplained absence policy stated in the Parent Handbook absences in a Unit, an Attendance • All VCAL students must also notify their Unsatisfactory Progress Report is to be sent to Further Education Training provider (e.g. TAFE), parents via email/phone call or letter. or their Work Placement provider, as well as • If a student reaches ten lessons of unexplained the School. absences, a second Attendance Unsatisfactory Progress Report is to be sent to parents. ABSENCES WITHOUT NOTES • If a student reaches 10% absent rate, Head of Any absence that is not accompanied by a note of VCE & VCAL is contacted immediately and a explanation will be considered as an unexplained Review Panel is convened, with the relevant absence. Please note – the reasons for absences teaching staff, the student concerned and their must be legitimate and clearly explained otherwise parents/guardians. they will not be approved and consequently will be It is the responsibility of the student who is absent to considered as unexplained absences. find out what work was covered in the missed classes PLAGIARISM & AUTHENTICATION Please see Appendix 2 for an excerpt from the Plagiarism & Authentication Policy. BHCS SENIOR PATHWAYS INFORMATION HANDBOOK - VCE & VCAL, 2021 PAGE 6 OVERVIEW & GENERAL INFORMATION VCE, VET & VCAL RESULTS VCE, VET, VCAL and GAT results are released VTAC will send ATAR Statements to students who during the first couple of weeks of December. The have lodged an application for tertiary entrance. dates for this are made available through the VCE Exams Navigator. They will be available by phone, To find out more about VCE examination results, Internet and SMS services. a statement of marks can be obtained. Further information is available on the VCAA website at: There will be a ‘Post Results and ATAR Service’ to answer queries that arise after results are www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/pages/vce/adminpolicies/ released. Dates of availability can be found in the reportstudentachievemnt/statmark.aspx VCE Exams Navigator or via the VCAA website. More details will be published from October both on the VCAA website and in a flyer sent to schools for distribution to students. PRIVATE STUDY, SUPERVISED LEARNING & FREE PERIODS Students are required to be in attendance at Students are required to report to the teacher in school at all times during the day, unless special charge of private study supervision to have their arrangements have been organised and approved, attendance registered. Students who do not use such as Year 12 Early Leaving procedure. Year 11 their private study lessons appropriately, or who and 12 students are expected to work quietly in fail to report to study lessons, will be required to the Senior Learning Centre or Discovery Centre. explain their behaviour. TRANSFERRING BETWEEN VCE & VCAL Students moving from VCAL to VCE can only move Students are welcome to change from VCE to at the beginning of Units 1, 2 or 3. VCAL, or vice versa, at the conclusion of the school year. Please be aware that they may need to make Students wishing to move from VCE to VCAL may up additional units in order to pass the relevant do so in consultation with VCAL Co-ordinator. This is certificate that they are transferring into, and may subject to VETis Course availability and enrolment only have a partial completion of their VET course dates, typically not after Week 4 of the School year. at the end of Year 12. BHCS SENIOR PATHWAYS INFORMATION HANDBOOK - VCE & VCAL, 2021 PAGE 7 OVERVIEW & GENERAL INFORMATION TERTIARY EDUCATION UNIQUE STUDENT IDENTIFIER VTAC SPECIAL ENTRY SCHEME (USI) (SEAS) Everyone undertaking any form of tertiary Be aware that there are special provisions made education is required to apply for a USI. A USI by VTAC for students who have suffered ill health, is needed in order to receive qualifications or emotional trauma or financial hardship during statement of attainment. Without a USI students Year 12. will not receive their qualification or statement of attainment. Please refer to http://www.vtac.edu.au/who/seas.html Further information regarding this can be found at and contact the Head of VCE & VCAL well before https://www.usi.gov.au/ the enrolment period if you believe any of these categories apply. UNIFORM All Year 11 and 12 students at BHCS are required VET Kitchen Operations students will be required to be in their full school uniform while at School to wear their chef’s uniform and leather closed- and on excursions. Students are permitted to toe shoes on days when they have VET Kitchen wear their PE uniform only on days when they Operations Classes or functions. Fittings for have a physical education class, or have express uniforms are organised at school, and details are permission from a teacher. provided for purchasing these. VCAL students are not required to wear their BHCS uniform on Wednesdays or Fridays at their certificate courses/work placements. The School will provide students with a shirt to wear at their work placements.