Scotch College

Glossary of Terms

Assessment of Level of Performance

Assessment of levels of performance in Units 1/2 is the responsibility of the School. The VCAA supervises the assessment of all students undertaking Units at semesters 3/4 level.

Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR)

The overall ranking on a scale of 0-99.95 that a student receives based on his study scores (see below). The ATAR is used by universities and TAFE institutes for selection for their courses.

Authentication of Student Work

In order to be awarded a grade indicating level of performance for a SAC or SAT, candidates must submit work that is clearly their own. For SACs or SATs that are submitted for assessment by a prescribed deadline (SACs or SATs other than those conducted under test conditions), teachers will be required to attest that the work is genuinely the work of the student. The description of SACs or SATs in the study designs includes procedures for ensuring that such an attestation can be made.

Chief Assessor

An expert in a particular study who supervises the marking of the external examinations in that study.

Coursework Assessment

The assessment of work, completed mainly in class time, to establish how students are performing in Units 3/4. Coursework must conform to the Study Design.

Derived Examination Score (DES)

An examination score determined by VCAA when a student’s examination performance is affected by severe illness or accident or where a student has been unable to sit an examination.

General Achievement Test (GAT)

A test that is undertaken in the June examination period by all students studying a Unit 3/4 sequence. The VCAA will check that schools are marking School-Assessed Coursework to the same standard. The GAT does not count towards VCE graduation, but the GAT results are reported to students with their Statement of Results.

Outcomes

What students must know, or be able to do, by the time they have finished a Unit.

Satisfactory Completion (S)

This means a student has passed a Unit, based on the VCAA’s criteria. He receives an ‘S’ for the Unit. If a student does not satisfactorily complete a Unit, he receives a Not Satisfactory (N) for that Unit.

Scaling

The statistical process used to determine the degree of competition in each study. By comparing the performance of the entire group of students in a study with their performance in all other studies in which they have achieved a study score.

School Assessed Coursework & Tasks (SAC & SAT)

A task completed in school to assess how students are performing in Units 3 and 4, set and marked by teachers, in schools, according to VCAA specifications. In the subjects of Art, Studio Arts, Design and Development and Visual Communication and Design coursework tasks are sometimes completed over a period of time, in the form of a project, assignment or folio. These types of coursework are referred to as School-Assessed Tasks (SAT).

Sequence

The sequence is the order in which a student completes Units. For example, a student must study Units 3/4 in sequence.

Special Arrangements

Special arrangements may be made to meet the needs of students who have severe disabilities or illnesses that would affect their performance in Coursework and/or an examination. These arrangements must be made with the Head of Year and the VCAA. They may include extra time, technical aids or a scribe.

Special Provision

The allowance of students who are clearly disadvantaged to complete the VCE in a time frame comparable to their peers.

Statement of Results

A set of documents produced by the VCAA that formally states the results a student achieved in the VCE and whether he has graduated.

Statistical Moderation

The process for adjusting schools’ assessments to the same standard, while maintaining the students’ rank order assigned by the school. The VCAA uses statistical moderation to ensure that the coursework assessments given by different schools are comparable throughout the State.

Study Design

The description of the content of a study, the minimum required standards a student must meet and how students’ work is to be assessed. The VCAA publishes Study Designs for all of the VCE studies. Schools and other VCE providers must adhere to the Study Designs.

Study Score (Relative Position)

A score on a scale of 0-50 which indicates how students performed in a study relative to all other students enrolled in that same study. It is based on their results in coursework assessments and examinations.

Units

The parts of a study. There are usually four Units per study, numbered 1, 2, 3 and 4. Units are approximately equivalent to a semester in length.

Verification of Grades

For SACs and SATs that are submitted by a prescribed deadline (SACs or SATs other than those conducted under test conditions) the initial allocation of scores will be made by the school according to the criteria set out by the VCAA.

Victorian Curriculum & Assessment Authority (VCAA)

The organisation responsible for the accreditation and administration of the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE). A statutory authority within the Ministry of Education.

Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC)

The organisation that calculates students’ ATAR (see above) and communicates that ranking to universities and TAFE institutes.

Vocational Education & Training (VET)

The range of nationally recognised vocational certificates integrated within the VCE, for example, Hospitality (VET).