Welcome parents to the VCE Motivation Group.
We thank you for taking the time to visit our website and hope that we can provide value to you during your childs VCE Period.
Bellow is a comprehensive guide to the Victorian Certificate of Education designed to help you better understand how to support your child through the entire process.
If there are any ongoing queries or concerns that you may have, please do not hesitate to contact us via our email, social media or our website.
We wish you and your child the best of luck!
ATAR - Australian Tertiary Admission Rank.
As a parent you will have most likely heard of ATAR. It is the most common term used nation wide when it comes to student rankings. ATAR ranges from, less than 30 to 99.95 and places students in a precise position in regard to their academic performance.
ATAR is also used by many universities to both offer and accept applicants into various degrees, in particular those of a highly competitive nature.
SAC - School Assessed Coursework
Another word that you may hear at home is SAC or SACS. They seem ominous but in reality are simply another word tests and assessments during VCE, in both Unit 1&2 and Unit 3&4.
UNIT 1&2 vs UNIT 3&4
Perhaps the most confusing part of VCE from the outset, Unit 1&2 vs Unit 3&4 are really simple once understood.
Units 1&2 are generally completed in year 11 and examination/ SAC results from these subjects are not included in your childs final study score. They do however give the school an indication regarding your childs progress in the subject.
Units 3&4 are the real deal. Generally you complete them in Year 12, however some students choose to complete them in year 11. All examination/ SAC marks throughout the year will be used to calculate your final subject score (study score).
STUDY SCORE
The most appropriate way to think of the study score is as the 'grade' or 'mark' a VCE student receives in a particular subject. There are two variations of study score, the raw study score and the scaled study score. This relates to the concept of scaling which will be explained in greater detail bellow, however only the scaled study score will be used to calculate ATAR.
GAT - General Achievement Test
Something that most parents often do not get told about is the GAT. The GAT is compulsory a mid-year assessment completed by all students in Victoria who are completing a Unit 3&4 subject that year.
For most students the GAT is not an important examination as in 'normal' situations it is not taken into account when calculating final VCE results and ATAR. However if for some reason your child is not able to complete the end of year examinations due to some unforeseen circumstance, the GAT is used to as a reference point to predict how your child would have done in the exam.
The GAT is comprised of 3 main sections: Writing Task 1, Writing Task 2, 70 Multiple choice questions. It is completed at your childs school and the length of the assessment is 3 hours and 15 minutes. Click Here to see past GAT papers.
Depending on the age of your child, the subject selection process may be a VERY important planning stage in your childs VCE. The subject selection process for VCE usually occurs in year 9 in preparation for years 10, 11, 12.
As a parent this can be an incredibly stressful time as you may feel an urge to help you child select the best possible subjects and this is 100% normal. In fact it is a testament to your pro-active and available parenting.
There are a few things to be aware of in the process which may be easily overlooked.
If there is one piece of advice we give to parents it is to teach your children the importance of having a dream when entering VCE - a goal that they would personally like to achieve in the form of a potential career plan.
Please note, that inadvertently pressuring your children into a particular career is in fact counterproductive and often leads to significant levels of stress and depression in later years of high school. It also creates a level of toxicity and destroys children's self confidence and self motivation. Over the years the level of regret expressed by parents is unbelievable and saddening as an organisation we condemn these actions wholeheartedly.
Instead in line with the VCAA's approach to careers we insist that parents provide a supportive and guiding level of attention to their child, answering any questions they may have while supporting and discussing their options openly.
A great option that is available is for your child to do a Unit 3&4 subject in year 11. Many Victorian Students complete at least one Unit 3/4 subject in year 11. It provides an insight into VCE and how SACs and Exams work. It also allows students to better understand how they deal with stress and create strategies to manage their time and resources more efficiently.
Please note that your child is not entitled to do a 3/4 subject in year 11 - THE SCHOOL MUST APPROVE SELECTIONS. This decision is primarily based upon subject results in both years 9 and 10, as well as your childs subject average in relation to other students in the year level.
Additionally, be aware that at any point during VCE (especially during unit 1&2) your childs school has reserved the right to suspend your progress into Unit 3&4 if they feel that your child is underperforming. It is very common for schools to do so. In the event that this happens, your child will be removed from the subject and be given the opportunity to complete the subject again the following year.
For more information regarding this process it is best to contact your childs school's careers advisor.
The following are common Unit 3&4 subjects that students complete in year 11. We present them in the themes that follow:
Math's:
There are two options in math's which schools generally allow.
Further Math's
Math's Methods
Humanities / Business:
Business Management
History Revolutions
Science:
Psychology
Biology
Health and Human Development
Languages:
There are heaps of languages to choose from in VCE so if you speak at home or study one at school definitely explore the option of doing it in yr 11.
For Example:
Mandarin (Chinese Simplified)
Latin
Sinhala
Italian
Tamil
French
Arabic
Greek
VET/ TAFE Subjects:
VET subjects are those which are not very academically demanding, and often used as a 6th subject to fill up space in year 11.
The advantage of doing a VET subject is that it allows your child to reprioritise their time to their more demanding subjects, however lessons are often off campus at a TAFE or other training institution, they may be after school hours too.
There are a couple common VET Subjects:
VET Furnishing - Working with wood, creating projects and submitting them for assessment.
VET Engineering - Similar to furnishing however instead working with wood.
VET Hospitality - Simulating the restaurant business, breaking down food service, customer service and business operations
VET Creative Digital Media - Working on graphic design using computer programs and various illustration programs.
Psychology
Math's Methods
Health and Human Development
Business Management
Biology
Chemistry
Physical Education
Legal Studies
English
English as an Additional Language (EAL)
English Language
Literature
Further Mathematics
Mathematical Methods
Specialist Mathematics
Biology
Chemistry
Environmental Science
Physics
Psychology
Accounting
Business Management
Economics
Industry and Enterprise
Legal Studies
Ancient History
Australian History
Australian Politics
Classical Studies
Geography
Global Politics
Philosophy
Religion and Society
Revolutions
Sociology
Test and Traditions
Art
Media
Studio Arts
Visual Communication Design
Dance
Drama
Musical Investigation
Musical Performance
Music style and composition
Theatre Studies
Health and Human Development
Outdoor and Environmental Studies
Physical Education
RECENT PARENTS THOUGHTS: