Information about assessments/exams at the schools within Mikiel Anton Vassalli College (MAVC)

Following the official announcement that all schools in Malta and Gozo will remain closed for the rest of this scholastic year 2019/20 due to Covid-19 pandemic, please note that the following guidelines will apply only for this academic year, until further notices by the National Health Authorities.

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MAVC, GOZO VPA SCHOOL

This School in Gozo incorporates 3 departments:

1. MUSIC DEPARTMENT

Instrumental practical examinations:

• All annual examinations from Preliminary to Diploma (MQF Level 1 to MQF level 5), which usually take place in June, have been cancelled.

• All students will progress to the next scholastic year 2020/21 as follows:

Introduction to Music 1 (part of MQF level 1)
Introduction to Music 1 students will automatically be promoted to Introduction 2.

Introduction to Music 2 (part of MQF level 1)
Introduction to Music 2 students will sit for an audition (further details will be communicated in due course) to proceed to an instrumental course, as per the School’s procedure.

Preliminary (part of MQF level 1)
Preliminary students who were scheduled to sit for the exam in June will be promoted to Grade 1 if the final assessment mark is a PASS. The final assessment mark will consist of 80% which will be derived from the weekly assessment given by the teacher before school closure, and 20% which will be derived from the weekly assessment given by the teacher during remote teaching.  

Grade 1 (part of MQF level 2)
Grade 1 students who were scheduled to sit for the exam in June will be promoted to Grade 2 if the final assessment mark is a PASS. The final assessment mark will consist of 80% which will be derived from the weekly assessment given by the teacher before school closure and 20% which will be derived from the weekly assessment given by the teacher during remote teaching.

Grade 2 (part of MQF level 2)
Grade 2 students who were scheduled to sit for the exam in June will be promoted to Grade 3 if the final assessment mark is a PASS. The final assessment mark will consist of 80% which will be derived from the weekly assessment given by the teacher before school closure and 20% which will be derived from the weekly assessment given by the teacher during remote teaching.

Grade 3 (part of MQF level 2)
Grade 3 students who were scheduled to sit for the exam in June will be promoted to Grade 4 if the final assessment mark is a PASS. The final assessment mark will consist of 80% which will be derived from the weekly assessment given by the teacher before school closure and 20% which will be derived from the weekly assessment given by the teacher during remote teaching.

Grade 4 (part of MQF level 3)
Grade 4 students who were scheduled to sit for the exam in June will be promoted to Grade 5 if the final assessment mark is a PASS. The final assessment mark will consist of 80% which will be derived from the weekly assessment given by the teacher before school closure and 20% which will be derived from the weekly assessment given by the teacher during remote teaching.

Grade 5 (part of MQF level 3)
Grade 5 students who were scheduled to sit for the exam in June will be promoted to Grade 6 if the final assessment mark is a PASS. The final assessment mark will consist of 80% which will be derived from the weekly assessment given by the teacher before school closure and 20% which will be derived from the weekly assessment given by the teacher during remote teaching.

Grade 6 (part of MQF level 4)
Grade 6 students who were scheduled to sit for the exam in June will be promoted to Grade 7 if the final assessment mark is a PASS. The final assessment mark will consist of 80% which will be derived from the weekly assessment given by the teacher before school closure and 20% which will be derived from the weekly assessment given by the teacher during remote teaching.

Grade 7 (Part of MQF level 4)
Grade 7 students who were scheduled to sit for the exam in June will be promoted to Grade 8 if the final assessment mark is a PASS. The final assessment mark will consist of 80% which will be derived from the weekly assessment given by the teacher before school closure and 20% which will be derived from the weekly assessment given by the teacher during remote teaching. 

Grade 8 (Part of MQF level 4)
Grade 8 students are required to sit for the formal practical exam during the first week of October (depending on the go ahead from Health Authorities). For Grade 8 students to progress to the Diploma in Performance, they need to satisfy the usual requirements as specified in the School’s policy.

Diploma (MQF level 5)
Diploma practical examinations will take place in the third week of October (depending on the go-ahead from Health Authorities). Resits will be held in the third week of November.

Other important points:

• The final assessment mark (Preliminary to Grade 7) will be issued with Pass or Fail.

• Students who obtain a Failure in the final assessment mark will be required to repeat the year.

• Students who started this scholastic year as late entries, and were not scheduled to sit for an exam in June, will automatically resume their studies in the same grade during the next scholastic year.

• Any student who acquires a pass in the assessment, but feels more comfortable repeating the year, may do so upon approval of the teacher and the Head of School. Requests to repeat the year have to reach the School’s Administration by the 30th June 2020.

• Students for whom the scholastic year 2019-2020 has been an extension or a repetition will NOT be allowed to repeat the year.

• Leisure Course students will be promoted to the following year at the discretion of the respective teacher in consultation with the School Administration.

• Please note that the school will NOT be offering tuition and/or accompaniment during the summer to Grade 8 and Diploma level students sitting for their exam in October.

• As the situation is, teachers will continue to support students remotely until week ending 20th June 2020.

Equivalency of Grades and MQF levels

Practical (solo instrument)

MQF level 1 = Introduction to Music 1, Introduction to Music 2 & Preliminary
MQF Level 2= Grades 1, 2 & 3
MQF Level 3 (Ordinary level) = Grades 4 & 5
MQF level 4 (Advanced level) = Grade 6, Grade 7 & Grade 8
MQF Level 5 = diploma
 
Music Knowledge & Understanding/Jazz Knowledge and Understanding (Theory)
MQF level 1 = Preliminary
MQF level 2= Grades 1, 2 & 3
MQF level 3 (O level) = Grades 4 & 5
MQF Level 4 (Advanced) = Grades 6, 7 & 8
MQF Level 5 = Diploma

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Music Knowledge and Understanding/Jazz Knowledge and Understanding (MKU THEORY CLASSES)

• The MKU examinations from Preliminary to Grade 7 (MQF Level 1 to 4) will not take place in June 2020 but the final mark will be based entirely on the Continuous Assessments accumulated from October 2019 to 20th June 2020, including the Solfeggio, Aural and Active Listening Tests. The final result will be issued with Pass or Fail.

• Grade 8 (MQF Level 4) students are required to sit for the formal written exam in September (depending on the go ahead from Health Authorities). For Grade 8 students to progress to the Diploma in Musicology and Composition, they need to satisfy the usual requirements as specified in the School’s policy.

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2. ART DEPARTMENT

• Educators within the school are doing their utmost to ensure continued virtual learning in those courses designed on MQF levels. This means, that attendance is also being taken for students who are participating in such. Students who continue to participate in the virtual lessons, will be allowed to progress.

• By attendance one understands a form of participation according to the requisites of the educator teaching the course. This may be simply joining a particular online lesson, handing-in work given by the educator or participating in one way or other according to the agreement for the particular course. It may also be a combination of two or more of the mentioned criteria.

• As with the regular attendance, for a student to be given a Certificate of Attendance he/she must attend in 80% of the lessons. Attendance is taken according to the details in point above and hence includes participation in online lessons and remote learning. 

• Other remarks:

1. Make sure that each student has a unique email (such as gmail) and send these details to the school administration as required. This will be used on MySchool Portal for our teachers to be able to communicate swiftly with each student.
2. Make sure the guardian’s email is correct.
3. Make sure that mobile number given to the school is correct.
4. Check emails and sms regularly and reply when necessary.

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3. DRAMA & DANCE DEPARTMENT

(Same guidelines as School of Art above)

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Those of you who wishes to clarify further, you may contact by telephone your respective school or via e-mail as follows:

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MAVC, Gozo VPA School: 2598 3801, 2598 3802,            
mavc.vpaschoolgozo@ilearn.edu.mt 

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Thank you for your co-operation and understanding.
Wish you all well and keep safe.

Victor Galea
Head of College Network
Mikiel Anton Vassalli College