Grammar Gazette- Issue 1, 2006

very high achievement (VHA) to very limited achievement (VLA). This relative rank order is then scaled according to the performance of that group of students on the Queensland Core Skills Test – a common test undertaken by all OP eligible students in Term III. Q. What can a student do to maximise the chances of achieving a high OP? Will choosing certain subjects be helpful? A. Firstly, students should choose the subjects that interest them and/or subjects in which they have performed well in Years 8–10. Following this advice will lead to optimum outcomes. Secondly, students need to exercise effective time management, develop study plans and ask teachers’ advice if necessary. In other words, students need to develop an independent and robust approach to learning. Q. If the OP score is unique to Queensland, how can a student gain entry to tertiary programmes beyond this state? A. Each Australian state has a different system by which universities offer places When you are in Year 12 it seems that everyone is an expert on OPs. All of your friends know that a particular grade in subject X is the equivalent to some other grade in subject Y, and even though so-and-so does really well in subject Q, she should have done subject G because it’s worth more, and if you get an A in subjects Q, W and E, then you’re guaranteed an OP1. It’s THAT simple! In my experience however what mattered the most was just my individual work — not what subjects I did, not what the rest of my year level studied — just MY effort. Everyone is given enough information from the Director of Post-Secondary Planning, Mr Seaha, Faculty Directors, and the Dean of Curriculum, Mrs Lang, so don’t focus on what everyone else is saying, because they probably heard it from somebody who is not so well informed.

for undergraduate degrees; it is possible for results from any state to be converted to a Rank that allows any student access to courses interstate or overseas. Presently, a number of our graduates Q. What if a student’s OP does not allow access to a desired course? A. Regarding the OP as the defining factor for a student’s academic future is quite misleading; there are many pathways to fulfilling educational experiences. Queensland students are often quite young when they complete Year 12 and, despite any amount of useful advice, are still undecided about future careers. Many opt for a good generalist degree in Arts or Science with the idea that successful studies at the tertiary level will allow them to upgrade into other, more specialised fields. Some students travel overseas in a ‘gap’ year to work or to offer assistance in developing countries for a time. Q. Should girls just concentrate on their studies in Year 12 and forego co-curricular involvement to maximise results? are pursuing primary degrees nationally and internationally. At the end of Year 11 I hadn’t decided where I wanted to go or what I wanted to study after Year 12 — Drama at QUT, Economics at UQ, maybe even Law. I habitually put my hand up to participate in co-curricular activities that really made my Year 12 so enjoyable, so my potential OP was not the be-all and end-all. In the end I did much better than I had originally expected because I managed to bump a lot of Bs into As over the last semester by really working hard. Your teachers are right when they tell you that you shouldn’t lose momentum at the very end. It was some of those very last assignments and exams that helped me secure an OP2, which I used to gain entry in to Arts/Law at the University of Queensland. I’m studying Law and Economics and Drama — all

A. No - this School advocates a necessary balance. Obviously, academic work takes priority but it is firmly believed that the cultural, sporting, service and leadership activities which occupy our young women in Year 12 assist them to develop fully as confident and competent young women able to contribute purposefully to wider society. Q. How can parents support their daughters in their quest for their best possible OP? A. Parents can assist girls to maintain perspective in the knowledge that there are always many pathways to access desired tertiary courses. Parents should monitor study patterns, encourage a balance in work and play and provide support and good humour during the inevitable times of stress. Q. Where can I find more information about OPs or associated matters? A. Mr Jim Seaha, Director, Post Secondary Planning is available by appointment through-out the year. The QSA website (www.qsa.qld.edu.au) has a FAQ section for parents and similarly, QTAC provides information at www.qtac.edu.au. ‘Curiouser and curiouser!’ cried Alice.

‘Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to walk from here?’ ‘That depends a good deal on where you want to get to’, said the Cat. ‘I don’t much care where -’ said Alice. ‘Then it doesn’t matter which way you walk,’ said the Cat. ‘So long as I get somewhere,’ Alice added, as an explanation. ‘Oh, you’re sure to do that,’ said the Cat ‘if you only walk long enough.’ Lewis Carroll: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Deputy Principal, Miss Felicity Williams Demystifies the OP Score. Alice In Academia: Many Pathways

A student’s perspective Elizabeth Talbot (2005) shares her views on OP Scores

For over thirty years, Queensland secondary schools have enjoyed a system of school-based assessment which has encouraged the development of a broad contextualised curriculum. For the purpose of tertiary entry, it is necessary to compare the results of students across all Queensland schools. This is achieved through the Overall Position (OP) Score which is derived from the performance of eligible students in each of their subjects. Q. What is an OP? A. It is a score on a scale 1–25 (OP1 being the highest) awarded to Year 12

students who have completed twenty semester units of Queensland Studies Authority subjects, twelve of which must have been studied across four semesters. Q. What is the purpose of an OP? A. The majority of Queensland Year 12 students use an OP score to gain entry into tertiary courses of their choice. Essentially an OP score has a limited life span because it is only relevant for about two months after its release while Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre offers are being finalised. Some students however, will gain tertiary access through a Rank score

derived from achievements other than their school subjects. Rank score is calculated by QTAC and can be achieved for any number of reasons (employment, partially completed TAFE or university study, AMEB qualifications). Some of the girls at Girls Grammar get a rank based on their music, drama or dance qualifications. Q. How is an OP determined? A. In order to ensure that all students and schools are treated equitably, teachers rank students in each subject on a 400–200 scale which is directly related to their results ranging from

three — and I’m loving it! Nobody at University asks anyone else about OPs — it’s a dead issue, not some measure of your worth. I’m also back at Brisbane Girls Grammar this year, coaching the Theatresports teams. I’d like to say to all of the Year 12 students just be realistic. The media tend to focus on OP1s or non-OP1s, but if you think that way, you don’t really have a good grasp of what an OP means. One thing I’ve learnt after going through the process of “the OP” is that it’s never over until it’s over — but it’s over with the last round of QTAC offers in February.

04 grammar gazette : may 2006

grammar gazette : may 2006 05