VCE Vocational Major and Victorian Pathways Certificate Provision

Policy

This policy outlines the provision expectation for the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) Vocational Major (VM) and Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC) for Victorian government secondary schools.

Summary

• All students must be supported to choose and access the senior secondary pathway that best aligns with their strengths, interests and aspirations.
• All Victorian government secondary schools are expected to provide:
  • the VCE VM and
  • the VPC where it is a suitable pathway for students at the school.
• Provision of the VCE VM and VPC means that Literacy, Numeracy, Work Related Skills and Personal Development Skills studies are delivered on-site by the school.
• The department and the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) are supporting schools to deliver the VCE VM and VPC.
• There are limited exceptions to the certificate provision expectation, including selective entry and specialism schools, schools registered as specialist or specific purpose schools with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority, and schools not providing education to Years 11 and 12 students. While the certificate provision expectation does not apply to these schools, they are encouraged to provide the VCE VM and VPC where it is suitable for their student cohort.

Details

VCE Vocational Major

The VCE VM is a 2-year vocational and applied learning program that enables students to transition into apprenticeships, traineeships, further education and training and university (via non-ATAR pathways).

For more information on the VCE VM, refer to the VCAA’s About the VCE VM website.

For curricula and support materials for the VCE VM, refer to the VCAA’s VCE VM Study Designs website.

Victorian Pathways Certificate

The VPC is an inclusive Year 11 and 12 certificate which is designed to meet the needs of students who require a more individualised and flexible program for their last 2 years of secondary schooling. The VPC is not a senior secondary certificate of education, however, students can use it as a pathway to the VCE, VCE VM, or Vocational Education and Training (VET) certificates. The level of learning in the VPC is aligned with Australian Qualifications Framework Level 1.

Enrolment into the VPC should be a decision made on a case-by-case basis. Discussions about the VPC’s suitability for a student should be conducted between the school, student and their parent or carer. The VCAA has developed the VPC Suitability Guidelines to inform whether the VPC is appropriate for individual students before they are enrolled in the certificate.

For more information on the VPC, including the VPC Suitability Guidelines, refer to the VCAA’s About the VPC website.

For curricula and support materials for the VPC, refer to the VCAA’s VPC Curriculum Designs website.

Certificate provision expectation

VCE Vocational Major

All government secondary schools are expected to provide the VCE VM.

Certificate provision of the VCE VM means that VCE VM Literacy, Numeracy, Work Related Skills and Personal Development Skills studies are delivered on-site by the school.

Victorian Pathways Certificate

All government secondary schools are expected to provide the VPC where it is a suitable pathway for students at the school.

Certificate provision of the VPC means that VPC Literacy, Numeracy, Work Related Skills and Personal Development Skills studies are delivered on-site by the school.

In the case of single or low student enrolments in the VPC, schools can determine how to deliver the VPC according to their context and operational requirements. For example, schools may have VPC students working in the same classroom as other students, such as those undertaking the VCE VM.

VCAA guidance on co-delivery of the certificates is included in the support materials in the VPC Curriculum Designs and VCE VM Study Designs.

Vocational Education and Training delivered to school students

Schools can provide access to VET components off-site through a third-party provider, such as a TAFE, registered training organisation or on the campus of another school.

Schools are supported to provide access to a core offering of VET certificates that align with Victoria’s priority growth industries, regional needs and students’ interests and aspirations. However providing access to the full core offering of VET certificates is not a requirement to deliver the VCE VM or the VPC. For policy and guidance related to the core offering, refer to Vocational Education and Training Delivered to School Students.

Exceptions to the certificate provision expectation

Schools that are excepted from the certificate provision expectation are encouraged to provide the VCE VM and VPC where it is suitable for their student cohort.

The following schools are excepted from the provision expectation for the VCE VM and VPC:

• selective entry schools
• specialism schools
• schools registered as specialist schools with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA)
• schools registered as specific purpose schools with the VRQA
• secondary schools that do not provide education for students in Years 11 or 12 (for example, Year 7 to 10 schools).

Delivering the new certificates

Support for schools to deliver the new certificates

The department and the VCAA are supporting schools to deliver the VCE VM and VPC. All schools can access:

• VCAA professional learning, available on the VCE VM and VPC Professional Learning Platform. Additional professional learning opportunities will be communicated by the VCAA through the VCAA’s Notices to schools
• 1.5 days of teacher time release per VCE VM and VPC teacher in 2024, and 1 day in 2025, to participate in professional learning and to support certificate delivery, with reimbursement available through the Schools Targeted Funding Portal (staff login required)
• area-based support to schools from Jobs, Skills and Pathways Managers and Senior Jobs, Skills and Pathways Officers
• support for communicating with students and school communities, available on the Resources tab.

Contact the Provision team in the department’s Senior Secondary Pathways Reform Taskforce for more information on these supports, including information on who your school’s Jobs, Skills and Pathways Manager and Senior Jobs, Skills and Pathways Officer is – refer to the contacts section below.

Schools not currently registered or permitted to deliver the new certificates

Schools that are expected to provide the new certificates, or wish to provide one or both certificates, need to be:

• registered by the VRQA for the VCE (if not already registered) and/or the VPC
• permitted by the VCAA to deliver the VCE VM and/or the VPC.

Schools that need to expand their registration and apply for permission to deliver the new certificates are recommended to contact the department’s School Provision and Establishment Division as early as possible to find out more information about the process – refer to the contacts section below.

Student enrolments in the VCE VM and VPC

Students must be supported through their school’s career education program to:

• make informed certificate and subject choices for their senior years
• undertake the certificate that best aligns with their strengths, interests, and aspirations.

Decisions regarding enrolment in the VCE VM and VPC must be made in partnership between students and their school, with input from parents and carers.

Schools are encouraged to promote the VCE VM to build awareness and demand for this certificate ahead of student certificate and subject selection processes. Timetabling and staffing decisions may be finalised after these processes have been completed.

All secondary schools in scope of the certificate provision expectation need to offer the VCE VM and VPC to their students. If your school expects that it will not have student demand for the VCE VM or student need for the VPC, please contact your area’s Jobs, Skills and Pathways Manager for support and advice.

Limiting enrolments in the VCE VM and VPC

Schools must avoid using enrolment practices for the VCE VM and VPC that:

• restrict or ‘cap’ enrolments if students’ decisions to undertake the VCE VM or VPC are informed and appropriate
• compel students to enrol in a certificate that does not align with their informed and appropriate decision
• result in students transferring or withdrawing from school because the school has limited students’ certificate choices.

Definitions

Selective entry school
For the purposes of this policy, selective entry school means a Victorian government school where prospective students must sit an entrance exam in Year 8 and meet specific selection criteria to be admitted. There are 4 government selective entry schools in Victoria – the Mac.Robertson Girls’ High School, Melbourne High School, Nossal High School and Suzanne Cory High School.

Specialism school
For the purposes of this policy, specialism school means a Victorian government school that focusses on a specialist subject or activity and has specific enrolment criteria. There are 2 government specialism schools in Victoria – John Monash Science School and the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School.

Related policies

• Career Education Funding
• Minimum Standards and School Registration
• Selective Entry and Other Specialism Schools and Programs
• Vocational Education and Training Delivered to School Students

Relevant legislation

• Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic)
• Education and Training Reform Regulations 2017 (Vic)

Contact

For further information on this policy or certificate provision supports, contact the Provision team in the department’s Senior Secondary Pathways Reform Taskforce: sspr.provision@education.vic.gov.au

For further information on the curriculum, certificate design and professional learning for the VCE VM and VPC, contact the VCAA’s Senior Secondary Reform team: vcaa.seniorsecondaryreform@education.vic.gov.au

For advice and support with registration and permission to deliver for the VCE Vocational Major and/or the VPC contact the department’s School Provision and Establishment Division: school.registration@education.vic.gov.au

Guidance

There is no further guidance for this topic. For more information, refer to the Resources tab.

Resources

Resources are available to assist schools with implementation of the VCE Vocational Major and Victorian Pathways Certificate:

• VCE Vocational Major and Victorian Pathways Certificate implementation supports (DOCX) (staff login required)

Certificate explainer videos

Explain the essential details of the VCE Vocational Major and VPC by sharing these 4 explainer videos:

• Your pathway options on Vimeo
• VCE Vocational Major on Vimeo
• Victorian Certificate of Education on Vimeo
• Victorian Pathways Certificate on Vimeo

Your world. Your VCE. communication pack

The Your world. Your VCE. campaign is raising awareness of the new VCE Vocational Major. It motivates students to discover and choose a VCE that suits their world, so they can pursue their talents and passions.

The communication pack is a collection of material for schools to share with their communities, including:

• website and newsletter sample text and images
• social media images, videos and messages
• downloadable A2-size posters for display in schools.

Download the pack:

• Your World, Your VCE school communication pack (PPTX)

Your world. Your VCE. is the next iteration of the Many Talents One VCE campaign, putting students at the centre of Victoria’s senior secondary education reforms.

Please replace all Many talents. One VCE. campaign material with Your world. Your VCE. material, including posters around school and images on your website.

Celebrating pathways equally

The reforms to senior secondary education mean that students’ learning and achievement is becoming more diverse.

Students should see that all forms of success are worthy of celebration. Use these discussion guide presentation slides (PPTX) to lead a conversation in your school about celebrating pathways and achievements.

Use this reflective checklist (DOCX) to consider how your school can celebrate pathways equally.

Celebrate students’ diverse achievements in your school’s newsletter, social media or other communication channels by adding photos to these templates:

• Your World, Your VCE student social media celebration template (PPTX)
• Your World, Your VCE student newsletter celebration template (PPTX)

VAL pathways – the student experience

Promote and celebrate vocational and applied learning pathways with your students and community using these 2 student case study videos.

These videos feature students who are undertaking a VAL qualification while they are at school.

• Watch VAL pathways – Early Childhood Education and Care on Vimeo
• Watch VAL pathways – Building and Construction on Vimeo

VAL pathways – the teacher experience

Promote and inspire your staff to consider teaching VAL.

This video features one teacher’s rewarding experiences working in a VAL classroom.

Watch VAL pathways – Teacher experience on Vimeo

VAL explainer and benefits presentation

This presentation deck provides an explanation of what vocational and applied learning is, how it can be incorporated into a secondary students' education, and why it's a great option for students to consider.

It contains a case study bank of students who have pursued VAL in their senior secondary education and who have gone on to a range of successful post-secondary transitions.

Vocational and applied learning explainer and benefits presentation (PPTX) (staff login required)

Firth Review

The Review into vocational and applied learning pathways in senior secondary schooling (PDF) (the Firth Review) made 38 recommendations to lift the quality and perception of vocational education, help more students access high-quality applied learning programs, and provide students with a vocational pathway that gives them the skills they need to make successful post-school transitions. This included recommendations relating to the provision of vocational and applied learning pathways.

The Victorian Government’s response (PDF) to the Firth Review accepted in principle all of the review’s recommendations.

Senior secondary schooling pathway reforms

Further information on the senior secondary schooling pathways reforms is available:

• on the department’s senior secondary schooling pathways reforms page
• on the VCAA’s Victorian senior secondary certificate reform page.