Brisbane State High School in Queensland has issued an apology to students and parents after it mistakenly taught the wrong topic for an upcoming Year 12 external exam in Ancient History. The school, which serves over 3,500 students, informed families this week that it had prepared students for the topic of Augustus instead of Julius Caesar, which is the correct subject for the exam scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.

The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) confirmed that the school realized the error on Monday. Schools are typically notified of the exam topics more than a year in advance. In an email to students and parents, the school expressed its sincere regret for the mistake and stated that it was in contact with the QCAA to find a solution. However, the QCAA indicated that it could not create an additional exam paper due to the nature of the assessment.

The school reassured students that the exam is skills-based, stating, "Although we have deviated from the prescribed topic, our students will be able to be successful in the exam." To address the situation, Brisbane State High School plans to apply for an "Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments" (AARA) with the QCAA, which would outline the error and seek consideration during the grading process.

In its communication, the school acknowledged the distress caused by the error and promised additional support from its Student Services team on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Ancient History exam accounts for 25 percent of the final grade, while internal assessments make up the remaining 75 percent. Two classes at the school are enrolled in the subject.

In response to the situation, the school has quickly assembled resources on Julius Caesar to aid students in their preparation for the exam. Emergency study sessions are also being held today and Wednesday morning to review exam questions and provide examples of answers.

A spokesperson for the education department expressed deep regret over the mistake and emphasized that support is being provided to students and families during this challenging time. Claude Jones, the CEO of the QCAA, stated that they are working closely with the school to ensure that no student is disadvantaged by the error. He noted that schools receive exam topic notifications well in advance and that the school will submit a "whole-cohort" misadventure application for special consideration when finalizing student results.

Jones added, "Our assessment experts will apply additional quality assurance processes when marking these exam responses. Students have already completed 75 percent of their assessments in this subject. The QCAA is committed to ensuring every student receives fair and accurate results."

Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek reassured students, parents, and teachers that the external exams are not high-stakes tests. He stated, "If we did have this circumstance, that is still to be investigated, and it was a 100 percent 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 percent, so I just want to reassure people."

Additionally, on Monday, external exams for Accounting, Design, Aerospace Systems, and Music were canceled at three Brisbane schools due to power outages caused by a storm. The QCAA noted that exams cannot be rescheduled to maintain security and fairness.