What the QCAA will do
When a Queensland secondary school hosts a student who cannot attend their main learning provider (MLP) for external assessment, we will:
- advise the student’s name, Learner Unique Identifier (LUI), timetable, assessments and access arrangements and reasonable adjustments (AARA) through the External Assessment (EA) application in the QCAA Portal
- deliver required assessment materials to the venue.
What the host school must do
Acknowledge the variation
The host school must acknowledge the variation to venue notification in the EA application in the QCAA Portal. An email notification is also sent to all EA coordinators and assistant EA coordinators. A variation to venue quick step is available in the Help menu in the EA application.
Provide venue information to the student’s MLP
Give the student’s school the following information:
- arrival times
- assessment start times
- venue information (for example, a map)
- contact information — who the student should contact, when and how.
Use the Approved variation to venue for external assessment: Information for students template (DOCX, 63.3 KB) to help communicate this information.
Provide a suitable assessment space
Provide a secure, quiet space where the student can complete assessment.
At the discretion of the principal, the host school can decide to seat students from other schools:
- together as a group separate from the host school’s students
- in the same room as the host school’s students
- individually in a separate location.
Follow administration directions
Follow the Directions for administration: External assessment for the hosted student/s. This includes:
- checking material delivery and ensuring the security of assessment materials
- managing the supervision of assessment, including for students approved varied seating, extra time, rest breaks or rescheduled assessment
- checking student equipment and identification as they are admitted for assessment (photo ID is required if the student is not known)
- completing all required administrative tasks (seating plan, temporary absence and AARA time record, incident record, attendance roll, material packing and return)
- implementing approved access arrangements and reasonable adjustments (AARA).
Contact the MLP
The student’s MLP must be contacted if the student is impacted by illness or misadventure. An illness and misadventure application can only be submitted by the MLP.
What the MLP must do
See responsibilities of MLPs when a variation to venue is approved.
- Last updated:
- 24 September 2026
