General information

The School Curriculum and Standards Authority is seeking applications for the position of 2026 COAT Chief Validator.

About the COAT – Information for Chief validator

The Chief Validator will attend an initial meeting with the Senior Consultant Examinations and then take on the responsibility for coordinating the validation of the 2026 COAT. This will include selecting a validation team, organising a Pre-Marking Meeting and coordinating the validation process, among other associated tasks.

Validation of the COAT will occur between Saturday, 4 July to Sunday, 18 July 2026 at 303 Sevenoaks St, Cannington. The number of scripts to be validated will depend on the number of students enrolled in the course and the number of COAT scripts requested. Validators will be informed of the exact dates and times that they are validating at the training meeting. In previous years validation has been completed within 3–5 consecutive days.

The Chief Validator will be paid for completing their leadership duties along with $72.50 per hour ($247.50 per half day) for validating COAT submissions.

For further information about COAT, refer to the 2026 Common Oral Assessment Task Handbook on the Authority website at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/syllabus-and-support-materials/english/english-as-an-additional-language-or-dialect.

Application process

Applicants are required to complete and send in an application form. Receipt of an application will be acknowledged via email. Submission of an application does not guarantee appointment. Applicants will be advised by email whether they have been selected to be a Chief validator.

Application form

Applications close Wednesday, 25 March 2026.

Applicants will be notified about the outcome of their application by Wednesday, 22 April 2026.

The Chief validator must have a current Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC) conducted by the Department of Education and a Screening Clearance Number (SCN) prior to the validation commencing.

Validators will be informed of their SCN status at appointment. If the SCN is not current, information will be supplied about how to complete a new NCCHC.

You are not eligible to be a Chief validator if you have taken a voluntary redundancy from a WA government agency in the past 12 months.

Further information

For further information regarding COAT marking, contact:

Paul Cranley – Senior Consultant Practical Examinations

(08) 9273 6795 or Paul.Cranley@scsa.wa.edu.au

Barclay Jones – Manager, Examination Logistics

(08) 9273 6309 or Barclay.jones@scsa.wa.edu.au