School Curriculum and Standards Authority

11to12 Circulars – Edition 9, October 2024

Courses

Assessment workshop for the 2025 Year 11 and Year 12 Aboriginal and Intercultural Studies ATAR course

Contact
Carolyn Fleischer (08) 9273 6725
Carolyn.Fleischer@scsa.wa.edu.au

Schools are advised that the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) will be conducting a Year 11 and Year 12 Aboriginal and Intercultural Studies ATAR assessment workshop in Term 4 for teachers. The purpose of the workshop is to provide teachers with information on the assessment requirements for the new Year 11 and Year 12 Aboriginal and Intercultural Studies ATAR course as well as the ATAR Examination design brief.

The workshop will focus on familiarising teachers with the organisation and content of the new Year 11 ATAR syllabus, as well as developing course and assessment outlines, examining the new assessment types, constructing sample assessment questions, and applying and developing analytical marking keys. The workshop will also assist teachers prepare for the 2025 Syllabus Delivery Audit for the Year 11 Aboriginal and Intercultural Studies ATAR course.

The assessment workshop will be held online via Webex, Friday, 15 November from 8.30 am to 12.00 pm.

The workshop is compulsory for schools who are offering Year 11 Aboriginal and Intercultural Studies ATAR in 2025. Schools are responsible for any costs incurred, (for example, teacher relief) for attendance at the workshop. Register for the workshop on the Authority website https://scsa.wa.edu.au/events/assessment-workshop-for-the-2025-year-11-and-year-12-aboriginal-and-intercultural-studies-atar-syllabus.

Teachers are asked to have available a printed or digital copy of the Year 11 and Year 12 Aboriginal and Intercultural Studies ATAR syllabuses for teaching in 2025, which are available to download from the Aboriginal and Intercultural Studies course page on the Authority website https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/syllabus-and-support-materials/humanities-and-social-sciences/aboriginal-and-intercultural-studies.

Year 12 Business Management and Enterprise ATAR updated syllabus support materials and Year 11 and Year 12 ATAR new additional sample assessment tasks

Contact
Caroline English (08) 9273 6306
Caroline.English@scsa.wa.edu.au

Teachers of Year 11 and Year 12 Business Management and Enterprise ATAR are advised that the School Curriculum and Standards Authority has published updated syllabus support materials for the Year 12 Business Management and Enterprise ATAR syllabus, and published additional sample assessment tasks for the Year 11 and Year 12 Business Management and Enterprise ATAR syllabuses.

The updated Year 12 ATAR support materials can be found on the course page at
https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/syllabus-and-support-materials/humanities-and-social-sciences/business-management-and-enterprise under Support Materials.

Additional sample assessment tasks for Year 11 and Year 12 ATAR are available on the Extranet at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/extranet/login.

Implementation workshop for the new Dance ATAR Year 11 syllabus for teaching in 2025

Contact
Max Leech (08) 9273 6740
Max.Leech@scsa.wa.edu.au

The School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) will be conducting an implementation workshop to outline for teachers the requirements of the new Year 11 Dance ATAR syllabus to be implemented in 2025. The purpose of the workshop is to introduce the details of the course and the Authority’s assessment requirements for the new Year 11 Dance ATAR syllabus. The workshop will also assist with teacher preparation for the 2025 Syllabus Delivery Audit (SDA) for Year 11 ATAR Dance course.

The Year 11 Dance ATAR syllabus for teaching in 2025 is available on the Dance course page of the Authority website
https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/syllabus-and-support-materials/arts/dance.

The workshop is intended for schools that are offering the new Year 11 Dance ATAR syllabus in 2025 and will focus on:

unpacking the syllabus
developing a shared understanding of assessment requirements
exploring sample support material provided by the Authority.

Two workshops are available, both will cover the same content: one will be held in person, and the other will be offered online via Webex.

For those registered to attend in person, the venue for the workshop is the Authority’s office (Second floor), 303 Sevenoaks Street, Cannington, WA, 6107.

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

Register for the workshop on the Authority website
https://scsa.wa.edu.au/events/implementation-workshop-for-the-new-dance-atar-year-11-syllabus-for-teaching-in-2025.

Minor syllabus changes for 2025 – Year 12 Music ATAR

Contact
Nick Fielding (08) 9273 6756
Nick.Fielding@scsa.wa.edu.au

Schools are requested to note that for 2025 the Year 12 Music ATAR course syllabus has minor changes. The syllabus is now available on the Music course page on the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) website and is labelled ‘For teaching from 2025’. For detail on the minor syllabus changes please see the document Music ATAR Year 12 minor syllabus changes for 2025 available directly below the current syllabus at
https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/syllabus-and-support-materials/arts/music.

The minor syllabus changes are limited to the Practical (composition portfolio) examination design brief on page 30 of the syllabus. These changes reflect the new Year 12 Music ATAR course practical examination (performance and/or composition portfolio) marking key for use from 2025.

Information sessions (combined face-to-face and online) will be held on Tuesday, 29 October 2024 (3.30–4.00 pm) and Thursday, 31 October 2024 (9.00–9.30 am) to outline the changes and provide teachers the opportunity to ask questions. The information sessions are not compulsory and are free to attend. Schools are responsible for any costs incurred (for example, teacher relief) as a result of attendance at the information sessions.

Register for one of the information sessions on the Authority website https://scsa.wa.edu.au/events/music-atar-practical-examination-marking-keys-changes-2025.

Further details relating to the Music ATAR practical examination marking keys will be provided in March 2025 in the Music ATAR course practical (performance and/or composition portfolio) examination requirements document.

Year 12 Music ATAR practical examination marking keys changes from 2025

Contact
Nick Fielding (08) 9273 6756
Nick.Fielding@scsa.wa.edu.au

Schools are advised that changes have been made to the Year 12 Music ATAR course practical examination (performance and composition portfolio) marking keys for use from 2025.

Register for one of the information sessions on the Authority website
https://scsa.wa.edu.au/events/music-atar-practical-examination-marking-keys-changes-2025.

Years 11 and 12 Visual Arts Preliminary information seminar

Contact
Lisa Bowden (08) 9273 6349
Lisa.Bowden@scsa.wa.edu.au

Teachers of the Visual Arts Preliminary course are invited to register for one of the seminars being offered by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) in Term 4, 2024.

There are two opportunities to engage in the workshop: face-to-face and online via Teams. Due to the nature of the seminar, teachers are encouraged to attend the face-to-face session where possible.

Face-to-face seminar on Tuesday, 12 November 2024, from 1.00 pm to 3.00 pm
Online Teams seminar for regional or remote attendees on Wednesday, 13 November 2024, from 4.00 pm to 6.00 pm.

The seminars aim to provide opportunities for teachers to:

understand course requirements
examine and discuss sample assessment tasks
review and discuss student assessment files
ask clarifying questions.

These seminars may assist teachers in preparing for the Visual Arts Preliminary Validation Meeting scheduled for Term 2, 2025.

The seminars are not compulsory and are free to attend; however, schools are responsible for teacher relief and any travel and accommodation expenses (if required).

Register for the seminars on the Authority website:
https://scsa.wa.edu.au/events/year-11-and-12-visual-arts-preliminary-information-seminar

Examinations

Copies of 2024 examination papers available at the examination centre

Contact
Barclay Jones (08) 9273 6309
Barclay.Jones@scsa.wa.edu.au

Schools with candidates presenting for an ATAR course examination are permitted only one copy of an ATAR course examination paper. Multiple copies of examination papers will not be given to a school.

Approximately one hour after the examination has commenced, a school representative can collect their school’s copy of the examination paper from the reception of the examination centre at which their students are sitting the examination. Teachers must not enter the examination room to request a copy of an examination paper.

If a school has students sitting an examination at an examination centre which is not located at their school and a school representative is unable to collect the examination paper from the other examination centre, a copy can be obtained by sending an email request to Tim.Chiew@scsa.wa.edu.au by Friday, 22 November 2024. Phone requests cannot be accepted.

For schools that do not have students sitting an ATAR course examination in 2024, a copy of examination papers can be downloaded from the School Curriculum and Standards Authority website early in 2025. For examinations with an aural component, no copies of the audio recording are distributed.

ATAR course written examinations late arrival

Contact
Barclay Jones (08) 9273 6309
Barclay.Jones@scsa.wa.edu.au

It is mandatory candidates arrive at the examination centre at least 30 minutes before the prescribed start time for an examination (8.50 am for morning sessions and 1.30 pm for afternoon sessions). Supervisors will instruct candidates to enter the examination room approximately 20 minutes before the prescribed start time to facilitate administrative procedures and provide essential examination instructions.

Candidates will not be permitted to enter the examination room after the initial 30 minutes of the allocated working time. For all Mathematics course examinations, candidates will not be permitted to enter the examination room after the initial 30 minutes of Section One: calculator free working time.

If arriving after the instructions have commenced for any examination, candidates must read and sign a declaration confirming their understanding of crucial information pertinent to sitting the written examination.

Absence from ATAR course written examinations

Contact
Barclay Jones (08) 9273 6309
Barclay.Jones@scsa.wa.edu.au

A candidate who experiences illness on the day of the ATAR course written examination should not attend the examination venue. Should a candidate be absent from an ATAR course written examination due to illness, a Sickness/Misadventure application form must be submitted to the School Curriculum and Standards Authority with Section D of the application completed by a medical practitioner. Additional information may be attached to the application.

Should a student experience a misadventure on the day of their ATAR course written examination, they must submit a Sickness/Misadventure application form with Section C (non-medical) of the application completed by someone who is not related to the candidate and was a witness to the misadventure. Additional information may be attached to the application.

For sickness/misadventure applications for ATAR course written examinations, the completed form and any supporting documentation must be received by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority, PO Box 816 CANNINGTON, WA, 6987, no later than 4.00 pm on Tuesday, 19 November 2024.

Envelopes should be marked Confidential – Attention Special Provisions. Electronic applications are not accepted.

All applications related to ATAR course written examinations should be submitted immediately following the last examination affected by the situation. Late forms will not be accepted.

2025 Dance practical (performance) examination set solo material in schools

Contact

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

Max Leech (08) 9273 6740
Max.Leech@scsa.wa.edu.au

The set solo material for the 2025 Dance ATAR course practical (performance) examination has been sent to all schools for students enrolled in the Year 11 Dance ATAR course in 2024. The package, comprising of a USB, was addressed to the teacher-in-charge of Dance.

The USB contains the set solo video footage (full performance, breakdown of phrases with music and breakdown of phrases with notes), music track for the set solo, detailed breakdown notes of each phrase and technical notes, which include the choreographer’s intent. Candidates will be required to learn the set solo for Performance two of the 2025 practical (performance) examination.

Moderation

2025 COAT mark allocation

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

Teachers are advised that the total marks allocated to the 2025 common oral assessment task (COAT) for the Year 12 English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) ATAR course is now available. The document is located on the course page of the School Curriculum and Standards Authority website at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/syllabus-and-support-materials/english/english-as-an-additional-language-or-dialect under Common Oral Assessment Task (COAT) Materials.

Teachers are encouraged to refer to the Sample COAT marking key also published on the course page for reference in preparation for the COAT to be administered during Term 2, 2025.

2025 EST mark allocation and course specific requirements (where applicable)

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

Teachers are advised that the marks allocated to each General and Foundation externally set task (EST) in 2025 are provided in a document located on the School Curriculum and Standards Authority website at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/assessment/externally-set-tasks.

Teachers should be aware that from year to year the marks allocated to each EST can change, as can the structure of questions. Teachers should refer to the EST design brief contained in each course syllabus for additional information regarding the format and content of ESTs.

In addition, the document listing specific course requirements (where applicable) for each General and Foundation EST is also available on this page.

2025 EST content for all Year 12 General and Foundation courses

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

Nick Ognenis (08) 9273 6354
Nick.Ognenis@scsa.wa.edu.au

Schools are advised that the syllabus content related to the 2025 externally set tasks (ESTs) is available.

The externally set task (EST) is administered in schools during Weeks 3, 4 and 5 of Term 2, 2025. All students enrolled in a Year 12 General or Year 12 Foundation course are required to complete the EST for that course.

The EST is based on Unit 3 syllabus content and schools are advised that the syllabus content, highlighted within the document, is now available in the Assessment section of the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) website under Years 11 and 12
https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/assessment/externally-set-tasks/externally-set-task-materials.

All Foundation course ESTs will include the skills of literacy and numeracy in association with the identified 2025 EST Unit 3 content.

The Authority will publish the Externally Set Tasks Handbook 2025 in January, 2025.

Small group moderation 2025 – online registration

Contact
Isha Griggs-Cameron (08) 9273 6755 (partnership registration)
Isha.Griggs-Cameron@scsa.wa.edu.au

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

Schools are advised that they are required to register their participation or non-participation in a small group moderation partnership with the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) by Thursday, 13 February 2025.

Schools with a projected number of fewer than six examination candidates in a Year 12 ATAR course are reminded of the need to establish a small group moderation partnership for 2025.

To ensure the required comparability of marks, a partnership should be established with a school with a large group early to ensure delivery of the course at the same time. A vital part of small group moderation is partner schools collaborating to develop an identical course assessment outline. Schools will register their 2025 small group moderation partnerships via the online registration link.

All schools in a partnership are required to:

use an identical assessment outline
establish and use identical assessment tasks and marking keys
conduct all assessment tasks under the same agreed conditions (or conditions that are as similar as possible)
co-develop and document agreed marking strategies to ensure comparability of marking, which can include
- one teacher marking a task from all students in all partner schools (i.e. rotating the marking of tasks between teachers)
- double-marking a task from all students or from selected students across the range of grades (i.e. both teachers independently mark the whole task or particular sections/questions, then discuss comparability, review marks and make adjustments where required)
- co-marking a task (i.e. each teacher marks particular sections/questions for all students).

Full details of the small group moderation procedures are available in Section 3.6 of the WACE Manual 2024, available on the Authority website at
https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/wace-manual.

All schools with one or more small group moderation partnerships must register their partnerships with the Authority by Thursday, 13 February 2025 using the link available on the Authority website at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/moderation/small-group-moderation.

A Guide for online registration of Small Group Moderation partnerships is available for reference.

Seminars will be provided early in 2025 for those teachers who have not previously participated in a small group moderation partnership, or for those who wish to refresh their understanding of the required procedures. Details about the seminars will be available under ‘Events’ on the Authority website at https://scsa.wa.edu.au/events in December 2024.

SIRS, Enrolments and General Information

Search for a WASN in SIRS

Contact
Data Services (08) 9273 6352
numbers@scsa.wa.edu.au
dataservices@scsa.wa.edu.au

Schools are advised that if a student arrives at your school from another school in Western Australia, or from overseas/interstate, you have the ability to search in the Student Information Records System (SIRS) for that student’s Western Australian student number (WASN) using a family name, given name and date of birth.

All student registrations are recorded in SIRS by the end of Term 1. After this time, you will be able to search for students including the student’s previous school/s. You will know where to send a transfer note, if required.

Hover over Enrolments in the menu bar.
Click on Student Enrolment > Student Maintenance > Find Student Number (see image below).

step 2 a screenshot

The Find Student Number directory will appear (see image below). Enter the student’s Family Name, Given Name and Date of Birth.

step 2 b screenshot

Click Search.If the information you have entered exactly matches the information in SIRS, you will find a result even if the student is not at your school (see image below).

step 3 screenshot

If the details you have requested are different from the information in SIRS (e.g. date of birth is different, Jackie is spelt as Jacky), no information will be found. If you are unable to locate a student number, please email numbers@scsa.wa.edu.au and provide the student’s:

Family Name (Surname)
Given Name (First Name)
Date of Birth
Academic Year
Previous School (if known).

Please include your provider code in the email.

Troubleshooting: Search WASN

What happens if the requested information does not show?
Email numbers@scsa.wa.edu.au and provide the student name, academic year and date of birth.
What happens when a single year (e.g. 2022 to 2022) is entered in the date range?
Only a result for that year will be returned.
What does it mean when the Department of Education is shown as the student’s main provider?
It means the student is likely to be under a Notice of Arrangements or may have been on the Whereabouts Unknown List (more likely with Years K–10).

Western Australian student number requests for 2025

Contact
Data Services (08) 9273 6352
numbers@scsa.wa.edu.au
dataservices@scsa.wa.edu.au

Schools are advised that all current students in Western Australia should have been allocated a Western Australian student number (WASN) and be registered with the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority). This number remains with the student throughout their school life. Schools need to recognise the importance of the WASN to avoid duplication of records and maintain the continuity of student data.

From Monday 21 October 2024, schools will only be able to request WASNs through the Student Information Record System (SIRS) for Kindergarten students commencing in 2025.

If a student other than Kindergarten arrives at your school from another WA school, please check to see if they have a WASN first using the ‘Search for WASN’ process – this is explained in ‘How to Search for WA student numbers in SIRS’ in this circular. For new students commencing in 2025 who do not have a WASN, schools should request a new number beginning in January 2025.

Please note we do not issue numbers for pre-Kindergarten students.

If you cannot locate a number, contact numbers@scsa.wa.edu.au and give details of the student’s legal family name, legal given name, date of birth and academic year. It is also useful to include your school code in any correspondence. If schools request a WASN for a student who already has a number, the correct WASN will be sent to schools.

All secondary schools with a Year 7 intake can send a complete list (spreadsheet) of Year 7 students entering their school in 2025, including the student’s legal family name, legal given name and date of birth and the Authority will look up the WASNs on their behalf.

A reminder that instructions about how to register students can be found in the Data Procedures Manual 2024 (Data Procedures Manual) with links to assist schools using Integris/Reporting to Parents (RTP), Civica Maze, SEQTA, Synergetic, Administration of Schools (AoS) and Excel.

Application for recording of enrolment and achievement in ATAR Units 1 and 2 for students in Year 10 in 2026 (Year 8, 2024)

Contact
Buddhini Daluwatta (08) 9273 6315
Buddhini.Daluwatta@scsa.wa.edu.au

Principals are reminded that the Application for recording of enrolment and achievement in ATAR Units 1 and 2 for students in Year 10 in 2026 (Year 8, 2024) must be received by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) no later than Thursday, 14 November 2024. The completed application form is to be emailed to certification@scsa.wa.edu.au.

An application form can be downloaded from the Authority website https://scsa.wa.edu.au/forms/forms under the Enrolments tab.

Schools should only apply if the studies are part of a longer-term program for students who are:

gifted and talented, or
accelerated language students.

For further information, please refer to Section 7 in the WACE Manual 2024. This publication is available on the Authority website
https://scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/wace-manual.

Collection of other than Year 12 students’ achievement data – 2024

Contact
Buddhini Daluwatta (08) 9273 6315
Buddhini.Daluwatta@scsa.wa.edu.au

Schools are advised that the achievement data for students other than those in Year 12 is due to the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) by Thursday, 5 December 2024 as per the 2024 Activities Schedule.

Information about collecting achievement data will be emailed to schools on
Wednesday, 23 October 2024.

Schools will need to provide the achievement data for:

Year 11 students enrolled in ATAR, General, Foundation, Preliminary and vocational education and training (VET) Industry specific courses
Year 11 students studying VET qualifications, VET units of competency, VET skill sets and endorsed programs
Year 10 students studying VET qualifications, VET units of competency and endorsed programs.

Please check you have no missing achievements by running the CSE009 – Missing achievements by provider report in the Student Information Records System (SIRS). This report lists students and their enrolments in course units, endorsed programs and units of competency for which no results have been submitted.

The pathway to this report in SIRS is: Reports > Other reports > Report type: Missing achievements > Report: CSE009 – Missing achievements by provider.

The due date for Year 12 student achievement to the Authority is Thursday, 24 October 2024 as per the 2024 Activities Schedule.

The importance of uploading the RSQUAL file for WACE certification

Contact
Buddhini Daluwatta (08) 9273 6315
Buddhini.Daluwatta@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 equivalents 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 the due dates. If a student does not have the correct number of units of competency linked to a qualification in SIRS, the RSQUAL file will not upload successfully.

Failure to upload this file may result in students not achieving their WACE and they may be considered ineligible for first round offers for entry into university and Technical and Further Education (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 file 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, Year 11 or Year 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 9.6.6 of the Data Procedures Manual 2024, whichis available on the School Curriculum and Standards Authority website https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/data-procedures-manual.

Links are provided to database-specific software programs in Section 13 of the Data Procedures Manual 2024 https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/data-procedures-manual.