Capstone assessment rubric · 12 criteriaEasyStagecraft Tier 1A · Module 6 · how your portfolio is scored · the lens the assessor uses · the bar for each grade

Grading bands. Each of the 12 criteria is scored Critical-fail / Pass / Credit / Distinction. Overall portfolio = sum of criteria + qualitative weight. Bands: PASS (8+ pass, <2 critical-fails) · CREDIT (8+ pass, 4+ credit, 0 critical-fails) · DISTINCTION (8+ credit, 4+ distinction, 0 critical-fails). Critical-fail in any safety / compliance criterion (#1, #4, #7, #8) blocks pass regardless of other scores — that's deliberate.

Criteria

#	Criterion	Critical fail	Pass	Credit	Distinction
1	SWMS quality	No SWMS for any high-risk task OR SWMS missing the 7 standard sections	3 SWMS produced · all 7 sections present · scoring uses Module 1 matrix	Pass + every hazard cites the specific AS/NZS standard or WHS reg	Credit + residual score annotated with rationale + emergency rescue plan specific to this venue
2	Hazard register depth	<8 hazards · OR no residual scoring	12+ hazards · uncontrolled + residual scored	Pass + hierarchy-of-controls visibly applied (not just "PPE for everything")	Credit + flying-harness sequence treated with named contractor, parent consent, principal sign-off, fallback plan
3	Scheduling realism	No bump-in detail · OR schedule has no breaks · OR call-end-times unrealistic for a school context	12-week plan present · bump-in day-by-day · meals scheduled · 70% rule visible	Pass + dependencies between departments explicit · contingency block named in writing	Credit + labour-cost forecast aligned with the P&L · "what if LX is 90 min behind by lunch Sun?" scenario answered
4	Streaming / IP position	No streaming-rights position stated · OR streaming arranged without rights confirmation	Streaming-rights position explicit in writing (with or without) · grand rights receipted	Pass + position rationale communicated to parents in the comms calendar	Credit + AMCOS / sync rights addressed for any pre-recorded music
5	Budget defensibility	P&L doesn't balance · OR exceeds principal cap without explanation · OR is missing major cost categories	P&L sums to a positive net OR explicit explanation of deficit · 5 cost + 5 income categories	Pass + ticket pricing grounded in break-even × loading × willingness	Credit + contractor-invoice review applying Module 5 BS-detector · variance vs forecast explained
6	Compliance completeness	< 5 of the 7 categories present	All 7 categories represented · CoCs · WWCC log · image release · grand rights · records retention	Pass + audit-bundle assembly demonstrated (could a WorkSafe inspector start reading?)	Credit + contractor compliance-line challenge email drafted using Module 4 template
7	Stakeholder communications	No parent communications calendar · OR comms structured around child-safety risk (e.g. no consent flow)	8-week parent-comms calendar · principal briefing 1 page · post-mortem template	Pass + comms address late-night travel + WWCC + image release explicitly	Credit + crisis-comms / postponement comms drafted as a "what-if"
8	Child-safety controls	No WWCC log · OR image release form missing per-channel opt-out · OR flying-harness contemplated without parent consent process	WWCC log started · image release form has per-channel opt-out · all minors named in flying / pyro have parent consent flow	Pass + Reportable Conduct Scheme records-retention noted · medical declarations process documented	Credit + child-safety review embedded in post-mortem template + parent-volunteer role list customised to this production
9	Team + delegation framework	No org chart · OR no SM delegation contract · OR matrix has no clear "A" column	Org chart + accountability matrix (≥10 decision-types) + SM delegation contract	Pass + explicit bypass-detection lines for contractor / director-to-student / parent	Credit + escalation script for each bypass type · paragraph on what happens if SM resigns 7 days from opening
10	Contractor-quote literacy	No contractor BS-detector review demonstrated	One contractor quote reviewed with M / R / O / T tagging	Pass + at least 2 contractor quotes reviewed · savings calculated	Credit + a written-back-to-contractor email drafted using the Module 1 template · expected response handled
11	Reflection specificity	Reflection is generic ("I learned a lot" / "everyone worked hard") · no specifics	500-700 word reflection · names specific frameworks · addresses the SM-resigned hypothetical	Pass + identifies 3 specific things the candidate would resist about implementing the framework at their school	Credit + one-paragraph plan to overcome school-specific resistance · names principal-level conversation needed
12	Professionalism + presentation	Portfolio is incomplete OR uses placeholder text "[insert name]" OR submitted late without arrangement	Six deliverables present · proofed · presentable to a principal	Pass + consistent formatting + clear file naming + table-of-contents + page numbers	Credit + portfolio presented as a single navigable PDF · could be re-used as a real SOP pack with minimal editing

Overall grading

Grade	Threshold	What it means
PASS	≥8 criteria at Pass · 0 Critical-fails · all 6 deliverables present	Tier 1A complete. Certificate issued. 9 CPD hours awarded. Eligible for Tier 1B.
CREDIT	≥8 at Pass · ≥4 at Credit · 0 Critical-fails	Above + assessor commentary highlighting the strongest deliverable. Eligible for Tier 1A featured-portfolio (anonymised) library.
DISTINCTION	≥8 at Credit · ≥4 at Distinction · 0 Critical-fails	Above + LinkedIn-share-ready Distinction badge + invitation to mentor incoming Tier 1A candidates (paid).
RESUBMIT	≥1 Critical-fail OR <8 at Pass	Assessor notes returned with specific re-work scope. Resubmission within 30 days for fresh assessment. Most resubmits pass on the second attempt.

Notes for the candidate

The four safety / compliance criteria (#1, #4, #7, #8) are weighted heavier than the rest. A Distinction in budget but a Critical-fail in child-safety = no pass.
The Reflection (#11) catches more candidates than any other. Generic reflections are the modal failure mode. Be specific or be re-graded.
You're not assessed on whether your specific creative decisions match Daniel's. You're assessed on whether your decisions are defensible against the frameworks. "I chose not to use flying because the parent consent flow exceeded available time" is a Distinction-grade rationale; "we didn't need it" is not.
The portfolio is yours to keep + adapt. The first production you run after this course should cut planning time by ~60% because the templates carry forward. That's the real return on the course; the certificate is the secondary benefit.