Assessment

There are no external examinations in the ACT. Students are assessed on a regular basis during each unit. In the case of T courses, a course score is calculated at the end of Year 12 based on the work completed during the course.

Attendance

To be assessed you must have attended all lessons in a unit or course. The Board of Senior Secondary Studies Policy states: It is expected that students will attend all scheduled classes/contact time/structured learning activities for the units in which they are enrolled, unless there is due cause and adequate documentary evidence is provided. Any student whose attendance falls below 90% of the scheduled classes/contact time/structured learning activities in a unit without due cause with adequate documentary evidence will be deemed to have voided the unit. However the Principal has the right to exercise discretion in special circumstance if satisfactory documentation is supplied

Completion of Assessment

Assessment methods vary from course to course and are administered at the faculty level. Instruments used include: examinations, tests, essays, assignments, projects, research and field work. The major assessment instruments for the various units and the approximate weightings given to each are set out on the unit outline given to you at the start of each unit.

The unit outline details the content and the precise details of the assessment program, as well as the dates on which major items of work are due.
We advise you to construct on the semester planner provided, a plan of your total commitments for each unit. This enables you to monitor your obligations and then seek an interview with a department head or student adviser if any problems arise.

The Board of Senior Secondary Studies Policy states: Students are required to substantially complete and submit all assessment items that contribute to the assessment for a unit unless due cause and adequate documentary evidence is provided. Exemption from an item and/or alternative assessment without penalty is available to students providing adequate documentary evidence.

Unless prior approval is granted, any student who fails to submit assessment tasks worth in total 70% or more of the assessment for the unit will be deemed to have voided the unit. However, the Principal has the right to exercise discretion in the award of a grade or score in special circumstances where satisfactory documentation is supplied.


Unit Grades and Scores

If you satisfactorily complete a unit, you are awarded a grade which indicates how well you have performed in the studies involved in the unit. To complete a unit satisfactorily, you must comply with the College’s and BSSS expectations with regard to attendance and with the requirements for completion of work in that unit. Grades for A and T units are A, B, C, D, and E. R units normally receive a P or A to E.

In addition, if you are completing T units, you are awarded a unit score, which is a ranking in that unit. It is on this ranking that the course score is calculated at the end of Year 12 . Currently the College is using techniques to calculate unit scores which give an approximate prediction of the contribution the course will provide to your Tertiary Entrance Score assuming you continue to perform at the same level. (See Estimations later in this section)

Non-Assessment

During the course of a term or semester your teacher may warn you that you may not be assessed in a unit. A warning letter is sent home notifying your family of this. You can enter into a contract with your teacher specifying further requirements. If you fulfil these requirements the unit will be assessed. However, if at the end of term/semester you are not assessed, you do not receive credit for the unit. This usually arises because of either poor attendance or failure to submit all assessment items. In some cases you may not be eligible to continue your studies in the course.

S (Status) Grades

S (Status) grades are awarded in instances where, for reasons beyond your control such as illness or serious ongoing domestic problems, you miss significant amounts of your unit and would normally be considered non-assessable. You must have documentary evidence from a medical practitioner or some other independent reliable source verifying the situation. In this situation you are awarded the credit for the unit. You will normally have to apply through your teacher to the Student Services team to be given a status grade. The BSSS has specific rules about the maximum number of Status units allowable in a student’s package – see Student Services if in doubt.

Course Scores

Raw course scores are calculated from the unit scores you achieve during a course. These scores are then scaled using the AST result giving a scaled course score which is used to calculate the University Admissions Index (UAI). Course scores are only calculated for T courses. There is no course grade.

Scores and Appeals

It is the responsibility of the College to rank you in each T unit studied and these unit scores are used in the calculation of course scores. Students have a right of appeal if they believe they have been given an incorrect ranking (see details later). The course scores, together with the AST score, are then used in a calculation of the University Admissions Index. To enable you to make a judgement about whether you have grounds for appeal the results for all students are posted on notice boards at the conclusion of each unit. Only student ID numbers are posted to ensure privacy.

Checking your Progress

Regular checking sessions will be scheduled in your Student Development/Advisory Group (SD/AG) program. These checks will be made by you and your AG teacher to ensure that you are on target to achieve the Year 12 Certificate or T Package that you require. The checks involve using computer printouts to ensure that your units, courses and results are accurately recorded. Responsibility for ensuring that the information appearing on your Certificates is correct is jointly shared by you and the College.
If you want a University Admissions Index, then a special set of requirements must be met. It is most important that you become familiar with these requirements as soon as possible. (See Estimates)

Entry and Withdrawal from Units

You may not enrol into a new unit after Week 1 of term or semester. (See College Planner for exact dates). Staff may notify you of potential non-assessment at any time for insufficient effort, poor attendance or conduct educationally unfair to others.
You must be studying at least 5 units to qualify as a full time student. If you are not enrolled in a full time program you are not entitled to benefits under the Government scheme, or most other support programs.

Estimates of University Admissions Index

It is not possible for you to independently calculate a likely University Admissions Index based on the unit scores obtained.
Appointments for Year 12 students for an approximate estimate of your UAI are available at the start of Semester 2 each year. At this interview trained staff will counsel you about strategies for maximizing scores and packages for the final semester. It is important that this counselling is done very early in the term because enrolment into new units is not possible after week 1 of the term.
You must bear in mind that by definition an estimate is not precise. Factors which will affect your final score include your performance in Semester 2, the changing performance of other students and the AST scores. The entry requirements of the tertiary institutions may change from year to year.
As the average mark given at this College is 70, results in the region of 70 equate to UAI of 70.
To find the score cutoffs for the tertiary courses in which you are interested, you should see the Careers Adviser.