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Previously Information sheet 55 Variations — moderation materials
At Stage 2 of the SACE, 70% of the student learning in all Board-accredited subjects is assessed by schools, and 30% is externally assessed. Quality assurance processes are put in place for both school assessment and external assessment.
The school assessment is quality assured through a process of final moderation.
Teachers select a sample of students whose evidence of learning is to be submitted for final moderation according to sample selection parameters. There may be variations in the materials for one or more students in the final moderation sample because:
- special provisions have been granted by the school to a student(s)
- a breach of rules in an assessment type(s) has been identified in the work of a student(s)
- student materials that have been assessed by the teacher are no longer available
- a student has not completed an assessment task(s).
In these situations the teacher should select another student whose work reliably demonstrates achievement at a particular grade level. However, sometimes it is necessary to include materials with a variation in the moderation sample (e.g. for an assessment type a student has a result of A+ or is the only student with a result at a particular grade level — see Moderation sample selection and preparation).
When such materials are included in the moderation sample, the teacher, in consultation with the principal’s delegate or the SACE coordinator, submits details of the variation with the moderation materials to indicate the reason(s) for the variation in the sample. Teachers use the 'VMM' function during the online submission process.
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Special provisions
Schools are responsible for establishing eligibility, and for identifying and implementing special provisions in the form of reasonable adjustments for school assessment tasks. In doing so, schools may not exempt a student from completing an entire assessment type.
If the number of tasks to be completed by a student has been reduced due to special provisions granted, a penalty should not be applied to the final result that is recorded on the school assessment results sheet in Schools Online for submission to the SACE Board.
If special provisions have been granted for school assessment tasks, the teacher should select, where possible, another student whose work reliably demonstrates achievement at the same grade level.
If, to meet the sample selection parameters, it is necessary to include the work of a student who has been granted special provisions for an assessment type, the teacher submits details of the variation and includes information about special provisions approved for school assessment that result in:
- a variation to the assessment described in the learning and assessment plan (e.g. a reduced number of assessment tasks)
- a variation to an individual task(s)
- the use of supporting evidence to determine the grade for an assessment type when student work is lost or irreparably damaged before the due date for submission to the teacher.
Teachers use the 'VMM' function during the online submission process.
Teachers are not required to provide variation details for the following special provisions:
- an extension to a due date
- a change in format (e.g. enlarged print, Braille, coloured paper).
Breach of rules
Schools are responsible for investigating, documenting, and determining any penalty to be applied if there is a breach of rules in school assessment tasks.
The penalty applied should be reflected in the final result that is recorded on the school assessment results sheet in Schools Online for submission to the SACE Board.
If there is a breach of rules in a school assessment task(s) the teacher should select, where possible, another student whose work reliably demonstrates achievement at the same grade level.
If, to meet the sample selection parameters, it is necessary to include the work of a student who has been penalised due to a breach of rules in the assessment type, the teacher details any breach of rules and the penalty applied. Teachers use the 'VMM' function during the online submission process.
Missing task(s) completed and assessed
A sample might be incomplete because one or more tasks that have been assessed by the teacher are missing. In such situations the teacher should select, where possible, another student whose work reliably demonstrates achievement at the same grade level.
If, to meet the sample selection parameters, it is necessary to include an incomplete sample, the teacher submits details of the task(s) missing and confirmation that the work has been completed by the student and assessed by the teacher. Teachers use the 'VMM' function during the online submission process.
For missing task(s) that have been completed and assessed by the teacher, a penalty should not be applied to the final result that is recorded on the school assessment results sheet in Schools Online for submission to the SACE Board.
If evidence for multiple students, or most or all of an assessment type, is missing, schools should contact the relevant SACE officer before moderation for advice about the evidence to be submitted.
Task(s) not completed
A sample may also be incomplete because a student has not submitted one or more tasks to the teacher for marking.
In such situations the teacher should select, where possible, another student whose work reliably demonstrates achievement at the same grade level.
If, to meet the sample selection parameters, it is necessary to include an incomplete sample, the teacher submits details of the missing task(s) and confirmation that the work has not been completed by the student and that the student has been given no grade/mark for the task(s). Teachers use the 'VMM' function during the online submission process.
The result that is recorded on the school assessment results sheet in Schools Online for submission to the SACE Board should factor in a nil grade/mark for the missing task(s). Teachers should refer to SACE assessment and reporting guidelines for guidance on factoring in task(s) not completed.