Purpose of the Victorian Pathways Certificate

The purpose of the VPC is to:

• equip students with the skills, knowledge, values and capabilities to be active and informed citizens, lifelong learners and confident and creative individuals.
• empower students to make informed decisions about the next stages of their lives by providing them with the best opportunities to achieve their personal goals and introducing them to workplace experiences.

Enrolment Suitability

When enrolling a student into the VPC the individual needs of the student must be considered. Discussions about the certificate’s suitability for a student should be conducted between the school, the student and their family, carer, or legal guardian.

Enrolment into the VPC should be a decision made on a case-by-case basis. It may not be suitable to enrol whole cohorts of students into the VPC.

When course counselling a student on their options for Year 11 and 12, schools should discuss the students’ desired post senior secondary pathway and provide advice on available options upon completion of the VPC.

VPC enrolment may be suitable for a student who:

• has had a highly modified program during their F-10 years
• is re-engaging into the school environment
• has had a transient experience with previous school enrolments
• meets the eligibility for the Program for Students with Disabilities (PSD) / Disability Inclusion Profile
• receives support from the top three levels of the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD): extensive, substantial and supplementary)
• has additional or complex social and wellbeing needs that cannot be supported in the VCE or VCE VM through Special Provision supports.

When enrolling a student in the VPC, schools should consider the student’s:

• previous adjustments in their learning program
• Consideration of a tertiary pathway which requires direct entry into university
• literacy and numeracy levels
• previous engagement in learning

Applied Learning in the F-10

The VCAA’s Victorian Curriculum F-10 states that Year 9–10 students should have the opportunity to engage with the full structure of the Victorian Curriculum F–10. A school’s curriculum plan should demonstrate how, in these years of schooling, schools will provide a structured teaching and learning program across the Learning Areas that includes each of the capabilities.

The school curriculum plan should recognise that in these years of schooling some students begin to focus on areas of specialisation related to both their future schooling and intended pathways beyond school. This can include commencement of aspects of their senior school qualification, such as the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) and Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualifications.

Students who are identified as suitable for the VPC may start the certificate in Year 10 if they require additional time to complete the course. It is not recommended for students to start and complete the VPC in Year 10 as a standalone program.

Entry to VPC studies

There are no prerequisite studies for VPC. The certificate has been designed to be flexible, enabling the individual needs and capabilities of students to be recognised. It is important to note that some students with additional learning needs may require additional resources to enable the successful completion of the learning program and some students may require additional time to achieve learning goals. See Special Provision within the VPC.

Parameters for entry and exit in schools are determined by school regulations and enrolment guidelines. Flexible entry and exit points of non-school VPC providers are determined by the policies and regulations of that education provider in accordance with their VRQA registration requirements.

Specific requirements for VPC studies

A VPC learning program may include a combination of units from the Senior Secondary schedule of offerings (pending authorisation): VPC units

• VCE and VCE Vocational Major units at Units 1, 2, 3 or 4 level
• VET units of competency.

VPC units should be delivered in a flexible manner, and without pre-requisites, they do not need to be delivered sequentially. The VPC has four studies, each containing 4 units, including:.

• Literacy
• Numeracy
• Work Related Skills
• Personal Development Skills.

Minimum requirements

The minimum requirement for the VPC is satisfactory completion of 12 units, which must include:

• at least two units of VPC Literacy (or units from the VCE English group, including VCE Vocational Major Literacy)
• at least two units of VPC Numeracy (or units from the VCE Mathematics group, including VCE Vocational Major Numeracy)
• at least two VPC Personal Development Skills units
• at least two VPC Work Related Skills units.

The remaining four units may include units from the Senior Secondary Certificate such as VCE units, VCE Vocational Major units, VET units and Structured Workplace Learning (SWL) recognition.

Pathways

The VPC is designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge to be able to successfully navigate different aspects of their life post school.  The certificate has embedded flexibility, providing numerous entry points and flexibility in assessment for young people.  On completion of the VPC, students will be able to make informed choices about their pathway post school. Meaningful pathways are created by linking student aspirations and future employment goals to the choice of accredited curriculum, as well as connecting VPC learning programs to work and industry experiences alongside active participation in the community. Incorporating VET units in VPC learning programs, where possible, helps connect students with broader options for work, further education and active community participation.

Possible future pathways for VPC students include:

• completion of the VCE or VCE Vocational Major
• apprenticeships and traineeships
• Vocational Education and Training
• Employment

VPC units are based on an applied learning approach to teaching, ensuring that every student feels empowered to make informed choices about the next stages of their lives through experiential learning and authentic learning experiences.

Applied learning is about nurturing and working with a student in a holistic manner, taking into account their personal strengths, interests, goals and previous experiences to ensure a flexible and independent approach to learning. Applied learning emphasises skills and knowledge that may not normally be the focus of more traditional school curriculums. It also recognises individual differences in ways of learning and post-educational experiences. Real-life application often requires a shift from a traditional focus on discrete curriculum to a more integrated and contextualised approach to learning, as students learn and apply the skills and knowledge required to solve problems, implement projects or participate in the workforce.

Applied learning may also involve students and their teachers working in partnership with external organisations and individuals to access VET and integrated work placements. These partnerships provide the necessary contexts for students to demonstrate the relevance of the skills and knowledge they have acquired in their study and training.

Schools can choose to integrate the VPC studies. This can be done by combining two or more studies. For example, it may be useful for schools to integrate subjects such as Personal Development Skills and Literacy as the module outcomes might be complementary to the type of assessments or projects the students are undertaking both in and outside of the classroom. It may also be beneficial for providing consistency for students, maintaining appropriate staffing, or assisting with timetabling.  The decision to combine the studies is school-based and does not require special permission from the VCAA, however, minimum delivery requirements must be adhered to. These can be found in the VPC Administrative Handbook.

Assessment of VPC studies

Each VPC unit of study has modules with specified learning goals. A VPC unit can only be satisfactorily completed once all modules within that unit have been completed. The VPC studies are standards-based. All assessments for the achievement of learning goals are school-based and assessed through a range of assessment activities and tasks. Schools will report a student’s result for each module to the VCAA as S (Satisfactory) or N (Not Yet Complete).

There are no external assessments of VPC studies. VPC studies do not contribute to the ATAR.

Certification

Upon successful completion of the VPC, students receive a certificate and a Statement of Results.

Successful completion of VET units of competency are recognised by additional statements of attainment or certificates provided by the Registered Training Organisation.

The VCAA Special Provision policy provides students in defined circumstances with the opportunity to participate in and complete their secondary level studies.

The underlying principle of the VCAA Special Provision policy is to ensure students whose learning and assessment programs are affected by disability, illness, impairment or other circumstances are offered the most appropriate, fair and reasonable options to demonstrate their capabilities. Special Provision should provide equivalent, alternative arrangements for students, but not confer an advantage to any student over other students.

Special Provision for classroom learning and school-based assessment

Individual students may need special provision in their learning program to achieve the learning outcomes.

Students who have been granted Special Provision are not exempt from meeting the requirements for satisfactory completion of the VPC, or from being assessed against the learning outcomes for a study. Students are still required to demonstrate their achievement by meeting the learning goals in the curriculum designs.

Types of Special Provision

Special Provision is available to students completing the VPC for classroom learning and school-based assessment. Schools may approve special provisions and arrangements for both classroom learning and school-based assessments to enable students affected by disability, illness, impairment or other circumstances to demonstrate what they know, and to participate in classroom learning. In some cases, alternative assessment strategies may be needed.

Specific eligibility requirements apply for each type of Special Provision. Schools are primarily responsible for determining eligibility and the nature of the provisions granted for Classroom learning and School-based assessments.

Schools must decide on whether to approve school-based provisions. The VCAA recognises that school personnel, due to their knowledge of individual students and their circumstances, can sensitively vary the school assessment programs and learning activities to accommodate student circumstances.

Schools should consult the VCAA if they are unsure about evidence and/or appropriate arrangements.

Special provision for classroom learning and/or school-based assessments can take a range of forms including:

• completing classroom activities and assessment tasks at a different time
• being given extra time to complete work or assessment tasks
• completing a different assessment task or a different type of task
• using technology, aides or other special arrangements to assist with classroom learning or assessment tasks – also referred to as Reasonable Adjustments.

Eligibility for Special Provision

Students may be eligible for Special Provision if, at any time, they are adversely affected in a significant way by:

• an acute or chronic illness (physical or psychological);
• factors relating to personal circumstance;
• an impairment or disability, including learning disorders.

Prolonged absence from school or study is not in itself grounds for Special Provision. However, provisions are available to students experiencing severe hardship that may result in prolonged absence. Students granted Special Provision must still demonstrate satisfactory completion of the outcomes of VPC units. Students absent from school for prolonged periods must still comply with the school’s authentication procedures to demonstrate that they have completed the work and that the work is their own.

Management of students requiring Special Provision

If a student requires Special Provision yet is still deemed to be at risk of not being able to meet the satisfactory completion of the VPC units, the school should develop a management plan or utilise an Individual Education Plan (IEP). One of the first steps in an IEP should be establishing a support group to help the student in undertaking the VPC. Ideally, the support group should be established in the years before the VPC commenced. Similarly, if a student becomes chronically unwell over the course of their VPC, a support group should be established.

The establishment of a support group also provides a focus for the administrative aspects of managing the student’s program of study. In addition, a support group allows for a formal structure through which decisions are made and actions verified. Involvement with a support group presents teachers with an opportunity to become better informed about the medical or personal situations of students.

A support group may include the student, a parent of the student, teacher/s or others nominated as having responsibility for the student, and any aides of the student. If appropriate, the support group should seek the advice of specialist consultants. The principal must ensure that advice from the support group is considered and implemented if it is judged to be consistent with VPC policy.

Adjustments and Support

The principal has the discretion to approve the enrolment of students with additional needs in the VPC. The VCAA does not place restrictions on this discretion. The principal is responsible for advising students of the likelihood of successfully achieving the published unit outcomes and for deciding appropriate arrangements at the school level.

Reasonable adjustments

Under the Disability Standards for Education 2005, students with a disability are entitled to reasonable adjustments to enable them to participate in education on the same basis as other students. An adjustment is considered reasonable if it achieves its aim of making sure a student with a disability can take part in their education on the same basis as students without a disability. Teachers assessing students who have particular needs must maintain the validity and reliability of assessment. Flexible assessment methods in the VPC should be used to allow students to demonstrate the successful completion of learning goals without disadvantage.

Supporting students with additional needs

There are several ways in which schools can make adjustments to assist students with their learning and enable them to be assessed against learning goals. The level of support can include, but is not limited to:

• the provision of highly structured guides, templates, rubrics, and exemplars
• students may require assistance from an aide to effectively engage in the process of learning. If this is required, other assessment provisions, such as additional time to complete tasks, may be required. Assistance from aides may take the form of, working alongside the student when learning or undertaking a task, adjustment of delivery modes accordingly and explaining and prompting as they work
• encouraging and supporting students to learn through interaction and cooperation via discussion, asking questions, giving explanations and presentations, and working cooperatively in pairs or small groups
• prompting or questioning to help guide the student when they are checking the reasonableness, appropriateness, or feasibility of their work/plan/communication/response
• encouraging students to document and report their work in a way they feel most comfortable: orally, in writing, using an audio or video recording, an image or a graphic representation
• providing a variety of flexible, alternative communication modes and alternative methods and mechanisms to demonstrate learning, i.e. students who are hearing impaired may sign their response or for students that require to use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)
• providing additional time for students to demonstrate learning in addition to the nominal hours suggested if required
• use of assistive technology to support students to learn and demonstrate skills and understanding
• provide a variety of alternative tasks for students to experience success.

Assessment within VPC

The award of satisfactory completion for a module is based on whether the student has demonstrated the set of learning goals specified for the module. Teachers should use a variety of learning activities and assessment tasks that provide a range of opportunities for students to demonstrate the learning goals for satisfactory completion of the module. Evidence of achievement of a learning goal must be ascertained through a range of assessment activities and tasks.

Not all students will be able to complete all units in the VPC learning program. However, participation in the VPC and completion of some learning goals will still enable students to demonstrate their skills and success in particular units from the VPC. Students will be recognised for the partial completion of the VPC.

Supporting students unable to complete the VPC with reasonable adjustments

Some students may not be able to complete each learning goal within the VPC units. If they are unable to achieve success within the specified framework of the VPC, they are still able to experience the curriculum alongside other students within a parallel, individualised teaching and learning program. This strategy allows the student to participate in class with their peers and continue social engagement, which is more likely to lead to a positive outcome. In this case, the school would issue its own report on the student’s individual achievement. Each school will decide the most appropriate program for a student.

Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC) Specialist Schools Advice

This section provides advice to specialist schools considering implementing the Victorian Pathways Certificate. For different types of providers of the VPC, this advice will vary, dependent on the needs of the students enrolled.

Qualification: Victorian Pathways Certificate

The Victorian Pathways Certificate is an accredited foundation secondary qualification under the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic). The VPC is aligned to Level 1 of the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) and is designed for students in Years 11 and 12 who would benefit from a more individualised program at a more accessible level than a senior secondary certificate.

The VPC curriculum provides learning based on applied learning principles and a practical pathway into further education, employment, and training. Designed to engage students through the applied learning approach of focusing on the future of the young person, the VPC provides flexibility to meet an individual’s learning needs by building the skills, knowledge, values, and capabilities that enable students to make informed choices about pathways into further education, training and/or employment. Through participation in the VPC students will gain the necessary foundation skills to allow them to make a successful post-schooling transition.

The VPC is designed to be delivered within a flexible duration depending on a student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) and the delivery setting. For some students this may include starting some units in Year 10. Students who participate in the VPC can include units from VCE studies and VCE Vocational Major (VCE VM) studies and units of competency from nationally recognised Vocational Education and Training (VET).

Pathways

The VPC is designed to develop and extend pathways for young people, while providing flexibility for different cohorts. On completion of the VPC, students can make informed choices about future employment or education. Meaningful pathways are created by linking student aspirations and future employment goals to accredited curriculum choice and connecting VPC learning programs to work and industry experiences and active community participation. Including VET in VPC learning programs helps connect students with broader options for work, further education and active community participation.

Possible future pathways for VPC students include:

• employment
• apprenticeships and traineeships
• Vocational Education and Training
• completion of VCE Vocational Major or VCE

Enrolment Suitability

When enrolling a student into the VPC the individual needs of the student must be considered. Discussions about the VPC’s suitability for a student should be conducted between the school, the student and their family.

VPC enrolment may be suitable for a student who:

• meets the eligibility for the Program for Students with Disabilities (PSD)/Disability Inclusion Profile (DIP) Disability Inclusion Profile
• is counted in the top three levels of the NCCD (extensive, substantial and supplementary)
• has had a highly modified program during their F-10 years.

Eligibility to Complete the Certificate

While there are no eligibility requirements for students to enrol in the VPC, a VPC unit is satisfactorily completed once all modules within that unit have been completed to the description articulated in the learning goals. Completion of a module is based on the teacher’s decision that the student has demonstrated achievement of the learning goal(s) of that module.

The VPC has been designed to have flexibility around assessment allowing students multiple opportunities to show that they can meet each learning goal. Students can also be provided with supports and modifications to assist them in completing their learning activities and assessment tasks. There may be some students, however, who will require extensive supports and may not be able to meet all the required standards of the certificate. These students can still enrol in units and participate alongside their peers while learning the content.

More information on supports for students can be found in the Special Provision in the VPC section of this page.

Assessment

The award of satisfactory completion for a module is based on whether the student has demonstrated the set of learning goals specified for the module. Teachers should use a variety of learning activities and assessment tasks that provide a range of opportunities for students to demonstrate the learning goals for satisfactory completion of the module. Evidence of achievement of a learning goal must be ascertained through a range of assessment activities and tasks.

Not all students will be able to complete all units in the VPC learning program. Participation in the VPC and completion of some learning goals will still enable students to demonstrate their skills and success in particular units from the VPC. Students will be recognised for the partial completion of the VPC.

A VPC unit is satisfactorily completed once all modules within that unit have been completed. Completion of a module is based on the teacher’s evaluation of the evidence of learning that the student has demonstrated achievement of the learning goal(s) of that module.

Students receive an S (Satisfactory) for a module when the teacher determines that the student has:

• produced evidence that demonstrates achievement of the learning goal(s)
• submitted work that is clearly their own.

Decisions about satisfactory completion are solely the responsibility of the school. Results for each module must be based on a judgment of satisfactory achievement or not yet completed for each learning goal(s).

• Use the assessment method that best fits the content and context and allows for incremental indications of success.
• Afford students multiple opportunities for success and assessment.
• Demonstration of achievement of a learning requirement and satisfactory completion of a module is determined by evidence gained through the assessment of a range of learning activities and tasks.

Certification

Upon successful completion of the VPC, students receive a certificate and a Statement of Results. Official VET statements of attainment or certificates are provided by the registered training organisation (RTO) for successful completion of VET units of competency.

Students who enrol in the VPC and do not complete the full certificate will receive a Student Achievement Profile (SAP) by the VCAA that lists their completed units and recognises their partial completion of the certificate.

Resources

VPC Administrative Handbook 2025

Professional Learning
The VCAA website has a number of ways to engage in professional learning. These include:

• a selection of on-demand sessions through the Professional Learning Platform
• webinars on a variety of topics. Previous webinars are also available to download
• VCE VM and VPC Communities of Practice that provide support to teachers in the form of a robust network of peers focusing on the collaborative development of high-quality curriculum and pedagogical practice.

VPC Curriculum Designs

View Curriculum Designs and support materials. The information includes advice for developing a curriculum and assessment program, sample teaching and learning activities, samples approaches to assessment, sample units including assessment rubrics, and general assessment and applied learning advice.

Applying to deliver the VPC

For more information, see Apply to deliver the VCE and/or the VPC.

Contacts

For further assistance on suitability and completion requirements for the VPC please contact:  vcaa.seniorsecondaryreform@education.vic.gov.au.

Workplace learning provides students with the opportunity to incorporate on-the-job experience with school-based studies as part of the Victorian Pathways Certificate.

Students undertaking the VPC may complete workplace learning in a number of different ways including work experience or industry engagement such as participation in industry tours or exhibitions. For more information, see Workplace learning options for schools.

The VPC is designed to be delivered flexibly to suit the needs and circumstance of individual students. This can include face to face learning and can also consist of activities such as work experience, volunteering, community involvement and sports leadership. Students can demonstrate achievement of Learning Goals within a module and work toward satisfactory completion of a VPC Unit in their work placement or other community engagement activity.

When VPC students undertake work experience, or other industry engagement, they may engage in activities related to the Learning Goals within the VPC module and collect evidence of their learning from the workplace. Here, the teacher will be responsible for designing learning activities, explicit classroom delivery, and aligning the curriculum with what the students do at their workplace in order to collect evidence of their learning. The student needs to satisfy relevant Learning Goals to achieve a satisfactory result as assessed by the teacher. The type of evidence the teacher collects will depend on the students’ chosen industry, the workplace and the learning goals of the VPC unit in which they are enrolled.

Any arrangements regarding students undertaking learning in their workplace to support their Learning Goals in the VPC should be made in consultation between the student and teacher so the expectations are clear. Schools must retain responsibility for teaching and assessment and in doing so the school should be in a position to confirm that curriculum and assessment was delivered by registered teachers.

For example, as part of the curriculum of VPC Work Related Skills Unit 3, students are expected to investigate and demonstrate their understanding of:

• workplace structures,
• rights and responsibilities of workers,
• policies that promote respect and inclusion in the workplace.

Explicit classroom instruction could be provided prior to the student commencing their work placement to provide them with a framework for the learning activities they are expected to complete while attending work placement. Students can demonstrate their learning in these areas by completing appropriate tasks or activities while on work placement. In this example, the teacher would be responsible for developing explicit classroom instruction per the curriculum design, conferring with the students undertaking work placement, designing the activities students might undertake during their work placement in order to collect evidence of their learning, and assessing the student following their work placement.

For further information about workplace learning in the VPC, please contact the Senior Secondary Reform team at: vcaa.serniorsecondaryreform@education.vic.gov.au.

For information about the VPC audit program see VCE VM and VPC Curriculum and Assessment Audit

VPC teachers need to meet the qualifications and requirements for VIT registration.

The registration requirements for teaching the VPC are set out by the VRQA in the Minimum Standards for Non-School Settings:

There must be evidence for VPC teachers in the form of:

• qualifications, VIT registration or PTT or information showing the teachers meet the AQTF requirements for trainers and assessors

If staff have a VIT registration or PTT then there are no further requirements around holding specific qualifications in order to teach the VPC.

For further information about the requirements for teaching the VPC please contact the VRQA on +61 3 9637 2806 or at vrqa@education.vic.gov.au.

Applying to deliver the VPC

Education and training providers seeking to offer and deliver the VCE VM and/or the VPC can access the application forms and supporting documentation, from Apply to deliver the VCE and/or the VPC.