How VCE students will sit their final exams
Victoria’s curriculum body has confirmed how VCE students will take their final exams amid fears seating a large number of pupils in close proximity in classrooms poses a COVID risk.
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VCE students will physically sit exams this year.
The Herald Sun can reveal Victoria’s curriculum authority has ruled out shifting any exams online despite concern over having large numbers of students in close proximity.
The General Achievement Test, which all students must sit on October 7, will also have to be completed in person.
The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority in a statement told the Herald Sun: “There are no plans to move VCE exams or the GAT online.”
The Herald Sun has been told VCAA officials, Education Department staff and health experts are working out how to stage exams safely, even if restrictions ease as anticipated when assessments are held throughout November.
Language and performance exams begin in mid-October.
Already students attending school must wear face coverings, undergo temperature checks and regularly wash or sanitise their hands.
Extra precautions during exams would include a maximum 25 students and staff in a typical sized classroom, with one person to every four square metres.
Desks would be spaced out to a minimum 1.5 metres, there would be strict registers of attendance with seating plans and specific doors for arrival and departures
Dance, music and drama students doing performance exams would be able to remove their masks but would have to increase their physical distancing.
Floors would be wiped down if dancers have considerable contact with the ground, and could also be cleaned after wind instrument performances due to the risk of respiratory droplets spreading from pupils.
Giving students certainty about their exams was “enormously helpful”, said University of Melbourne director of the child and community wellbeing unit Prof Lisa Gibbs.
“People really struggle when there’s that uncertainty,” she said.
“Actually, the uncertainty is one of those things that can be just as hard to deal with than the hazard (the pandemic) itself.
“In some ways, it doesn’t matter whether the exams are going to be remote from home or in person on paper, it’s the knowing that’s important.”
Prof Gibbs said in helping people cope with mass disruptions, they needed hope, safety, connectedness, self-efficacy and community-efficacy.
Her concern was where students were forced to deal with added trauma this year on top of the latest challenges.
The GAT will be sat in-person by students on Wednesday, October 7.
Almost all VCE students will sit the English exam on November 10, with the final exams on December 1.
ATARs and study scores will be released on December 30, in time for university offers in line with other states and territories.
Already classrooms must have fresh airflow and are cleaned twice daily. Mixing of staff and students is also avoided.