1. Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment in the Secondary Years (7–12)
© 2015 School Curriculum and Standards Authority

2. Years 7–10

3. The Act School Curriculum and Standards Authority Act, 1997
The objects of the Act are:
to provide for standards of student achievement and for the assessment and certification of student achievement according to those standards
to provide for the development of an outline of curriculum and assessment in schools that, taking account of the needs of students, sets out the knowledge, understanding, skills, values and attitudes that students are expected to acquire and guidelines for the assessment of student achievement; and to provide for the development and accreditation of courses for schooling
to provide for the maintenance of a database of information relating to —
the participation by students during their school years in education, training or employment as provided for by the School Education Act
the achievements of students during those years
records of assessment in respect of students.

4. The Outline The Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline:
sets out the knowledge, understanding, skills, values and attitudes that students are expected to acquire, and guidelines for the assessment of student achievement
is mandated for all Western Australian students
provides comprehensive information that schools can use to plan student learning programs, assess student progress and report to parents.
The Australian Curriculum is being developed in phases. Some learning areas have been implemented from the Australian Curriculum, others are described in the Curriculum Framework.
The Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline replaces the Curriculum Framework and is mandated for all Western Australian schools.
The Outline includes:
guiding principles of teaching, learning and assessment
Kindergarten Curriculum Guidelines which complement the Early Years Learning Framework and the Australian Curriculum
the Pre-primary to Year 10 English, Mathematics, History and Science Curriculum content including the general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities
the Pre-primary to Year 10 English, Mathematics, History and Science Curriculum achievement standards
student diversity materials
assessment resources
the Reporting Policy: Pre-primary to Year 10
Frequently Asked Questions
links to useful websites and resources. 
The Outline incorporates the Pre-primary to Year 10 English, Mathematics, History and Science Curriculum and embraces the focus on general capabilities, cross-curriculum priorities and student diversity.
The Outline is the source of Kindergarten–Year 10 curriculum for all Western Australian students. It provides comprehensive information that schools can use to plan student learning programs, assess student progress and report to parents.

5. Welcome to the new-look Outline
The Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline website was updated in mid-March 2015.
The navigation has changed slightly and there have been some improvements in functionality.

6. Learning areas and subjects
Phase 1
Phase 2 and Phase 3
English
History (a component of Humanities and Social Sciences)
Mathematics
Science
Health and Physical Education
Humanities and Social Sciences
Languages
Technologies
The Arts
Reporting learning area achievement for English, mathematics, science and history By mid-2015, schools will report using the achievement standards, outlined in the School Curriculum and Standards Authority’s Reporting Policy: Pre-primary to Year 10, in English and Mathematics (and are strongly encouraged to report in Science) for Pre-primary and English, Mathematics and Science for Years 1 to 10.
As the Authority’s work in developing all components of the Humanities and Social Sciences learning area into one syllabus is currently being completed, schools have the discretion to report student achievement in History and/or the Humanities and Social Sciences. For Pre-primary to Year 10, the achievement standards identified within the Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline describe expected achievement at each year level for each learning area.  Reporting learning area achievement using the Curriculum Framework For those learning areas for which the P–10 Curriculum is not yet available, within the Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline, or has not been implemented, schools should continue to report student achievement against the Curriculum Framework using the five levels of achievement defined within the Authority’s Reporting Policy: Pre-primary to Year 10.

7. P–10 Curriculum implementation timeline
2015
Full implementation for English, Mathematics, Science and History
2016
Health and Physical Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, Technologies and The Arts Curriculum available to schools for familiarisation at the start of Semester 1
The Languages Curriculum available to schools for familiarisation at the start of Semester 2
Assessment Snapshots, Assessment Activities, Judging Standards and Annotated Work Samples for Health and Physical Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, Languages, Technologies and The Arts
2017
Full implementation for Health and Physical Education and
Humanities and Social Sciences
2018
Full implementation for The Arts, Technologies and Languages
Developing a robust curriculum for Western Australia is a priority for the State Government.
Western Australia is already implementing the Phase 1 Australian Curriculum learning areas of English, Mathematics, Science and the subject of History (part of the Humanities and Social Sciences) P-10.
In a letter to Principals in January 2014, the Education Minister announced that Western Australia would be adopting and adapting Phases 2 and 3 of the Australian Curriculum to ensure that the knowledge, understandings and skills across all disciplines to suit the needs of Western Australian students and teachers. Phases 2 and 3 encompasses the learning areas of Health and Physical Education, the remaining Humanities and Social Sciences (Civics and Citizenship, Economics and Business and Geography), Technologies and The Arts.
The Authority over 2014 developed 99 year level syllabuses in each of the learning areas/subjects in Phases 2 and 3 identifying the core content to be taught to all students. During 2015, the Assessment Snapshots, Assessment Activities, Judging Standards and Annotated Work Samples will be developed to support the teaching, learning and assessment program for teachers in these learning areas.
Full implementation includes teaching, assessing and reporting by schools.

8. Delivering the P–10 curriculum
Teachers should be using the Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline for Phase 1.
Some schools are engaging with ACARA Phase 2 and Phase 3 learning areas and subjects.
Western Australian syllabuses for Phase 2 and Phase 3 will be released in 2016 with:
core content that must be taught to all students
achievement standards (A–E) based on the core content against which students will be assessed.
Teachers engaging with the ACARA materials for Phase 2 and Phase 3 learning areas and subjects will need to re-familiarise themselves with the adopted and adapted content in the Western Australian syllabuses.
Teachers and schools working with the ACARA materials need to recognise they may need to adjust any resources they develop prior to the formal release of the Western Australian syllabuses.
We advise teachers to use come caution if they are engaging with the ACARA materials.

9. Review of the Australian Curriculum
The Ministerial Council endorsed ACARA’s responses to the review's recommendations.
ACARA will be addressing issues such as:
reducing the content
improving clarity
making the curriculum more parent friendly.
The Authority will continue with its process of adopting and adapting the curriculum and consider ACARA’s amendments.
ACARA will be addressing the overcrowding and rebalancing of the Australian Curriculum by:
Reducing the quantity of content adding more depth and less breadth
Combining history, geography, civics and citizenship and economics and business into a single combined humanities and social sciences subject for primary schools
Improve clarity, reducing duplication and complexity – especially in the way cross-curriculum priorities and general capabilities are presented
Strengthening the presence of phonics and phonemic awareness
Improving the accessibility for all students especially those with disabilities
Making the curriculum more parent friendly.
The Authority will update schools on progress throughout the year.

10. Reporting P–10
Report on student achievement against the year level achievement standards
for English, Maths, Science and History (or HASS) for Semester 1 this year.
Students need to engage with the year level syllabus content and be assessed against the year level achievement standards.
Students should receive an A if they demonstrate the year level standard for an A.
Students do not have to be ‘two years ahead’ to receive an A.
Note: backward mapping from senior school courses so Year 7-10 content is deliberately overlooked because it is not ‘needed’ as a requisite for a particular Year 11 or 12 course is inappropriate. Students need to access the year level curriculum content.
Where there are gaps in students’ knowledge and understanding, these need to be addressed while providing access to the year level curriculum content.
Assessing students against the year level achievement standard and the curriculum content is fundamental. Students who are in extension and remediation programs need to be assessed against the same standard. Students in these programs need opportunity to access to the whole curriculum
If a student is in a streamed class where they get a ‘C’ in the class but are an ‘A when judged against the Achievement Standard, they need to receive an ‘A’ on their report. Similarly, a student in a streamed class who gets an ‘A’ in class but is a ‘D’ when judged against the Achievement Standard needs to receive a ‘D’ on their report.
A student who is completing a modified program may be provided with additional reporting information in relation to the modified program. The report comment should be used to highlight issues and achievements.

11. Reporting P–10 requirements
All schools in Western Australia are required to report in Semester 1 and Semester on:
English and Mathematics for Pre-primary (and strongly encouraged in Science) – not with grade A-E
English, Mathematics and Science for Years 1 to 10
either History or the Humanities and Social Sciences, as determined by the school, for Years 1 to 10.
Schools must use the achievement standards, outlined in the School Curriculum and Standards Authority’s Reporting Policy: Pre-primary to Year 10. Years 1–2 grade is optional; Year 3 and beyond grades required.
Reporting learning area achievement for English, mathematics, science and history By mid-2015, schools will report using the achievement standards, outlined in the School Curriculum and Standards Authority’s Reporting Policy: Pre-primary to Year 10, in English and Mathematics (and are strongly encouraged to report in Science) for Pre-primary and English, Mathematics and Science for Years 1 to 10.
As the Authority’s work in developing all components of the Humanities and Social Sciences learning area into one syllabus is currently being completed, schools have the discretion to report student achievement in History and/or the Humanities and Social Sciences.
P-10 Science
There are 4 sub-strands – Biological sciences, Chemical sciences, Earth and space sciences and Physical sciences. All Content descriptions must be taught for each year. Elaborations contain optional content which teachers may use to guide their teaching. These are not mandatory.
P-10 Mathematics
There are three content strands and four proficiency strands:
The content strands are Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, and Statistics and Probability. They describe what is to be taught and learnt.
The proficiency strands are Understanding, Fluency, Problem Solving, and Reasoning.
For Pre-primary to Year 10, the achievement standards identified within the Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline describe expected achievement at each year level for each learning area. 
Reporting learning area achievement using the Curriculum Framework For those learning areas for which the Australian Curriculum is not yet available, within the Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline, or has not been implemented, schools should continue to report student achievement against the Curriculum Framework using the five levels of achievement defined within the Authority’s Reporting Policy: Pre-primary to Year 10.

12. Reporting P– and 2016
English, Mathematics and Science adopted ‘as is’ from ACARA
teachers must use the Western Australian achievement standards for determining grades.
History for 2015 and 2016 adopted ‘as is’ from ACARA
teachers must use the Western Australian achievement standards for determining grades OR
teachers can determine a grade based on a combination of Humanities and Social Sciences subjects.

13. Support for reporting P–10
The assessment pointers and the annotated works samples in Western Australia’s Judging Standards resources:
describe the quality of learning at each grade A–E
exemplify the achievement standards at A–D.
The Australian Curriculum achievement standard is a general year level statement.
It describes ‘satisfactory’ performance at a C grade level – the ‘expected’ standard.

14. Reporting P–10 – modified curriculum
Students working with a modified Curriculum need a documented individual education plan (IEP) or differentiated learning plan (DLP).
These plans need to incorporate appropriate reporting that has been negotiated with the student and their parents/carers.
These students are outside the A-E reporting requirement and reports should be against their individual or differentiated plan.
Note: a students engaging with a modified curriculum are not working with an alternative curriculum.

15. Adopting and adapting the curriculum
The Authority’s tasks during 2014 in relation to the Phases 2 and 3 curriculum were to:
ensure the content was manageable for teachers and students
develop year level syllabuses for P–10
review the disciplines of History, Geography, Economics and Business, Civics and Citizenship to ensure a coherent Humanities and Social Sciences learning area
develop a generic set of skills for the Humanities and Social Sciences (rather than four sets of skills for each of the subjects in the learning area)
develop assessment task from the syllabuses for schools to implement in Term to provide work samples for the development of Achievement Standards and the Judging Standards tool.
Visual representation of the adaptation of the Australian Curriculum
Australian Curriculum for Phases 2 and 3 (extensive consultation over the development by ACARA)
Adapted the Australian Curriculum to develop the Western Australian Curriculum (in consultation with practicing classroom teachers, the Authority’s curriculum advisory committees, Primary and Secondary Principals’ Forums, professional associations, systems/sector) to:
identify core content (which every student should be taught and the achievement standards are based on) and additional content
develop stand alone content descriptions (no elaborations from the Australian Curriculum; where necessary, the elaboration has been incorporated into the content description to provide exemplification, clarify meaning or indicate pitch)
develop a scope and sequence of content from P–10 in each learning area/subject
develop year level syllabuses across each learning area/subject
develop teacher support materials including snapshots, assessment activities, annotated work samples.
Identifying core content (what must be taught to each student) and additional content (what a school can elect to do in the unallocated time available).
Separating the two year bands into year level syllabuses P–10 for Health and Physical Education, Technologies and The Arts.
Reviewing the disciplines of History, Geography, Economics and Business and Civics and Citizenship to ensure a coherent Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) learning area.
Developing a generic set of skills for HASS with a single Achievement Standard.
Developing teacher support materials in collaboration with professional associations to assist with the implementation of the syllabuses.

16. Curriculum differences – Phases 2 and 3
The Australian Curriculum
The Western Australian Curriculum
The Australian Curriculum written in bands for Health and Physical Education, Technologies and The Arts.
Year level syllabuses have been developed for Health and Physical Education, Technologies and The Arts.
History, Geography, Civics and Citizenship and Economics and Business written as separate disciplines across Phases 1, 2 and 3 of the Australian Curriculum.
The aggregation of the Humanities and Social Sciences into a coherent learning area with a generic set of skills and overview documentation.
Content descriptions are supported by elaborations.
Content descriptions stand alone and reflect the core content in each learning area/subject. Elaborations have been embedded in the content where necessary for exemplification.
The Australian Curriculum was written in bands for Health and Physical Education, Technologies and The Arts.
The Western Australian Curriculum consists of year level syllabuses for these learning areas with content being identified as core (what every child should be taught) and separated between the year levels commensurate with the stages of development.
In the Health and Physical Education example (next slide), the single ‘band’ content description has been unpacked to create a separate Year 7 content description and a separate Year 8 content description. The elaborations that accompany the ACARA content description in this example have been used to clarify the content description for both Year 7 and Year 8.
The Humanities and Social Sciences subjects of History, Geography, Economics and Business, Civics and Citizenship were developed across ACARA’s phases of curriculum development, each with their own documentation including rationale, aims, organisation, skills set and year level descriptions.
To ensure a coherent learning area for the Humanities and Social Sciences, a single learning area overview was developed with a single rationale, aims, organisation, a generic skills set sitting across all disciplines and a single year level description reflecting the suite of subjects to be taught in that year. Core content was identified from each of the subjects to develop the year level syllabuses reflecting all four subjects. The HASS learning area will have a single achievement standard.
Teachers engaging with the ACARA materials for Phase 2 and Phase 3 learning areas and subjects will need to re-familiarise themselves with the adopted and adapted content in the Western Australian syllabuses.

17. Year level syllabuses – HPE 1–2
ACARA content description Year 1 and 2
Describe their own strengths and achievements and those of others, and identify how these contribute to personal identities (ACPPS015)
Western Australian Year level syllabuses:
Year 1
Personal strengths and how these change over time (ACPPS015)
Year 2
Personal strengths and achievements and how they contribute to personal identities (ACPPS015)
The banded descriptions for ACARA’s Australian Curriculum have been split in the Western Australian Curriculum to create the year level syllabuses.

18. P–10 Syllabus structure – the overview
Each learning area has an overview section which sets out:
Rationale
Student diversity
Aims
General capabilities
Organisation
Cross-curriculum priorities
Ways of teaching
Glossary
Ways of assessing
Scope and sequence
The Ways of teaching and Ways of assessing have been developed by the Authority.
The Ways of teaching section provides information for teacher planning and translating the content from the syllabus to the classroom and offers links to the teaching, learning and assessment principles in the Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline.
The Ways of assessing section supports teachers with the assessment of student achievement.

19. P–10 Syllabus structure – the content
Each year level syllabus contains:
a year level description – signals a focus for the content, the progression and the pitch of the content
content descriptions – specifies what teachers are expected to teach
an achievement standard – describes the characteristics of student achievement.
Year level descriptions provide an overview of the key concepts addressed, along with core content being studied at that year level. They signal the context to teach the content in and the progression and pitch of the content. They also emphasise the interrelated nature of the two strands and the expectation that planning will involve integration of content from across the strands.
Content descriptions set out the knowledge, understanding and skills that teachers are expected to teach and students are expected to learn. They do not prescribe approaches to teaching. The core content has been written to ensure that learning is appropriately ordered and that unnecessary repetition is needed. However, a concept or skill introduced at one year level may be revisited, strengthened and extended at later year levels as needed.
From Pre-primary to Year 10, achievement standards indicate the quality of learning that students should typically demonstrate by a particular point in the schooling. An achievement standard describes the quality of learning (e.g. the depth of conceptual understanding and the sophistication of skills) that would indicate the student is well-placed to commence the learning required at the next level of achievement.

20. Year 7 Technologies: Digital technologies
Year Level Description Year 7 students have opportunities to create a range of digital solutions, such as interactive web applications or simulations. In Year 7, students explore the properties of networked systems. They acquire data from a range of digital systems. Students use data to model objects and events. They further develop their understanding of the vital role that data plays in their lives. The curriculum provides students with further opportunities to develop abstractions, identifying common elements while decomposing apparently different problems and systems to define requirements, and recognise that abstractions hide irrelevant details for particular purposes. When defining problems…
Year level description from Year 7 Technologies: Digital technologies syllabus
Year level descriptions provide an overview of the key concepts addressed, along with core content being studied at that year level. They signal the context to teach the content in and the progression and pitch of the content. They also emphasise the interrelated nature of the two strands and the expectation that planning will involve integration of content from across the strands.

21. Year 7 Technologies: Design and technologies
Content Descriptions
Knowledge and understanding
Technologies and society
Social, ethical and sustainability considerations that impact on designed solutions (ACTDEK040)
Development of products, services and environments, with consideration of economic, environmental and social sustainability (ACTDEK041)
Technologies contexts
Food specialisations
Principles of food safety, preservation, preparation, presentation and sensory perceptions (ACTDEK045)
Content descriptions set out the knowledge, understanding and skills that teachers are expected to teach and students are expected to learn. They do not prescribe approaches to teaching. The core content has been written to ensure that learning is appropriately ordered and that unnecessary repetition is needed. However, a concept or skill introduced at one year level may be revisited, strengthened and extended at later year levels as needed.

22. Generic skills for HASS
The diagram reflects the generic skills developed for Humanities and Social Sciences.
Teachers will be able to click inside each of the four categories of skills (Questioning and Researching; Analysing; Evaluating; Communicating and Reflecting) to identify subject-specific skills for:
Civics and Citizenship
Economics and Business
Geography
History.

23. HASS skills – Questioning and Researching
Develop questions about events, developments, issues and/or phenomena. Collect and organise information, evidence and/or data, from primary and secondary sources.
When you click within the text box on the website, it will take you to subject-specific examples for Civics and Citizenship, Economics and Business, Geography and History.
This provides teachers with examples that relate directly to each subject to see how the generic skills are transferable within the HASS learning area.

24. HASS skills – Analysing
Interpret information, evidence and/or data to identify key points or ideas, points of view, perceptions and interpretations; identify the purpose of sources and determine their accuracy and reliability.
When you click within the text box on the website, it will take you to subject-specific examples for Civics and Citizenship, Economics and Business, Geography and History.
This provides teachers with examples that relate directly to each subject to see how the generic skills are transferable within the HASS learning area.

25. HASS skills – Evaluating
Propose explanations for events, challenges, developments, issues and/or phenomena, draw evidence-based conclusions and explanations, and suggest courses of action in response to events, challenges, developments, issues and/or problems.
When you click within the text box on the website, it will take you to subject-specific examples for Civics and Citizenship, Economics and Business, Geography and History.
This provides teachers with examples that relate directly to each subject to see how the generic skills are transferable within the HASS learning area.

26. HASS skills – Communicating and Reflecting
Present findings in appropriate forms for different audiences and purposes using subject specific terminology. Reflect on conclusions/findings to consider consequences.
When you click within the text box on the website, it will take you to subject-specific examples for Civics and Citizenship, Economics and Business, Geography and History.
This provides teachers with examples that relate directly to each subject to see how the generic skills are transferable within the HASS learning area.

27. Ways of teaching and Ways of assessing
The Ways of teaching aim to support teachers with planning for curriculum delivery across the years of school, with the teaching in each year extending learning in previous years. The Ways of assessing complement Ways of teaching and aim to support teachers in developing effective assessment practice. These complement the principles of teaching, learning and assessment in the Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline (

28. Ways of assessing – Technologies examples
Assessment strategies
Sources of evidence
Observations
The observations of student understandings and process and production skills through the use of anecdotal notes, checklists, photographs, videos or recordings.
Group activities
Collaborating and managing is one of the production and processes skills, this needs to be actively programmed for and assessed in accordance with the relevant year’s content description. During group work, teachers should stop at key points to check individual student understanding.
Fieldwork and practical (authentic) evidence
The demonstration of learning through activities such as virtual and actual fieldwork, to inform the creation of digital and designed solution.
Extract from the Ways of assessing for Technologies.

29. Judging Standards resources – Phases 2 and 3
These resources are for making on-balance judgements about student achievement over a period of time and a range of work.
Will comprise, as for Phase 1:
grade and/or achievement descriptions (e.g. A or Excellent) with assessment pointers which are concise, ordered descriptions of what achievement looks like, depending on the tasks selected by the teacher
annotated work samples that illustrate achievement.
From 2015, teachers are required to make on-balance (A-E) judgements about student achievement, twice a year.
It’s critical to understand these judgements need to be based on what’s been taught and assessed during the reporting period.
This is about acknowledging what students know, not about consigning them to ‘lower grades’ because they haven’t been taught something.
While the Achievement standards provide broad information about knowledge, skills and understandings to be taught, the Assessment pointers provide qualitative information about the extent of knowledge, the sophistication of skills and the depth of understanding, reflected, on-balance, in student work.
The ‘pointers’ are examples of what students may demonstrate.
They are not a checklist of everything they should be able to do.
They are also not a teaching checklist.
Grades, and/or achievement descriptions – for making on-balance judgements about student achievement – based on what’s been taught and assessed during the reporting period.
Assessment pointers – concise, ordered descriptions of what achievement actually looks like – examples of what students may demonstrate rather than a checklist of everything they should do.
Annotated work samples – that illustrate achievement across the ability range (A to D) – showing what students might need to do, to improve.
Because interpretations of the Assessment pointers vary, the ‘meaning’ of the standard is inferred from the student work samples.
A to D grades are illustrated in the Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline.
The E grade is not exemplified.
Illustrations of satisfactory achievement provided at the ‘C’ grade are broadly consistent with the standard articulated in the ACARA Achievement standards.
The Western Australian Assessment pointers have not been aligned with other standards that may have been developed and published in other states.
The work samples show students what they might need to do, to improve. They are a very useful tool for giving assessment feedback.

30. Using the Judging Standards resources
The Judging Standards resources are not a checklist of what students should be doing.
The assessment pointers provide evidence-based descriptions of qualities students exhibit, depending on the task. The assessment pointers describe an end-of-year achievement standard.
The Judging Standards resources are used for reporting student achievement at the end of the semester or year, not for assessing individual pieces of student work.
Ranked lists and numerical cut points require reference to the assessment pointers.
Assign grades in relation to the achievement standard.
Grades are assigned in terms of the curriculum content taught and assessed to that point in time.

31. Judging Standards evidence base
Based on evidence (student work samples)
Rely on pairwise processes to develop achievement scales in each subject/learning area and year
Teacher judgements about ‘quality’ of student performance determine the achievement scale.
Term 4, 2014
247 teachers at 139 schools, completed 236 assessment tasks in 16 Phase 2 and 3 subjects, from Pre-primary to Year 10 produced 15,172 assessment work samples.
This is about 60% of the evidence (work samples) we need.
Further tasks are being delivered in 2015.
The evidence based approach:
relies on teacher judgements of actual assessment samples (through the pairwise process) to determine the achievement scale
analysis of the samples in the scale identifies the features of achievement in the sample – what makes one work sample better than another
this is a powerful method because teachers are generally strongly consistent in their judgements about relative quality, as far as achievement is concerned.
Development of the ‘evidence picture’ – for Phase 2 and 3 Judging standards began in Term 4, 2014
247 teachers at 139 schools – across the systems and sector, participated in administering 236 assessment tasks in the 16 Phase 2–3 subjects and learning areas – from Pre-primary to Year 10
over 15,172 assessment work samples were produced.
This represents about 60% of the required ‘achievement evidence’ picture, for full development of the Judging standards resources, for Phase 2 and 3.
Teachers have again been invited to administer the common assessment tasks in Term 1, 2015 – ahead of the analysis of this work through a large scale roll out of pairwise comparison projects to be run later in Term 1.

32. Judging Standards – Phase 1 more to come
English
Provide assessment pointers and annotated work samples for
Reading and viewing
Speaking and listening.
Mathematics
Provide a greater range of annotated student work samples.
Science
Provide more annotated work samples, particularly for Years 7–10.
English
Reading and Viewing
The Assessment pointers for English have been updated to include Reading and Viewing. These have been uploaded to the Judging Standards section of the Outline
Work samples that illustrate performance on Reading and Viewing assessment tasks, at Grades A-D, will be progressively uploaded during Terms 2 and 3.
Speaking and Listening
Assessment pointers for English (Speaking and Listening) are currently being developed and will also be uploaded to the Judging standards website as they are finalised.
Publication of work samples that illustrate performance on Speaking and Listening assessment tasks, at Grades A-D, will follow the Assessment pointers.
Mathematics
In addition to providing more work samples illustrating performance at Grades A-D, the most recently added samples provide broader illustration of mathematical proficiencies reflected in the Assessment pointers.
Science
The Assessment pointers have been re-ordered, to provide closer alignment with the Science curriculum. More work samples have been provided for Years 5–10, that fill gaps in the illustrations of science performance across Grades A-D.
Open-ended common assessment tasks are being implemented in WA classrooms that will generate additional illustrations of achievement in Science.

33. Moderation
Under the School Curriculum and Standards Authority Act 1997, one of the functions of the Authority is to the extent determined by the Authority, to provide for the comparability of assessments of student achievement in the compulsory education period that are made, caused to be made or recognised by the Authority. (Section 9(n)) There are well-established procedures in national and international jurisdictions for checking on the comparability of assessments. These procedures are generally known as moderation.

34. Aims of moderation for P–10
Moderation for Years P–10 in Western Australia will focus on:
developing shared understandings of the syllabus content and the achievement standards
developing accuracy and reliability in making judgements in relation to achievement standards
providing opportunities for teachers to compare and, if necessary, adjust judgements
strengthening the value of teachers’ judgements
informing the design of well-targeted teaching programs based on shared understandings of syllabus content and achievement standards.

35. Languages update – report
In 2014 the Authority’s Board requested an overview of the current provision of languages in Western Australia, both in and out of school settings, be prepared.
The State of Play: Languages Education In Western Australia, October 2014:
provides the Board with a sound basis on which to make informed decisions about the future development and provision of language education policy and curriculum in Western Australia
identifies some challenges that the Authority is exploring through consultation with key stakeholders.
Further consultation with key stakeholders was held in March 2015 to:
consider the data presented in The State of Play: Languages Education In Western Australia
discuss possible options for a P–10 Languages curriculum.
The School Curriculum and Standards Authority Board is considering feedback from the consultation.

36. ABLES and ABLEWA Abilities Based Learning Education Support
curriculum, assessment and pedagogical resources to support the teaching and learning of students with disabilities and additional needs.
Abilities Based Learning Education, Western Australia
to ensure an inclusive P–10 curriculum for all Western Australian students.
The resources have been developed over the last few years by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Victoria and the University of Melbourne.
The School Curriculum and Standards Authority has negotiated the use of the curriculum content and the assessment tool with the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Victoria and the University of Melbourne.
ABLES enables students to be assessed on the basis of their abilities, not their disabilities.
Curriculum content for students who cannot access the Pre-primary curriculum content.
Provides teachers with explicit guidance through material and resources that will assist them to effectively plan for and teach students based on their individual learning needs.

37. Key features of ABLES Enables a teacher to:
assess a student’s readiness to learn
develop appropriate learning goals for various curriculum areas in consultation with the student, parents/carers, teacher and other support personnel
develop an appropriate Individual Learning Plan that can be linked to teaching and learning strategies that have been found to work
monitor learning progress
better support a student through the teaching, learning and assessment cycle.
A new approach to effectively assess, monitor and respond to a student’s abilities using the assessment tool.
Teachers in primary, secondary and education support centres and schools will be able to use the ABLES tools, and draw on a set of developmental learning pathways to develop individual learning plans that are tailored to meet individual learning needs where students are working below the P – 10 curriculum.
Teachers will be better able to identify the resources that are best placed to support students on their individual learning pathway.
Teachers will be able to track a student’s progress against their individual learning plan using the assessment tool and provide new information to parents on their child’s learning and development.
Teachers, schools and parents will be able to more accurately identify and set learning goals.

38. ABLEWA Semester 1, 2015 – ABLEWA Validation Trial Group
16 cross-sectoral schools
Semester 2, 2015 – Expressions of Interest will be called for a Semester 2 ABLEWA Trial Group.
ABLEWA accessible for all Western Australian schools within the Outline from 2016.
Contact Maureen Lorimer, Principal Consultant for more information
A validation trial with 16 cross-sectoral schools (including metropolitan and country schools – primary & secondary) is being undertaken in Semester
[Atwell College, Baldivis Secondary College, Burbridge School, Christ Church Grammar School, Cloverdale Education Support Centre, Gladys Newton School, Halls Head Community College Education Support Centre, Holy Rosary Catholic Primary School, John Septimus Roe Anglican Community School, Kojonup District High School, La Salle College, Leda Education Support Centre, Mandurah Baptist College, Manjimup Education Support, Mary Mackillop Catholic Community Primary School, Wyndham District High School].
The trial will provide critical advice and feedback to the Authority with regards to
validity of curriculum content and the assessment tool
level and type of teacher support required to support implementation
ease of use and navigation
communication strategies required in the long term for use of the curriculum content and assessment tool for a broad audience
other policy and advice required to support implementation.
A broader cross sectoral trial, via Expression of Interest, will commence in Semester 2, 2015.
This part of the trial will particularly focus on:
the on-line professional development
fine-tuning communication strategies.
It is the Authority’s intention to work towards providing access to the curriculum and assessment tool for all Western Australian schools in 2016.

39. Key points for Pre-primary–Year 10 2015
Phase 1
English, Mathematics, Science and History (part of HASS)
Phase 2 and Phase 3
Health and Physical Education, Humanities and Social Sciences, Technologies, The Arts and Languages
Schools are implementing Phase 1 learning areas and subjects
The Authority is adapting Phase 2 and Phase 3 learning areas and subjects
The Authority is augmenting Judging Standards material – and will be asking for more work samples in Term 4
The Authority is developing Judging Standards material – with school contributing work samples and teachers involved in pair wise analysis
Reporting to parents in Semester 1 and semester 2 against the achievement standards in the Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline
Schools should be using what they have used in the past to assist in developing reports for any subjects in the Phase 2 and 3 Learning Areas until the Judging Standards resources are made available
Reporting to parents in HPE and HASS will begin in Semester
Reporting to parents in Technologies, The Arts and Languages will begin in Semester

40. Kto10 Circular
The Kto10 Circular provides monthly updates on the Kindergarten to Year 10 curriculum.
It is essential that staff are informed of any communication regarding courses and examinations.
School leaders and teachers are encouraged to register to receive the Kto10 Circular.

41. Years 11–12

42. WACE requirements 2016
Complete a Literacy and Numeracy Assessment to demonstrate a minimum standard based on skills regarded as essential for individuals to meet the demands of everyday life and work in a knowledge-based economy.
Complete a minimum of four Year 12 ATAR courses including the external examination (i.e. be eligible for an ATAR) or complete a Certificate II or higher*.
Complete two Year 11 English units and a pair of Year 12 English units.
This slide outlines what a student needs to achieve in order to be awarded a WACE in 2016 and beyond.
If students do not meet the literacy and numeracy standard by the time they exit secondary school, they can apply to the Authority to re-sit the assessment. All students (whether they have achieved the WACE or not) will receive a Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement – a record of all courses and or programs completed.
DEFINITION of completion:
A course unit is completed when a grade is assigned.
To be assigned a grade, a student must have had the opportunity to complete the structured education program and the assessment program for the course unit (unless the school accepts that there are exceptional and justifiable circumstances).
If there is an examination or an externally set task for the pair of units, the student must also make a genuine attempt in that examination or externally set task for the grade to count towards the C grade requirement.
*Partially completed Certificate III or higher may meet this requirement if a predetermined criteria has been meet (see WACE Manual 2015–16).

43. WACE requirements (2)
Complete at least one pair of units from a Year 12 List A (arts/languages/social sciences) course and one pair of units from a Year 12 List B course (mathematics/sciences/technologies).
Complete at least 20 units (or equivalents) including a minimum of 10 Year 12 units.
Achieve a minimum of 14 C grades in Year 11 and Year 12 units (or equivalents) including at least 6 C grades in Year 12 units (or equivalents).

44. Implementation of the new WACE
For ATAR, General and Foundation courses:
the two Year 11 units are typically studied and reported to the Authority as a pair (i.e. one mark and grade), but may be studied and reported separately (i.e. one mark and grade for each unit studied)
from 2016, the two Year 12 units must be studied and reported to the Authority as a pair.
For 2015, the Authority recommends that for all WACE courses in Year 11:
enrolment should, wherever possible, be in a pair of units
a pair of units is represented by one code e.g. AEACF: A=ATAR course, E=Year 11; GEACF: G=General course, E=Year 11 (see Appendix 3 of the manual)
the units should be delivered as a pair (the sequencing of the content over the year-long program is a school decision)
the units should be assessed as a pair (using a single assessment outline for both units)
student achievement in the units should be reported to the Authority at the end of the year as a pair (i.e. one mark and grade).
Therefore, schools will no longer need to determine the delivery method (concurrent or sequential delivery) or the assessment method (separate or combined).
For ATAR, General and Foundation courses the two Year 11 units may be studied and reported separately (i.e. one mark and grade for each unit studied).
For VET industry specific courses, both Year 11 units and Year 12 units are reported as pairs.
In 2015, Year 12 students cannot enrol in Year 11 courses.
From 2016, schools will be required to:
enrol all Year 12 students in a pair of units
report to the Authority at the end of the year a single mark and grade for each Year 11 or Year 12 pair of units.
Where a student transfers early in Year 12, the student will be automatically enrolled in a new pair of units. The 2016 WACE Activities Schedule will include the final date for transfer after which students cannot transfer between Year 12 pairs of units. 

45. Enrolments
6 March 2015 (Week 5 Term 1) – enrolments for Year 11 students studying units in ATAR, General, Foundation, Preliminary and VET Industry Specific courses due for upload into SIRS.
After this date, it is considered that Year 11 students should not transfer from a single unit of an ATAR or General course.
1 May 2015 (Week 2 Term 2) – this date is provided as a guide to schools for use when determining the last date for student transfers between pairs of ATAR or General units in Year 11.
*In 2016, students enrolled in Year 12 courses (T code courses) will be unable to change courses after Week 8, Term 1.
6 March
After this date, it is considered that Year 11 students should not transfer from a single unit of an ATAR or General course.
This date is provided as a guide to schools for use when determining the last date for student transfers between single units in Year 11 (see WACE Manual 2015–16 for further advice on Year 11 student transfers).
Note: schools may enrol Year 11 students in single units [i.e. English ATAR Unit 1 for semester 1 (A1ENG) and English ATAR Unit 2 for semester 2 (A2ENG)] or as a pair of units [i.e. English ATAR Year 11 (AEENG)]. Before this date, it is considered that students are able to transfer between course units as they are likely to be able to complete the structured education program and complete sufficient assessment tasks to allow a grade to be assigned in the units to which they are transferring.
1 May
After this date, it is considered that Year 11 students should not commence a pair of course units in an ATAR or General course as they will be unlikely to be able to complete the structured education program or complete sufficient assessment tasks to allow a grade to be assigned in the unit to which they are transferring.
This date is provided as a guide to schools for use when determining the last date for student transfers between pairs of units in Year 11.

46. Pre-Year 11 students
Student enrolment and recognition of achievement for students in Year 8, Year 9 and Year 10  
Academic year
WACE units*
VET units of competency through VET credit transfer
Endorsed programs
Year 8 No
No (except with permission from the Authority)
Not available
Year 9
Year 10
No (except with permission from the Authority)**
Yes (permission to study not required)
Preliminary courses are available to Year 10 students who have been identified as having a learning difficulty, intellectual disability or a severely disrupted learning pathway (see WACE Manual 2015–16 sub‐section 1.7).
** Schools can seek permission for students completing accelerated programs (such as, gifted and talented) to have the students’ achievement in WACE ATAR courses contribute towards meeting the WACE requirements.

47. OLNA 2015 and 2016
OLNA is administered in March and September each year.
There are no alternative assessment dates.
2015
2016
Round one
Writing: 9–11 March
Numeracy and Reading: 9–20 March
Writing: 7–9 March
Numeracy and Reading: 7–18 March
Round two
Writing: 31 August–2 September
Numeracy and Reading:
31 August–11 September
Writing: 29 –31 August
29 August–9 September
Alternative dates are not available for schools or individuals who make arrangements to undertake activities or travel that prevent completion of OLNA during the assessment window.

48. OLNA clarifications There is no such thing as ‘failing’ NAPLAN.
OLNA is an equitable assessment.
OLNA delivery supports students from backgrounds such as ESL or students with a disability to achieve the literacy and numeracy requirement.
OLNA items, cut-scores and individual Category 2 diagnostics are not released.
NAPLAN results and classroom formative assessments provide sufficient diagnostic information to plan programs for Category 1 and 2 students.
Some points to note:
There is no such thing as ‘failing’ NAPLAN
Achieving Band 8 or higher in Year 9 NAPLAN only prequalifies students from OLNA. Students who do not achieve Band 8 or higher will still have multiple opportunities to demonstrate the minimum literacy and numeracy standard through OLNA.
OLNA is an equitable assessment
Students who have arrived from overseas or have a language background other than English can defer OLNA until they have been in Australia for 12 months, or have entered mainstream schooling from an Intensive English Centre.
A range of adjustments are available for students with disabilities to enable them to access the OLNA. Schools have been provided with information to make eligibility determinations.
Item security
The Authority is developing a bank of items for random delivery in future cycles and therefore cannot release the items.
This is standard practice in certification exams for professions such as accounting, medicine and law.
Schools are provided with access to online practice tests to familiarise students with item formats and the functionality of the website.
Reporting and diagnostics
Students should be encouraged to focus on scoring as high as they possibly can in OLNA , not to scrape by on cut-scores.
Category 2 students have not yet demonstrated the minimum standard but through completion of General or ATAR courses are likely before the end of Year 12.
Category 2 students are better assisted through:
balanced exposure to the curriculum
consolidation of all the skills listed in the class level category 2 diagnostics
review of previous NAPLAN results
utilisation of classroom formative assessments.
‘Teaching to the test’ is not appropriate for Category 2 students.

49. Intervention and OLNA
Targeted curriculum interventions, such as individual or group support, should be a regular classroom practice.
Waiting until a student is in Year 10 and at-risk is not providing a student with the opportunities they need to demonstrate the literacy and numeracy standard.
The Foundation courses should not be the first intervention.

50. OLNA support materials
OLNA public information website
OLNA Handbook (revised)
OLNA Writing Guide
Foundation course syllabus (for Year 11 and 12 students)
Further program information and support materials are available through the Authority website.

51. OLNA interim student report
The Authority reports on student achievement for the OLNA through the WASSA on completion of Year 12.
Schools receive interim student reports throughout the student’s enrolment.
Diagnostic reports are designed for teachers, not parents.
The report shows a student’s performance ‘as at’ a given date.
Performance is indicated in terms of Category 1, 2 or 3.
The report identifies whether a student needs to resit any components of the OLNA.
An explanation of each category is provided.
The Authority reports on student achievement for the OLNA through the WASSA on completion of Year 12.
Schools receive interim student reports throughout the student’s enrolment.
The report shows a student’s performance ‘as at’ a given date. Their performance is indicated in terms Category 1, 2 or 3. The report identifies whether a student needs to resit any components of the OLNA.
An explanation of each category is provided.

52. Maximising your network during OLNA
Manage bandwidth during the OLNA is essential.
Minimise internet usage by other classes.
Consider a complete quarantine of bandwidth for OLNA testing, or rebalancing bandwidth allocation.
Notify students not involved to avoid connecting their personal devices to the school wireless network.
Limit the maximum number of devices connected to a Wireless Access Point (WAP) to 20 devices a session during the OLNA.
If your wireless network is known to have connectivity issues, schedule all assessments in wired computer labs.
Failure to manage bandwidth during the OLNA may result in loss of student responses during test submission. Students may need to resit.
Ensure internet usage by other classes is minimised.
Consider a complete quarantine of bandwidth for OLNA testing, or rebalancing bandwidth allocation.
Notify students not involved to avoid connecting their personal devices to the school wireless network.
Limit the maximum number of devices connected to a Wireless Access Point (WAP) to 20 devices per session during OLNA.
If your wireless network is known to have connectivity issues, schedule all assessments in wired computer labs.

53. Syllabus delivery audit 2015
Thank you for your support in uploading more than 4000 documents.
The review of all correctly uploaded documents is complete.
Two reports are now available for schools in SIRS2 ( ) based on the documents uploaded by your school.
School administrators should review both reports and then refer to the table included in letter from the Authority in March for the actions that need to be followed up.
In situations where the documents provided by the school for a particular course did not meet requirements a documentation review may be initiated during Term 2.
DOA001 – Syllabus Delivery Audit - Overview (a summary report, which lists all courses with students enrolled at your school and whether each document uploaded was compliant).
DOA005 – Syllabus Delivery Audit - School Report Detailed (a course-specific report which includes the reason/s for non-compliance where a criterion was not met).
Note: the comments on the detailed report are designed to provide broad guidance to the teacher. These identify elements in the course or assessment outline which need to be reviewed by the school. They do not provide fine grained, specific analysis. Schools should consider and discuss the feedback action sheet and use the sample materials on the WACE 15–16 website to revise their documents.

54. Auditing enrolments in Preliminary units
Providing students with access to appropriate courses is a priority.
It is a core element of this reform.
Enrolment in Preliminary units is restricted.
The Authority will be monitoring enrolment patterns in Preliminary units.
Data will be shared with the school sector/systems.

55. Support materials for WACE courses
Year 11 sample materials including course outlines, assessment outlines, assessment tasks and marking keys for courses are available on the relevant course page on the Authority website.
Year 12 sample materials will be made available on the Authority website over the course of 2015.
The WACE Manual 2015–16 contains a sample course outline and assessment outlines.
Course outline:
teacher determines the sequence
the timing of delivery
school must provide this information to the students, before teaching begins (hard copy or electronically).
Assessment outline:
The format for an assessment outline is a school decision but each outline must include the following information:
the number of tasks to be assessed
a general description of each task
an indication of the coverage of the unit content provided by each task
the approximate timing of each task
the weighting of each assessment type, as specified in the assessment table of the syllabus.
Marking keys:
help to ensure a consistent interpretation of the criteria that guide the awarding of marks
provide the basis for feedback to students
enable the fair and valid ranking of student achievement/performance.

56. Moderation activities in 2015
Adjustments
Documentation and grading reviews for all courses where available evidence indicates a need.
Syllabus delivery audit of all General and Foundation Year 11 courses.
No audit of ATAR – as evidence is provided through analysis of the school mark distribution and school WACE examination mark distribution.
No consensus moderation in 2015.
No externally set tasks (ESTs) until 2016.
Grading reviews will continue in 2015 as they have occurred in the past – the evidence is in Stage 3 where the school mark distribution and the school’s examination mark distribution were significantly different in
For General and Foundation course the evidence may come from the new syllabus delivery audit process.
Consensus moderation has been halted for 2015 to allow the introduction of a syllabus delivery audit for all schools for all Year 11 General and Foundation courses – this provides an opportunity to ensure that all schools are delivering the new Year 11 syllabus and are intending to assess the pair of units in the manner required in the assessment table in the syllabus.
The externally set task is only conducted for Year 12 General and Foundation courses. The first ESTs will be conducted in 2016.

57. Externally set tasks (ESTs)
All students enrolled in a Year 12 General or Foundation course are required to complete an EST for that course.
The EST is administered in Term 2 in a period prescribed by the Authority.
The school is required to administer the EST under invigilated conditions following the protocols provided by the Authority.
The EST is marked by the teacher/s delivering the course using the marking key provided by the Authority. The school provides the marks for all students to the Authority.
Focus on moderating teacher judgements of standards.
Currently the statistical moderation of school marks occurs for Stage 2 and Stage 3 using the school’s WACE examination marks distribution to ensure marks from schools are on a similar numerical scale. As of 2015, for General courses, statistical moderation of school marks will not be possible as there will not be WACE examinations.
An externally set task (EST) process will be introduced as part of the Authority’s suite of moderation processes for all General and Foundation at Year 12.
The EST process will:
have an educative role in establishing common understandings amongst teachers of the course standards and related content
provide access to feedback which will encourage teachers to review and, where appropriate, adjust their marking
model best assessment practice which teachers can apply to other school-based assessment tasks
inform the Authority’s selection of schools for which grading reviews will be conducted where marking does not reflect the standard for the course.
The Authority will inform schools during Term 3, in the previous year, of the Unit 3 syllabus content on which the task will be based. This notification enables schools to ensure that the identified content is taught prior to the administration of the EST.
The design brief for the EST is provided in the Year 12 syllabus for General and Foundation courses.
The school provides the marks for all students to the Authority.
As the EST is included in the assessment table, the mark for this task contributes to the final mark for the pair of units.
Each year, for a selected group of General and Foundation courses, the Authority will review a sample of EST scripts from each school delivering the course. The school submits the scripts of a prescribed number of students nominated by the Authority for independent marking. Should the data indicate the need for the school to consider adjusting its marking standards, the revised understandings will need to be applied by the teachers when marking all future assessment tasks.
A grading review for that course at the school may be initiated by the Authority in response to evidence of a possible difference in marking standards.
Details of the EST marking process will be provided to schools during Term 3 of the previous year.

58. Syllabus review A cycle of syllabus review will be established.
A review may result in revision of the course.
Revised courses will have a phased two-year implementation timeline.
The first batch of courses will be reviewed in 2018–19.
The syllabus review/revision cycle has been developed based on a five year cycle with:
Year 1 and 2 - review the accredited syllabuses and, where required, then revise the syllabus and provide information to teachers including modified support materials and workshops/seminars outlining the changes
Year 3 - implement the new syllabus in Year 11
Year 4 - implement the new syllabus in Year 12, and
Year 5 - no activity.

59. Examinations – private candidates
From 2016:
seeking entry to university as a mature‐age applicant
undertaking language courses through interstate language offerings (CCAFL) where the course is not offered by the school
undertaking French, German and Italian Background language courses where the course is not offered by the school.
Typically, students enrolled at a school cannot sit an ATAR course examination as a private candidate.

60. Exhibitions and awards – WACE 2016
There will be more awards from 2016.
Certificates of commendation replaced by
Certificates of merit
Certificates of distinction.
Selection of General exhibitions, Course exhibitions and Certificates of excellence will be based on ATAR course examination scores.
Beazley Medal: VET selection will be drawn from those students who are recommended for a VET exhibition
School nomination.
Peak awards remain Beazley Medal: WACE and Beazley Medal: VET
Outstanding achievement in ATAR courses is now based on examination scores:
General exhibition, General exhibition (ATSI), Special general award, Subject exhibition, Special subject award, Subject certificate of excellence, Special subject certificate of excellence
for courses with written examinations only, examination marks can be used directly to rank students i.e. the subject examination score equals the written examination mark
for courses with both written and practical examinations the written and practical examination marks of a course are not on the same scale. The Authority will statistically equate these marks. The subject examination score can then be used to rank the students and determine those students qualifying for a Subject exhibition and/or a Certificate of excellence.
Outstanding achievement in VET
VET exhibition, Special VET award, Certificate of excellence, Special certificate of excellence
Schools will be encouraged to nominate students for VET exhibitions.
Workplace learning award has been discontinued.

61. VET Standard Breadth Depth
VET credit transfer reduces the number of course units in which a C grade is required (max: 4 units in Year 11 and 4 units in Year 12).
VET industry specific courses contribute in the same manner as a C grade or higher in other WACE course units.
Breadth
VET industry specific courses and VET credit transfer do not contribute to the breadth requirement.
Depth
VET industry specific courses contribute towards the depth requirement as WACE course units.
VET credit transfer contributes towards the depth requirement as unit equivalence (max: 8 unit equivalents).
This is how VET works as part of the WACE requirements.
Partially completed Certificate III or higher may meet Certificate II or higher requirement if a predetermined criteria has been met (see WACE Manual 2015–16).

62. Special considerations – VET
Schools may apply on behalf of students who, for reasons outside of their control, have been unable to meet the Certificate II minimum requirement for WACE including:
overseas, remote/regional students where there is either an absence or limited supply of training
students affected by school/RTO partnership issues
students who moved to a new school unable to accommodate the completion of a qualification in time for the end of Year 12
students who have experienced significant issues with RTO certification processes (including issues with the Unique Student Identifier for VET).
These special considerations may apply to the following students:
overseas, remote/regional students where there is a either an absence or limited supply of training which impacts student access.
students adversely effected by complications with a school/RTO partnership
students who have moved from another school where the new school cannot accommodate the commencement, or continuation of a qualification in time for the end of Year 12
students who have experienced significant issues with RTO certification processes (may include issues with the USI for VET).
The process and conditions for applying for special consideration is outlined in the WACE Manual 2015–16.

63. VET – unique student identifier (USI)
New and continuing students participating in nationally recognised VET require a USI in order to receive a statement of attainment or qualification from a RTO.
The onus is on the student to obtain their USI.
The USI is different from the student’s SCSA number.
Achievement will only be recognised for WACE when the USI is included in data uploaded to SIRS.
Australian Government VET sector’s Unique Student Identifier (USI)
The USI is a randomly generated alpha-numeric code available online and at no cost to the student.
The USI will stay with an individual student for life.
Applies at point of certification, that is, RTOs will not be able to issue a statement of attainment or a qualification to a student without a valid, verified USI.
The USI cannot be used for any other purpose, nor does it replace other numbers (for example, the student number issued by the Schools Curriculum and Standard Authority identifier).
A student’s USI must be protected and stored securely, and it cannot be written on easily assessable or viewable documents. (Including school reports or SCSA certification documentation or reports)
When a student (or a school or training provider on their behalf) applies for a USI they will need to supply information from a form of identification that is linked with the USI system. This includes (and is not limited to) Medicare card number, Australian passport, visa number, Australian birth certificate.
Any evidence obtained only for the purpose of applying for a USI must be destroyed, in line with the privacy conditions of the USI.
If a student does not have the evidence required for the USI System, the RTO will liaise with the Student Identifiers Registrar to work this out. The system will have a mechanism to allow student’s without acceptable evidence to obtain a USI.
Students must be certified by an RTO prior to their VET achievement being uploaded to the School Curriculum and Standards Authority database.
The implications of the USI for students who require a Certificate II to complete their WACE relate to receiving certification from RTO’s in time to meet the reporting deadlines to use the VET achievement as credit towards meeting the WACE requirements.
Authority reporting requirements
The USI is optional for ENVET, RSVET, RSQUAL (optional for a whole raft of reasons – a lack of USI tells us a lot about real training activity rather than just the certified VET).
Achievement will be recognised for WACE when the USI field has been populated with a USI.

64. 11to12 Circular
The 11to12 Circular provides monthly updates on the senior secondary curriculum.
It is essential that staff are informed of any communication regarding courses and examinations.
Heads of Learning Areas should be registered to receive the 11to12 Circular.

65. WASSA – All students
All students receive a Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement (WASSA) when they complete Year 12.
Details of every course and program a student has completed in their senior secondary years.
Helpful when applying for further training or employment.

66. Information included on a WASSA
achievement of WACE requirements
school grades and school marks in General and Foundation units
achievement of literacy (reading and writing) standard
completed Preliminary units
achievement of numeracy standard
completed VET industry specific units
achievement of exhibitions and awards
successfully completed VET qualifications and VET units of competency completed endorsed programs
school grades, school marks, and combined scores in ATAR units
number of community service hours undertaken (if reported by the school)

67. New in schools in 2015
Copies of this poster were distributed to all schools in Term