Will Year 12 Students Still Take Exams and Get an ATAR This Year? Here's Everything We Know

Learning left in limbo.

After all the sudden and strict changes we’ve experienced as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, things still remain especially uncertain for Year 12 students and recent high school and university graduates looking to get on with their lives.

In an attempt to reduce the spread of coronavirus, Year 12 students all over the country are studying from home, faced early school holiday periods, experienced social distancing rules in the classroom, seen the cancellation of extracurriculars and events and still have complete insecurity around their exams.

Can like the National Cabinet please decide what they wanna do about year 12 exams like this waiting period is making me nervous

— tahlia (@tahliap02) April 3, 2020

Initially, the federal government was still considering the cancellation of end-of-year exams as an option.

The Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan has since assured Year 12 students that they will recieve their ATAR and will not have to repeat Year 12 in 2021.

"Exactly how that assessment is done is going to depend on what happens with the pandemic," he said.

Mr Tehan also suggested that state and territory authorities may need to consider alternate approaches to assessments and the ATAR system to enable graduating students to "acquire some sort of a leaving certificate".

In all this ambiguity, some state governments have put forward plans to assist Year 12s and recent graduates in achieving their education goals.

So, to clarify some things, here are their plans:

Victoria

In Victoria, it has been announced that from Term 2, all Victorian students will be educated from home to reduce the spread of coronavirus.

VCE students will still receive an ATAR score but end of year exams will be put off until at least December and GAT (General Achievement Test) testing will be moved from June until at least October or November.

so ur telling me they might EXTEND year 12 into early 2021?? yeah no

— Laura (@ameliebby) April 5, 2020

Mr Andrews said that the State Government was committed to ensuring all students get their ATAR, even if they have to wait a little bit longer for it.

VET (Vocational Education and Training) students will also have the option for their award to be delayed so that mandatory workplace learning or practical efforts can be performed and accounted for.

The Victorian State Government is also in discussion with TAFE and universities to delay the start of their 2021 year and create other options and pathways into higher education following the pandemic.

New South Wales

In late March, The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) confirmed that exams in 2020 would still go ahead.

Since then, parents have been encouraged to keep their children home from school to study online where possible, with plans for online learning to continue in Term 2.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has subsequently announced 21 TAFE courses which have had fees removed to allow Australians to prepare for a "recovery phase".

"If you haven’t got a job or not working from home it is an opportunity for you to upgrade your skills or acquire new skills so you can enter or re-enter the workforce when you finish this difficult time," she said.

The announcement is likely music to the ears of recent graduates and people who have recently lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Western Australia

Much alike the rest of the country, Western Australian public schools have encouraged parents to keep their children home from school where possible and the state has since entered school holidays slightly earlier than originally planned.

So far, no set decision has been made for the fate of WA students’ exams, but the possibility of cancellation has not been ruled out.

Education Minister Sue Ellery explained that instead of having to sit the traditional exam, the ATAR ranking could be based on the results from assessments students complete before the usual examination period.

The State Government has reassured parents and students that Year 12 ATAR students would be the main priority, reiterating the School Curriculum and Standards Authority stating that no student will be left disadvantaged.

South Australia

South Australian Premier Steven Marshall has said that the state government will make sure every student has access to a quality education and don’t miss out because of the pandemic.

"We know it's going to be different from previous years with more students who are going to be studying and learning from home but I'm very convinced that the work that the Education Department has done and that the leadership within the Education Department and all of our teachers have done will really make sure that we get a quality education this year and we don't miss out on any year of education," he announced.

The South Australian Certificate of Education website has also put up a few videos answering some of the questions and concerns some students may be having during this time.

Queensland

Queensland has also made some changes to education to help ease the stress on young students.

Students graduating in Queensland in 2020 were planned to be the first group to align with other states and territories to receive an ATAR instead of an OP.

Queensland Education Minister Grace Grace has confirmed that Year 11 and 12 these exams have been postponed and that the state government would continue to keep parents and students up to date if anything changes.

Outside of these state's plans, some universities and vocational training services have started to adjust their admissions processes. This includes the consideration of students based on special tests or Year 11 results.

As of right now, only a few state governments have announced their plans for students. This article will be updated once each state reveals their plans, so stay tuned.

Header Image: smolaw11 via Getty Images