Post-compulsory at Fitzroy High School - Years 11 and 12
Post-compulsory schooling August 2007
Background
Fitzroy High School will be conducting Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) programs for students in Years 11 and 12 from next year and the planning has commenced to ensure a successful delivery.
The VCE is the certificate that recognizes successful completion of secondary schooling in Victoria. The VCE program is the set of studies taken to complete the VCE. There are 90 studies, or subjects to choose from in VCE. Of these, 30 are Vocational Education and Training or VET subjects. Also available within the VCE is the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) which is a 'hands on' option for students. Units are half a year or a semester in length. Units 1 and 2 of each subject can be taken separately and are usually done in Years 11 and are assessed by the school. Units 3 and 4 of any subject are usually taken together and done in Year 12. Schools assess whether these units are satisfactorily completed but these units are also assessed by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) through examinations. Student results in these studies are graded by another body, the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) to determine an overall measure of performance which is called the ENTER – the Equivalent National Tertiary Entrance Rank.
To complete a VCE a student must complete 16 units which can include VET units. The units must include three units from the English Group, and three sequences of units 3 and 4. While the VCE offers variety it also presents a challenge for schools in determining the choice of subject offerings that will best meet the needs of their students. Schools generally offer around 32-units in Year 12 although this clearly varies on size of the school. Fitzroy High School is already well placed with the teachers it has to provide a strong academic VCE program. As the number of VCE students increase the school will be in a position to recruit additional teachers over time that match the sort of program that meets the expectations of the school community.
Objectives of the Post Compulsory Provision at Fitzroy High
The schools objective is to extend its philosophy of “personalized” and “autonomous” learning into Years 11 and 12 and
1. To provide a choice of subjects that enable students to successfully apply for tertiary study and/or
2. Pursue other work/study options
3. Support the students continued personal and individual development
4. Strengthen student “connectedness” with peers, school, and the local and wider
communities through active participation in community service, sport, performance,
mentoring and other such activities.
Major Milestones
The VCE program at Fitzroy High School will grow from 40 students next year in Year 11 to 200 students in 2009. There are four “milestones” that must be completed over this period.
1. Select, the subject offerings for Years 11 (2007) and 12 (2008) for the current Year 10
students and the VCE/VET offerings, if any, for students in Year 10 in 2007.
2. Select, staff and resource the subject offerings for students in 2008 and 2009.
3. Finalize agreement on the nature and extent of the joint offerings with Collingwood College
4. Complete the design; obtain funding from the State Government and build additional
facilities on the School site for use at the start of the 2008 school year.
Next Steps
The School will be providing information to students and parents throughout the year on the development of the VCE program. You can contact the committee and keep in touch with the discussion through email. Contact Joe Burke at jburke@vtown.com.au.
The Built and Natural Environment Sub Committee will be working on the new building project and meet normally on the second Tuesday of each month at 6.30 pm in the School Library.
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