190853
15 July 2019 Senior secondary Number: 041/19
Release of mock external assessments
Purpose
To notify schools about the release of the mock external assessments and accompanying support resources.
Background
To support the introduction of external assessment in 2020, the QCAA has developed mock external assessments for General syllabuses and four Senior External Examination syllabuses — Chinese, Korean, Indonesian and Vietnamese. Mock common internal assessments have also been developed for Essential English and Essential Mathematics.
The mock external assessments were developed in consultation with our colleagues in curriculum authorities interstate, academics, and classroom teachers.
Information
The purpose of the mocks is to prepare schools for the introduction of external assessment in 2020. They are intended to play a similar role to the ‘past papers’ made available in other states.
Each subject has two assessments published in the QCAA Portal. One is labelled ‘School use only’ and is only available for schools. The other is labelled ‘Public use’ and will be published on the QCAA website in early August 2019 for students and parents.
Each assessment comes with a marking guide that may include an annotated response, where relevant. The marking guide for the ‘Public use’ assessment will not be published on the QCAA website.
The mock external assessments are being released to:
• allow schools and their communities to understand how syllabus objectives and subject matter will be assessed in external assessments
• ensure Queensland students have an opportunity to see a sample instrument prior to sitting an external assessment in 2020
• give schools the opportunity to administer some, or all, of the sample assessments as a practice test in 2020 after their students have completed the relevant subject matter.
Access
You may access the mocks via the QCAA Portal: Syllabuses application > Subject > Resources >
Units 3 & 4.
Memo
Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority
Memo
Release of mock external assessments Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority
15 July 2019 Page 2 of 2
Support resources
To help schools use the mocks to prepare for external assessment, the following support resources are available in the QCAA Portal:
• Toolkit for school leaders — located in the Noticeboard
• Guide for teachers — located in the Syllabuses application with the mocks.
Information for students and parents will be published on the QCAA website and myQCE website when the ‘Public use’ sample assessments are released in early August 2019.
What you need to do
• Bring this memo to the attention of teachers at your school.
• Encourage your teachers to take some time to become familiar with the mocks and engage with the support resources.
• Develop a strategy for using the mocks to prepare your 2020 Year 12 cohort for next year’s external assessment.
• Encourage your Heads of Department to come to our learning area networking forums in July and August where we will discuss strategies for using the mock assessments in classroom settings.
Finding out more
For general questions about the mocks, please email [email protected].
For subject-specific feedback, suggestions and questions, please email the relevant learning area.
Jacqueline Wilton
Director, Curriculum Services Division
