The VCE at Camberwell Grammar School

1
The VCE at Camberwell Grammar School

• Choosing the Right Subjects

2
Outline of Talk

• A The VCE at CGS
• B Choosing subjects
• C The process

3
The VCE at CGS Support

• Mr P Hutton (VCE Yr 12)
• Mr D Ramalingam (VCE Yr 11)
• Mrs K Larn (Careers Counsellor)
• Ms P Clarke (Student Counsellor)
• Mr J Dowse (Head of Senior School and Deputy
  Headmaster)
• Mr G Pountney (Director of Administration)
• Mr J Tuckfield (Director of Studies)

4
The VCE at CGS Basic Requirements

• To complete the VCE, a student must satisfy
• At least 3 units of any English subject
  (including at least a Unit 3 4 sequence)
• Plus
• At least 3 unit 34 sequences
• At least 16 units overall
• Points
• A unit is a semester of a subject
• A sequence is a year of two units of a subject

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The VCE at Camberwell Grammar School

• In Year 11
• 7 subjects every semester
• 1 MUST be one of the English sequences
• You may apply to study one Unit 3 4 subject

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The VCE at Camberwell Grammar School

• In Year 12
• 5 subjects (6 for very able students)
• 1 MUST be one of the English sequences
• You may apply to study a University Enhancement
  subject as a 6th subject

7
Choosing subjects Choosing subjects on a
flexible three-year plan

• Begin with the end in mind
• There are opportunities to amend choices during
  Year 11(such as the mid-year)

• University
• TAFE
• Work
• Other

Year 11 7 subjects (1 Unit ¾)
Year 12 5 or 6 subjects
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Choosing subjects for Year 11

• Subjects should be chosen for a balance of
  breadth and depth
• A good breadth and diversity of subjects gives
  options and broadens educational experience.
• Depth is served by choosing similar subjects that
  students are good at and that might lead to a
  Tertiary course.

9
Choosing subjects Criteria

• Do choose the subjects that you like you will
  more likely do well in these
• Do choose subjects that you are good at
• Do choose subjects you need for Tertiary courses
• You are making decisions this year for next year
  important to start thinking of the longer term
• Dont choose a subject just because it gets
  scaled up

10
Choosing subjects Scaling

• Scaling is the way the VCE copes with subjects of
  varying degrees of competition
• Subjects that are regarded as more competitive
  are scaled up
• The aim is a level playing field a fair return
  for choosing more challenging subjects
• This means what you may gain in a scaled up
  score, you will probably pay for in extra time
  spent on the subject

11
Choosing subjects Scaling

• Lets consider the results of a subject in Year
  12 such as Chemistry which scales up by about 5

12
Choosing subjects Scaling

• The scaling might look like this

13
Choosing subjects Current results as a guide

• Students should be doing well in subjects that
  they wish to undertake in Year 11.
• The depth in your Year 11 subject combination
  requires good results in those subjects in Year
  10.
• For example, if a student wanted to do Biology
  and Chemistry then we would look at his Science
  grade at year 10.

14
Choosing a Unit 3 4 subject

• We advise that you not choose your strongest
  subject to undertake at a Unit 3 4 level in
  Year 11
• Students need to have a C grade average overall
  and a B grade in the related year 10 subject
• Only one Unit 3 4 subject may be chosen at Year
  11

15
Choosing subjects English/ Chinese /Indonesian
as a Second Language

• By Application ONLY
• Based on country of residence, language of
  schooling, years of schooling
• Proof required passport, birth certificates and
  school reports
• Unless you have submitted the application to
  determine your status you can not be placed in an
  ESL, CSL or ISL class.

16
The process of subject selection

• Students will enter their choices online on the
  school intranet
• It will be an ongoing process of research,
  discussion and decision during term 3.
• The process will involve the student, tutor and
  Head of House, subject teachers, careers
  counsellor and of course, parents and guardians.

17
The process of subject selection

• Students should be aware of Tertiary course
  prerequisites in choosing subjects (Mrs Larn to
  elaborate)
• Unit 3 4 and External subjects have to be
  applied for (forms online)
• Students who have performed poorly in a subject
  in the first semester may only choose the related
  subject in Year 11 if they improve significantly
  in this semester.

18
The process of subject selection
19
The schedule of subject selection

• Initial online entry of subject choices starts
  this week
• Initial subject selections by Week 4 (6th Aug).
  Must be done even if not all seven subjects are
  decided
• Unit 3 4 subject approval should be finalised
  by week 6 (22nd Aug).
• ALL seven subjects must be in by Week 8 (3rd
  Sept)
• Parents and guardians should receive a copy of
  the subject choices in early term 4
• Final confirmation of Year 11 subjects at the end
  of term 4.

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Final points

• We will go through this process together.
• It is important that thoughtful and strategic
  decisions are made this year
• There are opportunities to revise choices along
  the way
• Responsibility is primarily on students to
  continue the process of thinking about their
  future

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CAREERS_at_CAMBERWELL

• Kirsten Larn
• Careers Counsellor

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CAREERS GUIDANCE

• Philosophy guide, inform advise on
  post-secondary pathways
• Indecision understandable, inaction
  unforgivable
• No quick fix career planning is a continuous
  developmental process
• 3 Rs Research Reflect Refine

23
Year 10 Careers Programme

• Careers Unit within the Year 10 Health Human
  Relations course
• Includes identifying occupational interests
  resume building distribution and use of Job
  Guide accessing websites goal setting
• Careers Portfolio developed and to encourage
  its continued use.

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Year 10 Careers Programme

• Careers Night Work Experience Career Talks
  programme
• Introduction to VCE subject selection by Mr
  Ramalingam and Mr Hutton on the OHS training day
  June 2007
• To prepare for subject selection VICTER 2010

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Tertiary Entrance Requirements

• Victorian Tertiary Entrance Requirements (VicTER)
  2010 - Year 10 Tertiary Planner
• Newspaper supplement available 23/7
• Provides details of the prerequisite subjects for
  the majority of courses at University and TAFE
  for entry in 2010
• This information helps to identify subjects
  students may NEED for future courses

26
Subject Selection

• Some golden rules aim for subjects that
• Give Balance/Breadth
• You Enjoy
• You may Need (Prerequisite)
• Are your Strengths
• I call this the BENS principle!

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A word about the VET option

• VET - Vocational Education and Training
• Can be studied alongside VCE e.g CISCO at
  Camberwell Grammar
• CGS is a member of a Cluster of schools
  offering VET

• Possible option as a 7th subject dependent on
  area of study and venue.

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RESOURCES
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AVAILABILITY

• Monday to Friday - book appointments
• Appointments can be made before and after school
  by prior arrangement
• Parents contact me directly or via Head of
  House
• Email address is kel_at_cgs.vic.edu.au

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John TuckfieldDirector of Studies
31
Which English?

• English
• English Language
• Literature
• English as a Second Language

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Which Maths?

• General Mathematics B ? Further Mathematics
• Mathematical Methods 1 2 ? Mathematical Methods
  3 4
• General Mathematics A ? Specialist Mathematics

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Which Maths?

• Be realistic about your ability
• Check which Maths is needed (if any) for your
  university courses
• Speak to your Maths teacher