1. +
New Standards for the
WACE in 2016
Career Development Practitioners Network
25th February 2013
2. +
The WACE 2016
The School Curriculum and
Standards Authority has listened to
the feedback from
teachers, principals and other
stakeholders and will adapt the
Western Australian Certificate of
Education to address the issues that
have been raised.
3. +
Why is Change Necessary?
The WACE has been in place for three years
Enrolment patterns are now established
Patterns are a concern
Views expressed by stakeholders suggest that
there are concerns about a number of features
of the WACE
The implementation of the senior secondary
Australian Curriculum requires realignment of
the WACE
4. + 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
compromises year 11 and year 12 courses
5. + The Rationale for the Adjustment
Significant concern has been expressed
by the Universities and the Training
Sector regarding the standard of literacy
and numeracy achieved by students
who are currently graduating from
WACE
Some students graduating with a WACE
are poorly prepared for subsequent
educational pathways into university or
training
6. + The WACE will
Provide/Demonstrate?
The WACE must provide students with the
opportunity to complete 13 years of education,
achieving either an ATAR or a Certificate II or
higher through a VET in Schools program.
The WACE must demonstrate to the public and
any employer that a student possesses the
minimum levels of literacy and numeracy to be
able to enter the workforce or engage with
further study or training.
7. + Principles SCAS is Working from!
Learning is a life long process and schooling
should prepare students for multiple educational
pathways
The WACE should be flexible and accommodate
students with diverse backgrounds, interests and
abilities from different learning communities
The WACE should embed both breadth and depth
of learning
Students should engage with courses that are
personally challenging, that enhance their
development and maximise their future study and
career options
8. + Principles SCAS is Working from!
Marks and grades awarded should be
reliable and comparable across the
State and should be respected as
such by the Western Australian public
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 workforce
9. + In order to achieve a WACE
students must …
Complete literacy and numeracy assessment to demonstrate
a minimum standard based on skills regarded as essential for
individuals to meet the challenges of everyday life and the
knowledge-based economy
Achieve an ATAR or complete a Certificate 11 or higher
Complete two year 11 English units and a pair of the year 12
English
Complete at least one pair of units from a List A
(arts/language/social science) course and one pair of units
from a List B course (mathematics/science/technologies).
Complete 20 units (or equivalents) including a minimum of 10
year 12 units
10. + In order to achieve a WACE
students must …
Achieve 6 C grades in 6 year 11 units (or equivalents)
AND
8 C grades in 4 pairs of year 12 units (or equivalents)
{Students are required to complete English and the literacy and numeracy
requirements}
EQUIVALENTS: There will be provision for students to
offset these unit requirements by completing VET
qualifications at Certificate I, II, III or IV level. A Certificate I
can replace two Year 11 course units, a Certificate II, two
Year 11 and two Year 12 units, a Certificate III, two Year 11
and two Year 12 units and a Certificate IV or above, two
Year 11 and four Year 12 units.
11. +
Literacy and Numeracy
Assessments
To receive a WACE, students will be required
to complete literacy and numeracy and
demonstrate achievement at or above a
minimum standard
The minimum standards will be mapped to
Australian Core Skills Framework for
individuals which describes the minimum
requirements to meet the demands of
everyday life and work in a knowledge-based
economy
12. + In order to achieve a WACE
students must …
If students do not pass the literacy and
numeracy assessments by the time they
exit the secondary school, they can apply to
the Authority to re-sit the assessment
All students (whether they pass the WACE
or not) will receive a Western Australian
Statement of Student Achievement
(WASSA)- a record of all courses and or
programs completed
13. + Support for Literacy and
Numeracy Assessments
The assessments will first be available for
students to sit in 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
14. + Support for Literacy and
Numeracy Assessments
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 F-10 is very
explicit in terms of content relating to
literacy and numeracy
Literacy and numeracy general capabilities
are embedded throughout the F-10
curriculum
15. +
WACE 2015/2016 – the courses
To achieve a WACE students will complete
Year 11 courses (typically 5 or 6 with a minimum
of 5)
Year 12 courses (a minimum of 5)
NOTE: In year 11, each course is divided into two units each
of a semester duration and ARE NOT necessarily paired. In
year 12 the units ARE paired and in ATAR courses the WACE
examination is of a pair of units. Four year 12 courses are
required for the calculation of an ATAR
16. + WACE 2015/2016 – the courses
ATAR courses – for those students aiming to
achieve an ATAR and enrol in University directly
from school – these courses are 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 to match their educational
pathways, needs and interests.
17. + WACE 2015/2016 – the courses
Students with special education needs, students with
an intellectual disability or who have a severely
disrupted learning pathway and students who require
modified and independent education plans may also
select from two other types of courses with the General
suite e.g.:
Foundation – 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 - for education support students
Foundation and Preliminary are designed to meet the needs of
approximately 10% of the total cohort
18. + WACE 2015/2016 – the courses
Of the 20 units required for 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
19. + VET Equivalence
NOTE:
Two units = one year of a course
Certificates can be completed over multiple years
Certificate 1 = two year 11 units only
Certificate 11 – two year 11 units AND two year 12 units
Certificate 111 – two year 11 units AND two year 12 units
Certificate 1V – two year 11 units AND four year 12 units
20. + WACE 2015/2016 – the courses
ATAR courses
Courses with external examinations in year 12 will be set by
the Authority
Only ATAR courses will be externally examined from 2016
Courses will be aligned with the content currently in Stage 2
(year 11) and Stage 3 (year 12) courses except for the Senior
Secondary Australian Curriculum Courses
All 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 adaption 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
21. + WACE 2015/2016 – the courses
General courses
Students enrolled in General courses will not be required to sit an
external examination
Externally set tasks provided by the Authority will be
embedded in the school-based assessments for each course.
It is expected that approximately 40% of year 11 and year 12
student population will be enrolled in General courses
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
22. + WACE 2015/2016 – the courses
Foundation 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 Foundation suite of courses to help
students further develop their literacy and numeracy skills.
Assessments will include externally set tasks
It is expected that approximately 10% of the year 11 and 12
student population will be enrolled in these courses
23. + 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 enrollments 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 areas. The schedule of the review
will be published in 2013
24. +
Optional Stage 2 Examinations
2014-2015
Examinations for stage 2 courses will be
optional in 2014 and 2015
This is an interim measure as the Authority
develops the WACE for 2015
The Authority will communicate the
process required for students to register as
non-examinations students for Stage 2 in
2014 and 2015
25. +
Depth and Breath Requirements
This requirement must include at least:
A minimum of ten (10) units at Year 12
Two (2) completed Year 11 English units
and one (1) pair of completed Year 12
English units
One pair of course units from each of List A
(arts/languages/social sciences) and List B
(mathematics/science/technology)
completed in Year 12 … back