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Assessment Resource Centre (ARC)

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  1. Years 9-10
  2. Stage 5 Grading
  3. Practices to support Stage 5 grading
  4. Assessing: whole school
  5. Designing and communicating a whole-school assessment policy
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Designing and communicating a whole-school assessment policy

For assessing and reporting Stage 5 achievement it is suggested that schools have documentation that includes a Stage 5 Record of School Achievement assessment policy, an assessment policy specific to each Stage 5 course (see Assessing: each course) and a student/parent guide to Stage 5 assessment.

A Stage 5 Record of School Achievement assessment policy

This is an internal school document that should contain policies and procedures for Record of School Achievement-related matters such as:

  • school requirements for the type and number of assessment activities required to cover manageable groupings of outcomes and obtain sufficient information without over-assessing
  • school procedures on the placement, timing and coordination of assessments
  • school procedures on the administration of assessment activities: providing adequate notice of activities, submitting activities, late submission of activities, absence from activities, malpractice in activities etc...
  • school requirements for providing feedback to students on their performance in assessment activities
  • guidelines for maintaining records of observations (such as marks, grades or comments)
  • procedures for:
    • dealing with assessment activities that are found to be faulty in design
    • ensuring parents are informed when students fail to submit work related to assessment activities
    • warning students when they are in danger of receiving an 'N' determination
    • informing parents/carers when the student is in danger of receiving an 'N' determination
    • dealing with assessment of accelerants
    • providing grades at the end of Stage 5 for students who transfer into the school.

A student/parent guide to Stage 5 assessment

Students and parents should be made aware in general terms of the overall school assessment procedures for the Record of School Achievement and the assessment requirements for each course. It is up to schools to determine what form this advice will take and how much detail will be provided.

Many schools provide an information booklet to all students before they begin their Stage 5 courses. Students and their parents should be able to refer to this booklet in their dealings with the school regarding the implementation of the Stage 5 Record of School Achievement assessment procedures. It should be consistent with all aspects of the school's policies on Stage 5 Record of School Achievement assessment.

Typically, a student/parent information guide to Stage 5 assessment includes:

  • information on the nature and purpose of Stage 5 Record of School Achievement assessment
  • details of assessment schedules for each course
  • procedures relating to notification of activities, late submission of activities, absence during activities, provision for illness/misadventure, problems with the administration or design of activities
  • information on the type of feedback students will be given about their performance in activities
  • student responsibilities regarding assessment activities and the consequences of failure to complete activities
  • information on appeal provisions.
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