Senior absences and assignment extensions

Year 11 and 12 students are well underway in their senior studies at the College. As many parents are aware, the College offers senior classes under accreditation from the Board of Senior Secondary Studies (the BSSS). The BSSS accredits colleges in the ACT to offer courses leading to a Year 12 certificate for all students, an Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank for students completing a Tertiary learning package and VET qualifications for students working towards a nationally recognised training qualification. Students and families are therefore bound not only by College rules but also those from the BSSS in their Senior Studies. The following notes are reminders of student and parent responsibilities regarding absences from school and extensions for assignments, adapted for parents from BSSS guidelines.

Absences

It is expected that students will attend and participate in all scheduled classes/contact time/structured learning activities for the units in which they are enrolled unless there is due cause and adequate documentary evidence is provided. Single-day absences can be explained by a parent or carer, but extended periods of absence should be covered by a medical certificate or appropriate documentation by an external provider. Students must attend at least 90% of all classes. If this threshold is not met with documentation from parents and is not an approved activity by the College, the student will not be awarded with a Grade or Score for the unit, putting their Year 12 certificate in jeopardy.

It is strongly recommended by the College that students do not attend family or other holidays during class. This strongly disadvantages students as they miss course content, valuable tips for success in their assessment and contact with their peers that may assist their learning. No assessment extensions or special provisions can be applied for students who take family holidays during scheduled class time.

Extensions for Assignments and Missed In-Class Assessment

In exceptional circumstances, requests for an extension of time for assignments may be requested on the appropriate form and submitted to the subject Studies Coordinator after consulting with the class teacher at least two days before the assignment is due. The class teacher must be the first point of call. This form is available for students on Canvas on the Resource Centre class page. Our extension policy is dictated by the BSSS and we are required by legislation to follow their guidelines in this matter.

Students may request an extension from their classroom teacher if they are unable to complete a task on time due to an ongoing physical or mental health issue and must present appropriate documentation to make this request.

The following are BSSS accepted reasons for an extension of time for students in the Senior School:

• They are unwell and can present and medical certificate to certify their illness during the assessment period.
• They have a note on the student’s Personalised Plan that states that they may require extra time to complete a task.
• A significant family tragedy or emergency has occurred.
• They are at a school-based event that prevents them from submitting their assignment on the due date.

The above reasons also apply to students who are absent from the College during in-class assessments and exams. Other reasons are unfortunately unacceptable according to BSSS guidelines.

The College can’t provide extensions for the following reasons:

• The student has multiple assignments due in a short period of time.
• The student has work or sport commitments over the weekend that have made it difficult for them to complete their assignments.
• Family trips or holidays.
• The student has a broken laptop or home IT infrastructure.

We ask families to keep these requirements from the BSSS in mind when assisting their senior student to plan the study, work and life balance.

To learn more about supporting your student through their Senior years, as well as more technical details on how the BSSS and Year 11 and 12 operates in the ACT, please come along to our Understanding Senior Studies information night, in the College Theatre from 5.30pm on 21 March. We will be discussing the importance of the ACT Senior System, Scaling and Moderation, and Pathways for students to enter University and CIT when they leave the College.