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QCE system update — August 2025


External assessment

EA procedures and critical incidents webinars

We're offering free webinars in September to help schools prepare for external assessments. Register via the below links:

External assessment guide for students

The 2025 external assessment guide for students is now available on the myQCE website. It contains information and advice to help students prepare for the exams while looking after their health and wellbeing.

Using past external assessment papers toolkit

The QCAA's updated toolkit is now available on the Noticeboard in the QCAA Portal. It’s designed to support schools to use past external assessments and other resources to enhance their assessment practice.

Senior External Examination (SEE) — spoken assessment

Schools with students undertaking SEE language subjects are reminded to check the key dates and processes for the spoken component of the assessment (SEE 1).

See memo 032/2025 (PDF, 192.3 KB) for more information about administering the spoken assessments.

See memo 033/2025 (PDF, 156.5 KB) for information about the stimulus for spoken assessments in QCAA languages subjects (Chinese SEE, Indonesian SEE, Korean SEE and Vietnamese SEE).


Common internal assessment ancillary phase

The ancillary phase of common internal assessment (CIA) for Essential English and Essential Mathematics runs until Friday 12 September.

Schools and alternative learning centres that are registered for the ancillary phase must follow the QCAA’s processes and procedures for administering the assessments.

See memo 025/25 (PDF, 166.8 KB) for more information.


Preparing for Confirmation event 3

Schools are reminded that provisional marks for all remaining summative internal assessments for Units 3 and 4 in General and General (Extension) subjects must be submitted by Tuesday 19 August in preparation for Confirmation event 3.

See memo 030/25 (PDF, 247.7 KB) for more information about the submission process and key dates.


Improvements to assessor functionality in the QCAA Portal

Earlier this year we launched the My Calendar feature in the My Details application of the QCAA Portal, allowing assessors to indicate their availability for events.

We’ve since trialled new features that will make it easier for the QCAA to invite assessors to events based on their availability. While these aren’t live for all events just yet, they’ll be rolling out soon.

In the meantime, we encourage assessors to log in to the My Details application and check that personal, contact, school employment and other details are current.

For any questions, email programdelivery@qcaa.qld.edu.au.


Senior subject guide

The senior subject guide has been updated. The new guide is available on the Noticeboard app in the QCAA Portal.


myQCE competition for senior students

The QCAA is encouraging students in Years 10, 11 and 12 to log into their Student Portal account for the chance to win a MacBook Air, iPad Air with Magic Keyboard or a pair of AirPods Max headphones.

The myQCE competition is open until Friday 15 September and schools can download shareable social media posts and a printable poster to let students know about it.


2025 Standards for Registered Training Organisations

The revised Standards for Registered Training Organisations are now available on the Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations website. The Standards strengthen the focus on quality outcomes for learners and employers, while providing greater clarity and more flexibility for training delivery.

See memo 029/25 (PDF, 163.9 KB) for more information about how the QCAA will support RTOs to implement the new Standards.


Prescribed text lists annotations for English and EAL (2026-2029)

To assist schools with text selections, the QCAA has published annotations for the English and English as an Additional Language (EAL) prescribed text lists for 2026-2029. The annotations are on the senior syllabuses pages on the QCAA website and the QCAA Portal, under the resources tab for each syllabus.


Drama external assessment: changes from 2026

From 2026, Drama external assessment will require students to respond to excerpt/s of an unseen dramatic work/s under exam conditions, rather than a selected prescribed list. The change aligns Drama with the other subjects in The Arts learning area.

To assist schools, two example external assessments have been developed to show how students may view digital stimulus, respond to unseen questions and answer the question in the form of an analytical essay.

See memo 031/2025 (PDF, 176.8 KB) for more information.


Professional development

Business IA3 Feasibility report

Our free webinar on Thursday 21 August will give Business teachers and heads of department the opportunity to develop their understanding of the requirements for Internal Assessment 3.

Curriculum conversations: Drama external assessment — 2026 and beyond

Drama teachers and heads of department can attend a free webinar on Tuesday 26 August to develop their understanding of the requirements for the Drama external assessment in 2026.

Curriculum conversations: Film, Television & New Media — IA1 Case study investigation

Teachers and heads of department can attend a free webinar on Tuesday 16 September or Wednesday 17 September to deepen their understanding of the requirements for the Film, Television & New Media IA1 Case study.

Economics: Revisions to IA3

Economics teachers and heads of department can attend a free webinar on Monday 1 September to help them prepare an IA3 for endorsement using the specifications in the Economics General senior syllabus.

Student Management webinars

Refresh your knowledge about key Student Management processes at our free webinars:

QCIA verification feedback

QCIA leaders and coordinators can attend a free webinar on Monday 18 August or Tuesday 19 August to help them understand and act on feedback from the 2025 verification meeting.


Employment opportunities

The QCAA is recruiting to the following roles:

Manager, Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments Unit: Fixed Term Temporary (A08) until 19 December 2025. Applications close 26 August. See Smartjobs for more information.

Principal Project Officer, Senior Assessment and Certification Support: Permanent Full-time (A07). Applications close 26 August. See Smartjobs for more information.


SEP calendar dates for August

The Senior Education Profile (SEP) calendar lists the key dates for endorsement, assessment, data submission and certification throughout the year — see the QCAA website for the key dates for August.


Changed schools?

If you’ve moved schools, remember to update your details and transfer your QCAA Portal account. To find out more, visit the QCAA website.

School leaders should also check that staff have the appropriate roles in the QCAA Portal applications and ensure details for principal’s delegate/s are up to date.

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