VCE

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• VCE
• Information Night

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Martin BaxterSenior School Coordinator
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Where to now?

• VCE
• VCAL
• Apprenticeships Traineeships

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Apprenticeships Traineeships

• Require you to be an employee
• Combination of off-the-job and on-the-job
  training
• Employers Trades people or Group Training
  Companies

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Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning

• VCAL is a 'hands on' option for students in Years
  11 and 12.
• Students who do the VCAL are more likely to be
  interested in going on to training at TAFE, doing
  an apprenticeship, or getting a job after
  completing Year 11 or 12.

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What is in a VCAL course?

• Literacy and Numeracy Skills
• Work Related Skills
• Industry Specific Skills
• Personal Development Skills

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Vocational Education Training

• VET has a mix of the practical and theoretical.
• Students who do the VET are interested in
  exploring a particular career area while
  completing Year 11 or 12.

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Advantages of VET Subjects

• VET courses are VCE SUBJECTS
• Students complete 2 certificates simultaneously
• A nationally recognised qualification
• Enable a practical exploration of a potential
  career pathway

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Factors to Consider with VET

• Delivered off site
• Costs most VET courses have material costs
  associated with them

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Victorian Certificate of Education

• What is the VCE?
• Areas of Study
• Subjects offered at Blackburn High
• Sequences of study
• Timeline for Year 10 students
• What to consider when choosing a subject
• Choosing subjects
• Assessment
• Student attendance requirements

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What is the VCE?

• Administered by VCAA Victorian Curriculum and
  Assessment Authority
• 2 or more years
• Comprised of Units Semester length subject
• Most students 22-24 Units
• A Broad Based Course of Study

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Requirements of the VCE

• A minimium of 16 Units
• At least 3 Units of English (Including the 3/4
  sequence)
• Three other 3/4 sequences

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Areas of Study

• Arts
• English
• Health Physical Education
• Humanities

• Mathematics
• Science
• Technology
• LOTE

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Arts

• Art
• Studio Arts
• Studio Arts (Photography)
• Visual Communication Design
• Music Styles
• Music Performance (Group)
• Music Performance (Solo)

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English

• English
• Literature
• English as a Second Language (ESL)

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Health and Physical Education

• Health and Human Development
• Physical Education

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Languages LOTE

• French
• German
• Japanese

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Humanities

• Accounting
• Business Management
• Geography
• History
• Legal Studies

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Science

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Physics
• Psychology

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Mathematics

• General Maths
• Further Maths
• Maths Methods
• Specialist Maths

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Technology

• Information Technology (Units 12)
• IT Applications (Units 34)
• Information Systems (Units 34)
• Design and Technology
• Food Technology
• Systems and Technology

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Most Studies are offered from Units 1-4

• Units 1 2 are usually done at Year 11
• Units 3 4 are usually done at Year 12
• Units 3 4 are studied as a sequence
• One Unit 3 4 subject may be done at Year 11,
  subject to approval

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Doing a Unit 3 4 subject in Year 11

• In Year 10 a high level of achievement overall
  must be demonstrated
• A positive preparatory experience for Year 12
• ATAR (ENTER) score can be enhanced
• Evidence of strength in the particular study,
  although it perhaps should not be the students
  best subject
• Some Unit 3 4 subjects have clear links with
  the Unit 1 2 outcomes

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VCE provides flexibility

• Wide selection of subjects from many fields
• Units 1 2 do not have to be done as a sequence,
  although they often are
• VCAA stipulates Unit 3 4 subjects do not have
  Unit 1 2 as prerequisites, although it is
  advised that you complete associated units
• Students can refine their thoughts about future
  pathways by choosing widely

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Timeline for Year 10 Students

• August 24
• September 4

• On-line subject selection opens
• On-line subject selection closes
• Return Subject Selection sheets

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What to consider when choosing subjects

• What students are interested in
• What students are good at
• Choose subjects which will keep a range of
  options open
• Prerequisites for university courses
• Availability

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English

• It is expected that students will successfully
  complete Units 1-4
• VCE certificate can be obtained with only 3 Units
  of English
• ATAR(ENTER) score, admission to tertiary study
  will need Units 3 4, studied as a sequence,
  completed in one year
• Many university courses have a minimum English
  study score as a prerequisite
• At BHS Literature is taken in addition to English

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English as a Second Language

• This subject is offered subject to demand.
  Students may choose to take this subject if
• They have been a resident of Australia less than
  seven years
• English has been the language of instruction for
  no more than seven years

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Mathematics Which Maths to Choose?

• This depends on the students capacity to study
  Mathematics
• Students interest in Mathematics
• Year 10 grades/ Year 10 Maths group
• University prerequisites
• Maths is not compulsory at VCE, although it may
  enhance future pathway options
• Mathematics Faculty information booklet in
  Information pack
• Seek advice

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Some Mathematics options..

• Year 11
• General Maths 12
• General Maths12
• General Maths12 Maths Methods(CAS)12
• General Maths 12 Maths Methods(CAS) 12

• Year 12
• Further Maths 34
• Maths Methods(CAS) 34
• Maths Methods(CAS) 34
• Specialist Maths 34

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Assessment

• S Satisfactory completion of a Unit
• Based on the achievement of outcomes Knowledge
  and skills
• Prescribed by the VCAA

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Assessment

• Coursework assessment graded A - E
• Year 11 school based assessment
• Year 12 school based and external examinations
• In Year 12, 30 - 50 of assessment is school
  based

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Unit Results

• S or N
• S Satisfactory completion
• All outcomes have been demonstrated
• N Not satisfactory
• Where all outcomes have not been demonstrated
• Where attendance requirements have not been met

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Attendance requirements

• At least 90 of lessons must be attended to pass
• That is, a maximum of 10 of unexplained absences
• Doctors certificate/ letter from home if
  assessment task is missed. (Task will have to be
  completed at another time.)
• Where co-curricula activities take students from
  class, the work missed still needs to be
  completed

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Co-curricula activities

• VCE is important but other areas of school life
  offer further enrichment
• Music
• Sport and Sports leadership
• Debating
• Drama
• SRC

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VCE A summary

• 2 year course
• Wide subject choice
• 12 Units at Year 11
• 10 Units at Year 12
• English is compulsory
• Three Unit 3 4 sequences in addition to English
  3 4

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Blackburn High School VCE Information Pack

• Year 10 to 11 Course Selection Proforma
• Information booklets from universities
• VCAA Where to Now?

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Additional Information

• Blackburn High School VCE Handbook (available
  on-line at the school web-site)
• VTAC Courselink euclid.vtac.edu.au/courselink/welc
  ome.htm
• VICTOR 2012
• Available through VTAC

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• Thank you for Attending the Evening
• Are there any Questions?