Leaving School in Australia - Year 12 State by State

A guide to Year 12 Certificates and Tertiary Entrance Requirements in Australia
Published by the Board of Studies NSW for the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Certification Authorities (ACACA)


Section 1: Victoria

Index


 

 

What award does the certifying body issue to students on successful completion of study in Years 11 and 12?

In Victoria, there are two senior secondary qualifications – the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) and the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) - both of which are accredited by the Victorian Qualifications Authority (VQA). On successful completion of the VCE or VCAL course of study , the VCAA, under delegation from the VQA , will issue students with the following:

  • VCE and/or VCAL certificate

  • Statement of Results – cumulative record

  • General Achievement Test (GAT) results where the student has taken the GAT

  • Statement of Vocational Education and Training (VET) modules results.


Statement of Results

VCE

Students completing Units 1 and 2 of studies will receive a Statement of Results that indicates whether they have demonstrated the outcomes of each study (indicated by an S) or not satisfactorily demonstrated the outcomes (indicated by an N).

Students completing Units 3 and 4 of studies will receive a Statement of Results that states if the student is eligible for the award of the VCE and lists:

  • Unit results (S or N)

  • Three graded assessments for VCE studies – for the exam and coursework results (the grades range from A+ to E or UG)

  • Two graded assessments for VCE VET studies – for the exam and coursework

  • VCE study scores for each study, including VCE VET (to a maximum of 50)

  • GAT Statement of Attendance

  • Past results

  • Recognised university (extension) studies.


VCAL

Students completing VCAL studies will receive a Statement of Results that indicates whether they have demonstrated the outcomes:

  • of each study for VCE units and VET in Schools (see above)

  • for VET and Further Education of each module (indicated by an S) or not satisfactorily demonstrated the outcomes (indicated by an N)

for VCAL units (indicated by an S) or not yet completed (indicated by an N).


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What must students do to be awarded the senior secondary school leaving credential?

VCE

The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) is awarded to students who successfully complete a minimum of 16 units, which include:

  • three units from the English group

  • three sequences of Units 3 and 4 studies other than English, of which two can be VCE VET sequences.

Students must also satisfactorily complete at least two units from both:

  • Group A studies - The Arts, Languages Other Than English, Health and Physical Education, Studies of Society and Environment; and

  • Group B studies - Mathematics, Science, Technology.

VCE VET qualifications contribute to the satisfactory completion of the VCE and have a sequence at Unit 3 and 4 level. VCE VET qualifications may contribute up to eight VCE units, which may include two VCE VET sequences.

Students are eligible for credit towards the VCE if they have completed, or are completing, training in a nationally recognised VET or Further Education (VET/FE) qualification/s that is not included in the suite of approved VCE VETand School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships programs. For certificates at AQF Level II, credit is granted at Units 1 and 2, subject to completion of sufficient hours of training. For certificates at AQF Level III and above, credit is granted at Units 1 to 4, subject to completion of sufficient hoursof training.

Students are eligible for credit towards the VCE if they have completed VCAL units. IntermediateVCAL units contribute to the VCE as Units 1 and/or 2. Two of the three required sequences (other than English) of Units 3 and 4 may be accumulated from Senior VCAL units.


English Requirements: The English Group

The three units of English may be selected from Foundation English Units 1 and 2, English/English ESL Units 1 to 4, English Language Units 3 and 4, and Literature Units 3 and 4. No more than two units of English/English ESL Units 1 and 2 and Foundation English Units 1 and 2 may count toward the English requirement. Students who satisfactorily complete more than four units from the English group will have the additional units credited towards meeting the Group A requirement.


VCAL

To be awarded a VCAL, students must successfully complete a Learning Program, which is designed to meet their needs in terms of the development of a vocational pathway and comply with the following credit requirements. It must:

  • be made up of accredited curriculum at an appropriate level for the VCAL award level selected

  • lead to a minimum of 10 credits

  • include curriculum components each of which can be justified against the purpose statement for one of the four VCAL curriculum strands

  • contain curriculum components drawn from:

    • VCAL units (1 credit per unit - each unit is of 100 hours nominal design length)
    • VCE units (1 credit per unit - each unit is of 100 hours nominal design length)
    • VCE VET units (1 credit per unit - each unit is of 100 hours nominal design length)
    • Units and modules drawn from VET training packages or other accredited courses or Further Education (FE) accredited courses (one credit is awarded on successful completion of units and modules of 100 hours nominal design length).
  • include:
    • a minimum of two VCAL units
    • in the Literacy & Numeracy Skills strand, curriculum components to the value of one credit for literacy and one credit for numeracy
    • in each of the remaining three strands, curriculum components to the value of at least one credit in each strand
    • include curriculum components to the value of five credits at the level of the VCAL award, of which one must be for literacy and one of which must be for a VCAL Personal Development Skills unit
    • at Intermediate and Senior levels, accredited Vocational Education and Training units and modules to the value of a minimum of one credit in the Industry Specific Skills Strand.


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Which document(s) lists the subject/courses studied in Year 11 and/or Year 12?

VCE

In the VCE the subjects are referred to as studies and they are described in booklets called Study Designs.

Each Study Design outlines the Areas of Study, Outcomes and Assessment Tasks for each unit (1, 2, 3 and 4).

The studies are listed on the VCAA website under Key Learning Areas (http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/index.html)


VCAL

Curriculum components for the VCAL must be drawn from accredited provision such as VCAL units, VCE units, VCE VET units Vocational Educational and Training (VET) and Further Education (FE) units of competence/modules.

Delivery strategies for units or modules should be consistent with the VCAL Delivery Principles and the requirements outlined in accredited course documents, VCE study designs or VCAL curriculum planning guides.

Locally developed curriculum, work placements, community and youth programs provide the context for the achievement of accredited VCAL units.

Information on the delivery of VCAL units is contained in the Curriculum Planning Guides available from the VQA website http://www.vqa.vic.gov.au/


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What advice is given relating to tertiary selection?

Advice is contained in a publication called the VTAC Guide 2003 which is issued by the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) and updated each year.

VTAC can be contacted at 40 Park Street, South Melbourne, VIC 3205

Website address: http://www.vtac.edu.au/


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Who issues this?

The Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC).


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