Queensland Certificate of Education
Encyclopedia
The Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) is the certificate awarded to students completing their secondary schooling
in Queensland
. The QCE was introduced in 2008, to replace the Senior Certificate. It is currently issued by the Queensland Studies Authority (QSA).
All Queensland courses of study are awarded credits, which can contribute towards a QCE. These courses are divided into:
Core courses are the most common form of education undertaken in Years 11 and 12 and include both Authority and Authority-registered subjects. Authority subjects are those whose syllabuses are maintained by the QSA and whose results contribute to a student's Overall Position
, which is the ranking used for entrance to tertiary education institutions, whereas Authority-registered subjects are developed from a Study Area Specification. Authority-registered subjects do not contribute to the Overall Position of a student. Preparatory and Enrichment courses are commonly Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualifications, which often result in basic Certificate qualifications. Advanced courses are often university subjects completed alongside a student's regular secondary schooling.
Each of these achievement levels are split into 10 rungs, to further differentiate the achievement of individual students. A VHA10 is the highest mark a student can achieve for a subject and a VLA1 is the lowest. These marks, along with the weighting of subjects (determined by students' academic performance in the Queensland Core Skills Test
) is responsible in determining a students Overall Position
.
also appears on their QCE as a letter grade.
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. The QCE was introduced in 2008, to replace the Senior Certificate. It is currently issued by the Queensland Studies Authority (QSA).
Structure
The Queensland Certificate of Education is generally awarded to students completing Year 12, though alternative avenues of study are available.All Queensland courses of study are awarded credits, which can contribute towards a QCE. These courses are divided into:
- Core courses
- Preparatory courses
- Enrichment courses
- Advanced courses
Core courses are the most common form of education undertaken in Years 11 and 12 and include both Authority and Authority-registered subjects. Authority subjects are those whose syllabuses are maintained by the QSA and whose results contribute to a student's Overall Position
Overall Position
The Overall Position is a tertiary entrance rank used in the Australian state of Queensland for selection into universities. Like similar systems used throughout the rest of Australia, the OP shows how well a student has performed in their senior secondary studies compared to all other OP-eligible...
, which is the ranking used for entrance to tertiary education institutions, whereas Authority-registered subjects are developed from a Study Area Specification. Authority-registered subjects do not contribute to the Overall Position of a student. Preparatory and Enrichment courses are commonly Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualifications, which often result in basic Certificate qualifications. Advanced courses are often university subjects completed alongside a student's regular secondary schooling.
Assessment
Students are assessed based upon the subjects which they undertake. A student's final grade is given as a Level of Achievement, of which there are five:- Very High Achievement (VHA), roughly equivalent to an "A"
- High Achievement (HA), roughly equivalent to a "B"
- Sound Achievement (SA), roughly equivalent to a "C"
- Limited Achievement (LA), roughly equivalent to a "D"
- Very Limited Achievement (VLA), roughly equivalent to an "E"
Each of these achievement levels are split into 10 rungs, to further differentiate the achievement of individual students. A VHA10 is the highest mark a student can achieve for a subject and a VLA1 is the lowest. These marks, along with the weighting of subjects (determined by students' academic performance in the Queensland Core Skills Test
Queensland Core Skills Test
The Queensland Core Skills Test is a statewide test completed by all Queensland year twelve students who wish to be eligible for an Overall Position and is optional for tertiary rank students. These ranks are used to gain entrance into tertiary degrees and courses...
) is responsible in determining a students Overall Position
Overall Position
The Overall Position is a tertiary entrance rank used in the Australian state of Queensland for selection into universities. Like similar systems used throughout the rest of Australia, the OP shows how well a student has performed in their senior secondary studies compared to all other OP-eligible...
.
Award
In order to be awarded a QCE, a student must be awarded at least 20 credits from their studies. 12 credits must come from Core courses and the rest can come from a combination of courses, and Core courses not fully completed may also contribute some credits, however the level of achievement must be a Sound Achievement or Pass. Even if failing to receive a QCE at the end of Year 12, a student may continue to work towards one, though credits expire after nine years. A student's result in the Queensland Core Skills TestQueensland Core Skills Test
The Queensland Core Skills Test is a statewide test completed by all Queensland year twelve students who wish to be eligible for an Overall Position and is optional for tertiary rank students. These ranks are used to gain entrance into tertiary degrees and courses...
also appears on their QCE as a letter grade.
See also
- Education in AustraliaEducation in AustraliaEducation in Australia is primarily the responsibility of the states and territories. Each state or territory government provides funding and regulates the public and private schools within its governing area. The federal government helps fund the public universities, but is not involved in setting...
- Queensland Core Skills TestQueensland Core Skills TestThe Queensland Core Skills Test is a statewide test completed by all Queensland year twelve students who wish to be eligible for an Overall Position and is optional for tertiary rank students. These ranks are used to gain entrance into tertiary degrees and courses...
- Overall PositionOverall PositionThe Overall Position is a tertiary entrance rank used in the Australian state of Queensland for selection into universities. Like similar systems used throughout the rest of Australia, the OP shows how well a student has performed in their senior secondary studies compared to all other OP-eligible...