Useful Information for Employers
School Certificate (Year 10)
Understanding students' results
- How do I know how well a student has done?
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Achievement in the School Certificate is reported in two ways at the end of Year 10:
- Grades - A, B, C, D or E, awarded by the school and based on work completed at school. In Mathematics, the grade is further differentiated as one of the following: A10, A9, B8, B7, C6, C5, D4, D3 or E2. Where course requirements have not been met, the result appears as 'Not Completed'.
- School Certificate Test Results - a mark out of 100 for the statewide tests in English-literacy, Mathematics, Science, and Australian History, Geography, Civics and Citizenship. From 2006 a new test in Computing Skills is included in the School Certificate. For the Computing Skills test, a mark from 80 to 100 is reported as 'Highly Competent' and a mark from 50 to 79 is reported as 'Competent'. Marks below 50 are reported as 'CND' (Competence not demonstrated).
- Is it possible to compare grades between schools?
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Yes. In awarding grades, schools match a student's performance in a particular course to the performance descriptor that best describes their achievement in that course. These performance descriptors have a corresponding grade (A-E) which is then awarded to the student. By using these common descriptors to assign grades, comparisons between schools can be made. Grades are monitored by the Board of Studies and schools may be asked to explain the grades awarded in any subject.
All course performance descriptors may be viewed at the Assessment Resource Centre (ARC) website.
- Is it possible to compare grades between subjects?
- No. It is not possible to compare grades directly between subjects as each subject has its own set of Course Performance Descriptors. The grade awarded indicates the level of overall achievement in that subject.
- What do the School Certificate bands mean?
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In the School Certificate Tests, marks are divided into bands and descriptions are given of a typical performance by a student within that range. Band 6 indicates the highest level of performance.
- Band 6 = 90 - 100 marks
- Band 5 = 80 - 89 marks
- Band 4 = 70 - 79 marks
- Band 3 = 60 - 69 marks
- Band 2 = 50 - 59 marks
- Band 1 = 0 - 49 marks
To read the descriptions of the typical standard achieved in each band, visit the School Certificate Test Performance Band Descriptions.
- What does satisfactory completion mean?
To satisfactorily complete a course, students must:
- follow the course developed or endorsed by the Board
- apply themselves with diligence and sustained effort
- achieve some or all of the course outcomes.
Satisfactory completion can be judged by attendance, level of involvement in class, assignments and tasks completed, and level of achievement. Failure to meet one or more of these requirements may lead to an 'N' or 'Non-completion' determination for that course. An 'N' determination for a course may result in the student being ineligible for the School Certificate.
- What are Life Skills?
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Courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content are available in each School Certificate syllabus. They are for students with special education needs, particularly those with an intellectual disability. Attainment in Life Skills is shown on a Profile of Student Achievement. No grades are reported.