Minor syllabus changes for 2024 –The Arts learning area

Contact
John Newman (08) 9273 6757
John.Newman@scsa.wa.edu.au

School administrators, Heads of Learning Area – The Arts, and Teachers – Visual Arts are requested to note for 2024 the following course that has minor syllabus changes. The syllabus is now available on the course page and labelled as ‘For teaching from 2024’.

Minor syllabus changes for 2024 – the Humanities and Social Sciences learning area

Contact
Lisa Honczarenko (08) 9273 6763
Lisa.Honczarenko@scsa.wa.edu.au

School administrators, Heads of Learning Area – Humanities and Social Sciences, and Teachers – Humanities and Social Sciences are requested to note for 2024 the following courses that have minor syllabus changes. These syllabuses are now available on the course pages and labelled as ‘For teaching from 2024’.

Minor syllabus changes for 2024 – Languages learning area

Contact
Adriana Douglas (08) 9273 6784
Adriana.Douglas@scsa.wa.edu.au

School leaders, Heads of Learning Area – Languages, Teachers, Students, Community Members are requested to note for 2024 the following course that has minor syllabus changes. These syllabuses are now available on the course pages and labelled as ‘For teaching from 2024’.

Minor syllabus changes for 2024 – Mathematics learning area

Contact
Dino Manalis (08) 9273 6356
Dino.Manalis@scsa.wa.edu.au

School administrators and Heads of Learning Area – Mathematics are requested to note for 2024 the following courses that have minor syllabus changes. These syllabuses are now available on course pages and labelled as ‘For teaching from 2024’.

Minor syllabus changes for 2024 – the Science learning area

Contact
Lisa Honczarenko (08) 9273 6763
Lisa.Honczarenko@scsa.wa.edu.au

School administrators, Heads of Learning Area – Science and Teachers – Science are requested to note for 2024 the following courses that have minor syllabus changes. These syllabuses are now available on the course pages and labelled as ‘For teaching from 2024’.

Minor syllabus changes for 2024 – the Technologies learning area

Contact
John Newman (08) 9273 6354
John.Newman@scsa.wa.edu.au

School administrators, Heads of Learning Area – Technologies, and Teachers are requested to note for 2024 the following courses that have minor syllabus changes. These syllabuses are now available on the course pages and labelled as ‘For teaching from 2024’.

New syllabuses for ATAR Year 11 and Year 12 Engineering Studies

Contact
John Newman (08) 9273 6757
John.Newman@scsa.wa.edu.au

School leaders, Heads of Learning Area (Technologies) and teachers of Engineering Studies are advised that the new syllabuses for ATAR Year 11 and Year 12 Engineering Studies are now available on the School Curriculum and Standards Authority’s website. The new ATAR Engineering Studies syllabuses have been endorsed for teaching from 2024 for Year 11 and 2025 for Year 12.

The syllabus documents, along with a summary of changes document, are available on the Engineering Studies page of the Authority website https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/syllabus-and-support-materials/technologies/engineering-studies.

The support documents will be published in Term 4.

The development of the new syllabus documents was supported by an extensive consultation process that culminated in the syllabus acceptance and implementation timeline survey that was completed by all schools currently teaching the ATAR Engineering Studies course.

We thank teachers for their participation in and support of the syllabus review process.

New Science and Humanities and Social Sciences courses for teaching in 2024 and 2025 – ATAR Year 11 Agricultural Science and Technology, ATAR Year 11 Agribusiness

Contact
Allan Knight (08) 9273 6792
Allan.Knight@scsa.wa.edu.au

Christopher Doohan (08) 9273 6354
Christopher.Doohan@scsa.wa.edu.au

School administrators and Heads of Learning Area – Science and Humanities and Social Sciences, Teachers of ATAR Year 11 Animal Production Systems and ATAR Year 11 Plant Production Systems are requested to note that the ATAR Year 11 Animal Production Systems and ATAR Year 11 Plant Production Systems courses will no longer be available for teaching in 2024. The last year for teaching the ATAR Year 12 Animal Production Systems and the Year 12 ATAR Plant Production Systems will be 2024. These courses have been replaced by the ATAR Year 11 Agricultural Science and Technology and the ATAR Year 11 Agribusiness courses to be implemented in 2024, and Year 12 in 2025.

To support the implementation of these new courses, the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) is delivering assessment workshops during Term 3. Further information regarding these workshops can be found using the following weblinks:

• Assessment workshop for ATAR Year 11 Agricultural Science and Technology: Monday, 04 September 2023: 12:30–3:00 PM via Webex – click here
• Assessment workshop for ATAR Year 11 Agribusiness: Monday, 11 September 2023: 12:30–3:00 PM at the School Curriculum and Standards Authority – click here.

Assessment workshop for new ATAR Year 11 Modern History syllabus

Contact
Meredith Beaton (08) 9273 6778
Meredith.Beaton@scsa.wa.edu.au

Teachers of ATAR Year 11 Modern History are advised that the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) will be conducting Assessment workshops in Term 3. The purpose of these workshops is to provide teachers with information on the Authority’s assessment requirements for the new ATAR Year 11 Modern History Syllabus to be implemented in 2024.

The workshop is intended for schools that are offering the ATAR Year 11 Modern History course in 2023 and plan to offer the ATAR Year 11 Modern History course in 2024. An additional Webex workshop will be available in Term 4.

The workshop will focus on developing a course and assessment outline, constructing sample assessment questions and developing analytical marking keys.

Each workshop will include:

• unpacking sample support material provided by the Authority
• developing an assessment outline.

The date for this face-to-face workshop is as follows:

• Thursday, 7 September 9.00 to 11.30 AM
• Tuesday, 12 September 9.00 to 11.30 AM.

The workshop is not compulsory and is free to attend. Schools are responsible for any costs incurred, (for example, teacher relief) as a result of attendance at the workshops. Register for the workshops online at https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/events/year-11-atar-modern-history-assessment-workshop

A Webex will be offered for regional teachers early in Term 4.

Assessment workshop for the new 2024 ATAR Year 11 Agribusiness Syllabus

Contact
Chris Doohan (08) 9273 6354  
Christopher.Doohan@scsa.wa.edu.au

Teachers of Science and Teachers of Agricultural Humanities and Social Sciences courses are advised that the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) will be conducting an assessment workshop. The purpose of the workshop is to provide teachers with information on the Authority’s assessment requirements for the new ATAR Year 11 Agribusiness syllabus to be implement in 2024.

The workshop is intended for schools that are offering the ATAR Year 11 Agribusiness syllabus in 2024.

The workshops will focus on:

• developing a shared understanding of the assessment requirements
• development of a course outline and an assessment outline
• unpacking sample support material provided by the Authority.

The workshop is in person, held at the School Curriculum and Standards Authority, 303 Sevenoaks Street, Cannington.

The workshop is scheduled for Monday, 11 September 2023 from 12.30–3.00 PM.

The ATAR Year 11 Agribusiness syllabus for teaching in 2024 is available on the Agribusiness course page.

The workshop is not compulsory and is free to attend. Schools are responsible for any costs incurred, (for example, teacher relief) for attendance at the workshop.

Register for the workshop online at https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/events/assessment-workshop-for-new-2024-atar-year-11-agribusiness-syllabus.

Front covers for the 2023 ATAR course examinations available to schools

Contact
Gabby Raggio (08) 9273 6787
Gabby.Raggio@scsa.wa.edu.au

Front covers for the 2023 ATAR course examinations will be available on the School Curriculum and Standards Authority website on Friday, 25 August 2023 under the ‘Examination Materials’ on the relevant course page at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/syllabus-and-support-materials.

The examination front covers should be distributed by teachers of the relevant courses to help prepare students for the examinations. Feedback from students last year suggests that some teachers did not make copies of the front covers available to their students, nor did they discuss the significance of the information in them.

The front covers contain details of the structure of each examination, the allocation of marks and the rules governing the conduct of the examination. Teachers are strongly encouraged to familiarise students with the front covers of both the written and practical examinations.

Front covers are not included for those Language examinations that are set by curriculum authorities in other states.

2023 Dance ATAR course written examination stimulus material distributed to schools

Contact
Terry Pirlo (08) 9273 6722
Terry.Pirlo@scsa.wa.edu.au

Gabby Raggio (08) 9273 6787
Gabby.Raggio@scsa.wa.edu.au

The stimulus material for the 2023 Dance (DAN) ATAR course written examination has been distributed to schools.

Each ATAR Year 12 Dance Teacher of the course and each candidate enrolled to sit the Dance ATAR course examination has been provided with a USB containing the stimulus material.

Candidates will be required to refer to the stimulus material in their responses to
Section One: Short answer in the written examination.

The USB will not be used during the ATAR course written examination. However, the examination materials will include a Source booklet with stills from the stimulus material.

2023 – Collection of Year 12 students’ achievement data

Contact
Kerry Tarrant (08) 9273 6770
Kerry.Tarrant@scsa.wa.edu.au

This is an early reminder that the Year 12 achievement data is due to the School Curriculum and Standards Authority by Thursday, 26 October 2023 as per the 2023 Activities Schedule.

Information about collecting achievement data will be received by schools by

Monday, 9 October 2023.

Schools will need to provide the achievement data for:

• Year 12 students for courses (ATAR, General, Foundation, Preliminary and VET industry specific), VET qualifications, VET units of competency and endorsed programs
• non-Year 12 students sitting one or more ATAR course examinations.

Online Student Declaration and Permission

Contact
Rachel Hoare (08) 9273 6746
Rachel.Hoare@scsa.wa.edu.au

This is a friendly reminder that the completion date for the online Student Declaration and Permission is Thursday, 24 August 2023.

Schools are requested to ensure the following students complete the submission process by the deadline:

• all Year 12 students
• Year 11 students who are studying Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) Units 3 and 4 and sitting the 2023 ATAR course examinations.

Information for students can be found at https://student.scsa.wa.edu.au/student-portal

• Log in to the Student Portal
• Student Portal Helpdesk
• Student login and navigation guide.

Information for teachers can be found at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/the-wace/student-declaration.

Failure to complete the submission process may impact schools with students who:

• could win an award (including students who are not sitting ATAR course examinations) and who have not indicated their preference to have/not have their name published in the media or on our website.
• are unaware of the requirements for achieving the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE).

Schools can monitor in SIRS which students have completed the online Student Declaration and Permission by generating the Report CSE058 – Student Release Choices by Provider. The pathway to the report is: Reports > Other reports > Report type: Students, Report: CSE058.

Please advise students about the purpose of the Student Declaration and Permission and encourage them to discuss this with their parents/guardians/carers prior to completion.

The School Curriculum and Standards Authority appreciates your assistance in obtaining this important information.

The importance of uploading the RSQUAL file for WACE certification

Contact
Kerry Tarrant (08) 9273 6770
Kerry.Tarrant@scsa.wa.edu.au

Schools are reminded of the importance of ensuring the VET Qualification Results (RSQUAL) file is uploaded to the Student Information Records System (SIRS) database at the end of each calendar year. The information in the RSQUAL file is used to allocate unit credit towards the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) and to determine that a student has met the Certificate II or higher requirement.

Please note: The RSQUAL file must only be uploaded once the school has received written verification from the Registered Training Organisation (RTO) that the student has achieved the qualification.

It is also important for schools to ensure that the RSQUAL file processes successfully to SIRS and any error messages are resolved before due dates. If a student does not have the correct number of units of competency linked to a qualification in SIRS, the RSQUAL will not upload successfully.

Failure to upload this file may result in students not achieving their WACE and may therefore be considered not eligible for first round offers for entry into university and TAFE courses.

If there are errors in student achievement data after the deadlines that are a result of the school providing incorrect or incomplete data, the school will be charged a fee for updating the data.

Schools are also reminded that if the RSQUAL is not uploaded at the end of that year for Year 11 students who have completed a qualification this may also prevent students from achieving their WACE in the following year.

The RSQUAL file should be uploaded at the conclusion of the year that the student completes the full qualification (whether that be Year 10, 11 or 12).

Schools should check that the qualification has been recorded correctly by running the report
CSE007 – VET qualifications achieved in full. The pathway to this report is: Reports > Other Reports > Report type: Achievements > Report: CSE007.

More detailed information about the RSQUAL file is provided in Section 9.6.5 of the Data Procedures Manual 2023. This publication is available on the School Curriculum and Standards Authority website at https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/wace-manual.

Links are provided to database-specific software programs in Section 13 of the Data Procedures Manual 2023 using the above link.