VCAA
The VCAA is a statutory authority established under the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic) (see Victorian legislation). The VCAA’s vision is to be a global education leader and its mission is to provide high-quality curriculum, assessment and reporting to enable learning for life. Refer to the VCAA Strategic Plan 2021–25.
The VCAA Board is responsible for the governance of the VCAA and acts within the scope of the functions, powers and obligations conferred upon it by the Education and Training Reform Act and other relevant legislation. The VCAA Board consists of 8 to 15 members, one of whom is the Secretary of the Department of Education or their representative. The Governor in Council appoints the remaining members on the nomination of the Minister for Education. Schedule 2 of the Education and Training Reform Act sets out general provisions for government education authorities, including the VCAA.
Responsibilities of the VCAA
As set out in section 2.5.3(1) of the Education and Training Reform Act, the VCAA is responsible for:
- developing high-quality courses and curriculum and assessment products and services
- carrying out functions as a body registered with the VRQA
- providing linkages that will facilitate movement between courses.
Functions and powers
The functions and powers of the VCAA are set out in Part 2.5 of the Education and Training Reform Act, particularly sections 2.5.3 and 2.5.5.
VCAA’s quality assurance programs
The VCAA conducts several quality assurance processes to ensure the integrity of VCE results. Schools and VCE providers agree to participate in relevant audits when approved to deliver the VCE. If selected, sufficient notice is provided to enable them to participate.
VCE Languages eligibility audit
The criteria for eligibility for EAL and Second Languages are independent of each other. In either case, the student must provide evidence of their eligibility to enrol in a VCE Second Language study or EAL.
The VCAA will then audit the evidence to:
- monitor school procedures
- monitor documentation that supports each student’s application
- establish standards of best practice
- ensure that students are correctly enrolled in the appropriate study.
Schools may be asked by the VCAA to provide responses to questions presented in questionnaire format about school procedures as well as home school and assessing school communications.
School-based assessment audit
School-based assessment is an essential feature of the VCE, allowing for local flexibility in teaching and assessment practice. The VCAA’s ongoing monitoring and quality assurance program for the VCE can request an audit of assessment tasks for school-based assessment in each VCE study, including VCE VM studies and scored VCE VET units.
The VCAA’s audit of school-based assessment is conducted in line with the powers set out in sections 2.5.3 and 2.5.5 of the Education and Training Reform Act and the requirements set out in section 4.1.2 of the VRQA Guidelines for the Registration of Awarding Bodies and the Accreditation of Senior Secondary and Foundation Secondary Courses.
Schools providing the VCE must deliver the course to the standards established by the VCAA and ensure the integrity of student assessments and compliance with its requirements for the relevant assessment program. The standards and requirements for school-based assessment are stated in the assessment specifications set out in the relevant VCE study design and the VCE assessment principles. The school-based assessment audit checks that schools comply with these requirements.
Schools should support teachers whose studies are being audited throughout this process.
The audit examines school-based assessments for compliance with requirements and identifies instances of irregularities where VCAA requirements have not been followed. The audit findings assist in planning the VCAA assessment advice and professional development support for teachers. Schools will receive feedback on the audit’s findings.
In the event of an instance of serious non-compliance, the VCAA will determine whether disciplinary or other procedures will apply.
For more information about the 3 VCE audit programs visit:
Audit of examination centres and observations of external assessments
The VCAA periodically visits each school permitted to host VCE external assessments. Audits occurring outside VCE external assessment periods check processes that are in place for conducting and administering external assessments and ensure that VCAA requirements, including security requirements, are being met. In addition, the VCAA may visit a school during a VCE external assessment period to monitor the conduct and administration of the assessment (observation).
VCAA’s management of student records
Security of personal information
The VCAA collects personal information from students to manage their enrolment in the VCE and VET. Personal information is collected from the student through the school or provider and entered on VASS, which retains information for all students enrolled in Victoria. A student record includes the student’s address and contact details, assessment details and any other information relating to their VCE status, for example, any Special Provision.
The VCAA is a Victorian public sector agency that must comply with the Privacy and Data Protection Act.
The VCAA keeps all information collected secure and confidential. Only relevant VCAA staff members who deal with the specific processes for which the information was collected access the information. Students’ personal information is not disclosed to other persons or organisations without students’ knowledge and, where relevant, consent, unless required or permitted by law.
Access to personal information
Under the Privacy and Data Protection Act, students have the right to request access to personal information held about them by the VCAA. Individuals seeking access to personal information held about them by the VCAA should email the VCAA Privacy Officer. In some circumstances, an application under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Vic) may be necessary.
Provision of student assessment records
The VCAA makes records of student results available to students or their nominated representatives in accordance with section 2.5.3(2)(o) of the Education and Training Reform Act. At the end of the year, the VCAA provides a Statement of Results for VCE and VET students.
Further copies of Statements of Results will be made available if the student requests them. Depending on the circumstances, a student may authorise a person to obtain a copy of their results on their behalf. Proof of identity of the student or of the nominated representative will be required at the time of collection. Fees will apply unless there are exceptional circumstances and the VCAA waives the fee. Any other request for student data will be referred to the VCAA for consideration.
Victorian Student Number
The Victorian Student Number (VSN) is a randomly generated 9-digit number assigned to all Victorian students as a unique identifier. Every student under 25 years is assigned a VSN when they first enrol at a Victorian education or training provider or are registered by the VRQA for home schooling. The VSN is different and additional to a student’s VCE student number.
For most students, this occurs when they enrol at a Victorian school in Foundation level. However, a student who does not already have a VSN will be given one when enrolled at a Victorian education or training provider any time before they turn 25 (for example, because they have relocated from interstate or overseas). The VRQA will not register students for home schooling until after their sixth birthday. This includes students enrolled at a government, Catholic or independent school.
VSNs are also provided to students under 25 who are undertaking VET with a TAFE, RTO or ACFE provider.
Students keep the same VSN for their personal information when they change education or training providers in Victoria until they turn 25, after which their VSN record is archived.
Purpose of the VSN
The VSN allows education and training providers to record and monitor the enrolment of students in Victoria, and to track their progress through their school-age years and beyond should they continue into VET. This enables students’ records to be accurately maintained, ensures education and training providers have appropriate levels of resourcing, and allows schools and support services to identify instances of disengagement from the school system while children remain of compulsory school age.
The VSN also provides the Department of Education, the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions, education and training providers, and other relevant parties with a dataset. This dataset is used to conduct analysis and research that can inform operational and policy decisions to improve education and training at an individual provider level and for the Victorian education sector more widely.
Using the VSN
Students need their VSN to:
- enrol at a Victorian school
- enrol in a government-funded or fee-for-service accredited course at a VET provider (VET providers include TAFEs, government and non-government RTOs, and ACFE providers)
- register with the VRQA for home schooling
- apply for Selective Entry High School examinations.
Schools are responsible for supplying the VSN to students, parents and guardians on request. Schools may print a student’s VSN on their student ID card and other correspondence to give students easy access to their own VSN.
For further information about the VSN and the Secretary’s Guidelines on the Victorian Student Number, see The Victorian Student Number on the VCAA website.