What is Special Provision?
Special Provision provides students completing the VCE or VCE Vocational Major who are affected by illness, disability or other personal circumstances with an opportunity to participate in and complete their secondary level studies.
Special Provision is available for:
- classroom learning
- school-based assessments
- VCE external assessments.
What happens if you are granted Special Provision?
If you are approved special provision for classroom learning and/or school-based assessments it can take a number 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
Your school has responsibility for determining if you are eligible for special provision for classroom learning and/or school-based assessments.
If you are approved special provision for one or more of your VCE external assessments, it can be in one or both of the following:
Special Examination Arrangements
Common examples of approved Special Examination Arrangements include rest breaks, extra working time and use of computers and/or assistive technology.
The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) has responsibility for determining if you are eligible for Special Examination Arrangements for VCE external assessments including the General Achievement Test (GAT).
Schools are responsible for submitting applications for Special Examination Arrangements on behalf of their students.
Derived Examination Scores (DES)
If you are significantly affected by the onset of an illness, or the occurrence of an injury or personal trauma at the time of your VCE examinations, you can apply for a DES.
If the DES is approved, the VCAA will record the DES as the final score if it is greater than the achieved external assessment score.
Students are primary responsible for submitting DES applications. The VCAA will assess each application and communicate the outcome to the student and their school.
How do you apply for Special Provision?
If you think you may be eligible for Special Provision then you need to seek advice from your school initially.
More information about Special Provision.
You can also contact VCAA Special Provision by:
The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) is the government body that:
- sets the courses taught in Victorian schools
- plans and manages assessment of the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) and the VCE Vocational Major.
Download: Special Provision fact sheet