Queensland Studies Authority
Quality-assurance processes
Partnership
The QSA operates a moderation system that is
built upon a close partnership with schools.
Responsibilities of the QSA
• Development, review and approval of Early
Years Curriculum Guidelines and syllabuses for
Years 112
• Development of professional resources for
teachers
• Testing, assessment and moderation
• Certification of Queensland students
• Facilitation of tertiary entrance procedures
Responsibilities of schools
• Teaching and learning processes
• Assessment of student achievements that
contribute towards the issue of a Student
Education Profile (SEP)
− Senior Statement
− QCE
− QCIA
− Tertiary Entrance Statement
Responsibilities of the QA Unit
The Quality Assurance Unit is responsible for the
quality assurance of:
• Authority subjects
• Authority-registered subjects
• Queensland Certificate of
Individual Achievement (QCIA)
• Learning projects.
Principles underpinning quality-assurance
processes
• Externally moderated school-based assessment
is aligned to syllabus and SAS documents.
• Evidence is required to substantiate schools’
decisions.
Quality in schools
QSA website
Standards-based assessment
• Stated in syllabuses and Study Area
Specifications (SASs)
• Criteria: properties or characteristics by which
student performances are appraised
• Standards: fixed reference points used to
describe how well students have achieved the
outcomes, objectives in syllabuses
Criteria and standards
Purposes of assessment
• Formative assessment is used to improve
teaching and student achievement.
• Summative assessment is used to indicate
the achievement status or standards achieved
at particular points of schooling. It is geared
towards reporting or certification.
Moderation of
Authority
subjects
Quality assurance of Authority subjects
State and district review panels
Syllabuses
State course aims and objectives, course
organisation, learning experiences, standards
and assessment.
Work program
• The school’s plan of how the course will be
delivered and assessed
• Based on the school’s interpretation of the
syllabus
• Caters for the special characteristics of the
individual school and its students
• Must meet all syllabus requirements
Lodging work programs
• Lodged by the school moderator through the
QSA website <www.qsa.qld.edu.au>
• Processed online by panellists
• Can be amended
Form R3 (Year 11)
Monitoring
School:
School code:
Subject:
Subject code:
District:
Panel code:
0
The focus of the monitoring review is to provide advice to the school about implementation of the course of study and
judgments concerning student achievement at this time. Five students should be identified by code letter A, B, C, D, E
and placed appropriately to indicate the interim Level of Achievement. Further information regarding the preparation of
the submission is available in The Moderation Handbook.
Number of students completing subject at Year 11:
School comments:
Signed by the Principal ....................................................................................................... Date:
/
/
Panel advice may include consideration of the following:
 implementation of the course of study
 quality and standard of assessment instruments
 conditions of assessment
 appropriateness of assessment criteria
 standards of sampled student work
 proposed interim levels of achievement
 concordance with ACACA guidelines for quality and equity in assessing student achievement
Review panel advice:
Limited achievement
Sound achievement
High achievement
Very high achievement
Interim
levels of
achievement of
sample
students
Very limited achievement
Focus: provide
advice to schools
School proposal for interim levels of achievement
Recommended action(s):
Signed by Chair .................................................................................................... Date:
for
state, or
district review panel.
Copies:
/
/
 Before meeting: Original, duplicate and triplicate forwarded with samples to be reviewed.
Quadruplicate retained by school when making initial submission.
 After meeting: Original returned to school. Duplicate retained by Chair and returned to
District Coordinator. Triplicate retained by Chair.
Monitoring submission
• Form R3
• Copy of the approved work program
• Clean copies of assessment tasks (including
data on conditions)
• Minimum of five sample student folios (or the
whole cohort, if less than five), with completed
profiles
• Documentation of student performances
Form R6 (Year 12)
Verification
School proposal for levels of achievement
Relative achievements
of students
LOA
10
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
Subject code:
District:
Panel code:
0
I. Enter the ‘Initial school proposal’ for the ‘Distribution of levels of achievement’ for all students in the Year 12
cohort who have completed study of at least one semester of an approved school work program.
II. Complete the ‘Initial’ column, indicating the relative achievements of all students by writing the number of
students on the appropriate rung and identifying any sample students by a letter code (A, B, C etc.),
e.g. ‘6 + B’ (=7 students).
III. If agreement between the school and panel is reached through consultation following the verification meeting,
then the school must complete the ‘Agreed’ column for sample students and the ‘Agreed Verification proposal’
row and immediately send all copies to the D/SRPC for signing.
IV. Significant changes in the distribution of relative achievements between Verification and exit require
consultation with the S/DRPC and a completed Form R7 to be attached to the original of the Form R6.
V. At exit, complete the ‘Exit’ column as explained in (II) above. Identify, with a circle, ALL OP-ineligible
students and visa students, e.g. ‘①’ or ‘② + 4’ or ‘② + 3 + C’.
10
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
Distribution of levels of achievement: VHA
High Achievement
9
HA
SA
LA
VLA Total
Initial school proposal
Agreed Verification proposal
Exit proposal
Exit proposal recommended for certification
Date: ……./……/……
Signature and date
/
/
…………………………………….
...... ….…… ……
…………………………………….
...... ….…… ……
(Principal)
…………………………………….
/
/ (Principal)
....../….……/…… (D/SRPC)
..……………………………………
…... ….…… ……
/
/
(Principal)
……………………………………….per MSA
School comments:
1
Signed by the principal.................................................................................................................. Date:
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
Sound Achievement
Focus: provide
feedback to
schools about the
proposed match of
folios to stated
syllabus standard
descriptors
9
Very High Achievement
Exit
School code:
Subject:
/
/
Review panel comments concerning standards and LOA decisions:
1
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
Limited Achievement
Panel Agreed
1
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
Very Limited Achievement
Initial
School:
D/SRPC Initials
Consultation required
Additional notes are attached
Note: Any additional notes must remain attached to the original Form R6.
Signed............................................................. for
Copies:
state, or
district review panel. Date:
/
/
 October Verification: Original, duplicate and triplicate forwarded with initial and any
subsequent proposal. Quadruplicate retained by school.
 Exit: Original forwarded to QSA; duplicate retained by school.
This information is collected so that the legislated functions of the QSA concerning moderation can be carried out.
Personal information is not usually disclosed to anyone other than relevant QSA staff unless required or authorised by
law, permitted under the Queensland Government privacy policy, or so that the legislated function can be completed.
Queensland Studies Authority, Ground floor, 295 Ann Street Brisbane. PO Box 307 Spring Hill Q 4004.
Phone: (07) 3864 0299; fax: (07) 3221 2553; email: office@qsa.qld.edu.au; website: qsa.qld.edu.au.
SPB:mod
Verification submission
•
•
•
•
Form R6
Copy of the approved work program
Clean copies of assessment tasks
Minimum of nine sample student folios (or the
whole cohort, if less than nine), with completed
profiles
• Documentation of student performances
Comparability
The consistent application of standards by teachers
across the state so that student achievements of
equivalent standards are recognised.
Panels compare standards and levels of achievement
across all districts.
Confirmation
Distributions of levels of achievement are
checked for accuracy and the appropriate
application of the moderation processes.
Random sampling
The QSA reviews a stratified random sample of
student exit folios.
Quality assurance of Authority-registered
subjects
Study Area
Specification
(SAS)
Study area specification (SAS)
• States course aims and objectives, course
organisation, learning experiences, standards
and assessment
• Some SASs contain information about VET
certificates
Study plan
• The school’s plan of how the course will be
delivered and assessed
• Based on the school’s interpretation of the SAS
• Caters for the special characteristics of the
individual school and its students
• Must meet all SAS requirements
Moderation
meeting
Internal review
Internal review of Authority-registered subjects
is the mechanism for schools to maintain the
continuity of a quality management system in
relation to student achievement and QSA
procedures.
External reviews
External reviews of Authority-registered subjects
are carried out by an officer of the QSA to support
schools in the maintenance of their quality
management system.
Queensland Certificate of Individual
Achievement (QCIA)
• The QCIA reports the educational
achievements of students whose learning is
part of an individualised learning program.
• Students are eligible to receive this certificate if
they have an impairment or learning difficulty.
• A number of processes are conducted to quality
assure the certificate.
The quality-assurance process
Learning projects
• As part of their QCE, students can design and
undertake an independent and unique short
program of learning that is separate from any
established school, training or other educational
program.
• Learning projects allow learners to develop
employability or lifelong learning skills in one of
three contexts: workplace, community or selfdirected.
Quality-assurance process for Learning
projects
• Completed learning project documentation
(planning log and the evidence of learning) is
submitted to QSA.
• Documentation reviewed by the QA Unit.
• Students are notified of outcome.
• If successful, the achievement is banked into the
student’s learning account.
Student Education Profile
• Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE)
• Queensland Certificate of Individual
Achievement (QCIA)
• Senior Statement
• Statement of Results
• Tertiary Entrance Statements
QSA website links
Additional information for
teachers
Scroll down for sample
work programs and
assessment instruments
Contacts
Quality Assurance Unit 3864 0375
Certification Unit 3864 0433
QCIA 3864 0407
QSA District Offices
<www.qsa.qld.edu.au> Contact us > District offices