Menai High School
PRELIMINARY
HSC ASSESSMENT
SCHEDULE
2017
Principal Mr B Ellevsen
Deputy Principal (Yrs 7, 9, 11) Ms E Sayed-Rich
Deputy Principal (Yrs 8, 10, 12) .. Mrs R Allen
40 Gerald Road Telephone: 9543-7000
Illawong NSW 2234 Fax: 9543-5513
Index
Assessment 4
Why Is Assessment Necessary?
What Are Assessment Tasks?
What Is Included In The Assessment?
How Is The Assessment Policy Established?
What Are Assessment Components?
What Are the Requirements to Be Eligible for completion of the Preliminary Course? 5
What Does N Determination Mean?
When Does A School Send Official Warning Letters Concerning A Risk Of Non Determination
When Does A School Send Official Warning Letters Concerning A Risk Of Non Determination?
Common Grade Scale for Preliminary Courses 6
Preliminary HSC timeline
When Does Preliminary Assessment Start and Finish? 6
School responsibilities 7
Do I Have To Be Told Anything?
Student Responsibilities 7 What Are My Responsibilities?
Special Provisions / Illness or Misadventure 8
Are There Any Special Considerations Given?
Assessment tasks no submitted 8
Do I Have To Do The Assessment Tasks?
Do I Only Have To Complete Assessment Tasks?
What If I Don't Hand Work In On Time?
What Is A Non Serious Attempt And A Non Attempt?
What Happens If I Am Absent Through Illness Or Injury? 9
Malpractice In Assessment Tasks
What If I Cheat? 10
Assessment ranks 10
Can I Seek A Review Of My Assessment Ranking?
What Are The Grounds For Review?
What If I Am Not Satisfied With The Outcome Of The School Review?
Board Endorsed and Vocational Education and training courses 11
What About B.E.C. Courses In The School?
What About Vocational Education Courses?
Appeals
What If I Have A Problem That Needs Further Explanation Than Is Given Here? 12
Accessing My Record Of Student Achievement 12
Students Wishing To Leave School And Access Their Rosa 12
Appendices 13
Appendix 2
Year 11 Preliminary Assessment Policy HSC Checklist
Year 11 Preliminary Pattern of Study
YEAR 11 PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE
INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND STUDENTS
ASSESSMENT
WHY IS ASSESSMENT NECESSARY?
Assessment is intended to provide an indication of a student's attainment of a wider range of syllabus objectives than is measured by examinations, though it does cover all the objectives measured by examination. The Assessment allows due weight to be given during the course to student achievement, which although evident to the class teacher, may not be adequately assessed in a single examination. Assessment tasks are used to allocate grades for the students RoSA. Teachers use the NSW BOSTES Common Grade Scale to allocate grades. A copy of the common grade scale is on page 5.
WHAT ARE ASSESSMENT TASKS?
These are the tasks used to assess a student in a particular aspect of the subject and may include such things as major examinations, class tests, practical work, assignments, essays, oral presentations and other forms of class work. These are marked to provide a grade and a rank order for students in a course.
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE ASSESSMENT?
Teachers are free to choose whichever tasks they feel are the best for assessing the various components and for discriminating between candidates. Assessment programs can include formal exams, assignments, tests, oral work, field work, laboratory work, projects and so on. Some subjects have a requirement that certain skill eg. Oral skills must be assessed. Your Subject Assessment schedule will outline this for you. Teachers can also use informal assessment to best assess a student’s abilities in relation to the course grade descriptors.
HOW IS THE ASSESSMENT POLICY ESTABLISHED?
The Board of Studies provides guidelines in every subject to schools. These guidelines are used by your teachers to draw up an Assessment Program for you. Assessment Programs in any subject will differ from school to school in terms of how the assessment is being carried out, but are the same in every school in terms of the areas of the syllabus that are being assessed and the weight placed on each component.
WHAT ARE ASSESSMENT COMPONENTS?
All students in NSW are assessed on the same basis for each course they take. Each Board of Secondary Education subject has a set of prescribed components with prescribed weightings for calculating the school's raw assessment marks.
eg COMPONENT WEIGHTING (%)
Knowledge 20%
Practical work 40%
Listening/speaking 10%
Use of resources 20%
Design & Planning 10%
100%
Faculty assessment policies will show you the components and their weightings for each course.
WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR SATISFACTORY COMPLETION AND TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE AWARD OF GRADES FOR THE RECORD OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT? (RoSA)
Students must:-
1. attends school for the required period of time (more than 85% of the available school days);
2. study the pattern of courses required by the Board for the required time;
3. have a satisfactory record of attendance and application in their studies;
4. complete the requirements for a sufficient number of courses, including practical, oral or project works;
5. complete assessment requirements for a sufficient number of courses
WHAT DOES N DETERMINATION MEAN?
Students who have not complied with the requirements for satisfactory completion of a course at the time of finalising assessments cannot be regarded as having satisfactorily completed the course. The principal will then issue a non-completion determination and advise the Board of Studies.
A student who does not comply with the assessment requirements and receives a non-completion determination in a course will have neither a grade on the RoSA (Preliminary) nor an assessment mark (HSC) nor an examination mark (HSC) awarded for that course.
WHEN DOES A SCHOOL SEND OFFICAL WARNING LETTERS CONCERNING A RISK OF NON DETERMINATION?
Official warnings will be issued when students have not:
a) Followed the course developed or endorsed by the Board; and
b) Applied themselves with diligence and sustained effort to set tasks and experiences provided in the course by the school; and
c) Achieved some or all of the course outcomes.
d) Made a genuine attempt at assessment tasks, (for the HSC assessment) which contribute in excess of 50% of assessment marks for the course. Failure to do so can result in an “N” determination, which may make a student ineligible for the award of the Preliminary
Record of Achievement or the HSC.
COMMON GRADE SCALE FOR PRELIMINARY COURSES USED FOR THE ROSA
The Common Grade Scale shown below will be used to report student achievement in the Preliminary Stage 6 year in all NSW schools. The RoSA has been designed to provide grades for all Stage 5 (Year 10) and Stage 6 (Preliminary) courses completed during secondary education. The RoSA is an cumulative credential for senior secondary students.
The Common Grade Scale describes performance at each of five grade levels.
A. The student demonstrates extensive knowledge of content and understanding of course concepts, and applies highly developed skills and processes in a wide variety of contexts. In addition the student demonstrates creative and critical thinking skills using perceptive analysis and evaluation. The student effectively communicates complex ideas and information.
B. The student demonstrates thorough knowledge of content and understanding of course concepts, and applies well-developed skills and processes in a variety of contexts. In addition the student demonstrates creative and critical thinking skills using analysis and evaluation. The student clearly communicates complex ideas and information.
C. The student demonstrates sound knowledge of content and understanding of course concepts, and applies skills and processes in a range of familiar contexts. In addition the student demonstrates skills in selecting and integrating information and communicates relevant ideas in an appropriate manner.
D. The student demonstrates a basic knowledge of content and understanding of course concepts, and applies skills and processes in some familiar contexts. In addition the student demonstrates skills in selecting and using information and communicates ideas in a descriptive manner.
E. The student demonstrates an elementary knowledge of content and understanding of course concepts, and applies some skills and processes with guidance. In addition the student demonstrates elementary skills in recounting information and communicating ideas.
PRELIMINARY HSC TIMELINE
WHEN DOES PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT START AND FINISH?
The Menai High School Preliminary Assessment Program will commence Term 1 Year 11 and conclude at the end of Term 3 Year 11. H.S.C. Assessment commences Term 4 Year 11.
At least two weeks' notice will be given for any task or any change of date for a task and it is the student's responsibility to report unduly onerous task loads immediately they occur.
SCHOOL RESPONSIBILITIES
DO I HAVE TO BE TOLD ANYTHING?
Each faculty will issue you with an Assessment policy for each of its courses you take. The faculty policy will show:
· the components and their weightings as specified;
· an indication of when each of the assessment tasks will take place;
· the mark value of each task in relation to the total number of marks for the course;
· the nature of each assessment task (e.g. assignment);
· details of any special administrative arrangements associated with each task;
At least two weeks written notice will be given of the specific date and nature of any assessment task.
You will also be told how well you did in each task, and on at least two occasions (when reports are issued) you will be told your ranking within the group undertaking each course.
All tasks should have access points and extension points for students. If the task is not modified for select students the task becomes null and void.
All senior students will be provided with marking guideline criteria before each actual task is undertaken. All assessment tasks will contain a rubric (criteria to be addressed in the response) plus a list of outcomes tested.
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES
WHAT ARE MY RESPONSIBILITIES?
1. Students must make a serious attempt at every Preliminary Course assessment task or a mark of zero will be recorded.
2. Each student must complete the task by the time indicated on the calendar.
3. All work presented for assessment must be the student's own work. (If this is found out not to be the case, then a mark of zero will be given for that task). An attempt to do tasks at school will overcome this problem wherever possible.
4. Students should:-
a) allocate time to prepare for every test and assignment even though they may not count towards their final assessment.
b) realise that all work done contributes to their skills and knowledge of the course which will help in assessment tasks.
c) realise that good assessments may indicate that they are a reliable and/or conscientious student to a prospective employer.
5. Students who are required or choose to use technology to present classwork/ course work or assessment tasks students will need to ensure the work/task are saved in more than one place. Technology issues will not be an acceptable excuse.
6. No mobile devices are to be present at or used during any in class/ examination assessment tasks.
Student's work must be consistent and of as high a standard as possible throughout the whole course, in both assessment and non-assessment tasks. Non-assessment tasks must be completed for two reasons:
1. They prepare you for assessment tasks.
2. If you do not attend class regularly and do not complete the non-assessment work related to the course, you risk losing the principal's certification that you have shown acceptable participation and application in the course. This may lead to you not being awarded the completion of a Preliminary Course and being ineligible to proceed to the H.S.C.
You may only query a mark for an assessment task at the time it is returned.
DISABILTY PROVISIONS / ILLNESS OR MISADVENTURE
ARE THERE ANY SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS GIVEN?
Yes. There are disability provisions for students with disabilities and you can appeal for illness or misadventure. These matters can be discussed with your year adviser and/or the Deputy Principal.
ASSESSMENT TASKS NOT SUBMITTED OR NOT TO A SATISFACTORY STANDARD
DO I HAVE TO DO THE ASSESSMENT TASKS?
Yes. Students who fail to complete 50% of the available marks will be regarded as not having satisfactorily completed the course of study. In cases of NON-SATISFACTORY completion, a "N" indicator will be submitted.
DO I ONLY HAVE TO COMPLETE ASSESSMENT TASKS?
No. You are expected to complete coursework for all subjects. All work set in a subject is part of the Preliminary Course Curriculum regardless of whether it is assessable or not. Students who do not complete course work may be issued with an “N” determination (i.e. non-award) in that subject.
WHAT IF I DON'T HAND WORK IN ON TIME?
It is the responsibility of the student to be present for, or to hand in assessment tasks at the required time. No allowances are made for late arrival of work. If no viable excuse is forthcoming and the policy below is not followed, then a mark of zero will be recorded and a non-attempt registered next to the student's name.
WHAT IS A NON SERIOUS ATTEMPT AND A NON ATTEMPT?
Non-serious attempts include frivolous or objectionable material.
Students who provide answers to examination questions in a language other than English (unless specifically instructed to do so) will have zero marks awarded.
Non-attempts include those where only multiple-choice questions are attempted. Any student identified as making a non-serious attempt or a non-attempt will be asked by the DP / HT of the course or Board of Studies to justify why they should receive a result in the course concerned. For any school assessment tasks the student will be issued with an N warning letter. The DP/ HT or Board will advise the student and the school principal of its decision at the time of the school assessment or the release of Higher School Certificate results.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I AM ABSENT THROUGH ILLNESS OR INJURY?
If a student is absent for an assessable task, or fails to hand in a task on time, and then they must
inform the Head Teacher of that subject by phone, fax or email within 48 hours of the due date of the task. Failure to do so will result in a non-attempt being recorded for the task. The student when contacting the Head Teacher is to give an expected date for return to school.