Senior School

Year 10 Overview

In Year 10 the curriculum choices expand to meet the broadening interests and capabilities of the students. Increased self-reliance is fostered as students become more mature and independent.

High-achieving students are offered advanced study options. This includes the opportunity for Year 10 students to study one Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) subject. During the Middle School years, the College begins to focus on and explore the students’ post-college future. Guided by the Managed Individual Pathways Program (MIP’s), students learn to use career development tools.

They receive course counselling and subject selection advice tailored to their individual preferences and abilities. In Year 10, the MIP’s Program provides students with further guidance and advice on pathway choices. Students have the opportunity to participate in work experience.

This is a critical stage in secondary education and the College focuses on supporting students to choose appropriate pathways through VCE, VCE VM, VET and beyond in tertiary studies (University/TAFE) or employment.

Please refer to the Year 10 Handbook for more detailed information about Year 10 courses.

Also, find translated information here:

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VCE

What is the VCE?

The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) is a recognised course of study that provides pathways for students into employment, TAFE, and tertiary institutions. Students are assessed and ranked, and it is this Australian Tertiary Admission Ranking (ATAR) that is required for university entrance.

To obtain a VCE, students must satisfactorily complete at least 16 units of study including:

• Three units from the English curriculum area with at least one Unit 3 & 4 sequence.
• Three sequences of Unit 3 & 4 (or VET equivalent) other than English.

Who should do the VCE?

• Students who are realistically seeking a university pathway should do their VCE.
• Students who have a proven track record in their English studies.
• Students who prefer to work independently.
• Students who can complete the minimum number of hours of homework per night, ie., 3 hours in VCE Year 12.
  NB. Students aiming for a high ATAR will study for 4-5 hours, as a minimum, per day, in addition to the extra time they devote to their studies on the weekend.
• Students who are well equipped to devote the time and energy to the production of sustained written responses to prompts in all subjects.
• Students who passionately conceptualise and produce folios reflecting their creativity.
• Students who are prepared to challenge themselves and are able to comprehend abstract concepts.
• Students who achieve satisfactory results in tests and exams and have demonstrated the capacity to prepare for their exams.
• Students with excellent organisation and time management skills.
• Students who are prepared inside and outside of class to work intensively with their teachers.

• Students who are prepared to devote a significant amount of time to their studies over school holiday periods and attend holiday classes if and when required.

VCE Assessment

Outcomes

Every unit has learning outcomes that are obtained through a set of varied activities directly related to the areas of study. The classroom teacher (using a range of assessment methods) is responsible for assessing outcomes.

• Units 1 & 2 in the VCE are graded differently from Units 3 & 4.
• Students completing a Unit 1 & 2 subject will receive an overall mark of S (Satisfactory) or N (Not Satisfactory) for every unit they undertake.
• For Unit 3 & 4 students’ work is graded on a scale from A+ to E. These marks are used with students external exam results to calculate a study score, which is used to determine their Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR).
• Each unit of the VCE study has a number of learning outcomes that are assessed by tasks that are common to all students.
• An N for any one of these gives the student an N for the unit. It is from the study’s outcomes that satisfactory (S) or not satisfactory (N) completion of a unit is determined.

Graded Assessment Tasks

For students undertaking Units 1 & 2, there will be graded tasks in each unit. Students will also be required to sit a school based examination at the end of each unit.

For students undertaking Units 3 & 4, there will be School Assessed Coursework (SAC), School Assessed Tasks (SAT) and/or Externally Assessed Tasks for each unit. In each unit there will be a combination of school assessed work and examinations that are assessed directly by the VCAA.

Grades will be awarded on the scale A+, A, B+, B, C+, C, D+, D, E+, E, UG or NA. All marks and grades awarded by the school are conditional and may change as a result of statistical moderation conducted by the VCAA.

Calculating the ATAR

ATAR stands for Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank, so it is a rank – not a score. It is represented as a number between 0 and 99.95 in intervals of 0.05, with 99.95 being the highest rank.

Because the ATAR is a rank, there is no pass or fail ATAR. Everyone who receives an ATAR has successfully passed the VCE. The ATAR simply demonstrates each student’s achievement in relation to all other students in the Year 12 age group. For example someone receiving an ATAR of 55, has performed better than 55 per cent of the Year 12 age group that year.

Subjects aren’t scaled because of how ‘hard’ or ‘easy’ we think they are. In reality, every subject is scaled in the same way: based on the strength of the competition in a particular year. VCE Study Scores are standardised rankings, or relative positions, reported on a scale between 0 and 50, with a middle ranking of 30. So, a student with a Study Score of 30 has performed better than half the students in that subject for that year. Scaling is applied to determine the difficulty in achieving the middle ranking – the median study score of 30 – in each subject.

Take Economics as an example. To scale this subject The Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) looks at all of the students that took Economics this year and calculates the average of each of these students, across all of their other VCE studies. Where the average study score of a subject is above the mean (30), then the study is scaled up, because it shows that those students performed above average overall, meaning that there was higher competition in Economics – it was harder to get that middle score of 30. If Economics students performed below average in all of their other studies, then Economics would scale down, because that shows us that there was less competition in Economics this year. Check out the ‘ABC of Scaling’ for more information about the scaling process.

http://www.vtac.edu.au/files/pdf/publications/abcofscaling.pdf

An ATAR aggregate is calculated by adding:

• the scaled study score in any one of the English studies, plus
• the scaled study scores of the student’s next best three permissible studies, plus
• 10 per cent of the scaled study score for a fifth study (where available), plus
• 10 per cent of the scaled study score for a sixth study (where available).

The aggregate will be converted into a ranking of between 0 and 99.95 (the ATAR).

Specific Advice for You

Current Year 10 Students Transitioning into a VCE Year 11

Current Year 10 students wishing to enrol in a VCE program must choose 6 VCE Unit 1 and 2 subjects.

Students can also select a VCE-VET (Cranbourne VET) to include into their program. A VCE-VET (Cranbourne VET) can be selected in place of one Unit 1 and 2 subject.

Maths is not a compulsory subject but it is highly recommended for students who are unsure about their career pathway.

Students are planning a two year study program. The majority of students will study 6 subjects in VCE Year

In VCE Year 12 students complete 5 subjects. Students need to include prerequisites for any university or TAFE courses that they intend to pursue. Students should visit the VTAC website to complete research into course prerequisites.

Year 11 VCE students can choose a Cranbourne VET program (NOT a SELLEN VET) as one of their subjects.

Upon successful completion of a Cranbourne VET program, a student will receive the nationwide Certificate level qualification for that program. Some VET subjects can be calculated as part of the final ATAR score. For more about VET studies, please refer to the VET section in the Senior Years Handbook or speak to our VET Coordinator.

Some VCE students might have a slightly unusual program – for example, if a student is enrolled in an external language study, or they are completing additional units or they are completing a course over three years. *If this is your situation, you need to speak directly to the Head of VCE to discuss the implications of this for your subject selection.

The VCE Vocational Major is a vocational and applied learning program within the VCE designed to be completed over a minimum of two years. The VCE VM will give students greater choice and flexibility to pursue their strengths and interests and develop the skills and capabilities needed to succeed in further education, work and life.

It prepares students to move into apprenticeships, traineeships, further education and training, university (via non-ATAR pathways) or directly into the workforce. The purpose of the VCE VM is to provide students with the best opportunity to achieve their personal goals and aspirations in a rapidly changing world by:

• equipping them with the skills, knowledge, values and capabilities to be active and informed citizens, lifelong learners confident and creative individuals; and
• empowering them to make informed decisions about the next stages of their lives through real-life workplace experiences.

The VCE VM curriculum (Literacy, Numeracy, Personal Development Skills and Work Related Skills) is engaging, and based on real life. It gives students in-demand skills needed for the future world of work.
Applied learning teaches skills and knowledge in the context of ‘real life’ experiences. Students apply what they have learnt by doing, experiencing and relating acquired skills to the real-world. It enables flexible, personalised learning where teachers work with students to recognise their strengths, interests, goals, and experiences.

This is a shift from the traditional focus on a discrete curriculum to a more integrated and contextualised approach to learning. Students learn and apply the skills and knowledge required to solve problems, implement projects or participate in structured workplace learning.
Students must complete a minimum of three other Unit 3–4 sequences as part of their program. Units 3 and 4 of VCE VM studies may be undertaken together over the duration of the academic year to enable these to be integrated.

Please refer to the Senior Years Handbook for more detailed information about Year 11 & 12 courses.

Choosing a VET Course

Students moving into Year 11 VCE may choose to include a VET (Vocational Education and Training) course as part of their studies, whilst those undertaking VCAL MUST choose a VET course as part of theirs.

A VET course provides a nationally recognised qualification and may lead to employment or further training in the area. Some VET courses are also eligible to be counted towards the final VCE ATAR score where the student undertakes a scored assessment of the course.

VET courses are delivered by TAFE or other Registered Training Organisations (including schools) but are quite different to the type of work done as a “school” subject. All VET courses have both theory and practical components and students must be prepared and able to complete both components of the course. VET courses are assessed according to competency – that is, the student can demonstrate the ability to do or understand the material in the unit being covered. Students who select a VET need to be aware that they are making a commitment to a 2-year course of study. Students must also realise that they are expected to display the maturity, responsibility and confidence to successfully participate in an adult learning environment.

The VET subjects that can be chosen are slightly different for VCE and VCAL students. The VET subjects listed in the following section are available for Year 11 and Year 12 VCE students to choose from. These courses will run (subject to student numbers) at either Cranbourne Secondary College or Lyndhurst Secondary College (Automotive).

VCAL students may choose from these VET courses, but will also have the opportunity to choose from a much wider range of courses from a group called the SELLEN cluster. Please refer to the Senior School Handbook for a list of SELLEN VET subjects that are currently on offer.

Students who choose a SELLEN course must be able to get themselves independently to the venue of the course.

If a Year 11 VCAL student has already successfully completed a VET course, they may choose to undertake another course or to undertake two days work placement for their Year 12 VCAL course. Most VET courses are two years, so they will only be able to complete part of the course but will receive credit for units successfully completed in any further study.

Cranbourne Cluster VET Courses (for VCE or VCE VM students)

These courses are available to BOTH VCE and VCE VM students. Students who want to take up a VET course not listed here must do VCE VM.

• Certificate 2 Automotive
• Certificate 2 Building and Construction
• Certificate 2 Dance
• Certificate 3 Kitchen Operations
• Certificate 3 Information, Digital Media and Technology
• Certificate 3 Sport and Recreation

Sellen VET Courses

As the list is extensive, students can speak with the VET coordinator (in the V Block Careers office) for SELLEN VET courses.

Please refer to the Senior School Handbook for more detailed information.

Young Parents in Education Program (YPEP) TEAM

Overview of Program

Who is YPEP for?

Young parents (pregnant or with babies) aged 15-20 who want to continue their secondary schooling. Babies up to the age of 12 months are welcome in the classroom too.

The YPEP Room

The YPEP Room sits in the centre of the school and feels like a special haven just for student-parents and their babies. There is a kitchen and space for babies to feed, play and sleep in addition to the student learning area. It’s like a childcare centre and a classroom rolled into one!

Education and Beyond

Hi, I’m the YPEP teacher, Michelle. I love getting to know students and developing education plans around their strengths and goals.

In YPEP, our learning is personalised, relevant and flexible.

The YPEP team also includes Wellbeing and Transition Coaches who support students with things like Centrelink, family and legal matters, health and wellbeing and employment.

Parenting Support

Hi, I’m Kathrine, the YPEP Early Parenting Support Practitioner.

With my personal experience as a young parent, my utmost passion lies in supporting young parents in their crucial mentoring journey. I possess the knowledge and hands-on experience in early childhood development, particularly working with infants and young children. This enables me to offer valuable guidance on essential parenting skills, including education on nutrition for optimal baby health, establishing feeding and sleeping routines, and emphasising the significance of play in their growth and development.

Find out if this Program is for you

• Fill in an enrolment enquiry
• Contact the Wellbeing and Transition Coaches to discuss the Program and arrange a tour. Details below.

Want to find out more?

Jennifer Orlandi

• jennifer@sellen.org.au
• 0474 546 382, (M-F 9.00 am-3.00 pm)

Kirstie Leach

• kirstie@sellen.org.au
• 0405 941 437, (M, T, T 9.00 am-3.00 pm)