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Memorandum to Schools 5/2008

18 February 2008

2008 VCE Written Examination Centres and Supervisors

GENERAL

VCE Providers must meet the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) requirements for conducting VCE examinations as outlined in this memorandum.

VCE Providers wishing to nominate as examination centres must complete the following forms:

1. VCE Written Examination Centre Agreement Form
2. 2008 GAT and VCE Examination Centre(s) (Yellow Form)
3. 2008 GAT and VCE Examination Supervisors (Green Form)

Please arrange for the above forms to be completed and returned by mail in the enclosed white envelope, addressed “Private & Confidential, Attention: Maria Fragale” to the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority no later than Friday 7 March 2008.

Schools are responsible for ensuring that all their *home students are appropriately accommodated and correctly supervised for ALL of their examinations, even when those students undertake some studies at other schools. Such other schools include the Distance Education Centre Victoria, VET Providers, the Victorian School of Languages, other single LOTE providers and where the *assessing school for a study is different from the home school.

All examination centres, with the exception of those located interstate and overseas, will have a *host school. When two or more schools combine, the host school will be the school where the examination centre is located or the school coordinating the arrangements for a centre which is located at a site external to the school.

Deliveries of all stationery, examination and GAT papers will be made to the host school.

Examinations outside Victoria

Closing dates are: June: Thursday 20 March and October/November: Friday 25 July.

Students who are eligible and to whom the VCAA gives permission to present for examinations and/or the GAT at centres outside Victoria will be required to pay a service fee for the administration of papers from the VCAA to the nominated supervisor.

Service fees are:

$56.00 - Interstate, per written examination period.  These examinations must be conducted and supervised at a Secondary School.
$166.00 - Overseas, per written examination period.

Applications will not be valid until the appropriate fees are paid.

Students are responsible for paying directly to the supervisor any supervision fee required and the cost of returning script books immediately to the VCAA by security mail or courier.

Eligibility Rules are printed on page 109, section 9.10 of the VCE & VCAL Administrative Handbook 2008.

Applications must be made in writing by photocopying and completing the form on pages 204 -205 of the VCE & VCAL Administrative Handbook 2008.

*A glossary of terms and all closing dates are available on the last page of this memorandum.

 

1. VCE WRITTEN EXAMINATION CENTRE AGREEMENT FORM

Principals must sign the VCE Written Examination Centre Agreement Form to certify that they will comply with all VCAA security requirements for administering and conducting VCE written examinations.

Principals are responsible for the conduct of VCE examinations and the associated security measures in their school. The management of these may be delegated, but the principal must sign to certify that the VCAA’s requirements and procedures will be followed.

This form must be returned by Friday 7 March to be approved as an examination centre by the VCAA.

 

2. 2008 GAT and VCE EXAMINATION CENTRE(S) (Yellow Form)

All schools must complete this form and return it to the VCAA by Friday 7 March.

Examination centres are established at schools and approved by the VCAA.

The form is divided into GAT, June and October/November centres and should be completed as follows:

Section A To be completed by all schools.

Section A must be completed and returned even when confirming the arrangements given on the 2007 School's Associated and Combined Centres Report, which is enclosed. The studies and actual number of students enrolled are not relevant, the correct enrolments will be collected from VASS.

Section B Has been divided into 2 sections.

Section B1 to be completed if:

• Arranging with another school to combine for one or more examinations.

Section B2 to be completed if:

• Transferring one or more examinations back to your associated centre, based on 2007 arrangements.

Section C To be completed only if individual student(s) is/are being transferred to another centre.

If you complete Section B1 or Section C, you must also complete and attach the Approval to combine/transfer for external examinations application form.

Approval to Combine/Transfer Examination Centre Form (White)

The Approval to combine/transfer for external examinations form must be completed if:

• your school makes arrangements to combine with another school(s) for a study(s) and/or
• you are requesting the previous year’s arrangements with another school(s) and/or
• you transfer individual student(s) to another centre.

Failure to complete this form will mean changes will not occur and/or previous year’s arrangements will not continue.

It would be appreciated if this Approval to combine/transfer for external examinations application form(s) is/are returned attached to the 2008 GAT and VCE Examination Centre(s) form.

Please photocopy the approval form if more than one copy is required.

An annotated sample of the School’s Associated & Combined Centres report has been included on the last page of this memorandum.

2007 School’s Associated and Combined Centres Report (Pink)

The information provided on the enclosed report lists the written examinations and the GAT undertaken by students at your school's examination centre during 2007. This report should be checked carefully before it is used as the basis for this year's examination centre arrangements. For most schools, the 2008 arrangements will remain the same as those in 2007. If all your students for a given study were presenting at another centre, then that centre's identification number and name are provided.

If you now prefer your students to sit for that examination at a different centre to that named, you must make that request on Section B1 of the examination centres form.

If instead you prefer that your students sit for that examination back at your associated centre, you must make that request on Section B2 of the examination centres form.

If you were the host for another school(s) for a particular study, the report will indicate both the other schools’ code and the number of students from the other school(s) who attended your centre. 

NOTE: The 2007 arrangements will only continue if in 2008 you give written approval to the other school.

A list of all school codes and names can be accessed from VASS using menu:
SCHOOL ADMIN >>>View School Details.

A row of asterisks indicates that in 2007 your school requested a change of examination centre for individual student(s) as distinct from a whole class. Individual moves will not automatically reoccur.

To assist schools that may wish to combine for examinations, VASS will provide you with a list of the schools offering VCE studies. The menu in VASS is: SCHOOL PROGRAM >>> Unit 3/4 Home Schools.

Student Assessment Timetable

It is the responsibility of the Principal to ensure that an individual Student Assessment Timetable for each home school student enrolled in a unit 3/4 sequence is produced. In the week beginning Monday 12 May schools will be able to print from VASS confirmed June Student Assessment Timetables for each of their home school students and to check that their students’ centre/s are correct. The timetable can be printed in study or date order for each student.
[Student Program→VCE Reports→Student Assessment Timetables]

You are also able to obtain two other written examinations summary reports from VASS:

1. A report listing external examination centres your home school students are attending.
   [Student Program→VCE Reports→Examination Venues Not At Home]
2. Report listing students from other schools for whom you are the host school for their written examinations.
   [Student Program→VCE Reports→Host Examination Centre Summary]

VET

As of 2007, students enrolling in VCE VET scored unit 3/4 sequence programs with a scored assessment are required to attend the General Achievement Test.

Multimedia - Schools should be considering examination centres/rooms for the VET Multimedia examination, keeping in mind the requirements of computers and CD ROM capacity.

Further information will be sent to schools early in Term 3.

AUSLAN – Wednesday 29 October

Schools are NOT required to organise a centre for the AUSLAN examination. The VCAA will allocate a centre for students enrolled in AUSLAN and schools will be notified in writing in the week beginning Monday 6 October.

CCAFL Written Examination – Thursday 16 October(Collaborative Curriculum and Assessment Framework for Languages)

Albanian, Arabic, Armenian, Bosnian, Croatian, Dutch, Filipino, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Khmer, Korean (first language), Korean (second language), Macedonian, Maltese, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Sinhala, Swedish, Tamil, Turkish, Ukrainian and Yiddish

The VCAA will seek information from schools, outline arrangements and establish CCAFL written examination centres early in Term 3.

Compact Discs (CDs)

The written examinations for Music Styles, Music Performance: Group and Solo, VET: Music Industry and all LOTE including the above CCAFL will require students to listen to Compact Discs (CDs), except Latin, Classical Greek and Classical Hebrew.

These examinations require the school to provide a separate room (or rooms if there are two or more examinations in the one session) and the appropriate equipment for each examination.

Timetable Clashes

If a student has a timetable clash (two examinations timetabled for the same session), principals may lodge a request to schedule one of the examinations to another time on the same day. This request must be made in writing to: The Manager, Assessment Operations by Friday 25 July.

3 Examinations in 1 Day

Please note the amended policy for ‘3 in 1’ students in VASS Memo 6/2008.

If a student has three examinations scheduled on the same day, the VCAA will contact the school outlining the options available for these students.

Hall Hiring

If two or more schools use a community venue as a written examination centre, the VCAA may pay a hiring fee for the centre if the VCAA has given formal prior approval.

Schools expecting the VCAA to meet the hiring fee for a hall must write and seek prior approval from the Manager, Assessment Operations, by no later than Thursday 20 March.

Furniture/Facilities for Examination Centres

Schools are required to provide all furniture for the examination centre.

The centre is to be set up before the chief supervisor begins duty for the first examination session of the period. Note: The VCAA will not pay for furniture hire, cartage and/or setting up costs.

Identification of Examination Centres

Examination centres are identified by a 6-digit number. The last five digits will be the VCAA school identification number of the host school. The leading digit will identify the type of centre as follows:

2 School centre, where the centre is not shared with any other school.

3 School centre shared by 2 or more schools.

4 Country school which is 15 kilometres or more from the nearest VCE School offering units 3 and 4.

5 Centre, external to the school, used by 1 school only.

6 Centre, external to the school, used by 2 or more schools.

7 Interstate centre.

8 Overseas centre.

 

3. 2008 GAT and VCE EXAMINATIONS SUPERVISORS (Green Form)

Principals appoint supervisors subject to the conditions set out in the VCAA Statutory Declaration outlined on the 2008 GAT and VCE Examinations Supervisor Form and the procedures established by the School Council or School Board. Relevant information about supervisors must be forwarded to the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority on the enclosed 2008 GAT and VCE Examinations Supervisors form by Friday 7 March.

It is imperative that:

1. The front of this form is read prior to appointing supervisors.
2. Prior to re-appointing supervisors, please ensure they are available, meet the VCAA requirements and that their contact details are correct.

Should any changes and/or additions occur later, it will be necessary to notify the VCAA in writing immediately.

Note:

1. Teachers or members of the administration staff at your school are not permitted to act as supervisors, this includes temporary staff who have worked in the school for more than 20 days.
2. All appointed supervisors are required to sign a Statutory Declaration. Five copies of the Statutory Declaration have been included with this memorandum.
   Please photocopy the Statutory Declaration if more are required.
   
   

Working With Children Check (WWCC)

The VCAA has been advised that the Working With Children Check (WWCC) legislation is applicable to GAT and VCE examination supervisors. Schools are asked to comply with this legislative requirement by only employing supervisors who have obtained the WWCC. The WWCC will cost supervisors $70 but will last five years. The VCAA has applied to the Department of Justice for a fee exemption or discount for supervisors and will communicate their response as soon as it becomes available.

Supervisor Allocation Rules

Supervisor allocation rules are as follows:

Type of Examination Centre

2 School centre, where the centre is not shared with any other school

Fewer than 10 students - the school is to meet the cost of supervision
unless the school combines with another school(s).

The VCAA will meet the cost of:

10 – 70 students - 1 chief supervisor and 1 assistant supervisor

71 – 140 students - 1 chief supervisor and 2 assistant supervisors

141 – 200 students - 1 chief supervisor and 3 assistant supervisors

201 – 260 students - 1 chief supervisor and 4 assistant supervisors

261 – 320 students - 1 chief supervisor and 5 assistant supervisors

321 – 380 students - 1 chief supervisor and 6 assistant supervisors

381 – 440 students - 1 chief supervisor and 7 assistant supervisors

441 + students 1 chief supervisor and 8 assistant supervisors

3 School centre shared by 2 or more schools

as for 2 except that, for groups with fewer than 10 students, the VCAA will fund:
1 chief supervisor only - schools are expected to provide relief support

4 Country school which is 15 kilometres or more from the nearest VCE school

as for 3

5 Centre, external to the school, used by 1 school only

as for 2 except that, for groups with fewer than 10 students, the VCAA will fund:
1 chief supervisor and 1 assistant supervisor, the VCAA will NOT pay hall hiring fee

6 Centre, external to the school, used by 2 or more schools

as for 5 except that the VCAA may pay an approved hiring fee for a hall, but not
the cost of furniture hire, cartage and/or setting up

7 Interstate Centre

no supervision entitlements - students must meet supervision costs

8 Overseas Centre

no supervision entitlements - students must meet supervision costs

Multiple Rooms within an Examination Centre

Where schools are obliged to use multiple rooms for examinations, the VCAA will consider applications for extra funding for supervision. These applications must be submitted on return of the VCE Examination Centre details in March for the June & GAT examination period and July for the October/November examination period.

Schools should address their application to the Manager, Assessment Operations, outlining the reasons for the use of multiple rooms, the number of rooms to be used for individual examinations sessions and/or GAT and the number of students allocated to each room.

The VCAA will normally provide funding for extra supervision on the basis of 20 students allocated to a room.

These requests will be treated on a case by case basis and must be forwarded to reach the VCAA by Friday 7 March for the June examination period and Friday 25 July for the October/November examination period.

Supervisor Payments

The VCAA provides schools with a grant to fund payment of supervisors based on the VCAA supervisor allocation rules.

The following are the current rates of pay for Chief Supervisors and Assistant Supervisors, associated with the supervision of examination sessions.

Chief Supervisor: $23.40 per hour

• English, English (ESL) and GAT payment $140.40 based on 6 hours
  work/session
• Exam 1 for Mathematical Methods, Mathematical Methods (CAS) and
  Specialist Mathematics payment $46.80 based on 2 hours work/session
• All other studies payment $70.20 based on 3 hours work/session

Assistant Supervisor: $19.74 per hour

• English, English (ESL) and GAT payment $118.44 based on 6 hours
  work/session
• Exam 1 for Mathematical Methods, Mathematical Methods (CAS) and
  Specialist Mathematics payment $39.48 based on 2 hours work/session
• All other studies payment $59.22 based on 3 hours work/session

Chief Supervisors will be paid an additional Chief Supervisor allowance for work associated with checking examination stationery and examination papers after delivery, preparation of examination materials, the packaging of response materials for courier collection and for the handing over of these materials to the courier. The Chief Supervisor allowance will be based on the total number of students presenting at a centre for each examination period.

The grant for payment of supervisors, including the Chief Supervisor Allowance, will be sent to schools prior to each of the examination periods in June and October/November via EFT transfer to an account nominated by the school. The supervisor allocation rules will be applied to determine the grant to schools.

Schools are to pay supervisors at the conclusion of the examination period.

The VCAA will pay Chief Supervisors’ expenses on receipt of a claim form and receipts - legitimate expenses are listed in the VCE Examination Manual.

Supervisors' grants do not include an allowance for setting up furniture in the examination centre. Principals are responsible for arranging the setting up of furniture in the examination centre.

Any queries regarding examination centres and/or appointment of supervisors should be directed to Heidi Reiter on (03) 9225 2253 or Maria Fragale on (03) 9225 2255.

 

 

Associated Centre - The main examination centre associated with the home school.

Combined Centre - A centre(s) with which alternative arrangements have been made.

Home School - Student’s major school. Responsible for ensuring that ALL their students have been allocated to an examination centre/room

Host School  - School where the examination centre is located or School coordinating the arrangements for an external centre.

Assessing School - School responsible for providing the assessment for one or more units for a student, where the school differs from the ‘home’ school.

 

Friday 7 March

• June Examinations and GAT Examination Centres (Yellow Form)
  This must include the Approval to Combine/Transfer form where required. (White Form)
• GAT and VCE Examinations Supervisors (Green Form)
• VCE Written Examination Centre Agreement Form

Thursday 20 March

• June requests to sit examinations outside Victoria
• Hall Hiring – request for funding (June examination period)

Friday 25 July

• October/November Examination Centres
• October/November requests to sit examinations outside Victoria
• Hall Hiring – request for funding (Oct/Nov examination period)

 

Attachments

• 2008 VCE Written Examination Centre Agreement (DOC - 56KB)
• 2008 General Achievement Test Centres (PDF - 192KB)
• 2008 Approval to combine/transfer for written examinations (PDF - 110KB)
• 2008 GAT and VCE Examinations Supervisors (PDF - 170KB)
• Study Abbreviations (PDF - 32KB)

 

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