Year 8, 2026 Assessment Handbook
Year 8 | 2026 Assessment Handbook
Assessment Schedule | Year 8
* NOTE: Scheduling of tasks in this handbook may change due to unforeseen circumstances. In this event, students will be given a minimum of two weeks’ notice of a change in due date.
Assessment Policy
What is assessment?
Assessment is the broad name for the collection and evaluation of evidence of a student's learning. It is integral to teaching and learning and has multiple purposes. Assessment can enhance student engagement and motivation, particularly when it incorporates interaction with teachers, other students and a range of resources. https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/understanding-thecurriculum/assessment/assessment-principles
This booklet provides details of the formal assessment tasks that will be administered in the various subjects and of the procedures that teachers and students will be asked to follow in the administration of these assessment tasks.
Timing of assessment
Prior to commencement of assessment in any given term, assessment task notifications will be published to Canvas at least two weeks prior to when each task is due.
Students absent on the day of a notice of assessment
It is the responsibility of any student who is absent from school when assessment information is given out, to obtain the appropriate details from their teacher upon their return to school.
Submission of tasks
Tasks must be submitted by the due date and time as outlined in the assessment notification.
Students who are completing assessment tasks using technology are encouraged to make regular backup copies of their work. Problems with technology will not be accepted as an excuse for non-submission, sub-standard or incomplete work. If there is a problem with technology, students must be able to show evidence of their progress on a task.
A student who has been suspended from school for disciplinary reasons will still be required to submit the task to the class teacher on the due date. If the task is an examination the student will be required to attend the College in school uniform only for the duration of the exam. It is also the responsibility of a student who has been suspended to ensure that he finds out any information about an assessment task that may have been set while the student is suspended from school. The student will also be required to complete the task by the due date.
Requests for extensions (submission tasks only)
Students can request an extension for a submission task from their classroom teacher. The teacher will discuss this with the relevant Leader of Learning and the outcome will be communicated to the student. If a student is absent on
the day that a submission task is due, the task should be submitted electronically or handed in early. If this cannot be done, the student may request an extension as outlined above.
All requests for extensions must be accompanied by an email from the student’s parent/carer. A request for an extension must be submitted prior to the due date of the task. This parent/carer email must include the reason(s) why an extension is requested and warranted. The relevant Leader of Learning will determine whether an extension will be granted and, if so, the length of the extension.
Absence on the day of an assessment task (in-class tasks only)
If a student is aware that they will be absent on the day of a task, they should make their teacher aware of this. An alternate date for the task will be organised by the teacher in consultation with the Leader of Learning. If student is absent due to a school sanctioned event (e.g. excursion, school/state/country sporting representation), an email from the student’s parent/carer is not required. If the student is absent from school due to a non-sanctioned school event, an email from the parent/carer explaining the absence must be sent to the class teacher.
When a student misses an examination or in-class task, parents/carers will be notified via Compass. The student will be required to sit the task at the first available opportunity upon their return. If there is no communication from the parent/carer regarding the student’s absence within 5 days, the completion of the task may be required to be undertaken during an Academic Assistance Afternoon at the discretion of the Leader of Learning. A mark of zero will be given in this instance.
Estimates are only given in extreme circumstances and must be approved by the relevant Leader of Learning.
Extended Absence
Students who are aware that they will be absent for an extended period of time, E.g. for five school days or more, are responsible for notifying their teachers and must complete the Application for Extended Leave and Student Contract for Extended Leave: Attendance - St Edward's College. These forms should be completed and signed by all teachers and/or Leaders of Learning at least five school days prior to going on leave.
If a student is on extended leave, it is the student’s responsibility to make arrangements for the assessment task to be submitted on time or prior to the due date. For in-class assessment, students will be advised by the teacher or Leader of Learning as to when the task will be completed. Students should ensure that they have made these arrangements with the relevant teachers and/or Leaders of Learning when they have their leave form signed, at least five school days prior to going on leave.
If students are missing classwork that will be relevant to later assessment, the student is responsible for obtaining and completing the work that they have missed out on. Lack of preparation due to missed work will not be accepted as grounds for a mark adjustment or estimate to an assessment result.
If a student is absent for an extended period of time, the teacher may, if appropriate, set an alternate task upon the student’s return to provide evidence of learning. Estimates may be given in extreme circumstances and must be approved by the relevant Leader of Learning.
All work that is completed during timetabled lessons will be available on the student’s class page on Compass. For any student absent, the expectation is that they keep up to date with the work posted in Compass – teachers will not email students individually with work to be completed while they are away, nor will they provide students with units of future work to be completed. Any communication between students and their teacher while away should be done via Compass or St Edwards College email.
Late and non-submission of assessment tasks - Penalties
For Years 7-10 assessment tasks submitted late with no prior parental communication (as mentioned above), the penalty may be a deduction of 10% of the initially available marks per day or part thereof. The maximum penalty imposed on a student’s assessment result will be 50%, conditional on the fact that they submit a completed task for marking. Where a task is not submitted at all, the student will receive a mark of zero. All penalties applied to a student’s assessment task result will impact the student’s Assessment Mark which is included in their Semester Academic Report.
For all tasks submitted late without prior arrangements being made, parents/carers will be notified via Compass.
“N” Determination Procedures (Year 10 only)
If it appears that a student is at risk of not meeting the assessment requirements of a course, a warning will be given. This warning will be given by the class teacher or Leader of Learning and will be approved by the Director of Curriculum. It involves advising the student and parent in writing and alerting them to the possible consequences of an ‘N’ determination. In Year 10, if a student is to be given an ‘N’ determination because of failure to complete assessment tasks, the Principal must advise the student of the determination, its consequences, and the student’s right to a school review and subsequent appeal to NESA.
Note that an ‘N’ determination may be made in a course for reasons other than not meeting assessment requirements, e.g. students who do not apply themselves with diligence and sustained effort to the set tasks and experiences provided in the course by the teacher. A warning letter as described above will be issued in these cases.
An ‘N’ determination may result in the student being ineligible to progress to Year 11.
Malpractice and plagiarism during assessment tasks
Please see the College Malpractice Policy: Assessment Handbooks Years 7 to 12 - St Edward's College
Assessment Details by Subject
NOTE: Scheduling of tasks in this handbook may change due to unforeseen circumstances. In this event, students will be given a minimum of two weeks’ notice of a change in due date.
Type: I = In-class task; H = hand in assignment; E = examination; Prov = provisions (Yes/No)
English
Task # and Name Type Term/Week Description
AT1: Identity Essay
AT2: 'Crime Fiction Creative Writing and Reflection'
I T2/W3
H T3/W4
AT1- ‘Identity’ Essay. In class with evidence sheet
AT2- Compose a piece of creative writing and reflection statement.
AT3: Advocacy H T4/W5
French
AT3 Persuasive Speech on a topic studied during the advocacy unit. A transcript of the speech will be submitted on Canvas
Task # and Name Type Term/Week Description
AT1: Je me présente
AT2: La Famille
I T1/W6
I T2/W7
AT1: Part A: Oral/visual choice-based task on introducing themselves and others.
AT1: Part B: Computer-based task with reading and listening to texts about greetings, ages, mood’s
AT2: Written and spoken multimodal choice-based task about students’ family and hobbies/sports
AT3: A Table I/H T3/W8 AT3 Portfolio of Work
AT4: Les Animaux I T4/W5
AT4: Reading and listening in class test about pets in France
HSIE
Task # and Name Type Term/Week Description
AT1 GEO: Water in the World Field Task I/H T1/W8 A field study of a local water environment
AT2 GEO: Interconnections & Skills In class Quiz E T2/W6 In-class task reviewing Geographical skills
AT1 HIS: Vikings / Medieval Europe Museum Display H T3/W7 Project-Based historical investigation and narrative
AT2 HIS: Japan Shogun/Europe Black Death Source Analysis Quiz I T4/W6 An in-class examination consisting of multiple choice and short answer questions based on sources from both Japan Under the Shogans and the Black Death studies
Mathematics
Task # and Name Type Term/Week Description
AT1: In-class Task I T1/W8 In-class test
AT2: In-class Task I T2/W5 In-class test
AT3: In-class Task I T3/W7 In-class test
AT4: Online Task I T4/W5 Online Quiz
Music
Task # and Name Type Term/Week Description
AT1: Listening Skills Task I T2/W5 or T4/W4
AT2: Composition or Performance task I/H T2/W6 or T4/W6
PDHPE
Aural recognition of instruments, musical terms, and rhythmic patterns reflecting unit of work studied
Students choose to present a Composition task or Performance pieces as their elected final assessment task
Task # and Name Type Term/Week Description
AT1: European Handball Practical I T1/W2-10 European Handball practical participation and performance
AT2: Good Choices –Factsheet & Strategies I/H T2/W6 Good Choices – Mental health fact sheet & strategies to manage mental health challenges
AT3: Lacrosse Practical I T2/W1-8 Lacrosse practical participation and performance
AT4: AFL Practical I T3/W1-10 AFL practical participation and performance
AT5: Let’s Talk –Bullying Research & Presentation I/H T3/W9 Let’s Talk – Research & choice of options to present information on bullying
AT6: Basketball Practical I T4/W1-6 Basketball practical participation and performance
Religion
Task # and Name Type
AT1: Action Project I/H T1/W10
Action project: Jesus & his Scriptures. Students will be given opportunities within and outside of class to work on this task. Students will be given this task in Term 1 Week 5
AT2: Live write I/H T2/W3 Live write: Students will respond to a prepared question on Jesus and his Scriptures in class
AT2: Exam E T4/W4 Examination on Semester 2 modules
Science
Task
and Name
AT1: Data Science I T1/W2
AT2: Build a 3D Model H T2/W2
Data Science Mini Tasks- Working through the scientific method
Model construction of one of the human body systems to explore structures and their associated functions
AT3: Practical Task I T2/W8 Practical In class Task
AT4: Data Science I T3/W2
AT5: Depth Study I T4/W2
AT6: Data Science I T4/W6
Data Science Mini Tasks - Working through the scientific method
Energy Conservation and Transformation Working through the scientific method
Data Science Mini Tasks- Working through the scientific method
Technology – Engineering Technology and Systems
Task # and Name
AT1: Engineering Careers Poster I T1/W6 or T3/W5
AT2: Solar Car Design Portfolio I T2/W6 or T4/W5
Research of the career of a given type of engineer and creation of an informative digital poster
Design portfolio documenting the process of designing and constructing the Solar Car Project
AT3: Solar Car Project I T2/W7 or T4/W6 Practical Project
Technology – Materials and Production Processes
Task # and Name
AT1: Timber & Materials Research Task and Quiz I T1/W7 or T3/W7
Research on timber, materials and processes involved in the Light Box Project and completion of Canvas quiz from research information
AT2: Light Box Project I T1/W10 or T3/W9 In class – Practical Project
AT3: Fire Pit Product I T2/W7 or T4/W6 In class – Practical Project
Visual Arts
Task # and Name
AT1: Case Study I T2/W4 or T4/W6
Case Study completed on Canvas on selected artists and artworks
AT2: Visual Arts Diary I T2/W5 or T4/W7 Submission of all learning tasks in student folder completed during the semester
AT3: Body of Work I T2/W6 or T4/W7 Submission of all practical tasks completed during the semester