Students at risk of non-completion or involved in malpractice

Students at Risk of Non-completion

1. Official Warning that a student is at risk

Students who do not complete an assessment task, and/or have not been granted approval for Illness/Misadventure will be issued with an official N-warning letter. They will then have two weeks to resolve the issue by completing the task.
A student who has been issued with at least two N-warnings for the same course is at risk of not meeting the course completion criteria and may be N-determined.

2. Representing the School

Students who have unresolved N-warning may not be eligible to represent South Grafton High School at any sporting or cultural events.
Also, they may not be eligible to attend non-curriculum based excursions.
Once the N-warning has been resolved, the restrictions will be lifted.

3. Official Determination of Non-completion of a HSC Course

Where it is determined that a student has not met the course completion criteria as outlined on page 4 of this document, they place themselves at risk of receiving an N- determination. An N-determination will mean that the course will not be listed on the student’s NESA record. Students must make a genuine attempt at assessment tasks that contribute in excess of 50% of available marks. Completion of tasks worth exactly 50% is not sufficient; tasks worth more than 50% must be completed.
NESA requires that the Principal must warn students as soon as possible and advise their parents or carers in writing if they are at risk of not completing a course. This warning should be given in time for the problem to be corrected. NESA also requires that if the first warning letter is not effective, a further warning letter(s) should be sent.
A minimum of two course-specific N-warnings must be issued prior to a final N- determination being made for a course.
Students who are in danger of being given an N-determination will be interviewed by the teacher and faculty Head Teacher before being referred to the Principal. (Notation of any such interview will be recorded in Sentral.)
A parent/carer interview will be conducted if applicable.
Students who have not complied with the above requirements cannot be regarded as having satisfactorily completed the course. The Principal will then apply the N- determination as outlined below.

Procedures required to issue a Non-Completion of Course Determination

A Principal’s Determination Form will be completed for each student who is to be given an N-determination.
Where possible, the Principal will explain to the student the reasons for the determination(s) made on the form and advise them of the consequences of this determination. The course(s) will not be listed on the student’s Record of Achievement unless the student seeks a review of this determination and the appeal is successful. The N- determination may also affect the student’s eligibility for the award of a HSC, as they must have successfully completed 10 units of study.
Where possible, the student will be advised of their right to seek a reconsideration of this determination, and the procedures involved in submitting an appeal.
Where possible, the Principal will ensure the student has read the Information for Students and read and signed the Student’s Declaration on the Principal’s Determination Form.

Appeals

1. Assessment Review - Individual Tasks

Students must check assessment results and progressive rank within the course at the time results are given for each task.
Once a task has been assessed and the mark accepted, i.e. recognised by both the teacher and the student, then it constitutes an agreed mark and cannot be altered. The work does not have to be kept by the teacher, as it cannot be remarked.
If a student does not accept the teachers’ judgement of the marks to be awarded for their performance in an assessment task i.e. there is not an agreed mark, they are entitled to lodge an appeal. Students wishing to appeal need to indicate their intention to the teacher who will retain the assessment task and forward it to the faculty Head Teacher until the appeal is considered. The student also needs to complete an appeal form (available from the Year Adviser) and submit it to the faculty Head Teacher no later than 24hrs from the day the marked task was returned to them.
The appeal will be considered within 3 school days of being submitted to the faculty Head Teacher by a Review Committee comprised of the Year Adviser, the Head Teacher of the subject concerned and another Head Teacher.
If the student’s appeal is successful, the student will be informed, and the other students in the course will also be informed of changes (if any) in relative positions within the school group.
If the student’s appeal is unsuccessful, the student will be informed, and no further actions are available.

2. Appeal an N-determination

a) A student may appeal an N-determination. When an N-determination is made, the Principal’s Report should be completed, and a copy given, together with the Student Appeal form, to the student, or forwarded to the student’s home address. A student wishing to appeal needs to complete the Student Appeal form and submit it to the Principal.

b) If the student’s appeal is successful at the school level, notification will be sent to NESA so that the N- determination can be removed from the unsatisfactory completion of course schedule. c) If the student’s appeal is unsuccessful at the school level, the Principal’s Report form, the Student Appeal form, and any other relevant documentation will be submitted by the date specified to NESA. d) Students have the right to appeal to NESA if their appeal is unsuccessful at the school level.

Malpractice

1. Malpractice is any dishonest behaviour and/or attempt to gain an unfair advantage over other students, and/or knowingly assisting other students to engage in malpractice.

2. Breaches of exam/test rules, and malpractice in any form including plagiarism, collusion, and misrepresentation, is unacceptable. NESA treats allegations of malpractice very seriously and detected malpractice may jeopardise a student’s award and achievement of the RoSA or HSC. All suspected breaches will be investigated and may be penalised.

3. Misrepresentation is when a student misleads or deceives others by presenting untrue information through the fabrication, alteration, or omission of information.

4. Plagiarism is when a student pretends to have written, created or developed work that has originated from another source.

5. Collusion is when a student inappropriately collaborates with another student, group of students, person, organisation, or entity to produce work that was meant for individual assessment.

6. Malpractice includes, but is not limited to:

Copying someone else’s work in part or as a whole and presenting it as their own.
Using material directly from books, journals, the internet, generative artificial intelligence or any other online/offline resources without referencing the authors and/or source.
Building on the ideas of another person without reference to the source.
Buying, stealing or borrowing another person’s work and presenting it as their own.
Submitting work to which another person such as a parent, coach, tutor, or subject expert has contributed substantially.
Using words, ideas, designs or the workmanship of others in practical and performance tasks without appropriate acknowledgement.
Paying someone to write or prepare material.
Breaching school examination rules.
Making up journal entries for a project.
Using non-approved aides or devices during an assessment task.
Contriving false explanations to explain work not submitted by the due date.
Assisting another student to engage in malpractice.

7. All work presented in assessment tasks, internal and external examinations (including submitted works and practical examinations) must be the student’s own work or it must be acknowledged appropriately. Malpractice, including plagiarism, will lead to a student receiving zero marks and may jeopardise their HSC results.