Understanding the Victorian Five-Point Scale

Victorian Student Reporting Requirements

Victorian schools must formally report student achievement and progress to parents/carers twice yearly for each student. Reports must be written, accessible, and easy for parents/carers to understand, providing a clear picture of progress against defined standards. For EVERY curriculum area taught, reports must include three mandatory components.

Three Mandatory Components

1. Teacher Judgement

Definition: On-balance, holistic, evidence-based, defensible judgement of assessment evidence gathered during the reporting period.

Format: Numerical score on Victorian Curriculum continuum (e.g., Level 4, 7.5, F.5)

Purpose: Shows where student is achieving against curriculum standards

2. Progress Indication

Format: Growth since last report

Purpose: Demonstrates student progress over time

Options: Text description showing movement along curriculum continuum

3. Five-Point Scale

Purpose: Rates quality of achievement/progress

Application: Used for all curriculum areas taught

The Victorian Five-Point Scale

The five-point scale provides a consistent rating system across all Victorian schools. Unlike simple A-E grades, this scale focuses on the quality of achievement and progress relative to curriculum expectations.

Scale Descriptors

Excellent

The student demonstrates exceptional understanding of key concepts and applies sophisticated skills in diverse contexts. Achievement is well above expected standard with consistent excellence across all assessment tasks.

Good

The student demonstrates thorough understanding of key concepts and applies skills effectively in most contexts. Achievement is above expected standard with high-quality work showing depth of understanding.

Satisfactory

The student demonstrates sound understanding of main concepts and applies skills in familiar contexts. Achievement meets expected standard with work of appropriate quality for their year level.

Needs Improvement

The student demonstrates basic understanding of concepts and applies skills with support. Achievement is below expected standard with work showing emerging understanding that needs development.

Not Shown

The student has not demonstrated sufficient evidence of achievement. This may be due to limited attendance, assessment participation, or English language proficiency. Additional support and intervention strategies are recommended.

Foundation (Prep) Reporting

Foundation students use the same five-point scale but with developmentally appropriate descriptors:

Foundation-Specific Approach

• Focus: Play-based learning and social development
• Assessment: Observational evidence and portfolio samples
• Reporting: Emphasis on growth in literacy and numeracy foundations
• Parent Communication: Detailed explanations of developmental progress

Students with Diverse Learning Needs

English as an Additional Language/Dialect (EAL/D)

EAL/D students are assessed against the Victorian Curriculum EAL standards alongside the mainstream curriculum. Reports show progress in both English language development and curriculum achievement.

Students with Disability

Students with disabilities may be reported against adjusted learning goals outlined in their Individual Education Plan (IEP). The five-point scale can be applied to these personalised goals to show progress against individual achievement standards.

Writing Effective Victorian Report Comments

Alignment with Five-Point Scale

Your written comments must align with the five-point scale rating. An "Excellent" comment should describe exceptional achievement and sophisticated application, while a "Satisfactory" comment should describe sound, age-appropriate achievement.

Comment Structure

1. Achievement: What the student knows and can do
2. Progress: Growth since previous reporting period
3. Next Steps: Areas for future development

Quality Indicators

• Use specific examples of student work
• Reference Victorian Curriculum achievement standards
• Include both strengths and areas for improvement
• Maintain positive, constructive tone
• Provide actionable feedback for parents

Common Victorian Reporting Challenges

Moderation and Consistency

Ensuring consistent teacher judgement across a school team requires regular moderation sessions where teachers discuss and compare student work samples against curriculum standards.

Managing Parent Expectations

Parents often expect traditional A-E grades. Victorian schools must educate parents about the five-point scale and its focus on achievement quality rather than comparative performance.

Balancing Workload

Writing detailed, personalised comments for 25+ students across multiple curriculum areas while ensuring alignment with Victorian Curriculum standards can be time-consuming.

Victorian System Integration

Compass Integration

Most Victorian schools use Compass for reporting. The system automatically includes the three mandatory components and provides templates for comment writing aligned with Victorian Curriculum standards.

Curriculum Planning

Victorian reporting integrates directly with curriculum planning through the Victorian Curriculum website, ensuring assessment tasks directly relate to achievement standards.

For comprehensive guidance on Victorian reporting requirements, visit the Victorian Department of Education websiteor access the Victorian Curriculum reporting resources.