ACT BSSS

Are you looking for the calendar? It's on our website in its own section. Important dates are published on the calendar, including Moderation Days, AST and AST Second Sitting, and professional learning offered at the Office of the BSSS.

https://www.bsss.act.edu.au/

Looking for some holiday reading? The BSSS Student and Teacher Newsletters are available now. https://www.bsss.act.edu.au/

AST 2026 is on August 25 and 26. If you are an ACT Senior Secondary Student and intend to receive an ATAR, you need to complete the AST in your graduating year. Speak with your school for more information.

For students who know that they will be unable to attend 2026 AST dates due to circumstances beyond their control, early application for second sitting can be made now through your school.

Happy April holidays to everyone in the ACT Senior Secondary System. Whether you are traveling or staying home, we hope you have a great mid-term break.

The ATARs for students studying the ACT Senior Secondary Certificate will be available from 9.00am on Tuesday 16 December through Student Profiles Online, and from Thursday 18 December from UAC.

If you haven’t logged on to Student Profiles Online since the update, you may need to make a new account. More information can be found here: https://www.bsss.act.edu.au/information_for_students/profiles_online

Remember to download your academic record and TES from Student Profiles Online, as current graduating students will lose access in the new year.

Hats off to all the wonderful teachers in the ACT Senior Secondary System from everyone at the Board of Senior Secondary Studies!

The next Evidence for Educators session is happening this Thursday afternoon: free, TQI-accredited teacher PL with brilliant speakers discussing issues that matter in our schools. You are welcome no matter which school sector you belong to, or which year/s you teach.

This Thursday, Michelle Ainsworth discusses information literacy and the dangers of disinformation. Topics that will be covered include:

• What are the differences between misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation, and how to spot them.
• Why inoculation or pre-bunking exercises are helping to increase awareness of disinformation.
• The “liar’s dividend” - what does this mean and who is spreading this?
• Media and digital literacy. Where are we in Australia and who’s mastered best practice?
Sign up here: https://nsc.anu.edu.au/event/course/evidence-educators-professional-development-program-teachers and see what else is on offer this semester.

The Office of the BSSS is pleased to work with the ANU National Security College to host the remaining sessions of the successful “Evidence for Educators” program in 2025. 11 September sees the first session here at the Office. These sessions are free and available to all educators working at any level in the ACT. Attendance in person is TQI accredited, with the National Security College organising the hours. These sessions are aimed at teachers who wish to increase their knowledge of complex, nationally important issues that may be relevant to curriculum or in classroom discussions.

See the whole program and sign up here: https://nsc.anu.edu.au/event/course/evidence-educators-professional-development-program-teachers

The session on 11 September is : The Evolution of US and Global Counterterrorism: Understanding the Shifting Landscape

As global threats evolve, so too do the strategies and structures designed to counter them. This session offers a clear, accessible overview of how counterterrorism has changed over the past few decades, both in the United States and internationally. Drawing on the experience of Nicholas Rasmussen—a senior national security leader with over 30 years in intelligence and counterterrorism—this session helps educators and students understand the forces shaping today’s security environment.

Topics covered:

• The post-9/11 transformation of US counterterrorism strategy
• The rise and fall of ISIS and Al-Qaeda: lessons learned
• The role of international cooperation in global counterterrorism
• How technology and the internet have changed the threat landscape
• Balancing security and civil liberties in democratic societies
• Emerging threats: domestic extremism, cyberterrorism, and lone actors

Do you want to be part of the team working on the implementation ideas, programs of learning, and setting the standards for schools teaching Education Studies in 2026 and beyond?

All schools intending to seek school accreditation for teaching Education Studies in 2026 will be attending a day of workshops and planning for the introduction of this new course. This is an all-day session on 11 September at the BSSS Offices in Civic.

If your school is interested, please RSVP to [email protected] before COB Monday September 8.

AST second sitting is for people who were unable to attend the first sitting due to extenuating circumstance, illness, or misadventure. Your AST coordinator needs to know ASAP if you intend to apply for the second sitting, and documentation is due by September 5.

If you were sick on the day of one or more AST papers, make sure you speak with your school, as you will need some specific documentation filled in by your doctor. If you were unable to attend due to misadventure, your AST coordinator can advise you of what evidence you will need to provide.