2010 Subject Selection forms for Year 12 are due August 7

2010 Subject Selection forms for Year 11 are due Thursday August 13

YEAR 11 & 12

VCE

The V.C.E. is a certificate taken over two or more years. Subjects are made up of semester/half year length units of study. Units are at two levels:

• Units 1 & 2
• Units 3 & 4

Most students will attempt 24 -26 units over the two years. Units 3 & 4 must be taken together in all subjects - a student cannot study Unit 3 without studying Unit 4.

To complete the V.C.E., students have to satisfactorily complete 16 units, which must include:

• 4 units from the English group (includes: English, Literature, English Language)
• The rest of the program should be completed according to student ability & interest, taking into account any tertiary prerequisites. Up to 8 units in total may be from the VET in the VCE area

Year 11 VCE students must undertake a full program of 7 Units each semester unless they are enrolled in one of the part time programs requiring extended time away from school. Students are expected to average a Grade of C in any subject they wish to undertake in Year 12.

While highly able Year 11 students are encouraged to undertake a Unit 3 & 4 sequence it must be pointed out that there will  be clashes in their program between Year 11 and Year 12 commitments. VCE students in Year 12 undertake 5 Unit 3 & 4 sequences no matter what their program in Year 11.

Students study Religious Education in Year 11. In Year 12, all VCE students will be part of the Tenete program.

When making your choice you should consider studies that:

• Interest you
• You have performed well in the past
• Lead to employment you find appealing
• Prepare you for further training or tertiary courses that you are considering
• Provide VET recognition

Tenete Program Year 12

The Tenete Program is a Parade College initiative to support Year 12 students in the demanding final year of school. The Program is firmly based on Catholic values and the principles underlying excellent education for boys. Students are assisted with organisation skills, study skills, examination preparation, the transition from school to study or work, reflection and coping skills.

Accelerated Studies

Highly able students are encouraged to undertake a Unit 3/4 sequence in Year 11 but only if they have undertaken the Unit 1 and/ or 2 from the same subject in Year 10. Normally, students may undertake only ONE such sequence in Year 11. This must be approved by the Learning Area Leader. Students would normally be expected to average a B+ for each of their Graded Assessment Tasks in the relevant subject.

It may be possible to gain approval to undertake a second Unit 1 & 2 sequence in Year 11, however students would need approval from both Learning Area Leaders and either Mr. Inglis, the Assistant Principal or Mr Broadbent, the Director of Teaching and Learning.

Students must still undertake a full VCE program in Year 12.

Assessment

The award of satisfactory completion for a unit is based on a decision that the student has demonstrated achievement of the set of outcomes specified for the unit. This decision is based on the teacher's assessment of the student’s overall performance on assessment tasks designated for the unit. The key knowledge and skills listed for each outcome serves as a guide to course design and the development of learning activities.

With respect to the assessment of Outcomes in Units 1 and 2, it is the policy at Parade College to provide a Grade for a Graded Assessment Task (GAT) for the Outcome.

In units 3 & 4, there is a mixture of school based and external assessment. The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority publishes annually an assessment guide which includes advice on the scope of the assessment tasks and the criteria for assessment.

Each subject – or study – has three assessments. In some cases this means two examinations and one school based assessment. In other studies there is one examination and two school based assessments.

These assessments are reported A+ to E; UG. Examination grades and school assessment grades are reported separately. Subjects receive a score out of 50.

Subject Choices and ENTER restrictions

When choosing subject combinations, students are advised that certain combinations may disadvantage them in achieving an optimal ENTER ranking.  The calculation of the ENTER rank uses the student's 4 best subject scores, plus 10% of the student's next 2 best scores.  Where a student chooses more than two subjects from the following groupings, only 2 of those scores may count in the top 4, not matter what the student's other scores:

• Mathematics: Further Mathematics; Mathematical Methods (CAS); Specialist Mathematics
• English: English; Literature; English Language
• Music: Music Styles; Music Performance - Group; Music Performance - Solo; VET Music Industry Skills
• VET: Only two VET courses may be counted.  
  N.B. Many VET courses are ineligible for a Study Score: please read the subject description carefully.

Students are therefore advised against taking more than two subjects from within any of the above groupings.

The English Requirement

There is a group of English studies consisting of English/ESL, English Language, and Literature. The three units from the group of English studies that are required for satisfactory completion of the VCE may be selected from:

No more than two units of English/ESL Units 1 and 2 may be counted towards the English requirement.

Students who satisfactorily complete more than one Unit 3 and 4 sequence from the English group may count the additional sequence(s) as a sequence/sequences other than the compulsory English. The following table sets out some possible unit combinations. Students can complete more than the four minimum units in combination.

VCE & VET SUBJECTS

Please click here to view VCE & VET subject offerings.

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VET

VCE VET programs are vocational studies approved by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority as appropriate for senior secondary school students. VCE VET programs lead to nationally recognised qualifications, thereby offering students the opportunity to gain both the VCE and a nationally portable vocational education and training certificate.

VCE VET programs are fully recognised within the unit 1–4 structure of the VCE and therefore contribute towards satisfactory completion of the VCE. VCE VET units have equal status with other VCE studies, however, only two unit 3 / 4 courses may contribute towards VCE eligibility. VCE VET programs function within the National Training Framework.

Students accessing VET offerings are required to pay a VET levy (per course).  All VET courses (expect Community Recreation) run from either 7.30am - 11am or 1.30pm - 5.30pm.  Due to timetabling issues, students may undertake a maximum of 2 VET courses in a VCE program, as many of the courses will run concurrently.

VET Offerings At Parade College

Parade College offers the following courses - many of them at the new Edmund Rice Trade and Training Centre - subject to student demand and staff availability:

Students intending to undertake a VET in the VCE course should investigate the pathway offered in the College. Some courses begin at Year 10 level. In addition, there are traineeships, additional TAFE courses not recognised in the VCE and New Apprenticeships, which the College facilitates on a case-by-case basis.

VCAL

Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL)

The Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) is a senior school certificate designed to sit alongside the VCE, providing additional pathways for Years 11 and 12 students seeking vocationally oriented career options such as apprenticeships, traineeships, further education and training or moving on to employment. Students either enrol in VCAL or the VCE. Students cannot be enrolled in both.

There will be strictly limited places in this certificate. Any student who has any inclination towards university entrance beyond school should not apply for the VCAL. An application process, selection criteria, student interview, parent interview and availability will determine whether students may enrol in the VCAL.

Click here for more information about the subjects offered under VCAL

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