VCE English SACs and assessment criteria, explained
Every Unit 3 and 4 SAC, what VCAA's performance descriptors are for, the exam criteria, and how moderation works.
VCE English is half school-assessed and half exam. The SACs are where most of the year's writing happens, and where teachers have the most say over the criteria. This guide covers the current study design (version 1.4, October 2024).
How the study score is made up
| Component | Weight |
|---|---|
| Unit 3 school-assessed coursework | 25% |
| Unit 4 school-assessed coursework | 25% |
| End-of-year exam | 50% |
The SACs, task by task
| Unit | Task | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 3 | Analytical response to a text (about 700 to 900 words) | 40 |
| Unit 3 | A written text for a stated audience and purpose (about 700 to 900 words, or two shorter texts) | 40 |
| Unit 3 | Commentary on the writing process (about 400 words) | 20 |
| Unit 4 | Analytical response to a text | 40 |
| Unit 4 | Analysis of argument and language in a persuasive text, on an issue in the media | 40 |
| Unit 4 | Point of view oral presentation (3 to 5 minutes) | 20 |
VCAA's performance descriptors
VCAA publishes performance descriptors for each Unit 3 and 4 SAC. They are a grid: each row is a key skill from the outcome, and the columns describe increasing levels of performance.
They are advisory. Schools may use them as they are, adapt them, or write their own criteria. Many English faculties start from them and add task-specific language, which also helps cross-marking stay consistent.
The exam and its criteria
The exam is 15 minutes' reading and 3 hours' writing, with three sections worth 20 marks each. Each section has four published criteria:
| Section | Task | What the criteria look for |
|---|---|---|
| A | Analytical response to a text | Knowledge of the text, a coherent analysis, use of evidence, fluent expression. |
| B | Creating a text from a set title and unseen stimulus | Use of the ideas, a cohesive and purposeful text with a clear voice, structure and language choices, fluent expression. |
| C | Analysis of argument and language | The contention and arguments, analysis of persuasive language and visuals, use of evidence, fluent expression. |
Assessors mark holistically: they read the whole response and match it to descriptors of the expected qualities for each mark range, rather than adding up points criterion by criterion.
How SAC marks are moderated
SAC totals are statistically moderated against the school group's performance on the external assessment, mainly the exam. Scores are aligned at several points (the top score, upper quartile, median and lower quartile), and rank order within the school is kept. That is why VCAA requires schools to tell students their SAC scores may change after moderation.
The practical lesson: within a school, the order of students matters more than the raw SAC number. Consistent marking across classes protects that order.
AI and VCE SACs
Students must acknowledge all resources, including generative AI. Unattributed or disallowed use must be investigated under the school's procedures, and teachers may only accept work they can attest is the student's own.
Giving feedback that uses the descriptors
- Name the skill, then the next step. "Your analysis is mostly descriptive" helps less than "pick one technique per paragraph and say what it does to the reader".
- Feed forward on drafts. Feedback lands when students still have time to act on it. Comments on a final piece are mostly read for the mark.
- Hide the mark on practice work. Students read feedback more closely when there is no number to look at first.
- Show the gap with work samples. Two short responses side by side teach the difference between levels faster than the descriptors do.
- Moderate early. Marking one set of practice responses together as a faculty catches drift before it reaches assessed work.
Common questions
Is there an official VCE English SAC rubric?
VCAA publishes performance descriptors for each Unit 3 and 4 SAC, but they are advisory. Schools may use, adapt or replace them.
How much are VCE English SACs worth?
Unit 3 SACs are 25% of the study score and Unit 4 SACs are 25%. The exam is the other 50%.
Do VCE SAC marks change?
Yes, they can. SAC totals are statistically moderated against the school group's exam performance. Rank order within the school is kept, but the scores themselves may move.
How is the VCE English exam marked?
Holistically, against four published criteria per section. Assessors match each response to descriptors of the expected qualities for each mark range.