Last updated: 26 May 2020

Dear 11 and 12 students and their parents: we know this is a worrying time for you and your family due to the learning disruptions caused by COVID-19.

But please know that governments, schools and education authorities are working hard to finalise a plan to ensure you can graduate this year and have your work assessed fairly.

The below links will be useful if you are wanting to get up-to-speed on government decision-making on assessments and find specific subject assessment information.

Announcements on Year 12

A return to face-to-face classroom teaching from 11 May.

Queensland schools took an important first step towards re-opening following the Premier’s announcement on 4 May that the state’s oldest and youngest students would be the first to return to the classroom on Monday 11 May.

Independent Schools Queensland Executive Director David Robertson said in a media release that ISQ supported the return of face-to-face teaching starting with students in Years 11-12, Kindergarten, Prep and Year 1 on 11 May, with all other students returning on 25 May.

“Student learning, growth and wellbeing are best served when students and teachers are interacting in that all-important social classroom and school environment,” Mr Robertson said.

“This is particularly true for our youngest students who have just embarked on their schooling journey and our senior students who are coming to the end of theirs,” he said.

“Year 12s also have the added complexity of being the first to study new subjects with new assessment arrangements under Queensland’s revamped senior schooling and tertiary entrance system.”

Mr Robertson said independent schools would look closely at the full range of logistical issues such as their timetabling, physical classroom settings, lunch breaks and drop-off and pick-up procedures to safely accommodate students, staff and parents.

A change to internal assessments.

At its meeting on 25 March, the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority board considered the challenges faced by Queensland school communities in relation to COVID-19 and made changes to the assessment program.

“It [the board] understands that the pandemic has created an extraordinary set of circumstances, dramatically increasing pressures on students, their families and teachers,” says a statement on the QCAA website.

“That’s why it decided to remove one internal assessment from the total of four assessments prescribed in each General and Applied syllabus. This will provide some relief for students as they contend with uncertainty and disruption while working towards their Queensland Certificate of Education in 2020.”

Read the communication that the Board sent to principals on 26 March advising of the change.

There will be no Year 13.

Education ministers have committed to working out a solution to ensure seniors can graduate with a leaving certificate this year. Specific information on how students will be assessed due to the disruption of home-learning is expected to be announced after the Education Council meet again. (The Education Council is the meeting of all education ministers including Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan.)

Frequently asked questions

The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority is regularly updating a FAQ page on their website with information as it comes to hand.

Factsheets on assessments for senior subjects

The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority is producing new factsheets on assessments for senior subjects. Fact sheets for all subjects are on their way.

You can find them on this page of the QCAA website.

The myqce page from QCAA also has student specific information all about the QCE.

Year 12 External Assessment Timetable

The external assessment timetable has been released by the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority for general subjects. 
Find the all the details and a link to the timetable on this page of the QCAA website.

Reassurance

University of Central Queensland Vice-Chancellor Professor Nick Klomp has offered reassurance – and some frank advice – to Year 12 students worrying about their future amid the COVID-19 crisis. Read his full letter to students in our recent story. We promise you will feel better after reading this story!