In 2025, Victoria released 266,759 study scores in VCE, and only 23,494 of them scored 40 and higher. This means that only 8.8 per cent of study scores were 40 or above, while only 719 students got the maximum mark of 50. Such numbers easily explain why parents look for tutors who have experience in tutoring VCE students in Years 11 and 12. Nevertheless, here is another reasonable question, what does “experience” mean?
An ATAR Score Is Not An Indicator Of Good Teaching
Someone with a score of 99.95 ATAR knows the exam from the point of view of the student. The ability to explain something to a sixteen-year-old student is another story. Good experienced VCE tutors for Year 11 and 12 students understand the reason why a mistake is made before explaining how to correct it. If a mistake repeats itself over and over again, then this tutor will be able to see the reason for that.
There are many signs of experience that can be seen in conversations:
- Ability to explain the purpose behind a step and not just how to do it.
- Knowing the requirements that are placed on a subject by the latest study design.
- Being able to convert the feedback from a student’s SAC into a weekly program.
- Mentioning which skill the question is testing before answering the question.
If you ask a tutor to explain the student’s last SAC, you can make a simple and effective test. The concrete answers show that there is depth, while the vague praise shows the rehearsal of the sales pitch.
What Is A Study Score? (Without Any Fancy Language)
A study score demonstrates the performance of a student compared to other students studying the same subject in the whole of Victoria.
There are two sources of a study score, school-assessed tasks and external examination. School-assessed coursework (SAC) is initially graded by the school and later goes through statistical moderation.
According to the VCAA, the moderation process does not alter the ranking of the students in that school. Instead, the adjustment is done with respect to the performance of the school students in the external exam. Thus, the position of a student in the school SAC ranking is extremely important. SAC contributes to the total ranking of a student, and although no single SAC decides the result, it still cannot be underestimated.
The preparation for SAC leads to good results.
Year 11: The Quiet Foundation
Units 1 and 2 are effectively just a warm-up, but that doesn’t mean you get to just ease off the gas. A lot of students make that mistake and end up paying for it later on. By the time Year 11 is over, things are moving fast and schools expect a fair bit of the work to happen at home too. The habits you form in Year 11 are the ones that’ll really make a difference in the long run, things like keeping a record of your mistakes, timing your practice and asking for help as soon as you need it.
A good tutor will build you a routine that lets you get the most out of your content, rather than rushing through it. Having a weekly review of your mistakes, one timed section and being on top of your SAC dates can make all the difference. Sure, you can learn the content from just about anywhere, but a routine is something that has to belong to you.
The Real Deal Questions to Ask
It’s easy to look up someone’s credentials, but it’s the way they talk that really tells you if they’re the real deal. Try asking these questions and see how they respond:
- How do you think you can tell right away what a student’s biggest weakness is?
- What happens if a student does badly in a SAC; what’s the plan of attack?
- How do you use past exams and exam reports in your lessons?
- What, if anything, should be different after six weeks of working together?
The moment someone starts talking about passion and guaranteed results, that’s a red flag. But if they can give you specific examples of how they work with students, that’s a different story altogether.
Making the Final Two Years More Manageable
Stress is always going to be a part of the final two years, but it doesn’t have to be a major problem. The first place that stress usually shows up is in sleep patterns, with late nights, caffeine and energy drinks becoming the norm. And before long, you might find that you’re pulling away from friends, feeling flat and miserable all the time and struggling to keep up with schoolwork. One of the best things your parents can do for you is to help you set some boundaries around your studying; a protected bedtime, a quiet desk to work from and regular family meals can all make a big difference.
A good tutor should be someone who’s able to keep the pressure off, someone who can help you feel more in control, rather than adding to your stress levels. Sessions that end with a clear plan of action should leave you feeling more settled, rather than just giving you a long list of things to do. Of course, the scores do matter, but they’re just one part of the picture. The right tutor is one who can help you feel like you’re making progress, one step at a time, even on the tough days.
