For many and varied reasons, not all students make it through their senior schooling years and gain a formal certificate, VCE or otherwise.
This doesn’t mean that the student didn’t work hard, learn useful skills, and contribute to their school community.
There is a way to recognise a student’s achievements at school, even if they’re not able to complete the VCE or other certificate – it’s called the Recognition of Learning Statement.
The VCAA website describes it as:
… a formal statement that acknowledges students who have meaningfully engaged in learning throughout their education, including during their senior secondary years, but for whom completion of the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), including the VCE Vocational Major (VCE VM), or the Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC) is not achievable due to individual circumstances… It affirms dignity, perseverance and inclusion, and recognises that meaningful engagement in learning is a significant achievement.
You can find out more about the Recognition of Learning Statement – who is eligible, how it’s issued etc – on the VCAA website. You can also read about how it relates to another method of recognising student achievement for those who don’t complete VCE – the Student Achievement Profile (also covered in another article on this website).