How Queensland schools are preparing for ATAR
Queensland students will this year sit “external” exams for the first time in almost 50 years. This is how schools are preparing students for the new system.
Schools Hub
Don't miss out on the headlines from Schools Hub. Followed categories will be added to My News.
MORE than 50,000 Queensland students are entering their final year of school this week, gearing up for the first “external” exams in just under 50 years.
But as school officially returns for hundreds of thousands more students tomorrow, this year’s trailblazing Year 12 cohort say they feel prepared to rise to the challenges ahead.
In the biggest overhaul of the curriculum in decades, the new Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) system will this year see Year 12 students sit three school-based assessments and an external exam that’s set and marked by the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA).
An ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) will be calculated from students’ five best subjects, giving them a ranking of their performance compared to other students on a scale of 99.95 to 0, replacing the OP system.
It follows the introduction of a raft of new subjects – such as Design, Engineering, Literature and Psychology – to the curriculum in 2019.
One of the 3128 students studying psychology, Cleone Wrakuale said the new subject had even helped her to tackle life’s challenges outside the classroom.
“Psychology is very interesting, I’ve learnt a lot more studying it than I have in other subjects, it’s a lot of content but very interesting and I’ve taken a lot of knowledge into life outside school, which I haven’t in other subjects,” she said.
Fellow Clayfield College senior student Sophia Kelly said she hoped exam stress had been avoided by having had a practice run of the new system in Year 11.
“The biggest thing I’ve learnt in psychology is to take care of your mental health first, doesn’t matter what you have to do, take a minute and just breath. You’ll get through it,” she said.
“So I think everyone is feeling pretty good about it. It’s been a big step up from the old system, everything is more critically marked.” Year 11 student Sophia Buchanan said this year’s cohort had paved the way to success.
She wants to combine her music and psychology studies at school to one day become a music therapist, using her talents to help people.
“I think it’s really interesting to learn about how the mind works, good to know about mental wellness and health,” she said.
Education Minister Grace Grace said students, parents and the community could have confidence that our schools were ready for 2020.
“School leaders and teachers have prepared for the new system for a number of years, supported by extensive professional development provided by the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority, the Queensland Tertiary Admission Centre (QTAC) and their schooling sectors,” she said.
“As students commence their Year 12 studies, they are encouraged to enjoy and learn from their schooling experiences, to capitalise on their strengths, develop areas for improvement, and celebrate successes along the way.”
QCAA chief executive Chris Rider said the new QCE system focused on students developing knowledge, skills and habits for success in further education, work and life.
“New and redeveloped syllabuses provide the foundation,” he said.
‘Less distraction’: Truth behind Qld’s single-sex school debate
It’s the age old question, single-sex vs co-ed? We may finally have the answer.
First look at Brisbane Catholic school’s new campus design
An upcoming Catholic school, which expects to open in 2026, has revealed their campus design with new buildings and renovation on existing structures, including 24 parking spaces.