Applied quality assurance is the annual QCAA-led review process that ensures the quality, comparability and reliability of schools’ implementation of Unit 3 internal assessment for Applied and Applied (Essential) subjects.
Quality assurance (QA) processes support schools to develop and administer assessment instruments, promote consistency of judgments about student responses and support the continuous improvement of assessment practices in schools.
Applied quality assurance process
To complete the Applied QA process, each year schools need to:
- Check the Schedule of subjects for review meetings for the list of subjects that are included in review meetings for the current year.
- Confirm the key dates for registration, submissions and review meetings.
- Use the Applied QA application (app) in the QCAA Portal to nominate a subject teacher, and a reserve, to participate in one of the Applied QA review meetings.
- Use the Applied QA app to submit Unit 3 assessment instruments and marked student response samples.
- Participate in Applied QA review meetings, complete individual reviews and contribute to the development of the school’s submission feedback.
Applied quality assurance feedback
Once the Applied QA process is complete, schools will receive their feedback (known as Advice to schools) via the Applied QA app. The advice will outline the findings of the:
- assessment design review for their school’s Applied subjects
- review of teacher judgments for Applied and Applied (Essential) subjects.
Each school receives advice about:
- the validity and accessibility of the two assessment instruments developed for Unit 3 for Applied subjects
- the reliability of judgments in marked student response samples for Applied and Applied (Essential).
Schools should consider the advice in terms of:
- their ongoing internal quality assurance processes, including any feedback about their school’s application of QCE and QCIA policy and procedures
- the development of the remaining assessment for the current cohort and strengthening of assessment practices for future cohorts
- how it is applicable to other students in the cohort, before student results are entered in the Student Management app.
Intervention, if required
The QCAA will provide additional support (known as ‘intervention’) to schools whose submissions contain evidence that QCAA policy and procedures are not appropriately applied or for syllabus implementation concerns.
- For QCAA policy and procedures issues, the QCAA will work with the school’s principal’s delegate to review the school’s quality management system.
- For syllabus implementation issues, the relevant syllabus Principal Education Officer (PEO) will contact the school
Benefits of Applied quality assurance
The Applied QA process provides subject teachers with training in assessment design and in making on-balance judgments, which supports them to conduct reviews of school submissions and promotes the comparability of student results across Queensland.
More information
- QCE and QCIA policy and procedures handbook, Section 9.4
For questions about Applied QA, email AppliedQA@qcaa.qld.edu.au, or phone (07) 3864 0375
For subject-specific enquiries, contact the relevant learning area.
- Last updated:
- 27 May 2026
