Year 11 & 12 Curriculum 2025

How the VCE and VCE Vocational Major Work

The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), including the Vocational Major (VCE VM), is a senior secondary qualification that is overseen by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA). The VCE is usually a 2-year program where students study units of work across a range of studies to build a learning program.

Studies and Units

A study can be thought of as equivalent to a “subject”.   Each study has several units’ students can complete. Unit 1 and Unit 2 are usually offered at Year 11 level and Unit 3 and Unit 4 are usually offered at Year 12 level. Some students will study subjects earlier (e.g., Unit 1 and 2 in Year 10, or Unit 3 and 4 in Year 11) or later (e.g., Unit 1 or 2 in Year 12).

Unit 1 and 2 level subjects can be studied separately. For example, a student could do Unit 1 of Psychology and not do Unit 2, or they could complete Unit 2 of Biology and not Unit 1.

Unit 3 and 4 level subjects MUST be studied together as a sequence. You cannot do Unit 4 without doing Unit 3, and you cannot do Unit 3 without doing Unit 4.

The College offers a wide range of VCE studies. The College also offers the VCE Vocational Major and a variety of VCE-VET Courses.

Minimum Requirements for Satisfactory Completion of the VCE or VCE VM

For a student to be awarded a VCE or VCE VM certificate certain requirements must be met.

They are:

Satisfactory completion of at least 16 units of study

Including:

At least                 3              units from a range of English/Literacy studies including a 3/4 sequence.

At least                 3              additional sequences of 3 & 4 level Units in studies other than English.

For students studying the VCE VM other requirements apply in addition to those listed above.

They must also have:

At least                 2              units of VM Numeracy or VCE Mathematics

At least                 2              units of VM Work Related Skills

At least                 2              units of VM Personal Development Skills, and

At least                 2              VET Credits at Certificate II level or above (180 nominal hours)

College Program Expectations

It is assumed that students undertaking the VCE or VCE VM Hybrid at St Francis Xavier College will study:

• Twelve (12) Units in their first year and
• Ten (10) Units in their second year.

Students studying the Vocational Major complete 8 Units in their Core studies plus a VET subject to complete ten (10) units in their first year and the same again in their second year. They will also do structured workplace learning but this does not contribute towards unit completion.

These numbers may be varied for VCE and VCE VM Hybrid students with approval from the Director of Learning and Growth Beaconsfield, VCAA Co-ordinators and the Deputy Principal – Head of Campus, Beaconsfield.

VCE Vocational Major (VCE VM)

The VCE Vocational Major (VM) is a vocational and applied learning program within the VCE designed to be completed over a minimum of two years. The VCE VM will give students greater choice and flexibility to pursue their strengths and interests and develop the skills and capabilities needed to succeed in further education, work, and life. It prepares students to move into apprenticeships, traineeships, further education and training, university (via non-ATAR pathways) or directly into the workforce.

The purpose of the VCE VM is to provide students with the best opportunity to achieve their personal goals and aspirations in a rapidly changing world by:

• equipping them with the skills, knowledge, values and capabilities to be active and informed citizens, lifelong learners and confident and creative individuals; and
• empowering them to make informed decisions about the next stages of their lives through real life workplace experiences.

Applied learning teaches skills and knowledge in the context of ‘real life’ experiences. Students apply what they have learnt by doing, experiencing, and relating acquired skills to the real-world. It enables flexible, personalised learning where teachers work with students to recognise their personal strengths, interest, goals, and experiences.

This is a shift from the traditional focus on discrete curriculum to a more integrated and contextualised approach to learning. Students learn and apply the skills and knowledge required to solve problems, implement projects, and participate in structured workplace learning.

 Application Process – VCE VM
Students must complete an application form. During the application process students will be required for two interviews. The first to assess their suitability for the VCE (VM) and to ensure they understand the requirements of the certificate. The second meeting is with the VET Coordinator to start the VET enrolment process. During the interview process the following criteria will be considered:

1. Commitment to current studies and the level of cooperation with current teachers.
2. Clear interest in and suitability to complete an appropriate VET (TAFE) course.
3. Demonstrated ability to work independently.
4. Demonstrated examples of teamwork, responsibility, and leadership.
5. Suitability to the educational approach of Applied Learning.

Reporting Standards

VCE Subjects
Students enrolled in any VCE study must satisfactorily complete all Learning Outcomes to satisfy VCE requirements and to receive a Satisfactory outcome for each unit.

In addition, for scored VCE students there is a system of graded assessment based on School Assessed Coursework and Tasks. These assessments are included on your statement of results from the VCAA and are used to determine both your individual study scores and ATAR.

VCE VM Subjects
In the VCE (VM) each unit of study has specified learning outcomes. The VCE VM studies are standards-based. All assessments for the achievement of learning outcomes, and therefore the units, are school-based and assessed through a range of learning activities and tasks.

Unlike other VCE studies there are no external assessments of VCE VM Unit 3–4 sequences, and VCE VM studies do not receive a study score. The VCE VM studies do not contribute to the ATAR.

The GAT

The GAT (General Achievement Test) is an essential part of VCE assessment procedures.  It is used by the VCAA to check that all schools are marking to the same standard in their school assessments.  For studies with coursework assessment, each school’s coursework scores in the study are statistically moderated (adjusted) to match the level and spread of the combined examination and GAT scores for all the students in the school during a particular study.

The GAT is used by VCAA as part of the statistical moderation for school assessments and as a check on examination marking.

The GAT does not count towards the students’ VCE; however, some tertiary institutions now do use the GAT to assist in Middle Band selection.

This test will measure what level of general achievement students have accomplished across three (3) broad areas: Written Communication/Mathematics, Science, Technology/ Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences.

The GAT is completed in two parts. Section A assesses literacy and numeracy skills, while Section B assesses skills in mathematics, science, technology, the arts, and humanities with an increased focus on critical and creative thinking skills.

*All students enrolled in one or more VCE or scored VCE VET Unit 3 –4 sequence will be required to sit Sections A and B. VCE(VM) students will sit Section A only.