By Mrs Anna Hardy, Assistant Principal Curriculum 

Interim Reports

Just a reminder, there will be no Term 1 Interim Reports issued. As mentioned in previous newsletters all feedback and results will be available through canvas for parents/guardians to access. If you need assistance with this, please attend our information sessions that will be occurring on the same day as Parent/Teacher/Student conferences for parents and guardians. These will occur every 20 minutes, and the same information will be given in each session. They are designed for parents and guardians to drop in before, during or after their conferences with teachers.

Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences

Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences are being held on Tuesday 29 April 2025 in Assumption Hall. Students are encouraged to come along to these interviews and discuss their progress with their teachers. We believe that students are an important stakeholder in their learning journey and need to have a voice in these meetings.

Assessment Policy 

At Assumption College we value the learning inherent in the assessment pieces completed by the students. If a student fails to complete either a draft or a final, there will be sanctions put in place to ensure that this learning/assessment is completed. This is to ensure, not only an aspirational culture, but that students are accessing all of their mandated curriculum.

If your child does not complete a draft by the due date, their teacher will set a lunchtime detention to ensure that some drafting work is completed and submitted. If there is no final submitted, this draft will be marked.

If your child does not complete a final assessment piece by the due date, an academic detention (after school) will then be issued. The student will complete the assessment to a satisfactory standard during this time. If the assessment piece has already been submitted, the detention still stands and students will complete a written reflection during this time.

All assessment pieces have a due date and this must be adhered to. If a student is unwell they can apply for an extension. These extension forms are available at the college office. For Years 7 - 10, documentation from home to support the extension is required. For Years 11 - 12, the QCAA states that a medical certificate must be produced to support any extra time. Of course, there are extenuating circumstances that may require an extension of time, please discuss this with us and we will support your child to complete the process.

AARAs - Assessment Access Arrangements & Reasonable Adjustments (Year 11/12 students)

It is a system wide expectation that teacher planning is for all students. Teacher planning must incorporate the differentiation required for all students to access the curriculum. This planning for personalised learning ensures that students achieve their entitlement to "rigorous, relevant and engaging learning programs drawn from a challenging curriculum that addresses their individual, learning needs", as described by the Australian Curriculum and QCAA Senior Syllabuses.

Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments (AARA) are processes put in place by the College and/or the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA), to make assessment accessible for all students. AARAs enable students to demonstrate the assessed knowledge and skills, irrespective of any short, or long term, impairment, condition or illness.

AARAs are applied to the assessment conditions only and do not exempt a student from completing the assessment instrument. Nor do they change the criteria against which the student response is assessed. AARAs are provided to minimise, as much as possible, barriers for a student whose disability, impairment, medical condition or other circumstance affect their ability to read, respond to, or participate in the assessment.

The QCAA uses broad application categories for AARA eligibility:
• cognitive
• physical
• sensory
• social/emotional.

The definition of ‘disability’ used in the DDA is broad. It includes physical, intellectual, psychiatric, sensory, neurological and learning disabilities. It also includes physical disfigurement, and the presence in the body of disease-causing organisms. Students may also be eligible for AARAs where illness and misadventure (i.e. unforeseen circumstances) or other situations may prevent students from demonstrating their learning, knowledge and skill in internal and/or external summative assessment.

The QCAA will also consider applications for certain cultural obligations or personal circumstances.

Ineligible reasons for a change to assessment conditions

Students are not eligible for an extension or rescheduling of an examination on the following grounds:
• matters of the student’s or parent’s/carer’s own choosing (e.g. family holidays)
• sporting representation (other than State or National Representative positions in certain circumstances)
• cultural activities
• teacher absence or other teacher-related difficulties
• matters that the student could have avoided (e.g. misreading an examination timetable, misreading instructions in examinations)

An AARA application is individualised and is based on the functional impact of the condition in which the AARA is sought. The application process must be consultative with teachers, students and parents to ensure accuracy.

These guidelines are intentionally non-prescriptive to ensure that each case is addressed on a case-by-case basis. While the AARA team may support an application, there is no guarantee that QCAA approved AARA will be obtained.

If you believe your child requires an AARA, please contact the College AARA team, Ann Carmichael, Natalie Bennett and/or Anna Hardy.

Date Claimers:

Year 11      Unit 2 begins Week 6, Term 2
Year 12      Unit 3 Reports issued Week 7, Term 2
Year 12      Academic Interviews - Week 6, Term 2

Wishing you all a happy and holy Easter, and a wonderful break with family.