Victorian Certificate of Education

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The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) is the credential given to students who have completed Year 11 and Year 12 of their secondary schooling, in the state of Victoria, Australia. It is considered to be one of the more rigorous secondary education programs in the world and is recognised as a requisite credential for admission to universities in Australia and worldwide. Study for the VCE is usually completed over two years, but it can be spread over a longer period in some cases. It is possible to pass and obtain your VCE without completing the end of year exams, as they are only used to determine your ENTER scores, required for higher levels of education, i.e. University and TAFE.

Contents

Each VCE subject is organised into units. Students usually choose to study five or six subjects each year at the VCE level. The range of subjects depends on the school, as each individual school decides which subjects they will offer to their students.

Most, but not all, VCE subjects comprise four units. A unit is studied for one semester, with Units 1 and 2 being studied in Year 11 and Units 3 and 4 being taken in Year 12.

Year 11 students can 'accelerate' and study a Unit 3/4 subject early. Units 3 and 4 of any subject must be studied in sequence, whereas Units 1 and 2 can be mixed and matched in Year 11. Students are not required to complete all the units of a subject as part of the VCE course, however Units 1 and 2 usually must be studied before Units 3 and 4 of a subject can be attempted (unless 'accelerating'). On completing a Unit, a student receives an 'S' (Satisfactory), or an 'N' (Not Satisfactory).

In order to receive the VCE and an ENTER, students must complete three Units of English (at least 3 of which must be passed), the only compulsory subject (although there are variations, such as English as a Second Language [ESL], English Language, or Literature that can count towards the English requirement). The ENTER received ranges from 0 to 99.95 in increments of 0.05.

An ENTER score of 60 indicates that a student has achieved a higher ENTER than 60% of the state, a score of 70 indicates a higher ENTER than 70% of the state etc.. However, students that have left school before completing Year 12 (around 15%) are 'included' in the calculation of ENTER, so the median ENTER for students who do complete year 12 is higher than 50. Approximately twenty students receive each incremental rank (e.g. 75.05, 75.10)

The ENTER is calculated from the Study Scores received for each Unit 3/4 subject successfully completed, ranging from 0 to 50. A student's top four study scores (after scaling) and 10% of their next two best study scores count towards an aggregate score, which is then ranked against the aggregate scores of other students. English is included as one of the top four study scores.

The Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) scales the VCE Study Scores to allow for cross-study calculations. In other words, a 25 in English is equivalent to a 25 in Mathematical Methods or a 25 in any other VCE study. The scaled Study Scores are then referred to as ENTER subject scores. The ENTER is determined by using ENTER subject scores.

VTAC determines an ENTER for each student who satisfactorily completes at least one study in the current year, and who has obtained VCE Study Scores in an English study and at least three other studies in an allowable combination at the unit 3 & 4 level.

The ENTER is determined by the aggregate (total) calculated for each student:

  • The ENTER subject score in an English study (one of English, English Language, Literature or ESL)
  • The ENTER subject scores of the next three best studies. (the English study and these constitute the Primary Four)
  • Plus an increment of 10% of the next best two studies (if available).

Graduation in the VCE depends on the satisfactory completion of the units which make up the VCE studies. The decision about satisfactory completion is based on a student’s ability to demonstrate the outcomes.

These outcomes are specified in the study design for each VCE study. They describe the knowledge and skills that should be demonstrated by the time a student has completed a unit.

There are two types of graded assessment in the VCE – school-based assessment and examinations.

There are two kinds of school-based assessment. The first is called School-assessed Coursework in which students complete the assessment tasks specified in the study design. These tasks must be done mainly in class time and include essays, reports and case studies. They are commonly referred to as 'SACs'.

A few studies in the visual arts and technology areas have the second type of assessment which is a School-assessed Task. This task is the same for every student enrolled in a study and the specifications are set by the VCAA. They are commonly referred to as 'SATs'.

External examinations are set and marked by the VCAA. Most are held in October/November, but a small number of studies (usually science subjects) also have examinations in June.

A student who satisfactorily completes Units 3 and 4 of a VCE subject and the graded assessment requirement is eligible for a study score. The study score is used by VTAC when a student applies for tertiary entrance.

The GAT is an essential part of the VCE. It provides the basis of a quality assurance check on the marking of examinations. Any student who is enrolled in a VCE or VCE VET Unit 3 and 4 sequence is expected to sit the GAT.

Scaling is the process that adjusts VCE study scores into ENTER subject scores.

VTAC adjusts VCE study scores to allow for any adjustments in the overall performance of groups of students taking the different studies.

Once scaled, these study scores become ENTER subject scores.

Scaling DOWN happens when the overall performance is high.

Scaling UP happens when the overall performance is low.

  • If competition is high, students can expect to receive a lower VCE study score than ENTER subject score.
  • If competition is low, students can expect to receive a higher VCE study score than ENTER subject score.

In 2006 an aggregate of 142.8 was higher than 80% of people in the age group, correlating to an ENTER of 80. Achieving a perfect ENTER (99.95) usually requires an aggregate of 210 or over, in 2006 it required 211. VTAC Reports This is often achieved with the use of LOTE subjects or Specialist Mathematics, which can scale as high as 55 on a 0-50 scale. The Victorian Government, as part of an initiative to promote foreign language study, raises the scaled mean of LOTE subjects by 5 points, but some argue that this unfairly disadvantages students who do not speak a second language at home, and advantages international students.

However, it may be argued that international students are disadvantaged by the compulsory English requirement, even though an English as a Second Language (ESL) course is offered. ESL students in the mainstream English course are assessed differently on their final year exam - by demonstrating note-taking skills and only completing one of the two essays required for completion by mainstream students.

VCE Highest Median Study Scores
Year Top School Second Third
2007 MGHS MHS KAGS
2006 MGHS MHS BC
2005 MGHS BC MHS
2004 MGHS MHS BC
2003 MGHS MHS CGGS
2002 MGHS MHS BC
2001 MHS MGHS BC

For the past two decades, school ranking based on ENTERs have been dominated by MacRobertson Girls High School, Melbourne High School and the Jewish Bialik College. MacRobertson Girls completed 5 years in a row at the top in 2006, after overtaking Melbourne High School in 2002. Of those 5 years, 4 have had Melbourne High at 2nd while Bialik College came in 2nd in 2005. From 1995 - 1997, Bialik took the top role with record breaking median study scores of 39 and 40.[1] Approximately 20% of MacRobertson Girls students achieved an ENTER score of above 99 in 2006, while approximately 17% of Melbourne High students did the same.[2]

Outside these three continually leading schools, the next best results generally come from privately funded girls' schools. In 2006, Camberwell Anglican Girls Grammar School and Fintona Girls School rounded off the top 5. The top government run school apart from Melbourne High and MacRobertson Girls High was the small Edenhope College. Balwyn High School was the highest ranked when small schools and selective schools were taken out of account.[3] In 2007, Korowa Anglican Girls' School overtook Bialik College to take third place, with MacRobertson Girls and Melbourne High taking first and second once again.[4]

Universities and TAFEs provide a Clearly-In and a Fringe ENTER for each course, denoting the range of scores required to gain a place in a course. The ENTER requirement for each subject is generally determined by supply (the supply of places provided by the universities) relative to demand (the demand for each course as determined by the number of students who apply) for each course, and does not directly relate to the difficulty or the quality of the course. Victorian Technical colleges do not require an ENTER for admission (with few exceptions).

The VCE offers a wide range of subjects in the fields of Science, Mathematics, Humanities and the Arts, including Languages, and Physical and Environmental areas. Subjects include ones such as common sciences as Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Psychology and Environmental Science. Arts and Humanities includes ones such as Art, Studio Art, Visual Communication and Design, a variety of Histories, Sociology, Politics, International Studies, many languages, English and others.

Mathematics is the only set of subjects in VCE which cater for varying abilities. Students with a practical applications focus can study Further Mathematics in Year 12 which covers Statistics and other modules, such as Business-related mathematics or Networks and decision mathematics. Alternatively students can take the next level which is called Mathematical Methods, or Mathematical Methods CAS. This maths is usually a prerequisite for science courses, and focuses on Algebra, Functions and Graphs, Calculus and Probability. Advanced students can take the highest level subject called Specialist Mathematics, which provides important preparation for further study in areas with strong mathematical background requirements, such as Actuarial studies or Engineering at university. Subjects in Physical Education are also offered including Outdoor Education and Physical Education.

Subjects offered are in Units 3 and 4 include:

  1. ^ [1]
  2. ^ Melbourne High School Annual Report 2007
  3. ^ The Age 2006 School results
  4. ^ The Age 2007 School Results

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