Marymede Catholic College
2014 Subject Information Evening
Year11 2015
Victorian Certificate of Education
and
Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning
Marymede Catholic College
Speakers
Prayer
Judeline Wadhwani
Welcome
Julia Wake
Subject Selection
Andrea Agnew
VCE Information
Laura Hill
Pathways
David Adamson
Marymede Catholic College
Nationally recognised certificates
Leads to
Marymede Catholic College
Why Two Pathways?
VCE
VCAL
An academic course of study involving
coursework assessment and
examinations over two years
An applied learning course of study
involving hands-on learning and
practical work-related experience
Students must study English and/or
Literature but otherwise may select
their own subjects
Set subjects studied with studentselected VET and Work Placement
Full time course of study on campus
with attendance requirements
3 days on campus, 1 day VET, 1 day
work placement with attendance
requirements
Provides a direct pathway to university, Provides a direct pathway to TAFE,
TAFE, apprenticeships, other forms of
apprenticeships, work and possibly an
education, work
indirect pathway to university
Marymede Catholic College
Victorian Certificate of Education
Students graduate with the VCE by satisfactorily
completing a minimum of:
- 16 units (semesters) of VCE studies
- three of which must be from the English group
- plus three Unit 3 and 4 sequences in studies other
than English
- Of these 16 units, some can be VET (some scored
and some unscored)
- At Marymede Catholic College in 2015 we will offer
both VCE and scored VET subjects for Year 11
students
Marymede Catholic College
Unit 1 and 2 Subjects in 2015
Accounting
Biology
Business Management
Chemistry
Drama
Economics
English
English Literature Food Technology
General Maths (Further)
General Maths (Specialist)
Geography
Health &HD
History – 20th Century
Indonesian
Information Tech Italian
Japanese
Legal Studies
Mathematical Methods
Music Performance
Media
Outdoor & Envir Ed
Physical Education
Psychology
Visual Art
Visual Communication & Design
VET – Media
VET – Sport and Recreation
VET – cluster options
* All students will also study Unit 2 Religion & Society
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How to Achieve a Satisfactory VCE Unit
A student must:
 Produce work that demonstrates achievement of the
outcome/s
 Observe school and VCAA rules
 If a teacher judges that all outcomes are achieved, the
student satisfactorily completes the unit.
 The decision to award an ‘S’ for the unit is distinct
from the assessment of levels of achievement.
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Importance of
Subject Selection
• Year 11 is the first time students really get to define
their own learning direction
• This is a key decision to direct future pathways
• There is great responsibility associated as this indicates
a student’s capacity to manage their own learning
• It involves research, careful consideration and mature
decision-making
• Support and counselling will be provided along the way.
Marymede Catholic College
Which pathway is best for me?
What is your preferred
method of learning?
What pathways do you
think you are likely to
pursue in your future?
Where are you
likely to achieve
success?
What are your
strengths?
Marymede Catholic College
VCE subject selection
 Consider your strengths
 Reflect what you are interested in studying at
tertiary level
 Do not select subjects on the basis of scaling
 If you are undecided about your future, keep
career options open within the relevant areas you
are pursuing
 Select what is best for you, not on the basis of
friend selection or teacher preference
Caution: all studies are subject to timetable constraints and levels of student
interest
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Other things to consider
VCE:
Meeting tertiary prerequisites?
Meeting extra requirements for access into
tertiary courses (eg Folio, interview…)
VCAL:
Selecting an appropriate work placement
Selecting an appropriate VET study
Marymede Catholic College
THE VCE and VCAL Subject Information Handbook
2015
Marymede Catholic College
Subject Selection Process
25 June, 2014
Year 11 and 12 Subject Expo
VCE Information Evening
16 July, 2014
9:00 – 9:30am
Year 11 Students Assembly
Web Preferences
16 July, 2014
10:00 – 10:30am
Year 10 Students Assembly
Web Preferences
21 July, 2014
9:00 – 4:00pm
VCE subject selection individual student interviews.
25 July, 2014
Web Preferences Close
September, 2014
Re-counsel students who have clashes or chosen subjects going ahead
in 2015
Prospective VCE students receive subject confirmation letter.
October, 2014
Marymede Catholic College
VCAL
Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning
Marymede Catholic College
Special Provisions
• VCAA and Marymede Catholic College
are committed to ensuing that the VCE
is accessible to all students.
• Special Provisions can be put in place
to support students who are
experiencing circumstances which
negatively impact upon their studies, in
the short and long term.
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• There are various forms of provision
which can be made for students,
dependent on their individual needs.
• Students must see their VCE
Coordinator as early as possible in
order to discuss their needs as VCAA
has stringent requirements which
must be met and documentation may
be required to support the
implementation of provisions.
Marymede Catholic College
VCE Student Handbook
Marymede Catholic College
Mr David Adamson
Careers Coordinator
Marymede Catholic College
Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning
Marymede Catholic College
• The certificate was introduced into schools
in 2002 with enrolments of approximately
four hundred students.
• Currently in 2014, the enrolments are
22,800 across the state and in Catholic
sectors.
• Qualification is recognised Australia wide.
Marymede Catholic College
• The program allows for flexible learning
to assist students.
• Student centred to achieve best possible
outcomes.
• Community partnerships can be
developed through VCAL.
• Strong connection between learning and
the real world.
Marymede Catholic College
VCAL LEVELS
• VCAL operates at three levels:
Foundation
Intermediate
Senior
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VCAL AT MARYMEDE
Course Structure
• Three days on school campus: Monday,
Tuesday & Thursday.
• TAFE placement :Wednesday
• Work placement: Friday
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SUBJECTS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
VCAL Numeracy
VCAL Literacy
Personal Development Skills
Work Related Skills
Religious Education
Sport
Selected TAFE Course
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CERTIFICATES OF RECOGNITION
• Upon completion VCAL students
receive a certificate recognising the
level of achievement:
Foundation
Intermediate
Senior
• TAFE Certificate
Marymede Catholic College
VCAL v VCE: The Myth
• VCAL demands students to be
organised in three different areas:
School, work & TAFE.
• Each component of the course has its
own particular demands.
• VCAL students need to be highly
organised.
Marymede Catholic College
VCAL Pathways
•
•
•
•
Apprenticeships
Traineeships
Full Time Employment
Further TAFE Studies
• VCAL is an exciting pathway designed
to assist hands-on learners.
Marymede Catholic College
The journey …..
VCAL
Employment
TAFE &
Apprenticeships
Yr
10
University
VCE
Yrs 11 & 12
Employment
Some facts
•The longer students stay at school the
better their opportunities
•Regardless of pathways students
getting jobs have a good set of reports,
can communicate and present well
•Outcomes for girls in particular who
have not completed year 12 are not
good, boys a bit different as still can
access a traditional trade.
What to do?
Regardless of whether students know what you want to do after year
12 doing well opens up opportunities.
• A Bachelor Degree qualification on average increases average
earnings by about 30%. The effects slightly higher amongst women
• Apprenticeships increase average earnings by 20%, slightly higher
amongst men
• A TAFE Diploma increases average earnings by about 14%
• A Traineeship increases earnings by about 8%
• A TAFE certificate increases earnings by about 5%
But ALL provide better opportunities for employment and developing
a career
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I don’t know what I want to do when I leave
School.
• Don’t worry, many students don’t, many
students do. Students are all different
• Student’s do need to be aware of their strengths
and weakness. Do subjects you enjoy and do
well. This may lead to a career
• Enjoy the journey by picking the subjects you
enjoy
• Students will change their careers a number of
times
• Students need employability skills.
Marymede Catholic College
Pathway Planning
• Student’s are beginning to develop individual pathways to a
career. This pathway will be different for different individual
students.
• There are often many pathways to a particular career.
• Students need to develop their own self awareness and
awareness of career opportunities.
• Students need to follow their passions whether they be in
school or out of school.
• Students will change careers a number of times.
• Technology is changing rapidly, students will work in careers
not yet invented.
Pathways
Pathways to University, TAFE and training continue to expand.
•Many TAFE courses have pathways into University and give
students credit towards a University course.
•There are a number of Independent Tertiary Colleges providing
pathways to University e.g. Latrobe Melbourne.
•Some Universities have bridging programs into University for
students who do not quite get the ATAR e.g. Federation University
“fast program” and Victoria University “foundation courses”
•Not just ATAR. EAP, PPP and Aspire
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Access and Equity
Do not let adversity whether it be financial,
illness, etc put students off going to
University. Government and Universities
are putting significant financial resources
into providing University accessibility for
all. Examples are:
• VTAC SEAS program
• Government scholarships for students on
Centrelink benefits.
Marymede Catholic College
What Year 10 students should do
 Speak to the parents, teachers, Career Coordinator
 Think about their possible future career (work experience)
 Choose subjects they enjoy and are good at
 Ensure the subject choices allow them to enter the higher
education courses or careers that they wish to follow
 Check the VICTER 2017 for VCE Prerequisite subjects
 Check VTAC CourseSearch Archive for middleband subject.
 VET Tasters
 Course Camel
 Wirl
Marymede Catholic College
Publications available
• Choice
• Explains the common terms students will need to familiarise
themselves with and covers the options available for VCE and beyond.
• One copy per student sent to schools
• Includes sample case studies of real student programs so they can
understand the principles behind the ATAR calculation.
• VICTER
– available 22 July in metro
newspapers
– lists VCE study requirements for
courses commencing in 2017.
http://www.vtac.edu.au/publications/
Marymede Catholic College
What is a good ATAR?
• A good ATAR is a subjective outcome
• To some a good ATAR is 99.95, to others
it’s anything over 50.
• Students should consider what ATAR
they need to
– Pursue their career dreams
– Keep their options open for courses, they
may change their mind.
Marymede Catholic College
The Facts:
• Scaling is not predetermined - individuals change but
patterns don’t usually change.
• Doing a language won’t add 5 points to your ATAR.
• Doing a mathematics won’t automatically guarantee a
higher ATAR.
• Doing studies based on scaling patterns won’t
guarantee a ‘good’ ATAR unless you are good across all
of your studies.
• A humanities based curriculum does not guarantee a
low ATAR.
• Scaling will only affect your ATAR by 1 point
Marymede Catholic College
Typical questions from Year 10
students
• How do I know what I will want to do in two
years? Study? Work? Travel?
• What if I change my mind?
• How do I know which studies are best for me?
• What if I don't get the ATAR I need?
Marymede Catholic College
Parents have a very important role to
play
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The Teenage Brain
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What Can I do as a Parent?
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Help them to identify:
• their own interests, attributes and
abilities
• their hopes and plans for the future
• the type of work or study they would
like to pursue.
Marymede Catholic College
Work with them to:
• set long-term goals for their chosen
career/study pathway
• break down long-term goals into small,
achievable steps
• keep their options open
• attend university open days to find out more
about courses, careers and university life
• choose actions today that can help them
progress towards their goals (e.g. selecting
appropriate school subjects).
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Encourage them to:
• work consistently at school
• persevere, even when things may seem
tough
• believe in their own ability to succeed
• not to give up and stay focused on their
dream.
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• Focus on –
Finally
– Studies you would like to do.
– Studies they think they would be good at.
– Breadth to keep options open
• Utilise all resources
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–
–
–
–
http://www.marymedecareers.com
Other websites
Careers Newsletter
Coursesearch
Publications: VICTER, Choice, ABC of Scaling