By entering your school and number of students in the Australian Geography Competition you agree to the following terms and conditions of the Australian Geography Competition.
Who can Enter?
- The Australian Geography Competition is open to all Australian high school students. Primary school students may enter at the teacher’s discretion. Students from other countries may enter with the approval of the Australian Geography Competition Coordinator. An extra postal charge may be payable for overseas students.
Year Levels
- Students are graded at each Australian high school Year level as follows:
- Schools may enter students in Years younger than Year 7 and they will be graded with the Year 7 cohort.
- Year 7 and 8 students’ scores and certificates are graded by Year level using 30 questions.
- Year 9, 10, 11 and 12 students’ scores and certificates are graded by Year level using 40 questions.
Grading
- Students’ scores, certificate categories (top 1% in Australia, high distinction, distinction, credit, and participation) are calculated within the Year level.
Prizes
- In the context of these Terms and Conditions, “Geography Student” is defined as an Australian student enrolled in geography or an integrated humanities/social sciences subject which includes geography.
- Only Australian geography students are eligible for prizes.
- Combined Territories include the Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory, Jervis Bay Territory and Australian External Territories.
- The highest-scoring geography student in each Year level in Australia, in each State and the Combined Territories will each receive a prize of a book and special certificate. First in Australia will also receive a medal. The prize for first in Australia replaces the relevant prize for first in the State/Combined Territories for those students who come first in Australia.
- The highest-scoring Year 11 female and male, or non-binary where higher, geography students who are between the ages of 15 and 18 on 30 June 2024 in each State and the Combined Territories will be invited to participate in Geography’s Big Week Out. Two other high-scoring students will also be invited to participate in Geography’s Big Week Out. If required, tied students may be separated using school assessment. If the highest-scoring student in a State/Combined Territories is not able to attend, the invitation will be offered to the next eligible student.
- Prizes for Years 11 and 12 are determined using scores with a weighting on the final 10 questions.
- A special certificate for top 1% in Australia by Year level is provided, but no prizes are awarded for this grade.
- School prizes consist of a book voucher and special certificate and will be awarded to the top school in Australia, each State and the Combined Territories. The prize for first in Australia replaces the relevant prize for first in the State/Combined Territories for the school that comes first in Australia.
- School ranking is calculated using the scores of the school’s best five (5) students from each of Years 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12.
Payments and Changes to Number of Students
- Each school that enters will nominate the “number of students” for their school when entering. The cost of each student is $5 with no other fees. There is no GST on entry costs as the Competition is run under the Royal Geographical Society of Queensland Ltd charity status.
- The school must pay for the “number of students” nominated on the entry form unless the school wishes to withdraw or to increase or decrease the number of students and notifies the Competition Office by email (competition@rgsq.org.au) by 10:00 am on Monday 8 April 2024.
- If notification is received after 10:00 am on Monday 8 April 2024, or no notification is received, the school is liable to pay for the number of students entered whether or not the school participates in the Competition.
- If a school has already paid and wishes to reduce the number of students or withdraw from the 2024 Competition, it must notify the Competition Office by email (agccoordinator@rgsq.org.au) no later than 10:00 am on Monday 8 April 2024. A refund will be made, less a $30.00 handling fee.
Running the Competition
- Instructions on how to conduct the Competition using the Janison platform will be emailed to the nominated school contact.
- The Competition is run in schools over a 30-minute period between Wednesday 15 May and Wednesday 29 May. The questions test knowledge and skills, within the time constraints of responding to stimulus material. We recommend that all students from one school complete the Competition on the same day. It is up to the school which of the days between Wednesday 15 May and Wednesday 29 May is chosen. We realise that not all schools can arrange to have all their students compete on the same day so, if necessary, schools may spread the Competition over two or more days.
- If the school needs to run the Competition at a time not between Wednesday 15 May and Wednesday 29 May, the school must obtain approval from the Competition Coordinator by emailing (agccoordinator@rgsq.org.au).
- The Competition is run under test conditions: students must always be supervised by a teacher or other adult assigned by the school; students must have no access to resources other than those supplied within the Competition.
Security
- Competition access codes must be under the teacher’s control until Wednesday 29 May. Although the possibility exists of a student hearing some questions from another, on balance, we believe that the disadvantages of insisting that the Competition be held everywhere at the same time outweigh the problem of possible cheating.
Distance Education, Home School and Vision-Impaired Students
- Teachers of vision-impaired students, or Schools of Distance Education should contact the Competition Office to discuss any special requirements.
- For distance education and home school students to be eligible for prizes they must complete the Competition under test conditions.
Sharing Data With Janison
- The Competition is held on the Janison platform. Information supplied as part of the school entry will be shared with Janison. This includes: school name, contact teacher’s name, school address, email address, number of students entered.
- The shared data is subject to the Competition’s and Janison’s privacy policies.