The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE)
Overview
Trinity College is committed to providing the broadest possible range of VCE studies for its senior students, enabling them to fulfil their senior years at Trinity College and their post-compulsory education in Victoria. The majority of our students choose options based on the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), which comprises of outcomes in various units as determined by the VCAA (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority). Depending on their level of proficiency, Trinity College students can also access VCE subjects in Year 10, again providing options to enhance students’ future pathways.
Top VCE students at Trinity College consistently achieve ATAR scores in the 90s, thereby securing their tertiary preferences as well as wide-ranging scholarships.
We have a large range of VCE subjects on offer for our students to choose between. Where there is sufficient student interest, we can run the student determined classes.
In 2017, students had the choice between the following subjects:
Accounting, Art, Australian Politics, Biology, Business Management, Chemistry, Computing, Drama, English, Food Studies, Health and Human Development, History (20th Century History, Revolutions), Indonesian, Legal Studies, Literature, Mathematics (General Mathematics, Mathematical Methods, Further Mathematics, Specialist Mathematics), Media, Music Performance, Physical Education, Physics, Product Design and Technology (Wood and Textiles), Psychology, Religion and Society, Studio Art, VET (Agriculture, Interactive Digital Media, Sport and Recreation), Visual Communication Design.
Subjects
Religious Education is compulsory for all students at Trinity College and senior students will study Religion and Society over the course of the year. As part of their learning programme at Trinity College, Year 11 students will study ‘Religion in Society’ (Unit 1) and Year 12 students will study ‘Ethics and Morality’ (Unit 2). These units will be studied in addition to students’ elected programme of study. Students also have the option of incorporating Religion and Society (Units 3/4) into their programme of study.
For successful completion of the VCE, students must obtain a satisfactory pass in three English units. English Units 1/2 and/or Literature 1/2 are compulsory for Year 11 students. Year 12 students may choose either or both of English Units 3/4 and Literature Units 3/4 as their compulsory English sequence.
Students may select any other programme of studies, within the following limitations:
Year 11 students
In addition to Religious Education and either English Units 1/2 or Literature Units 1/2, Year 11 students must choose an additional FIVE subjects. Students are permitted to study only ONE Unit 3/4 sequence in Year 11.
Year 12 students
In addition to Religious Education and either English Units 3/4 or Literature Units 3/4, Year 12 students must complete an additional FOUR Unit 3/4 sequences. This means that a total of FIVE subjects must be studied over the year.
In order for students to have ownership of their studies, as well as to provide students with extra time to complete the required allocated work in each VCE unit, supervised study periods are incorporated within the senior students’ study timetable.
It is important that students arm themselves with as much knowledge as possible about the various VCE courses on offer at Trinity College. Further information about the specific units can be obtained on the VCAA website.
Assessment
All VCE units are assessed on outcomes which are determined as ‘Satisfactory’ (S) or ‘Not Satisfactory’ (N). Trinity College will provide graded results at Units 1 and 2 as this will provide an indication of the potential each student has in a particular subject, therefore assisting subject selection for Units 3 and 4.
Unit 3 and 4 subjects are externally and internally assessed, thereby providing a rank for every student in the state who selects that subject. This rank is called an ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) and is used for entry into tertiary education. VTAC (Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre) determines the rank based on:
- English or Literature (Units 3 and 4);
- the next 3 highest scaled scored subjects at Units 3 and 4, plus
- 10% of the next two highest scaled scored subjects at Units 3 and 4 level
To complement their senior studies, students may also choose from auxiliary programmes that run parallel with the VCE and VCAL. Options available to students include a range of VET (Vocational Educational and Training) courses and SBATs (School Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships). There are numerous options available in these areas and it is always dependent on the student’s interests as to the study areas chosen.
