Year 12

Private & Supervised Study

Depending on their timetable requirements, students in Year 11 and 12 will be eligible for study sessions. These are divided into two different types of study, explained as follows:

Private Study: During private study, students can obtain permission to sign out (a permission slip signed by parent/carer is required once per semester) and leave the school premises. These sessions are generally timetabled at the start or end of the day, removing the need for students to leave and then return to school later. In essence, they provide later starts and early finishes for some days. Students are encouraged to discuss their options with family to decide on the best use of this time. Some common options include:

• • Personal study - at home or a local library.

  • Study groups - many students will choose to meet and collaborate

  • Part time work - starting earlier can allow students to get home from work with time to relax and study

  • Exercise - during winter, daylight hours are limited, many students can get some exercise in early and then study later.

  • Socialise - everyone needs a break, sometimes doing so earlier in the day can also allow students to come home earlier and maintain an effective routine.

  • Catch up - missing an assessment or study session because of sport, illness or other commitments can be stressful. Private study sessions can be a good time to book in a catch up session.

Supervised Study: Where a student's timetable requires a study session during the middle of the day, students are not permitted to leave the site and then return again later. For this reason, supervised study is enforced. Students are provided with a study space and must have their attendance recorded. Teachers also reserve the right to schedule missed assessments during these times with the expectation that the student will be in attendance. If students have missed an assessment, they should assume that they will be asked to sit it during their next available study session - however if the task is longer in duration than the study session permits, an after school catch up may be required.

Failure to attend study sessions can result in detentions or ineligibility to attend extra curricular activities.

Study Scores and ATAR

Study Scores

For each VCE Unit 3&4 sequence completed, students can sit the final examination to obtain a 'study score'. Study scores are actually a ranking out of 50, based on ranking student performance across the state in the given subject. Although there are variations, a study score is typically awarded based on the following:

• Unit 3 result (school assessed - usually 25% of total result)

• Unit 4 result (school assessed - usually 25% of total result)

• Examination result (statewide common assessment - usually 50% of total result)

Students completing VCE subjects as a part of their VCE-VM certificate will not receive a study score for their subject, they will be marked based on their understanding of Outcomes stated within the study design.

To learn more about study scores, click here.

Examples of study scores

ATAR

For students completing VCE and wanting direct entry to university, an ATAR is generally the best option. There are many misconceptions about the ATAR and it is important that families seek clarity from reliable sources to avoid unnecessary anxiety.

The ATAR is not a score out of 100 – it is a rank. It shows a student's achievement in relation to other students.

The ATAR is calculated using the following:

• VTAC scaled study score in one of English, English Language, Literature or English as an Additional Language (EAL)

• The next best three VTAC scaled study scores permissible; and

• 10% of the fifth and sixth permissible scores that are available.

To learn more about ATAR, click here.