Parent Information
for VCE and VCAL 2012
Possible Pathways
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Year 10  VCE
Year 10  VCAL
Year 10 TAFE, Apprenticeship or Employment
Possible Pathways
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Year 11 VCE  Year 12 VCE
Year 11 VCE  Year 12 VCAL
Year 11 VCAL  Year 12 VCAL
Year 11 VCE or VCAL TAFE, Apprenticeship
or Employment
Possible Pathways
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Year 12 VCE 
University, TAFE,
Apprenticeship or Employment
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Year 12 VCAL
TAFE, Apprenticeship or
Employment
VCE
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VCE is a 2 year course
Most students study Unit 1 & 2 subjects in Year
11 and Unit 3 & 4 subjects in Year 12
Capable Year 10 students may enrol in some
Unit 1 & 2 subjects
Capable Year 11 students and may enrol in
some Unit 3 & 4 subjects
Year 11 VCE
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Students enroll in twelve Units in Year 11
(6 subjects, language outside school is an
extra subject)
For Units 1 & 2 in all subjects assessment is
school based
Students receive grades for each assessment
task
Overall S (Satisfactory) or N (Not satisfactory)
for the unit.
Year 11 VCE cont
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It is possible for a student to change a Unit 1 /
2 subject midyear
Year 12 VCE
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Students enrol in 10 Units of 3 /4 subjects
Unit 3 & 4 subjects are taken as a sequence
A student cannot change a 3 /4 subject
midyear
Assessment is both school based and external
School assessed course (SACs)
School assessed tasks (SATs)
External exams, set by VCAA
Year 12 VCE cont
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Year 12 marks (no more school grades) are
processed into study scores by VCAA. These
marks will change due to moderation.
All grades from VCAA, these result from SACs,
SATs and external exams
Overall S (Satisfactory) or N (Not satisfactory)
for the unit.
VCE Certificate
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16 Units minimum
Students must satisfactorily complete– three units of English/Literature/ESL
– three 3/4 unit sequences other than English
over years 11 and 12
Students must satisfactorily complete English
or English Literature Units 3/4 if they are to get
an ATAR score.
What to expect from Year 10 Year 11
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90% attendance compulsory
INCREASED WORKLOAD : Class work &
Homework
School Assessed Coursework (SACs) (SATs)
assessed A+ to UG (Ungraded)
Authentication
Unit Result Satisfactory (S)/Not Satisfactory (N)
Exams
What Year 10 students should do
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Read the VCE/VCAL Handbook
Speak to the Career Coordinators
Think about their possible future career
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 2014 for VCE Prerequisite
subjects
Consider your academic ability
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Be realistic
What Not To Do
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Students should not choose subjects based
on:
- What their friends are choosing
- Who the teacher might be
- Easy subjects (there are no “easy” VCE subjects)
Year 11 VCE Selection timeline
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Students choose their subjects for both Year
11 and 12 to meet VCE requirements
Year 11 Subject selection forms due 19th
August
Year 11 Subject confirmation12th December
Year 11 Orientation Day is 14th December
Year 11 Subject selection form
Year 12 Subject Selection
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Most students have selected most of their subjects,
based on their Year 11 course
In order to continue with a subject in Year 12 it is
expected a student will have achieved a C average or
better in the subject during Year 11
Students who have not achieved this on their midyear
report
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will need to work very hard this semester to improve their
grades
may need to reconsider if VCE the best option for them
How Many Year 12 Subjects
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Students must enrol in five 3/4 Units at school.
If students choose to do a language outside of
school they must still enrol in at least five 3/4
Units at school.
A sixth 3/4 Unit adds 10% to an ATAR score
however a seventh does not count.
Will I get all subjects I choose?
Some students will not get all of their first preferences
because:
– Timetable clashes with other subjects
– Some subjects may not run/restrictions
– Staffing- there may only be enough qualified staff
Students should choose second preferences carefully
Students get most of their preferences most of the time
Year 12 VCE Selection timeline
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Students choose their subjects for Year 12
Year 12 Subject selection forms due 19th
August
Year 12 Subject confirmation 2nd December
Year 12 Orientation Week is 5th -9th December
Year 12 Subject selection form
Year 12 Orientation Week
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Provides a week long head start for students in
Year 12
Compulsory for all Year 12 students
Year 11 students doing a Year 12 subject must
also attend
ATAR Score – University Entrance
Raw ‘study scores’ for each subject are
adjusted by VTAC according to their ‘degree
of difficulty’
 Scaled scores are added together according
to the following formula:
ENGLISH (either) + 3 NEXT BEST
SCORABLE SUBJECTS
+ 10% of 5th SUBJECT + 10% of 6th SUBJECT
(if relevant)
 This total is known as ‘the aggregate’
 The ranking of this aggregate = the ATAR
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Scaling
What is scaling?
• VTAC increases or decreases Yr 12 study
scores according to their “difficulty” when
creating the ENTER for Tertiary entrance
Should it to affect my VCE subject choices?
• Case Study:
o Maths Methods
o Further Maths
• In other words… NO
29
37
+5
-2
=
=
34
35
What we will do
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Offer a 2 Year program in Study skills
Identify and encourage high achievers
Offer after school, lunchtime and holiday
classes
Offer general and subject specific exam skills
training and formal trial exam week in October
Prepare students for the GAT
Student Commitment
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There needs to be a balance between sport,
work and school
As students have returned to school there is an
assumption that the VCE is their priority.
The GPSC 90% attendance policy is enforced
in Year 12 and Year 11
No overseas holidays will be approved in Year
11 or Year 12
Special Provision- Year 12
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If you wish to apply to VCAA for special
examination arrangements on the basis of a
long term condition, you must begin the
application process in 2011.
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Applications to VCAA are finalised in February
of your Year 12 year, so you should speak to
us now!
Maths Pathways
Mainstream pathways
Year 10
OR
Year 11
Year 12
Foundation
Maths(VCE)
Foundation
Maths
Year 10
Further
General
Maths F
Foundation maths
does NOT lead
into Year 12
Maths
Year 10
Methods
Enrichment
Maths (Year
General Maths M
&
Math Methods
Further
Maths
Math
Methods
Math Methods
&
Specialist
Maths
General Maths M and Maths
Methods
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Generally taken as a package
Leads to all year 12 Maths pathways
Algebra is a big part of these subjects
Focus is to prepare students to successfully
study Math Methods or Maths Methods &
Specialist Maths in Year 12
Appropriate for any university course requiring
maths – (Some courses require Specialist
Maths)
VCAL
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Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning
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VCAL is about hands-on learning
Purpose of VCAL is to provide students with
what they need to gain employment in their
chosen field.
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VCAL Certificates
FOUNDATION
 INTERMEDIATE
 SENIOR
Each certificate increases in difficulty in the required skills
and tasks to be completed. To gain a certificate
successfully, you need to have completed the required
VET and Work Placement hours as well as projects and
also the prerequisite subjects to attain each VCAL
certificate
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VCAL Requirements
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Literacy- English
Numeracy- Mathematics
Work Related Skills- is designed to teach you about the
work force, how to gain employment, workplace rights
and unions and many more.
Personal Development Skills- is designed to teach you
about improvement in people skills, personal skills,
knowledge of health and also project work.
VET- there are various VET subjects you can do at
school, TAFE and School Based Apprenticeship
VET Subjects
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provide students with nationally recognised
qualification that will assist them with gaining
employment
At school
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VET Business Administration, Creative Industries &
Sport and Recreation
At TAFE
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Wide variety of choice eg. Electrotechnology,
hairdressing. One day per week at TAFE. Cost
Work Placement – part of WRS
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1 day per week in a relevant industry
Students must find their own work placement
Must do 100 hours of work placement in a year
If you do not spend enough time at work
placement, you will be unable to achieve any
VCAL certificate, regardless of what class work
has been completed
School based Apprenticeship
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is where you study at school and TAFE and do one day of
work placement.
It is an apprenticeship while at school.
The VCAL typical week
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1 day work placement
I day TAFE, if doing VET at TAFE
Rest of the time in timetabled classes at school
Monday and Friday all VCAL students must be
in class
TAFE and work placement can only occur on
Tues, Wed or Thurs
The VCAL Student must
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Be trustworthy
Be prepared to work hard
VCAL Students do not get an ATAR score at the
end of year 12
Applying for VCAL
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Attend an Assembly on Monday 15th August
Submit your application by Monday 22nd
August
Attend a VCAL interview
During the interview work ethic, behaviour,
attendance, future employment goals and
determination are taken into account.
Changing from VCE to VCAL?
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Applications due in Thursday 12th August
Interview process will start the following week
Questions?
Year 12 Careers
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Careers Centre
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Subject selection
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VTAC, ATAR and Scaling
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Year 12 timeline
GPSC Careers Centre
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Open before and after school, recess and lunch time
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Information on Open Days, apprenticeships and
traineeships
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University and Tafe handbooks
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Job Guides, Career Events, VTAC Guides,
scholarships, Special Entry Programs,
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Careers column in School Newsletter
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Tertiary Information Session (TIS) excursion
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Career counselling and pathway planning
Year 12 timeline
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Term 1
Finalise Career direction
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March/April
VCE and Careers Expo
TIS at LaTrobe University
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June/July
Register and sit UMAT
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July
VTAC process begins
Year 12 timeline - continued
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August
Tafe and University Open Days
Direct applications submitted
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September
VTAC applications close
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December
VCE Results, ATAR
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January
University and Tafe offers
GPSC Career Centre
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University and TAFE Handbooks
Information on Open Days, courses, ATAR, VTAC
Guides, Job Guides, University scholarships, Special
Entry Programs, Career Information Events,
apprenticeships and traineeships
Careers column in School Newsletter
VTAC support for students
Tertiary Information Session (TIS) excursion
Individual counselling
Assistance with pathways plans
Contact details
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Jocelyn Kurrle
George Georgostathis
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Phone: 9933 0500
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