WACE 2015 / 2016
REFORM
2012/35194v14
• The WACE has been in place for three years
• Enrolment patterns are now established
• Patterns are a concern• Compulsory schooling until
the end of 17th year is now well in place
• Views expressed by stakeholders suggest that there are concerns about a number of features of the WACE
• The implementation of senior secondary Australian Curriculum requires realignment of the WACE
Why are the reforms necessary?
The rationale for the reform…• Stage 1 enrolments are much higher than envisaged and
significant numbers of students are not undertaking courses commensurate with their ability.
• Low and declining Stage 2 enrolments have resulted in Stage 2 examinations being unviable.
• The current three stage design of WACE courses is incompatible with the senior secondary Australian Curriculum, which comprises Year 11 and Year 12 courses.
The rationale for the adjustment…• Significant concerns have been raised by both the
universities and the training sector regarding the standards of literacy and numeracy achieved by students who are currently graduating with a WACE.
• Some students graduating with a WACE are poorly prepared for subsequent educational pathways into university or training.
The principles we are working from…• Learning is a lifelong process and schooling should
prepare students for multiple educational pathways.
• The WACE should be flexible and accommodate students with diverse backgrounds, interests and abilities and from different learning communities.
• The WACE should embed both breadth and depth of learning.
The principles we are working from…
• Students should engage with courses that are personally challenging, that enhance their development and maximise their future study and career options.
• Marks and grades awarded should be reliable and comparable across the State, and be respected as such by the Western Australian public.
The principles we are working from…
• After thirteen years of schooling students should demonstrate a minimum level of literacy and numeracy.
• After thirteen years of schooling students should be prepared for further study in either training or university or entry to the workplace.
• Complete literacy and numeracy assessments 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.
• Complete at least one pair of units from a Year 12 List A (English/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 6 C grades in 6 Year 11 units (or equivalents) AND 8 C grades in 4 pairs of Year 12 units (or equivalents).
If students do not pass the literacy and numeracy assessment 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.
In order to achieve a WACE students must
Literacy and numeracy assessments• To receive a WACE, students will be required to complete literacy and
numeracy assessments and demonstrate achievement at or above a minimum standard.
• The minimum standards will be mapped to the Australian Core Skills Framework which describes the minimum requirement for individuals to meet the demands of everyday life and work in a knowledge-based economy.
• The assessments will first be available for students to sit during semester one of Year 10. Students not meeting the standard may repeat the assessment at semester intervals.
• Support documents will be developed to assist teachers in preparing students for assessments and for supporting those who do not demonstrate achievement at the minimum standard.
Support for Literacy and Numeracy• Support documents will assist teachers to identify very
specific skills and understandings that students may be struggling with and providing advice on strategies teachers may use to address these shortcomings.
• The Authority will develop new Foundation English and Foundation Mathematics courses for year 11 and 12 students with very low literacy and numeracy skills.
• The Australian Curriculum P-10 is very explicit in terms of content relating to literacy and numeracy.
• Literacy and numeracy general capabilities are embedded throughout the P-10 curriculum.
WACE 2015 / 2016 – the courses
To achieve a WACE students will complete:
• Year 11 courses (typically five or six with a minimum of five)
• Year 12 courses (a minimum of five)
NOTE: In Year 11, each course is divided into two units each of a semester duration and ARE NOT paired. In Year 12 the units ARE paired and in ATAR courses the WACE examination is of the pair of units. Four Year 12 courses are required for the calculation of an ATAR.
WACE 2015 / 2016The courses students may select from are divided into two major groups:
• ATAR courses - for those students aiming to achieve an ATAR and enrol in university directly from school – these courses are assessed by schools, moderated and examined by the Authority and contribute to an ATAR.
• General courses - primarily for those students aiming to enrol in further training or enter the workforce – assessed by schools and moderated by the Authority and do not contribute to an ATAR.
• Students will be able to select across the suite of ATAR courses and General courses offered appropriate to their educational pathways, needs and interests.
WACE 2015 / 2016Students with special education needs, students with an intellectual disability or who have had a severely disrupted learning pathway and students who require modified and independent education plans may select from two subsets of courses within the General suite described as:
• Foundation Courses– for students with severely limited literacy and numeracy skills. Only students who have not demonstrated the minimum achievement in the literacy and numeracy assessments should enrol in these courses.
• Preliminary Courses - for education support students.
Foundation and Preliminary courses are designed to meet the needs of approximately 10% of the total cohort.
WACE 2015 / 2016Of the 20 units required for a WACE, up to a maximum of four Year 11 units and four Year 12 units may be substituted by VET Programs and Endorsed Programs.
A student may choose to substitute units: • only with VET programs (up to a total of 8 units) OR• only with Endorsed programs (up to a total of 4 units) OR • with a combination of VET and Endorsed programs (up to
a total of 8 units but with a maximum of 4 units with Endorsed Programs).
VET equivalenceNOTE: Two units = one year of one course.
A Certificate can be completed over multiple years.
• Certificate I = two Year 11 units ONLY
• Certificate II = two Year 11 units AND two Year 12 units
• Certificate III = two Year 11 units AND two Year 12 units
• Certificate IV = two Year 11 units AND four Year 12 units
WACE 2016
VET equivalence
Credit is “split” across academic years 11 and 12 for the completion of a full Certificate II or higher qualification.
Completed qualification Equivalence (total)
Credit Allocation (units)
11 12
Certificate I 2 units 2 -
Certificate II/III 4 units 2 2
Certificate IV or higher 6 units 2 4
WACE 2016
VETRecognition arrangement• Recognition of VET in the WACE is based on full qualification
completions. This differs to the current recognition arrangement which allocates equivalence on the basis of 1 unit towards the WACE for every 55 nominal hours.
• Partial qualifications will not be allocated credit towards the WACE although mechanisms for partial recognition of higher AQF level qualifications are currently being considered.
• Students who achieve a qualifications in year 10 may ‘bank’ achievement. It is likely that year 10 students will commence enrolling in VET Certificate II courses in 2014.
WACE 2016
VET• Under the new VET requirements in the WACE it is
projected that 13 500 Year 12 students will be enrolled in a minimum of a Certificate II qualification.
• This represents 58% of year 12 students in 2012.
• In 2012, only 41% of Year 12 students were enrolled in VET at all qualification levels.
WACE 2016
VETWork place learning and VET
Currently students receive credit for structured work placements through the Workplace Learning WACE course and three Authority Endorsed programs. The benefits of combining VET with formalised, industry related work place learning is acknowledged by the Authority.
Recognition for students undertaking a formalised WPL program will continue. The mechanism is likely to continue to be offered as an Endorsed program, albeit a more refined single option, in addition to a WACE course option.
Endorsed Programs
The Authority will review and classify all Endorsed Programs.
WACE 2015/2016ATAR Courses• Courses with external examinations in Year 12 set by the Authority.• Only ATAR courses will be externally examined from 2016.• Courses will be based on the content currently in Stage 2 (Year 11)
and Stage 3 (Year 12) courses except for the new senior secondary Australian Curriculum courses.
• All current Stage 3 courses will continue to be offered as ATAR courses.
• As senior secondary Australian Curriculum becomes available courses will be adopted as ATAR Courses with adaptation to suit Western Australian requirements.
• It is expected that a minimum of 50% of the students in years 11 and 12 will continue to be enrolled in ATAR courses.
WACE 2015/2016General courses• Students enrolled in General courses will not be required to
sit an external examination.
• School-based assessments (will include externally set tasks provided by the Authority) will be embedded in each course.
• It is expected that approximately 40% of the students in Year 11 and 12 will be enrolled in General courses.
WACE 2015/2016General courses…continued
• Courses will typically be based on the content currently in Stage 1 (Year 11) and Stage 2 (Year 12) units. Some modification may be required.
• VET Industry Specific Courses will remain on offer.
• Course Advisory Committees will provide advice to the Board regarding the appropriateness of General courses.
WACE 2015/2016Foundation and Preliminary courses• Courses will typically be at a level consistent with Preliminary and
Stage 1 units and provide a focus on functional literacy and numeracy skills, practical work-related experience and the opportunity to build personal skills that are important for life and work.
• Foundation English and Foundation Mathematics courses will be introduced within the Foundation suite of courses to prepare students for the various forms of writing and mathematics required in further training and employment.
• School based assessments will include Externally Set Tasks provided by the Authority.
• It is expected that approximately 10% of the students in Year 11 and 12 will be enrolled in these courses.
Proposed course design
Date implemented
General courses
School assessment, moderated with externally set task (written)
ATAR courses
50% external examination, 50% school assessment
Foundation and Preliminary courses 1 2008 Aboriginal and Intercultural Studies* Aboriginal and Intercultural Studies*2 2008 Aboriginal Languages of Western Australia* Aboriginal Languages of Western Australia*3 2009 Accounting and Finance Accounting and Finance4 2009 Ancient History
Ancient HistoryAncient History
5 2009 Animal Production Systems Animal Production Systems6 2007 Foundation Information Technology Applied Information Technology Applied Information Technology7 2009 Automotive (VET industry specific) 8 2009 Automotive Engineering and Technology Automotive Engineering and Technology9 2005 Aviation* Aviation*10 2009 Biological Sciences
Biological SciencesBiology
11 2009 Building and Construction Building and Construction12 2009 Preliminary Business Management and Enterprise Business Management and Enterprise Business Management and Enterprise
13 2009 Business Services (VET industry specific) 14 2008 Foundation Career and Enterprise / Workplace
LearningCareer and Enterprise Career and Enterprise
15 2009 Chemistry
ChemistryChemistry
16 2009 Children, Family and the Community Children, Family and the Community17 2008 Chinese: second language* Chinese: second language*18 2009 Community Services (VET industry specific) 19 2008 Computer Science Computer Science20 2009 Construction (VET industry specific) 21 2010 Creative Industries: Music (VET industry specific) 22 2008 Dance* Dance *23 2009 Design* Design*24 2008 Drama* Drama*25 2007 Earth and Environmental Science
Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science
26 2009 Economics Economics
Date implemented
General courses
School assessment, moderated with externally set task (written)
ATAR courses
50% external examination, 50% school assessment
Foundation and Preliminary courses 27 2006 Engineering Studies Engineering Studies28 2006 Foundation English
Preliminary English EnglishEssential English
EnglishEnglish
29 2007 Foundation English as an Additional Language/Dialect*
English as an Additional Language/Dialect*English as an Additional Language/Dialect*
English as an Additional Language/Dialect*English as an Additional Language/Dialect*
30 2009 Preliminary Food Science and Technology Food Science and Technology Food Science and Technology31 2009 French* French*32 Geography
GeographyGeography
33 2009 German* German*34 2009 Foundation Health Studies/Physical Ed
Studies/Outdoor EducationHealth Studies Health Studies
35 2009 Hospitality (VET industry specific) 36 2009 Human Biological Science Human Biological Science37 2009 Indonesian: second language * Indonesian: second language *38 2009 Information Technology (VET industry specific) 39 2009 Integrated Science Integrated Science40 2008 Italian* Italian*41 2009 Japanese: second language* Japanese: second language*42 2009 Literature Literature
Literature43 2008 Marine and Maritime Studies Marine and Maritime Studies44 2008 Preliminary Materials Design and Technology* Materials Design and Technology* Materials Design and Technology*45 2009 Foundation Mathematics
Preliminary MathematicsMathematicsMathematics: Essential
MathematicsMathematicsMathematical Methods
46 2009 Mathematics: SpecialistMathematics: Specialist
47 2006 Media Production and Analysis* Media Production and Analysis*48 2009 Modern History Modern History
Modern History49 2009 Music* Music*50 2008 Outdoor Education Outdoor Education51 2008 Philosophy and Ethics Philosophy and Ethics
Date implemented
General courses
School assessment, moderated with externally set task (written)
ATAR courses
50% external examination, 50% school assessment
Foundation and Preliminary courses 52 2007 Physical Education Studies* Physical Education Studies*53 2009 Physics
PhysicsPhysics
54 2009 Preliminary Plant Production Systems Plant Production Systems Plant Production Systems55 2009 Politics and Law Politics and Law56 2009 Primary Industries (VET industry specific) 57 2008 Psychology Psychology58 2009 Preliminary Religion and Life Religion and Life Religion and Life59 2010 Sport and Recreation (VET industry specific) 60 2009 Tourism (VET industry specific) 61 2009 Preliminary Visual Arts* Visual Arts* Visual Arts*62 2009 Workplace Learning
Total 6 Foundation 8 Preliminary 62 51
Italics = Australian curriculum* = course with a practical examination component
Review of courses• From 2015, courses (excluding Languages) with fewer
than 100 students across the State for two consecutive years will be placed on notice and if enrolments remain at or below 100 students for a third year, the course will be removed from the Course List.
• All syllabuses will be reviewed typically on a five-year cyclical basis, according to learning area. The schedule of review will be published in 2013.
Optional Stage 2 WACE examinations (2014 and 2015)
• Examinations for Stage 2 courses will be optional in 2014 and 2015.
• This is an interim measure as we develop the WACE for 2016.
• Schools will make the decision regarding whether their students will be able to undertake courses as non-examination students
• The Authority will communicate the process required for students to register as non-examination students for Stage 2 in 2014 and 2015.
• Patrick Garnett Chair • Valerie Gould – Executive
Director AISWA• Debra Sayce – Assistant
Director Catholic Education Office
• Sharyn O’Neill -Director General of Education
• David Axworthy -Deputy Director General of Education
• Bruce Matthews – Chair Standards Committee SCSA
• Margaret Herley – Chair Curriculum and Assessment Committee SCSA
• Allan Blagaich CEO SCSA
Senior School Curriculum and Certification committee
Ivan Banks – Trinity CollegeChris Booth – Willetton SHSRebecca Cody – MLCJennifer Firth – Safety Bay SHSAlan Genoni – Canning CollegeGeoff Harris – Balga SHSMaureen Lorimer – Applecross SHS
Stuart Meade - Hale SchoolRob Nairn - WASSEADenise O’Meara – Bunbury Catholic CollegeAnne Pitos – Iona Presentation CollegePat Rodrigues – Chisholm CollegeDave Stevens – Alta 1
Our thanks to the Principals’ forum
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