One of Queensland’s top state high schools has apologised to students and parents after admitting it taught the wrong topic for a Year 12 external exam in a major curriculum blunder.
Brisbane State High School, which has more than 3500 students, wrote to students and parents on Monday, informing them they had taught the wrong topic for the Ancient History external examination being held on Wednesday afternoon.
Schools are notified of the topic more than 12 months in advance.Â
The education department confirmed that on Monday this week the school realised it had taught the incorrect unit on Augustus, instead of Julius Caesar.
In the email, the school said it was “sincerely sorry for this error” and had been in contact with the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) “to try and find a solution”.
“Unfortunately, due to the nature of the examination QCAA cannot write an additional paper for us,” the school’s email said.
Brisbane State High School has two classes of students enrolled in Ancient History. (ABC News: Michael Lloyd)
The school said the QCAA had “assured that the examination is skills based”.
“Although we have deviated from the prescribed topic our students will be able to be successful in the exam,” the email said.
The school said they would apply for an “Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments” (AARA) with the curriculum authority outlining the school’s error so it can be considered when marking the student’s work.
In the letter to parents Brisbane State High School said they were “sincerely sorry” for the error and recognised that this is “distressing for our students and will therefore have extra support provided by our Student Services team” on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Emergency study sessions
The Ancient History exam is worth 25 per cent of the final result for the subject, with internal assessments accounting for 75 per cent.
Two classes of students at the high school are enrolled in the subject.
After realising the error, the school has rushed to put together a “resource” on Julius Caesar, the correct topic, to try and help prepare students for Wednesday afternoon’s exam.​
Students are currently undertaking Year 12 exams. (ABC News: Casey Briggs)
The school is also holding emergency study sessions today and on Wednesday morning to run through exam questions and examples of answers to help students prepare.
A spokesperson for the education department said the department and school were “deeply sorry for this mistake and are supporting students and families during this time”.
While the cram sessions have been arranged for students today and tomorrow, Year 12 students also have other exams — including English on Tuesday morning.
Other exams before Ancient History include Visual Arts on Tuesday afternoon, and Economics on Wednesday morning.
Making sure no student is disadvantagedÂ
The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority chief executive officer Claude Jones told ABC Radio Brisbane in a statement they were working closely with the school to ensure “no student is disadvantaged”.
“Schools are notified of the topic for the Ancient History external exam more than 12 months in advance,” Mr Jones said.
The QCAA said the school would submit a “whole-cohort” misadventure application so that special consideration can be applied when student results are finalised.
“Our assessment experts will apply additional quality assurance processes when marking these exam responses. Students have already completed 75 per cent of their assessments in this subject,” Mr Jones said.
“The QCAA is committed to ensuring every student receives fair and accurate results”.
Queensland Minister for Education and the Arts Joh-Paul Langbroek has reassured parents and students. (ABC News: Lucas Hill)
Speaking on ABC Radio Brisbane, education minister John-Paul Langbroek said he wanted to reassure students, parents, and teachers that “these were not 100 per cent exams”.
Mr Langbroek said the system was designed so that external exams were not a “high stakes test”.
“If we did have this circumstance, that is still to be investigated, and it was a 100 per cent exam and you walked in and you were suddenly asked questions about something you hadn’t studied, you would be freaking out if it was 100 per cent, so I just want to reassure people.”
On Monday external exams for Accounting, Design, Aerospace Systems and Music were cancelled at three Brisbane schools – Brigidine College, Stuartholme School and Ambrose Treacy College – after power outages caused by Sunday’s storm.
At the time the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority said exams cannot be rescheduled, “to maintain security and ensure fairness”.