Completing the VCE without requisite study scores to receive an Australian Tertiary Entrance Rank (ATAR) is often referred to as ‘Unscored VCE’. This is not an official Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) term.
Completing the VCE in this way is available for individual students because the VCE provides the flexibility under certain circumstances to satisfactorily complete units without being assessed for levels of achievement in all or any graded assessments (2 graded assessment scores are required to achieve a study score). This is described in the 2024 VCE Administrative Handbook as ‘Completing VCE units without calculation of a study score.’
Completing VCE units without calculation of a study score should only occur in response to individual needs. Students, parents or carers, and school staff should work in partnership through a supportive and informed decision-making process to determine if this option is suitable.
Students need to understand the implications of this assessment option, which may include not being eligible for an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) and not having access to some post-school pathways.
When to consider completing VCE units without calculation of a study score
The VCE provides the option for individual students to satisfactorily complete a VCE unit without being assessed for levels of achievement in some or all school-based graded assessments.
This option may be appropriate for some individual students based on their personal circumstances, which may include:
- illness and absence
- mental health and wellbeing issues
- clear and well supported post-school aspirations that do not require an ATAR, for example an offer of an apprenticeship
- other specific personal circumstances.
Students, parents or carers, and school staff should work in partnership to decide if a student will undertake this option. This decision should be made with informed written consent from the student and their legal guardian.
This decision can be made at any point during the study of Units 3 and 4 and should be considered following other options to support the student to complete the VCE, such as accessing Special Provision including deferral of studies, if appropriate. School staff or the student may initiate the conversation to decide if completing VCE units without the calculation of study scores is an appropriate option.
Satisfactory completion of VCE units
All VCE students are required to demonstrate their achievement of the outcomes in the study design for satisfactory completion of a VCE unit. Students who complete VCE units without a study score are still required:
- to be assessed for satisfactory completion and
- to participate in school-based assessment for levels of achievement, even if a score is not provided to the VCAA. However, the conditions under which it is completed may be varied.
Teachers base their decision about satisfactory completion of units through on-balance judgement of the student’s achievement of the outcomes. This decision is based on evidence gained through the student’s overall performance on assessment of a range of set work (learning activities) and assessment tasks (including school-based assessments) related to these outcomes.
Students should be provided with multiple opportunities across the learning program to develop and demonstrate the key knowledge and key skills required to achieve the outcomes of the unit. Judgements regarding satisfactory completion must not be made based on a single school-based assessment (SAC or SAT).
The decision to award an ‘S’ for satisfactory completion of a unit is distinct from assessing levels of achievement for study score calculation. VCE unit results (S or N) contribute to satisfactory completion of the certificate.
Detailed requirements for school-based assessment are included in the 2024 VCE Administrative Handbook. The handbook also includes a VCE teacher’s checklist to support effective delivery of the VCE.
Considerations for determining satisfactory completion of VCE units and the considerations around scored assessment can be viewed at 2024 Annual VCAA Briefing for the VCE and VPC.
Addressing student suitability
The VCAA has observed that schools demonstrate best practice when they adopt a comprehensive and collaborative approach to determine student suitability. The following steps can support schools when addressing an individual student’s suitability for completing VCE units without calculation of a study score:
- Step 1: Use the checklist in the Guidance for Schools support material to help with the decision-making process.
- Step 2: Obtain informed written consent from student and parent or legal guardian.
- Step 3: Provide ongoing student support through follow-up discussions and review of support needs.
Support materials
The VCAA has designed the following support materials to assist school staff, students and parents or carers when deciding whether to complete VCE units without calculation of a study score: