Preparing for exams

TASC Level 3 and Level 4 courses include an externally assessed component which is managed by TASC. The external assessment may be a written exam, oral assessment, practical assessment, a folio or project assessment.

2023 external assessment timetables:

• the 2023 external assessment timetables were published in Term 3
• the 2023 written exam period is Tuesday 7 November to Friday 17 November
• see TASC key dates for all key dates, including results and inspections.

If you are sitting exams, your school will receive a printed copy of the Student Exam Guide to give to you at the start of Term 4.

An electronic copy of last year’s 2022 Student Exam Guide is available for reference. The Exam Guide covers the essential information you need to prepare for your end-of-year exams and assessments. It includes new Tips for staying CALM during exams.

Previous Exam Papers

Previous exam papers for all current TASC Courses have been collated on a single webpage to help with revision and practise.

Improved Exam Paper Accessibility for Everyone

The 2023 written exam papers will be easier to read, with minor changes to font size, spacing and alignment to meet accessibility requirements. Having optimal layout of the content in exam papers benefits everyone sitting exams, as it easier to see and take in what the questions are asking.

The General Mathematics exam exemplar (950.69 KB) shows the new accessible layout, which has been kept as close as possible to previous years’ exam papers that teachers and students are familiar with. The main visible changes are the larger font (12-point font), increased line spacing (1.5 lines) and the criterion/criteria being assessed moving from the front cover to the first page (below the Guide to Exam Structure).

Change from Reading Time to Preparation Time

The information sheet Getting Prepared for the 2022 Written Exams, covers the minor changes introduced last year, including ‘reading time’ being refocused as preparation time.

For 2023 exams, the same approach to preparation time applies. You can make notes on the provided notepaper during the 15 minutes of preparation time, but you are not to write any answers in your exam paper/booklets until the Supervisor announces that working time has started.

Adjustments and supports are available to assist students in particular circumstances. See:

• Reasonable adjustments to external assessments
• Requesting an extension to a folio deadline
• Request to set up a special exam centre (for students interstate or overseas).

Handling end-of-year pressure

The infosheet Managing Exam Stress links to key resources to assist you in managing the very normal feelings of pre-exam nerves. As well as being able to tell if it’s becoming too much and you need more help. The Student Exam Guide also includes Tips for staying CALM during exams to help you stay focused.

Importantly, talk with your teachers about your assessments and how you can prepare. Your teachers help prepare students for their exams every year and can provide expert advice.

Have you seen REACHOUT.com’s exam stress toolkit? It has stories and practical tips from recent students, checklists, action plans and tips and articles about handling end-of-year pressure and stress in ways that work for you, and secrets to study success.

What if I need some support?

Don’t hesitate to ask for help. There are people who can assist you. Reach out to family, friends and your teachers or others at your school, about how you are feeling and if you need a hand.

If you don’t feel like you can talk to someone you know, call or chat with one of these great agencies that are set up to support you:

• Headspace (1800 650 890 or e-help)
• Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800 or webchat)
• Lifeline (13 11 14).

Everyone participating in external assessments and exams must follow the same rules. See the External Assessment Rules and the student factsheet Exam Rules – A Student Guide (PDF, 2.3MB). Revisions have been made to the formatting, wording and layout of  the exam rules to make them easier to understand and clarify how they apply to different assessment formats (such as written exams and folios). The content and intent of the rules has not changed. 

The Academic integrity page and Academic integrity guide both provide information about:

• how to correctly reference (cite) other people’s information, images, ideas or words used in your work
• what you must do to show which parts of the work you hand in for assessment are yours, and which parts you have got from other people’s work.

All students are expected to observe the highest standards of honesty and integrity in the work they submit for assessment.

It is fine to use other people’s information, images, ideas or words (including material you get from the internet) in your own work but you must be clear and open about what you have used, whose material it was and where you got it from.

The use of a wide range of sources of information shows that you have undertaken good preparation and study. External markers reading or viewing your work must be able to clearly see what parts of it are your own work, and what parts you have used from other people’s work, and where you got the information.

If you hand in work that is not all your own work and you do not reference it appropriately, this is called plagiarism, which is a form of cheating.

If you are caught cheating, you risk the cancellation of your external results and possibly all of your results for the year, for both internally and externally assessed subjects.

When you submit your Student Declaration you are agreeing to comply with the TASC academic integrity requirements.

A Student Declaration must be completed by all students who are undertaking one or more TASC courses.

When you complete the Student Declaration you are:

• declaring you have read and will comply with the TASC academic integrity requirements
• declaring that you have read and will comply with the TASC external assessment rules
• providing an email address where TASC will send electronic results*
• providing a phone number in case TASC needs to contact you**.

TASC is committed to protecting information collected through this process and the handling of data in accordance with the Personal Information Protection Act 2004. See how TASC manages information protection and access.

More information about the Student Declaration and the online declaration form is available on the TASC Student Declaration page.

Notice of External Assessment:

You will receive a Notice of External Assessment (NoE), sometimes called a ‘pink slip’ (printed on pink paper), in mid-October with information about where you will sit your external assessment for Level 3 or 4 Courses, including written, oral and practical exams.

Usually, you will sit exams at your school or another exam centre nearby. You MUST bring your Notice of External Assessment to every exam.

If you misplace your Notice of External Assessment, contact your school immediately to have another one printed. If you do not have your Notice of External Assessment with you on the day of an exam, you will need to contact your TASC Liaison Officer (unless otherwise directed by your school) who will print a new one.  You will not be given extra time for your exam to compensate for the time spent getting a new Notice of External Assessment.

If you have an exam timetable clash, your Notice of External Assessment will advise of your individual exam timetable changes. If you do not have a correct Notice of External Assessment before your exams, you will need to speak with your TASC Liaison Officer who will print you a new one.

TASC ID:

You are given a TASC ID when you register with TASC. Your TASC ID will have two numbers, one letter, followed by five numbers. For example, 16K18367.

Your TASC ID and your exam papers are on your allocated desk for each written exam. You can also see your TASC ID on your Notice of External Assessment.

Your TASC ID is the only identification which is allowed on your external assessment material. Your name or school must not appear on any exam paper, folio, display or other work you submit for external assessment.

In the lead up to exams:

• Develop a routine that works for you, that includes both your studies and what you most enjoy.  See Study Tips and the Study Planner.
• Don’t hesitate to ask for help if you need a hand. There are people who can assist you. Reach out to family, friends and your teachers or others at your school.
• Keep up to date with the latest information, including talking with your teachers and registering to receive TASC information via email (including your results).
• Feel confident about your end-of-year assessments, knowing you will have the opportunities and support needed to demonstrate your knowledge and to ultimately achieve your goals.

Practising with past exam papers:

• Previous Exam Papers for all current TASC Courses have been collated on a single webpage to help with revision and practise.

What to take into your exam:

• Your Notice of External Assessment: You must take this with you to all your exams. This notice shows the exams you are registered to complete and your TASC ID.
• Writing equipment in a clear, sealable plastic bag, or clear pencil case: You must bring your own writing tools such as black or blue pens (erasable pens are not advised), 2B pencils, sharpener and eraser/rubber, highlighters and a clear plastic ruler.
• Water: You may bring plain water only in a clear plastic bottle with 1500 ml maximum capacity. You cannot refill your water bottle during the exam, share it with others, or have any other type of drink.
• Calculators: You may bring TASC approved calculators into some exams – check which exams and the types of calculators allowed in the Calculator Use Policy. If calculators are allowed, you may bring more than one approved calculator if you like. You can also bring spare batteries.
• Dictionaries: Dictionaries cannot be annotated or highlighted in any way, including using stickers to mark a place. You may bring any/all of the following printed dictionaries into your exam for any course:
  • a standard English dictionary/thesaurus
  • an English to other language dictionary/thesaurus
  • an other language to English dictionary/thesaurus.

• Watch: You may bring a basic analogue watch (not a ‘smart’, programmable or computerised watch) into your exam. You must remove the watch and place it at the top of the desk where it can be clearly seen by the Exam Supervisor.
• Medication: Asthma inhaler in a clear zip-lock bag labelled with your name and TASC ID. Hand this to the Exam Supervisor before the exam starts.

What can’t you take into your exam:

• Electronic devices, including mobile phones, that are capable of storing, receiving, recording or transmitting information or electronic signals, such as recorded music and video players, organisers, electronic dictionaries and computerised watches or any other similar devices.
• Any food or drinks (other than water) unless expressly given permission by TASC through the  reasonable adjustments process.
• Any loose notes, papers, manuscripts, books, reference materials or notebooks unless their use during the exam has been permitted.
• Bags including pencil cases or pencil bags – pens and pencils must be in a clear sealable plastic bag or clear pencil case.
• Correction pens, bottles or tape (such as Whiteout or Liquid Paper).
• Any other item that is not approved for that external assessment.

You must turn off and leave items you are not allowed to have during your exam in the area provided. Exam Supervisors have the right to check any material brought into the exam room and remove any unauthorised material.

See the External Assessment Rules for the full list of items not allowed and the penalties applied.

If you unexpectedly can’t attend your exam because:

• you are sick, tell your school, arrange a medical appointment with your GP and complete the TASC Senior Secondary External Assessment Medical Certificate.
• you have an emergency (or can’t attend for another reason), tell your school and write to TASC explaining why.

For more information, see Illness & emergency during exams.

Derived exam ratings will be applied to determine your results, if it is accepted that you are sick or experience an emergency and can’t attend your exam (in whole or in part).

For more information about derived exam ratings, see the information sheet on Student Results using Derived Exam Ratings.

For some courses, you must submit a folio or project as part of your external assessment.

See Folio assessment.