About course performance descriptors
Course performance descriptors have been developed for each Stage 5 Board Developed Course, based on the common grade scale. The course performance descriptors are professional elaborations of the common grade scale and, for each course, describe the main features of a typical student's performance at each grade.
The common grade scale describes performance at each of five grade levels:
| A | The student has an extensive knowledge and understanding of the content and can readily apply this knowledge. In addition, the student has achieved a very high level of competence in the processes and skills and can apply these skills to new situations. |
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| B | The student has a thorough knowledge and understanding of the content and a high level of competence in the processes and skills. In addition, the student is able to apply this knowledge and these skills to most situations. |
| C | The student has a sound knowledge and understanding of the main areas of content and has achieved an adequate level of competence in the processes and skills. |
| D | The student has a basic knowledge and understanding of the content and has achieved a limited level of competence in the processes and skills. |
| E | The student has an elementary knowledge and understanding in few areas of the content and has achieved very limited competence in some of the processes and skills. |
In applying these course performance descriptors, teachers should interpret them in terms of standards that can be achieved by Stage 5 students within the bounds of the course. It is not intended that the Course Performance Descriptors represent a checklist, or provide a comprehensive description of student performance at each grade level. The descriptor that provides the best overall description of the student’s achievement at the end of Stage 5 will determine the grade awarded.
View the course performance descriptors for all Board developed courses
View information about assigning grades for Board Endorsed Courses and Content Endorsed Courses