(a)   Assessment
· Units 1 and 2
For all studies, the school decides whether a student has satisfactorily completed a unit by achieving learning outcomes.  For Units 1 and 2, this is the only form of assessment that is required for V.C.E. graduation.
· Units 3 and 4
For these studies, there are two kinds of school assessment.  The first is called coursework assessment.  This assesses how you have performed the assessment tasks specified in the Study Design.  These tasks must be completed mainly in class time.  The second is called a school-assessed task.  The kind of task will be the same for every school, and the specifications will be set by the Board of Studies.  However, the exact content of the tasks at Blackburn High School will be decided locally so that they match what you have been taught.  The Board of Studies specifies how marks and grades are to be awarded.  The teacher does the marking and the school sends the Board of Studies a score to show performance in each assessment task.
· The General Achievement Test
The General Achievement Test (the G.A.T.) is a 3-hour examination (held in June) for which every student studying a Unit 3 and 4 subject must sit.  This will still be used as a moderation tool for school-based assessment, but the weight of importance it carries will vary from study to study.  Those seeking more information should consult the Board of Studies brochure the GAT.
· The Equivalent National Tertiary Entrance Rank (ENTER)
This is compiled on Unit 3 and 4 studies on the following general basis: each student undertaking a V.C.E. Unit 3 and 4 study will receive from the Board of Studies. a study score for that study, determined by detailed analysis of the student’s results from set tasks.  These study scores are then used to calculate the ENTER. by including:
 (i) English plus the next three highest study scores in Units 3 and 4
  plus
 (ii) 10% of thescaled study score achieved in the 5th and/or 6th study taken at Unit 3 and 4.
Built into the ENTER is the provision of bonuses for LOTE and Specialists Maths.
 
(b)  Attendance
· If a student is absent from the dates/periods set aside for assessment tasks due to illness, that student must provide the teacher with a medical certificate specifically stating that illness made it impossible for them to attend.  A general note is not acceptable.  If the certificate presented is considered acceptable to the teacher, it will entitle the student to an official alternative assessment task at an alternative time.
· If a student is absent without excuse from a set, published outcome assessment  date/period, they will receive an zero score for that outcome.  The student will then need to demonstrate to the teacher in some other agreed way that the outcome has been satisfactorily met, for the purpose of receiving an S.
· There is a 90% attendance requirement for all VCE classes, which includes absence for illness or co-curricular activities.  While the opportunity for Special Provision remains in place, failure to meet the attendance requirement or to account for absence will lead to a student receiving an N for the units affected.

(c) Authentication
It is the responsibility of every student to ensure that all unacknowledged work is genuinely his or her own work  The teacher monitors the development of the work during class time and keeps a record of the process to attest that the work is the student's own.  Should work be deemed to be not that of the student, then that work will not be assessed as part of the finished work and additional steps may be taken.
A breach of authentication rules may involve:
 (i) a student reprimand
 (ii) re-submission of work
 (iii) refusal to accept work (wholly or in part).
All sources, including texts and personal assistance, must be acknowledged:
 (i) 'in text' references - used for direct or indirect quotes and included in the Bibliography
 (ii) footnotes at the bottom of the page.
 
(d)  Excursions Policy
· VCE students involved in co-curricular activities, such as sports teams, musical activities, camps etc.  are to give priority to their timetabled studies and, in particular, any assessment of coursework.
· In exceptional circumstances, a student will be required to seek Special Provision due to a clash of a co-curricular activity with coursework assessment.  This must be in writing, giving five days notice and presented to the Senior Sub-School Coordinator.

(e) Appeals
· Appeals arising out of the above provisions will be handled by a committee comprising the Senior Sub-School Coordinator, the Assistant Principal (Programs) and the relevant Coordinator. Students may be accompanied, in a support role, at any appeal, by a family member (or an agreed alternative).
 
(f) Moderation
· Moderation of assessed material within studies will be the responsibility of the relevant KLA Coordinator.
· The school will nominate a series of Common Testing Dates, at which times school assessed outcomes could be run for multiple class studies, such as English or Mathematical Methods. These dates may be used for and by students who have, for legitimate reasons, missed a previous date.  This is only by arrangement with teachers and coordinators.

(g) Conduct of assessment and authentication of examined tasks
· Where assessment is spread over a number of days, assessable material will generally be collected at the end of each timetabled period.
· Teachers will return coursework assessments without comment at each subsequent assessment class until the assessment timeframe is completed.
· Where it is not practical to collect in work on a regular basis, teachers must be able to authenticate that work.

(h)  Results
· The school policy will be to inform students of their performance in tasks as soon as these become available.  At all times, teachers must advise students that these are interim results and subject to moderation, since coursework scores may change following that process.

(i) Submission of work by due dates
In the case of all work contributing to the granting of S (Satisfactory), N (Not Satisfactory) or J (Did not attempt) for a unit, decisions will be made at the end of the semester in which the unit is completed.  This applies to both the first and second semesters.  This decision is made by the school and does not involve the Board of Studies.

(j) Special Provision (including Consideration of Disadvantage)
Rules for the granting of Special Provision to accommodate certain groups of students are laid down by the Board of Studies and the school is bound by them (V.C.E. Administration Handbook)  The following groups can be assisted by special provision:
 (i) Students with physical disabilities or other impairments.
 (ii) Students for whom English is a second language (ESL students).
 (iii) Students who are deaf or hearing-impaired.
 (iv) Students who experience significant hardship of a permanent or temporary nature which affects their school work.
 In the last case, special provision could apply to students who are :
  (1) Affected to a significant degree by illness, by any factors relating to personal environment or by other serious cause during the period in which a work requirement has been undertaken
   OR
  (2) Prevented for similar reasons from completing a work requirement
   OR
  (3) Hampered to a significant degree during the school year by such factors.
In all cases it is the responsibility of the student to formally notify the school of the details of circumstances relating to the student’s application.  No special provision can be given to a student who is absent from school for prolonged periods unless documentary evidence is provided.

The Consideration of Disadvantage policy allows schools and the Board of Studies to acknowledge that a student has been unable to perform at an optimal level because he or she has experienced significant hardship during the course of V.C.E. studies.

A student is eligible for consideration of disadvantage if he or she is considered to have
been
 (i) Affected to a significant degree by illness, by any factors relating to personal environment or by other serious cause during the period in which coursework,  a school-assessed task or the G.A.T. have been undertaken or at any other time during the semester; or
 (ii) Prevented by illness, by any factors relating to personal environment or by other serious cause from completing coursework, a school-assessed task or the G.A.T. ;or
 (iii) Disadvantaged by any physical disability or other impairment.

It should be noted that:
 (i) Absence from school or study for prolonged periods is not of itself grounds for consideration of disadvantage.
 (ii) Teacher absence and other teacher-related difficulties are not acceptable grounds for consideration of disadvantage.
 (iii) A student who misreads a timetable or an assessment paper will not be eligible to apply on these grounds for consideration of disadvantage.

It is the responsibility of the student to notify the Principal formally of the details of circumstances relating to the student’s application.  The Principal, in consultation with the student’s teacher(s), must decide whether the student is eligible for consideration of disadvantage according to the criteria described above.  Application forms are available from the Senior School Coordinator who will gather information from appropriate people, the subject teacher and year level coordinator.  Both the Special Provision form and the Consideration of Disadvantage form must be completed.

It is the student’s responsibility to submit a written application on the form provided and to provide supporting documentation.  The application should be submitted as soon as the problem has occurred.  It must be submitted before the due date for completing the work. An application (on the ‘S’ form provided by V.T.A.C.) should also be made for tertiary selection purposes.  This form is available from the Senior School Coordinator.  Details of all applications will be retained at the school after the student has been notified of the decision regarding their application.