Assessing and Reporting Student Achievement
The page describes the methods of assessing student achievement in the range of subjects studied in Australian and New Zealand schools and how these assessments are reported on senior secondary certificates and related documents.
The page does not refer to calculation of tertiary entrance scores or rankings.
1. Assessment
Assessment is a judgement of student achievement or progress in a program of study and indicates the level of knowledge, skills and understanding achieved by the student.
There are four main methods of assessing students’ academic achievement:
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external (statewide) examination;
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moderated school-based assessment;
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school-based assessment (not moderated);
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external scaling test(s).
In Australia the methods of assessing student achievement are combinations
of these. None of the states/territories uses a single method of assessment
only.
External examinations
All students studying a subject sit for the same examination, normally at the end of the study period. The major purposes of external examinations may be to allow students to demonstrate their achievements against set standards and to rank all students in the state on a single specified scale.
Moderated school-based assessment
School-based assessment is done by teachers in schools using a variety of assessment methods. The marks from this assessment process are moderated by various factors including the school group’s performance at external exams or advice from outside experts. The reason for doing this is so that direct comparisons can be made between assessment marks awarded by different schools and marks placed on the same scale.
School-based assessment (not moderated)
School-based assessment is done by teachers in schools using a variety of assessment methods. In some states, the results of subjects with non-moderated assessments are recorded on certificates and other documents.
Policies and procedures aim to ensure that the standards for student assessment are followed as stated in the syllabus or course documents. The assessments may be subjected to some form of moderation within the school but there is no system-wide moderation. However, courses and assessment procedures may be accredited by the central assessment and certification authority.
External scaling tests
The content of these tests may be based on state curriculum or may be an assessment of general scholastic ability. The tests are used to rank students on a statewide basis.
2. Reporting
Student achievement may be reported by using numbers (marks, scores or percentages), grades or descriptive statements.
Marks
Marks usually indicate a student’s relative standing compared with other members of the candidature. Marks can be totalled or averaged for comparison of achievement levels. Raw marks are rarely used. The marks are usually subjected to scaling or standardisation to put them on a common scale.
Grades
Grades may represent
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a specific range of marks, eg A = 17 – 20 marks (out of 20 marks)
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a shorthand way of describing a level of achievement, eg A = students who have very high achievement in all aspects of the study.
Descriptive statements
Statements such as Very High Achievement or Satisfactory Achievement may be written on certificates to describe a student’s performance in achieving defined objectives and standards.
Top of page3. FAQs
What assessment method(s) are used for the senior secondary school leaving credential in Queensland?
Queensland senior secondary schools operate a system of internally assessed, externally moderated school-based assessment. Students are initially assessed, according to the criteria and standards found in each of the particular syllabuses, by those people who are most familiar with the skills and knowledge of their students – the teachers in the classrooms. These teacher judgements, based on the evidence found in the student work, are then submitted to scrutiny by panels of fellow expert practitioners.
How are marks determined in the senior secondary school credentialling program in Queensland?
Assessment in Authority and Authority-registered Subjects is criteria and standards based. The criteria and standards for awarding a particular level of achievement are contained in that particular subject's syllabus for Authority Subjects or for an Authority-registered Subject, the study area specification, and study plan. Students are awarded one of five levels of achievement: VHA (Very High Achievement), HA (High Achievement), SA (Sound Achievement), LA (Limited Achievement) and VLA (Very Limited Achievement). These levels of achievement are awarded depending on the extent to which students meet the standards for each level in each criterion. There is no limit to the numbers of students who might achieve a particular level of achievement.
Assessment in vocational education and training is based on nationally endorsed competency standards.