Year 11 and 12 2025 Curriculum Handbook

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YEAR 11 & 12 2025

CURRICULUM HANDBOOK

Pakenham

Secondary

College

Introduction

Acknowledgement of Country

Table of Contents

Welcome

Course Selection Timeline 2025

Glossary

Choosing a Later Years Pathway

Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC)

Getting the VPC

Victorian Certificate of Education

Structure of the VCE

Assessment in the VCE

VCE Frequently Asked Questions

VCE English

VCE English / EAL

VCE Literature

VCE Vocational Major

Vocational Education & Training

Scored VCE VET Program

Non VCE VET Programs

Contribution to the VCE

Selecting a VET Study

Assessment in VET

VCE Arts

VCE Art Making and Exhibiting

VCE Visual Communication Design

VCE Music

VCE Theatre Studies

VCE Health & Physical Education

VCE Health & Human Development

VCE Physical Education

VCE Outdoor & Environmental

Studies

What is the VCE Vocational Major?

How is the VCE VM structured?

What do I have to do to get

my VCE VM?

VCE VM Frequently Asked

Questions

USI: Unique Student Identifier

VET ‘Mini Cluster’ Programs

VET ‘Mini Cluster’ Next Steps

School Based Apprenticeships &

Traineeships (SBAT)

School Based Apprenticeships &

Traineeships (SBAT) Information

VCE Humanities

VCE Accounting

VCE Business Management

VCE Modern History (Units 1 & 2)

VCE Australian History (Units 3 & 4)

VCE Geography

VCE Legal Studies

VCE Sociology

VCE Mathematics

VCE Foundation Mathematics

Table of Contents

VCE General Mathematics

VCE Mathematical Methods

VCE Specialist Mathematics

Costs

2025 Indicative Costs

VCE Science

VCE Biology

VCE Chemistry

VCE Physics

VCE Technology

VCE Computing (Units 1 & 2)

VCE Data Analytics (Units 3 & 4)

VCE Food Studies

VCE Product Design & Technology:

Textiles

VCE Psychology

VCE Product Design & Technology:

Wood

VCE Vocational Major

VCE VM Literacy (Units 1 & 2)

VCE VM Literacy (Units 3 & 4)

VCE VM Numeracy (Units 1 & 2)

VCE VM Numeracy (Units 3 & 4)

VCE VM Personal Development

Skills (Units 1 & 2)

VCE VM Personal Development

Skills (Units 3 & 4)

VCE VM Work Related Skills

(Units 1 & 2)

VCE VM Work Related Skills

(Units 3 & 4)

Return to Bookshelf

Pakenham Secondary College recognises the Boonwurrung and Wurundjeri tribes

as the original inhabitants of the Cardinia region. The College respects Aboriginal

sacred sites, special places and objects, and fully supports the reconciliation

process.

Acknowledgement of Country

P A G E 4 | P A K E N H A M S E C O N D A R Y C O L L E G E S E N I O R S C H O O L 2 0 2 5 H A N D B O O K

At Pakenham Secondary College we are committed to

ensuring that the students who attend our College leave

with an appropriate qualification(s), together with a

pathway to further study and employment that is

important to them. We are committed to ensure that we

provide a tailored approach to all of our students as they

seek learning and pathways opportunities that relate to

their future hopes and aspirations.

Our students have the opportunity to select from a variety

of study options in 2025. These include the Victorian

Certificate of Education (VCE), the VCE Vocational Major

(VM), and the Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC).

Students can also choose to complete Vocational

Education

and

Training

(VET)

and

School

Based

Apprenticeship and Training (SBAT). We are proud to be

able to provide a Senior School Curriculum that best

meets the needs of all of our students as they strive to

follow a learning pathway that suits their skills and

interests.

I encourage all parents and students to become familiar

with the contents of this Handbook. Furthermore, I urge

families to take up the opportunity to participate in Course

Counselling sessions that will be made available to

parents/carers and students.

As a College, we look forward to working with our students

in order to support them in achieving a pathway and

future that is important to them.

Aaron Smith

Principal - Pakenham Secondary College

Welcome

P A G E 5 | P A K E N H A M S E C O N D A R Y C O L L E G E S E N I O R S C H O O L 2 0 2 5 H A N D B O O K

Aaron Smith

College Principal

Course Selection Timeline 2025

P A G E 6 | P A K E N H A M S E C O N D A R Y C O L L E G E Y E A R 1 0 2 0 2 5 E L E C T I V E S H A N D B O O K

For current Year 10 students

(and their parents/carers) in the

Lecture Theatre on Wednesday

17th July at 5:30pm. Important information about

the course selection process and course interviews

will be outlined during the presentation.

Following the presentation, subject and program

options will also be on display from 6:15pm until

7pm in B5 for parents/carers and students to

gather further information and talk to staff about

the various senior school options on offer.

Year 11 2025 Course

Counselling Information

Evening

Week 1 Term 3 2024

Year 10 Assembly

Wednesday 17th July 5:30pm - 7pm

Parent Information Evening for Year 11 2025

Course Counselling

Interviews

One-on-one interviews

with Course Counsellors

between 8am to 5pm in

B5 for Year 11 2025

Monday 22nd July and Tuesday 23rd July

Course Counselling Interviews

To provide information on

Year 11 program & details

about attending (with

parents/carers) the

upcoming Parent

Information Night

Glossary

P A G E 7 | P A K E N H A M S E C O N D A R Y C O L L E G E S E N I O R S C H O O L 2 0 2 5 H A N D B O O K

COMMON ASSESSMENT TASKS

Pieces of work that are undertaken over a

designated period of time, and are graded to

determine the student’s level of performance.

ATAR

Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank. A rank

that is generated from a student’s result. This

rank is used by most tertiary institutions as a

primary criterion for selection purposes.

GAT

A general knowledge examination, undertaken

by all students who are studying any Unit 3 &

4 sequence. The GAT is used by VCAA as a

means of verifying grades.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Learning Outcomes are the basis for

satisfactory completion of VCE units. There

are 2 to 4 Learning Outcomes per unit.

Learning Outcomes define what students will

know and be able to do as a result of

undertaking a study.

PREREQUISITE SUBJECTS

These are units that must be satisfactorily

completed before the student is eligible for

selection into specific tertiary courses.

Students should check prerequisites with the

relevant institutions before finalising their VCE

course selection.

SAC

School Assessed Coursework are assessment

tasks that are specified in a study design and

set by subject teachers which students must

satisfactorily complete. This work is completed

in class and will be assessed by your subject

teacher.

SAT

School Assessed Tasks are completed

in subjects that produce a product or

model. This Unit 3 & 4 work receives a

grade from A+ to UG based on the

quality of the work. The work is marked

internally, according to VCAA

specifications, and is confirmed

externally.

STUDY SCORE

A study score shows how well you have

performed in a study at Unit 3 and 4

level, compared to everybody else in

Victoria who took that study. Study

scores calculated by the VCAA will be

used by the Victorian Tertiary

Admissions Centre (VTAC) to calculate

the ATAR. The maximum study score is

50.

UNIT

A self-contained study of approximately

one semester’s length.

VCAA

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment

Authority

VCE

Victorian Certificate of Education

VET

Vocational Education and Training

Studies

VTAC

The Victorian Tertiary Admissions

Centre

What is a Later Years Pathway?

Choosing a Later Years Pathway

P A G E 8 | P A K E N H A M S E C O N D A R Y C O L L E G E S E N I O R S C H O O L 2 0 2 5 H A N D B O O K

A Later Years Pathway is a term used to

describe your choice in Education, Training

and Employment. It is a collection of studies

planned to deliver the requirements for a

senior school certificate, either;

Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE)

Victorian Certificate of Education

Vocational Major (VCE VM)

There are also Vocational Education and

Training (VET) studies including Australian

School Based Apprenticeship (ASBAs). VET

can be included in both VCE and VCE VM

programs.

Whatever Later Years Pathway you choose,

you will need to spend time investigating

what each of the pathways has to offer

before deciding to take it.

Resources to consult in your

decision making

Course Counsellor

Senior School Handbook 2025

My Future - https://myfuture.edu.au

Job Outlook -

https://joboutlook.gov.au

The Good Universities Guide -

https://www.gooduniversitiesguide.c

om.au/careers-guide

“Where to Now?” Your guide to

Senior Secondary School Pathways

in Victoria 2025

VCE or VCE VM?

Your pathway should reflect your interests

and goals, and whether these include further

study/training or employment. For example,

if you hope to study at a university or a

TAFE institution after leaving school, you

must check carefully that you are doing

studies (subjects) that are required by the

institution you wish to enter (these are

known as prerequisites). Universities and

TAFEs have published information about the

studies they wish you to include in your

program, if you wish to be considered for

selection when you leave school. These

requirements are called the Tertiary

Entrance Requirements and are published

every year. These are referred to as

Essential requirements for selection and

application.

When organising your pathway, you should

consider your career options and ensure

that your course selections will help you to

reach your goal. You should be aware of

any requirements for a specific career or

course you have in mind.

VICTORIAN

CERTIFICATE OF

EDUCATION (VCE)

Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE)

P A G E 1 0 | P A K E N H A M S E C O N D A R Y C O L L E G E S E N I O R S C H O O L 2 0 2 5 H A N D B O O K

The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) is

a rigorous certificate that provides pathways

for students into employment, TAFE and

tertiary institutions. Obtaining the VCE is an

achievable goal for most students, however

performing well in the ranking is more difficult.

This handbook provides information to assist

you in planning your pathway through the

VCE. Take the time to read it carefully and use

it to ask questions about the courses you have

an interest in.

Structure of the VCE

To graduate with your VCE you must

satisfactorily complete:

A minimum of 16 units and complete:

Three units from the English group

which include a Unit 3 & 4 sequence,

Three sequences of Unit 3 & 4

(including up to two VET sequences)

other than English.

At Pakenham Secondary College, students

are normally required to attempt 12 units in the

first year and 10 units in the second year of

their VCE studies. Students need to have 10

credits at Year 11 to advance to Year 12.

All studies are offered and the program for

each VCE year is determined by student

choice, school facilities and staff qualifications.

The following VCE Units are offered at

Pakenham Secondary College:

ENGLISH

English/EAL

Literature

ARTS

Art Making and Exhibiting

Visual Communications and

Design

Music

Theatre Studies

HEALTH & PE

Health and Human Development

Physical Education

HUMANITIES

Accounting

Business Management

Politics

History

Legal Studies

Sociology

MATHEMATICS

Foundation Mathematics

General Mathematics

Mathematical Methods

Specialist Mathematics

SCIENCE

Biology

Chemistry

Physics

Psychology

TECHNOLOGY

Applied Computing

Data Analytics

Food Studies

Product Design and Technology: Textiles

Product Design and Technology: Wood

Cost details of each of the subjects offered appear in the

appendix at the back of this booklet.

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