VCE TERMINOLOGY
VCE - The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) is the official secondary school qualification in Victoria for Years 11 and 12. VCE allows entry to all Australian universities and a pathway to universities globally.
VCAA - The VCAA is a statutory authority primarily accountable to the Minister for Education, serving both government and non-government school.
SAC - The School-Assessed Coursework (SAC), which consists of a set of tasks that assesses each student’s level of achievement in Units 3 and 4 outcomes as specified in the study design. Schools provide a score for each component of coursework specified in the study design. SAT - A School-Assessed Task (SAT), which is set by the VCAA to assess specific sets of practical skills and knowledge. Teachers assess the student’s level of achievement on the basis of a rating against criteria specified by the VCAA. Schools provide a score for each criterion.
GAT - The General Achievement Test (GAT) is a pen-and-paper test of general knowledge and skills taken by students in the course of completing their Senior Secondary studies.
The GAT plays an important role in the quality assurance of VCE assessments and also provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate they meet the Victorian Literacy and Numeracy Standards expected at a Senior Secondary level. No special study is needed. Past study of subjects like English, Mathematics, Science and History prepares students for the GAT by building their general knowledge and skills in writing, numeracy and reasoning. DES – The Derived Examination Score is for students who are ill or affected by other personal circumstances at the time of a VCE external assessment and whose result is unlikely to be a fair or accurate indication of their learning or achievement in the study may apply for a DES. If their application is approved, a DES will be calculated by the VCAA. The purpose of a DES is to ensure that a student’s final result for an external assessment reflects as accurately as possible the level of achievement that would be expected based on the learning and achievement the student has demonstrated in the study over the year.
The Lakes South Morang College 2026 Curriculum Handbook
38
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker