Role of The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority
The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) develops curriculum and assessment for all Victorian students from Prep to Year 12.
For Years Prep to Year 10, the VCAA is responsible for:
- The Victorian Essential Learning Standards (VELS). The VELS outlines the curriculum to be taught in Victorian schools and the standards of achievement used for assessing student progress. The VELS was implemented in Victorian schools from 2006. This section of the website provides a general overview of the VELS for parents.
- The National Assessment Program for Literacy And Numeracy (NAPLAN). The VCAA is responsible for the administration of NAPLAN in Victoria. Students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 undertake tests in Reading, Writing, Language Conventions and Numeracy each year. These national tests provide information on how students are progressing, support improvements in teaching and learning, and provides a framework to compare student performance around Australia. NAPLAN tests were introduced 2008 and replaced the Victorian Achievement Improvement Monitor (AIM) tests.
For Years 11 and 12, the VCAA offers three programs for students:
- The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) including Vocational Education and Training (VET) in the VCE
- The Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL).
Please visit the main VCAA website for details on these programs.
Each school uses the curriculum provided by the VCAA to work out the best way to organise its teaching and learning program, taking into account government policies and the school community’s priorities, resources and expertise.
The VCAA also provides support to schools through the provision of teacher resource materials, curriculum and assessment advice, and participation in professional development activities.
