You’re nearly there! Preparing to receive Year 12 results

It’s so close! Monday, 16 December 2024 is ‘results day’ and we know that you, your family and your friends are likely to have some questions. Here are some questions we’re often asked around this time of year, as well as information to help you plan your next steps.

How can I access my results?

On Monday, 16 December 2024, you’ll be able to log in to the student portal at https://studentportal.scsa.wa.edu.au to see your results.

You’ll need your WA student number (WASN) and password to access the student portal.

Remember that your password may be different from the one you use for the Tertiary Institutions Service Centre (TISC) website to access your Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR).

Where will I find my WASN?

Look for your WASN on your school report, SmartRider or examination timetable.

Note: due to privacy and security requirements, the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) cannot provide your WASN over the phone or by email.

What is included in the Year 12 results?

Your Year 12 results will include the following details, as appropriate:

• achievement of a Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE)
• achievement of the literacy and numeracy standard
• school grades, school marks*, moderated school marks*, external examination marks* and combined scores for all ATAR (Units 3 and 4) courses for the current year only
• school grades and school marks in General and Foundation units
• completed Vocational Education and Training (VET) industry specific units
• completed Department of Training and Workforce Development (DTWD) funded skill sets
• successfully completed VET units of competency
• completed VET skill sets
• completed endorsed programs
• number of community service hours undertaken (if reported by your school)
• completed Preliminary units.

*A course with a practical examination component will have written and practical marks reported separately.

Senior secondary achievements from previous years will also be listed.

How do Year 11 students find out their ATAR course examination results?

Like Year 12 students, Year 11 students who sat an ATAR course examination will also be able to download their results via the student portal.

How do non-school candidates find out their ATAR course examination results?

Non-school candidates who sat an ATAR course examination will also be able to download their examination marks via the student portal. Examination results are not printed on the Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement (WASSA) for students enrolled as non-school candidates.

For non-school candidates, ATAR course examinations do not contribute towards meeting the requirements for the WACE.

When will I receive my folio of achievement?

Folios of achievement are provided in a digital format. In mid-January 2025, all students will be able to download digital copies of their folio of achievement.

To download digital copies of your folio, documents and certificates, you will need to log in to the student portal at https://studentportal.scsa.wa.edu.au.

One or more of the following will be available in your folio, depending on your achievement:

• WASSA – Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement
• WACE – Western Australian Certificate of Education
• ATAR course report for each ATAR course completed.

More details relating to the WACE, WASSA and ATAR course reports can be found in The WACE 2024 – Your Guide to the WASSA, WACE and ATAR Course Report, on the Authority website at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/certification/wace.

What will appear on my WASSA if I missed an ATAR course examination?

If you did not sit an ATAR course examination and did not have an approved sickness/misadventure application, you will not have completed the course and it will not appear on your WASSA, nor will you receive an ATAR course report for that course.

For ATAR courses with practical components, students must have completed both the written and practical examinations.

How do my grades contribute towards meeting the WACE requirements?

Your grades are used to meet the breadth and depth and achievement standard requirements for the achievement of the WACE. However, if you are enrolled in a Year 12 ATAR course examination, you must have sat the ATAR course examination for your grade to count towards meeting the WACE requirements. If you did not sit an ATAR course examination, and you do not have an approved sickness/misadventure application for that course, the grades for the pair of units (Units 3 and 4) will not contribute to the calculation of the WACE.

How can someone authenticate my achievement of the WACE?

An education institution or employer can authenticate your achievement of the WACE by entering details such as your WASN, the provider code and the name on your certificate into the WACE Authentication tool, available via the home page of the Authority website at https://waceauthentication.scsa.wa.edu.au/.

If I didn’t achieve a WACE, what can I do?

Don’t panic! Depending on which requirements you didn’t meet, you have several options.

• Students who still need to demonstrate the literacy and numeracy standard

You will be able to apply to re-sit the Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (OLNA) in Window 1 for post-Year 12 students in late February to early March 2025. Applications will open in early January 2025 via https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/certification/wace-after-year-12. Frequently asked questions regarding OLNA for Year 12 students who will be post-Year 12 students in 2025 are available at https://senior‑secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/assessment/olna/students-parents-carers. If you don’t see your question answered there, email us at olna@scsa.wa.edu.au.

• Students who need to complete a VET qualification

If you didn’t achieve a WACE because you didn’t complete a VET qualification in time, you can complete it in the future and then notify us so we can add the details to your student record and issue you with a WACE (providing all other WACE requirements have been met). Details will be available on our website in early January 2025.

• Students who did not get a WACE because they did not meet the breadth and depth and/or achievement standard requirements

If you did not meet the breadth and depth and/or achievement standard requirements, you need to consider your options for continuing enrolment at a school.

How will I know if I have received an award or exhibition?

Recipients of awards and exhibitions, including the Beazley Medal, will be announced on Wednesday, 18 December 2024. A list of award winners will be published on the Authority website after the announcement (late morning on Wednesday, 18 December 2024).

Students who receive any of the following awards will receive their certificates at the Awards Ceremony on Thursday, 13 February 2025:

• Beazley Medal: WACE
• Beazley Medal: VET
• General exhibitions
• Special general awards
• Subject exhibitions.

After this date, all awards will be available for download from the student portal.

Where will I find my Universities Admission Advice Letter?

The Tertiary Institutions Service Centre (TISC) is responsible for information about university admissions. All students with at least one scaled score can access their TISC Universities Admission Advice Letter (UAAL) via the TISC website at https://www.tisc.edu.au/static/home.tisc.

These letters contain the following information:

• scaled score for each ATAR course examination sat
• advice on your achievement of a WACE
• ATAR/Selection Rank
• eligibility status for each of the five Western Australian universities.

If you have any questions relating to the UAAL, scaling or the calculation of the ATAR, contact TISC via info@tisc.edu.auor on (08) 9318 8000.

Do you need more information? If you have any further questions, have a look at Part I and Part II of the Year 12 Information Handbook at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/further-resources/year-12-information.

Most importantly, remember that a disappointing or incomplete result is not the end of the world and there are many paths you can take to get to where you want to go. Congratulations on reaching this point and we wish you the best for your future.

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Examinations play a central role in completing your ATAR courses. You must sit the external examination for any ATAR course you are enrolled in, for this course to contribute to your Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) and appear on your Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement (WASSA). This requirement applies irrespective of the number of Year 12 ATAR courses you are enrolled in.

To complete a Year 12 ATAR course, you are required to sit the ATAR course examination administered by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority). If you are enrolled in Year 12 ATAR courses with practical components, you must complete both the written and practical external examinations. The 2024 Year 12 ATAR course examination timetables may be found on the Authority’s website at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/assessment/examinations/examination-timetables. From Tuesday, 3 September 2024, you will be able to download your Personalised written timetable and Personalised practical examinations timetable from the student portal at: https://studentportal.scsa.wa.edu.au.

If you do not sit an ATAR course examination, and you do not have an approved sickness/misadventure application for that course, the grade for the pair of units (Units 3 and 4) will not contribute to the calculation of the WACE and the units will not appear on your WASSA.

Consequences of not sitting an ATAR course examination – WACE achievement requirements

If you are enrolled in a Year 12 ATAR course and do not sit the ATAR course examination without an approved sickness/misadventure application, the grade for that Year 12 course may not contribute to the following with respect to WACE achievement:

• completion of a minimum of 20 units, including ten Year 12 units – required for the breadth and depth requirement
• completion of at least one pair of Year 12 units from an English learning area course (if the ATAR Year 12 course was either English, Literature or English as an Additional Language or Dialect) – required for the breadth and depth requirement
• completion of one pair of Year 12 units from List A (arts/languages/social sciences) or List B (mathematics/science/technology) – required for the breadth and depth requirement
• achievement of at least 14 C grades or higher, including at least six C grades in Year 12 units – required for the achievement standard
• completion of at least four Year 12 ATAR courses – required for the achievement standard.

Consequences of not sitting an ATAR course examination – certification

If you are enrolled in a Year 12 ATAR course and do not sit the ATAR course examination without an approved sickness/misadventure application, you will not:

• have a course mark generated and recorded on your WASSA
• have a grade for the Year 12 ATAR course recorded on your WASSA
• receive an ATAR course report.

You may also find that you are no longer eligible to achieve your WACE.

Availability of results

Your results will be available online via the Authority’s student portal at https://studentportal.scsa.wa.edu.au/ on Monday, 16 December 2024. If you sat the ATAR course examination/s as a non-school candidate, you will also be able to download your examination results from the student portal.

You will be able to print your folio of achievement (WASSA, WACE, ATAR course reports and selected award certificates) for 2024 by logging in to the student portal in mid-January 2025. It is important to remember your login and student password details.

Further information

The Year 12 Information Handbook includes information about school-based assessment and completing courses. You can find the Handbook on the Authority’s website at https://scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/year-12-information.

You may also find additional information on our student information page at https://student.scsa.wa.edu.au/home.

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If you are passionate about choosing vocational education and training (VET) as your future career pathway, it is time to consider your nomination for the 2024 VET Awards.

The nominations for the 2024 School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) Awards for Outstanding Achievement in VET are currently open. There are awards in nine industry areas.

Choosing a VET pathway while still at school opens many career options for you. The Authority also recognises your efforts and skills you have gained when studying VET while still at school.

Students completing VET qualifications may be eligible to apply for a VET Award.

How to apply for a VET Award

Applying is an easy process.

This is a perfect opportunity to gain recognition for your hard work. You need to have completed a Certificate II or higher* nationally recognised VET qualification by the end of Year 12 and two unit equivalents of Authority-Developed Workplace Learning (ADWPL) in an industry area related to the VET qualification.

Apply now for the 2024 VET Awards to highlight your skills and achievements. Speak to your VET Coordinator at school for more information about this exciting opportunity.

What the VET Awards offer

Applying for the VET Awards will prepare you for the future by enhancing your presentation, communication, and interview skills. You may achieve a Certificate of Excellence or even be the top student in your industry. If you are the top student in your industry area, you will be eligible to be the Beazley Medal: VET winner.

Check your eligibility

To achieve a VET Exhibition or Certificate of Excellence, you must meet some general criteria:

• be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident of Australia
• be enrolled as a full-time student in a registered Western Australian secondary school
• have satisfied the requirements for a WACE at the time of the determination of the award.

In addition, by the end of Year 12 you must have completed:

• a nationally recognised VET qualification to a minimum AQF level 2*
• at least two unit equivalents of the ADWPL endorsed program equivalent to 110 hours or more (the workplace for your ADWPL must be related to the industry area for your nomination).

*If you have completed 220 nominal hours in Year 12 towards the completion of a Certificate III or higher, you are eligible for nomination.

To be eligible for the Beazley Medal: VET, you must meet the general criteria and have achieved a VET Exhibition in one of the nine industry areas.

Shortlisting and interviews

A panel for each industry area shortlists eligible students nominated by schools. Shortlisted students are invited to an interview. This is an opportunity to showcase your skills, knowledge and experience in your industry area.

VET Awards scenarios

Scenario 1

Max has always been interested in technology and how things work. In Year 10, at the recommendation of his school’s VET coordinator, Max took part in a career taster program at North Metropolitan TAFE focused on different Information Technology (IT) skills. Feeling inspired by his experience, he decided to enrol in a Certificate II in Applied Digital Technologies in Year 11. Now in Year 12, Max is continuing his study in IT and is enrolled in a Certificate III in Information Technology. Max is also completing workplace learning (ADWPL) at an IT firm where he is able to further develop his skills in IT support and cyber security.

Recognising Max’s commitment, his VET coordinator suggested he nominate for the VET Awards. His workplace supervisor was encouraging of his nomination and provided a supportive reference.  Following the shortlisting and interview process, Max was awarded the VET Exhibition in his industry area as the top student.

After participating in the VET awards process, Max had greater confidence when applying for an IT support role at the firm where he did his work placement, for which he was the successful candidate. As part of his new position, Max is able to develop his hands-on skills and is excited about beginning his career in Information Technology after Year 12.

Scenario 2

Jordie has always wanted a career where she would be helping people.  After discussing future career opportunities with her school’s career advisor, she decided that she was interested in pursuing nursing. Working with the career advisor, she decided the best training pathway to get there was to undertake a Certificate IV in preparation for nursing over Year 11 and 12.

Jordie is doing her workplace learning (ADWPL) with St John of God Health Care, where she has the opportunity to develop her skills in a clinical setting. Working at St John of God has allowed Jordie to have a clear understanding of what the work of a nurse is like, and from this, she has decided to pursue further study after Year 12 by going to TAFE to study a Diploma of Nursing.

Jordie heard about the VET awards through a friend who was nominated the year before, so discussed the possibility of putting in an application with her VET coordinator.  She is keen to share with others her experience of undertaking a VET pathway at school.

Important dates

Nominations are open from Friday, 28 June 2024 to Monday, 26 August 2024. The winners will be announced in February 2025 at a ceremony organised by the Authority.

Find out more about the 2024 VET Awards at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/certification/exhibitions-and-awards.

Don’t forget to be ready with all of your attachments and ensure you give yourself enough time to complete your part of the nomination process. Allow plenty of time to get the information required for your school to submit the nomination before the final deadline.

Any questions?

Contact your VET coordinator for any questions about the VET Awards.
You can also email awards@scsa.wa.edu.au if you have any issues with the nomination process.

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Did you know there is a difference between changing courses and withdrawing from courses?

The last date to change Year 12 student enrolments with the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) was Thursday, 28 March. It is now time for you to decide whether you are going to withdraw from any Year 12 courses.

Remember that you can check your enrolments in the student portal at https://studentportal.scsa.wa.edu.au. Check the type of course and school year of all courses you are enrolled in.

Before making any final decisions, please use the WACE Checker on the Authority website at https://wacechecker.scsa.wa.edu.au/. It is important that you take the time to check the impact of any change that you make to your enrolment in meeting Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) eligibility criteria.

Withdrawing or changing

When you change a course enrolment, you replace one course with another. The last date for this option has passed for 2024 Year 12 students.

Withdrawing means you are no longer studying a course. If you withdraw from a course, there will be no listing of your enrolment in the course for 2024 on your Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement (WASSA). This means you will not receive any credit for the work you completed this year prior to dropping the course. It is important you take this into consideration.

Deadlines

There are two key dates for withdrawing from a course. This is because of the arrangements required for Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) course examinations. The Authority needs to be notified of withdrawals from student enrolments in:

• Year 12 ATAR courses with a practical examination component by Thursday, 18 July
• Year 12 ATAR courses without a practical examination component and other Year 12 General, Foundation, Preliminary courses and vocational education and training (VET) industry specific courses by Monday, 5 August.

Note: schools may have earlier deadlines to manage the administrative work that goes with changes to enrolments. If you are thinking about withdrawing from a course, you should check with your school about their deadlines.

Check carefully

Year 12 courses are studied as a pair of units, and you must complete the pair of Year 12 units for the grade to contribute towards meeting the WACE requirements.

If you are considering withdrawing from your only List B (mathematics/science/technology) course in Year 12, then you will no longer be eligible to achieve the WACE. Students are required to complete one pair of Year 12 units from each List A (arts/languages/social sciences) and List B. Completing a List B course in Year 11 does not meet this requirement.

You also need to consider whether you will have enough units completed for the breadth and depth requirement for the WACE.

Check whether you will be eligible for any VET or endorsed programs to contribute towards you meeting the WACE requirements as unit equivalents.

The WACE requirements for 2024 and information about unit equivalents are listed in the Year 12 Information Handbook at https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/year-12-information on the Authority website.

Think carefully

Withdrawing from a course is a significant decision. Talk with your parents/guardians as well as your teachers, Year 12 Course Coordinator or Careers Counsellor about why you think withdrawing might be an option before you make a final decision.

You may also find it helpful to check our student information page at https://student.scsa.wa.edu.au/home.

Please check (double check … triple check) that you will continue to be on track to meet the WACE requirements. Use the WACE Checker to test the possible impact of the options you are considering.

What it comes down to

If you are enrolled in a Year 12 course, you need to know that withdrawing from a course is an important decision. Think carefully about what is right for you and work within the deadlines.

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How do I check the information?

Please logon to the Student Portal at https://studentportal.scsa.wa.edu.au to check on your course enrolments. As you are aware, the student portal is a space for Year 12 students to check and access personal information that relates to their Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE).

We will be collecting enrolments in Vocational Education and Training (VET) and endorsed programs later in the year. If you are studying these programs, they will probably not be listed at this stage.

What do I need to access the student portal?

To access the student portal, you need to have your WA student number (WASN), which you can find out through your school (it may also be on your SmartRider and on your school report). When you log in to the portal for the first time, you will be prompted to enter your personal email address and change your password. You will need to use your WASN and password each time you log in.

The first time you visit the student portal, you will be asked to provide a mobile number. While this is not compulsory, we encourage Year 12 students and examination candidates to provide a mobile number so that we can notify you via a group SMS if there are any changes to examination timetables and/or venues during the examination period. If you change your mobile number, you can edit this in the student portal.

You will need to visit the portal throughout the year to download various items (e.g. a copy of your Personalised written examination timetable) and to view your results. We will keep you posted via Facebook and our website, so you know when details become available. A complete list of what you will be able to download can be found in the Year 12 Information Handbook 2024, Part I: Information for all students, which is available on the Authority website at https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/year-12-information.

What is the Student Declaration and Permission, and why do I need to complete it?

When you log in to the student portal, you will be required to complete the Student Declaration and Permission before you can gain access to your enrolment information.

This is to ensure students are aware of the requirements:

• to achieve the WACE
• for sitting the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) course examinations.

It also enables you to give permission for the:

• release of certain personal information should you receive an award (if you don’t give permission and you do receive an award, your name will not appear in any published recipient list)
• use of schoolwork for creating support materials
• use of examination responses (written and practical).

What do I do if the information in the student portal is incorrect?

If any of your information, including your personal details or enrolments is incorrect, you must let your school know so that they can update the information provided to the Authority.

When do I need to check my course enrolments by?

The last date for changes to enrolments for ATAR, General, Foundation, Preliminary and VET industry specific courses for Year 12 students is Thursday, 28 March 2024. We strongly recommend that you let your school know of any errors as soon as possible so they can inform us before the last date. After Thursday, 28 March 2024, our database will be locked, and no further enrolments will be accepted in the above courses.

Can I withdraw from courses after the last enrolment date?

Yes. You cannot enrol in a new course after 28 March 2024, but you can still withdraw from courses by the dates below.

• For ATAR courses (Units 3 and 4) with practical examination components, the last date for withdrawal is Thursday, 18 July 2024.
• For ATAR courses (Units 3 and 4) that do not have practical examination components, ATAR (Units 1 and 2), General, Foundation, Preliminary and VET industry specific courses, the last date for withdrawal is Monday, 5 August 2024.

Any changes to your current program of study should be discussed with your parents/guardian and school before a final decision is made to alter your program. It is recommended you also use the WACE Checker (see below).

What are the consequences of withdrawing from courses?

Withdrawing from units may mean you don’t complete enough units this year and may not meet the requirements to achieve a WACE. The WACE requirements are set out in the Year 12 Information Handbook 2024, Part I: Information for all students.

Am I on track to receive the WACE?

Once you are satisfied that your enrolment with the Authority is correct, you should use the WACE Checker to see how you are progressing towards meeting the requirements of the WACE.

What is the WACE Checker?

The WACE Checker is a tool Year 12 students can use to check on their progress towards meeting the requirements of the WACE. It is designed to determine whether you have met (or are expected to meet) each of the WACE requirements. You can save and/or download and print the report, and you can save the data entered in the checker for a month. When you select Save, you get an access code that will allow you to use the Fetch My Data button in the Checker. You can also save the summary of your input as a PDF and use this to track your progress and check the impact of any changes to your enrolments.

You will find the WACE Checker, and more information on how to use it, on the Authority website at https://wacechecker.scsa.wa.edu.au/.

What if I need help with the WACE Checker?

The Tell me more button provides support when using the WACE Checker. If you have any concerns about your progress towards meeting the requirements of the WACE after entering your information, you should follow up with the relevant staff at your school. They will be able to help you clarify any issues around your enrolments and achievements.

All the best with your studies.

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It’s so close! Monday, 18 December 2023 is ‘results day’ and we know that you, along with your family and friends, are likely to have some questions. Here are some questions we’re often asked around this time of year, as well as information to help you plan your next steps.

How can I access my results?

On Monday, 18 December 2023, you’ll be able to log in to the student portal at https://studentportal.scsa.wa.edu.au to see your results.

You will need your WA student number (WASN) and password to access the student portal.

Remember that your password may be different from the one you use for the Tertiary Institutions Service Centre (TISC) website to access your Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) because, if you have made a university application through TISC, you will have set your own password.

Where will I find my WASN?

Look for your WASN on your school report, SmartRider or examination timetable.

Note: due to privacy and security requirements, the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) cannot provide your WASN over the phone or by email.

What is included in the Year 12 results?

Your Year 12 results will include the following details, as appropriate:

• achievement of a Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE)
• achievement of the literacy and numeracy standard
• school grades, school marks*, moderated school marks*, examination marks* and combined scores for all ATAR (Units 3 and 4) courses for the current year only
• school grades and school marks in General and Foundation units
• completed Vocational Education and Training (VET) industry specific units
• successfully completed VET units of competency
• completed VET skill sets
• completed endorsed programs
• number of community service hours undertaken (if reported by your school)
• completed Preliminary units.

*A course with a practical examination component will have written and practical marks reported separately.

Senior secondary achievements from previous years will also be listed.

How do Year 11 students find out their ATAR course examination results?

Like Year 12 students, Year 11 students who sat an ATAR course examination will also be able to download their results via the student portal.

How do non-school candidates find out their ATAR course examination results?

Non-school candidates who sat an ATAR course examination will also be able to download their examination marks via the student portal. Examination results are not printed on the Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement (WASSA) for students enrolled as non-school candidates.

For non-school candidates, that examination does not contribute towards meeting the requirements for the WACE.

When will I receive my folio of achievement?

Folios of achievement are provided in a digital format. In mid-January 2024, all students will be able to download digital copies of their folio of achievement.

To download digital copies of your folio, documents and certificates, you will need to log in to the student portal at https://studentportal.scsa.wa.edu.au.

One or more of the following will be available in your folio, depending on your achievement:

• WASSA – Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement
• WACE – Western Australian Certificate of Education
• ATAR course report for each ATAR course completed.

More details relating to the WACE, WASSA and ATAR course reports can be found in The WACE 2023 – Your Guide to the WASSA, WACE and ATAR Course Report, on the Authority website at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/certification/wace.

What will appear on my WASSA if I missed an ATAR course examination?

If you did not sit an ATAR course examination and did not have an approved sickness/misadventure application, you will not have completed the course and it will not appear on your WASSA, nor will you receive an ATAR course report for that course.

For ATAR courses with practical components, students must have completed both the written and practical examinations.

How do my grades contribute towards meeting the WACE requirements?

Your grades are used to meet the breadth and depth, and achievement standard requirements for the achievement of the WACE. However, if you are enrolled in a Year 12 ATAR course examination, you must have sat the ATAR course examination for your grade to count towards meeting the WACE requirements. If you did not sit an ATAR course examination, and you do not have an approved sickness/misadventure application for that course, the grades for the pair of units (Units 3 and 4) will not contribute to the calculation of the WACE.

How can someone authenticate my achievement of the WACE?

An education institution or employer can authenticate your achievement of the WACE by entering details such as your WASN, the provider code and the name on your certificate into the WACE Authentication form, available via the home page of the Authority website at https://waceauthentication.scsa.wa.edu.au/.

If I did not achieve a WACE, what can I do?

Don’t panic! Depending on which requirements you did not meet, you have several options.

• Students who still need to demonstrate the literacy and numeracy standard

You will be able to resit the Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (OLNA) in the Term 1 Window in late February 2024. Applications for this window will open in early January 2024. Frequently asked questions regarding OLNA for students and post-Year 12 students are available at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/assessment/olna/students-parents-carers. If you don’t see your question answered there, email us at olna@scsa.wa.edu.au.

• Students who need to complete a VET qualification

If you didn’t achieve a WACE because you did not complete a VET qualification in time, you can complete it in the future and then notify us so we can add the details to your student record and issue you with a WACE (providing all other WACE requirements have been met). Details will be available on our website in early January 2024.

• Students who did not get a WACE because they did not meet the breadth and depth and/or achievement standard requirements

If you did not meet the breadth and depth and/or achievement standard requirements, you need to consider your options for continuing enrolment at a school.

How will I know if I have received an award or exhibition?

Awards and exhibitions, including the Beazley medallists, will be announced on Wednesday, 20 December 2023. A list of award winners will be published on the Authority website after the announcement (late morning on Wednesday, 20 December 2023, if you want to keep an eye out).

Students who receive any of the following awards will receive their certificates at the Awards Ceremony on Thursday, 15 February 2024:

• Beazley Medal: WACE
• Beazley Medal: VET
• General exhibitions
• Special general awards
• Subject exhibitions.

After this date, all awards will be available for download from the student portal.

Where will I find my Universities Admission Advice Letter?

The Tertiary Institutions Service Centre (TISC) is responsible for information about university admissions. All students with at least one scaled score can access their TISC Universities Admission Advice Letter (UAAL) via the TISC website at http://www.tisc.edu.au/static/home.tisc.

These letters contain the following information:

• scaled score for each ATAR course examination sat
• advice on your achievement of a WACE
• ATAR/Selection Rank
• eligibility status for each of the five Western Australian universities.

If you have any questions relating to the UAAL, scaling or the calculation of the ATAR, contact TISC via info@tisc.edu.au or on (08) 9318 8000.

Do you need more information? If you have any further questions, have a look at Part I and Part II of the Year 12 Information Handbook at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/further-resources/year-12-information.

Most importantly, remember that a disappointing or incomplete result is not the end of the world and there are many paths you can take to get to where you want to go. Congratulations on reaching this point and we wish you the best for your future.

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This is an important reminder of the vital role of examinations in completing your ATAR courses. You must sit the examination for any ATAR course you are enrolled in, in order for it to contribute to your Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) and appear on your Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement (WASSA). This applies to anyone doing Year 12 ATAR courses, even if you are only enrolled in one or two.

To complete a Year 12 ATAR course, you are required to sit the ATAR course examination provided by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority). For Year 12 ATAR courses with practical components, you must complete both the written and practical examinations. The 2023 Year 12 ATAR course written and practical examinations timetables can be found on the Authority website at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/assessment/examinations/examination-timetables.

If you do not sit an ATAR course examination, and you do not have an approved sickness/misadventure application for that course, the grade for the pair of units (Units 3 and 4) will not contribute to the calculation of the WACE.

Consequences of not sitting an ATAR course examination – WACE requirements
If you are enrolled in an ATAR Year 12 course and then do not sit the ATAR course examination (without an approved sickness/misadventure application), the grade for that Year 12 course will not contribute to the:

• completion of a minimum of 20 units, including ten Year 12 units – required for the breadth and depth requirement
• completion of at least one pair of Year 12 units from an English learning area course (if the ATAR Year 12 course was either English, Literature or English as an Additional Language or Dialect) – required for the breadth and depth requirement
• completion of one pair of Year 12 units from List A (arts/languages/social sciences) or List B (mathematics/science/technology) – required for the breadth and depth requirement
• achievement of at least 14 C grades or higher, including at least six C grades in Year 12 units – required for the achievement standard
• completion of at least four Year 12 ATAR courses – required for the achievement standard.

Consequences of not sitting an ATAR course examination – certification
If you are enrolled in a Year 12 ATAR course and do not sit the course examination (without an approved sickness/misadventure application), you will not:

• have a course mark generated and recorded on your WASSA
• have a grade for the Year 12 ATAR course recorded on your WASSA
• receive an ATAR course report.

You may also find you are no longer eligible to achieve your WACE.

Availability of results
Your results will be available online via the Authority’s student portal (at https://studentportal.scsa.wa.edu.au/ on Monday, 18 December 2023. If you sat the ATAR course examination/s as a non-school candidate, you will be able to also download your examination results from the student portal.

You will be able to print your folio of achievement (WASSA, WACE, ATAR course reports and selected award certificates) for 2023 by logging in to the student portal in mid-January 2024. It is important to remember your login and student password details.

Further information
The Year 12 Information Handbook includes information about school-based assessment and completing courses. You can find it on the Authority website at https://scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/year-12-information.

You may also find additional information on our student information page at https://student.scsa.wa.edu.au/home.

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If you are passionate about choosing vocational education and training (VET) as your future career pathway, it is time to consider your nomination for the 2023 VET Awards.

The nominations for the 2023 School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) Awards for Outstanding Achievement in VET are currently open. There are awards in nine industry areas.

Choosing a VET pathway while still at school opens many career options for you. The Authority also recognises your efforts and skills you have gained when studying VET while still at school.

Students completing VET qualifications may be eligible to apply for a VET Award.

How to apply for a VET Award
Applying is an easy process.

This is a perfect opportunity to gain recognition for your hard work. You need to have completed a Certificate II or higher* nationally recognised VET qualification by the end of Year 12 and two unit equivalents of Authority-Developed Workplace Learning (ADWPL) in an industry area related to the VET qualification.

Apply now for the 2023 VET Awards to highlight your skills and achievements. Speak to your VET Coordinator at school for more information about this exciting opportunity.

What the VET Awards offer
Applying for the VET Awards will prepare you for the future by enhancing your presentation, communication, and interview skills. You may achieve a Certificate of Excellence or even be the top student in your industry. If you are the top student in your industry area, you will be eligible to be the Beazley Medal: VET winner.

Check your eligibility
To achieve a VET Exhibition or Certificate of Excellence, you must meet some general criteria:

• be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident of Australia
• be enrolled as a full-time student in a registered Western Australian secondary school
• have satisfied the requirements for a WACE at the time of the determination of the award.

In addition, by the end of Year 12 you must have completed:

• a nationally recognised VET qualification to a minimum AQF level 2*
• at least two unit equivalents of the ADWPL endorsed program equivalent to 110 hours or more (the workplace for your ADWPL must be related to the industry area for your nomination).

*If you have completed 220 nominal hours in Year 12 towards the completion of a Certificate III or higher, you are eligible for nomination.

To be eligible for the Beazley Medal: VET, you must meet the general criteria and have achieved a VET Exhibition in one of the nine industry areas.

Shortlisting and interviews
A panel for each industry area shortlists eligible students nominated by schools. Shortlisted students are invited to an interview. This is an opportunity to showcase your skills, knowledge and experience in your industry area.

VET Awards scenarios
Scenario 1
Sarah lives and breathes sport. It has been her ambition to turn her love of sport into a career.  After talking to her school’s VET coordinator, Sarah enrolled in a Certificate II in Sport Coaching. Sarah is also completing workplace learning (ADWPL) with her local netball club where she coaches a junior team, and volunteers with event management tasks at carnivals the club runs. Demonstrating her commitment to her chosen path, Sarah has also completed several industry courses to improve her knowledge and skills, such as the Community Officiating General Principles course and Introduction to Sports Taping.

Recognising Sarah’s commitment, her VET coordinator suggested she nominate for the VET Awards. Her netball club was supportive of her nomination and provided a supportive reference.  Following the shortlisting and interview process, she was awarded the VET Exhibition in her industry area as the top student. After participating in the VET awards process, Sarah had greater confidence when applying for a Program Assistant position at Netball WA for which she was the successful candidate. She is excited about beginning her career with Netball WA after Year 12.

Scenario 2
Matthew has always been interested in a career in the tourism industry. After discussing future career opportunities with his school’s career advisor and the best training pathways to get there, he is undertaking a Certificate II in Tourism in Year 12.

Matthew is doing his workplace learning (ADWPL) with the Perth Hills Kalamunda Visitor Centre where he assists customers with information about local tourism businesses and attractions. Working at the Visitor Centre has opened Matthew’s eyes to the many types of tourism businesses, and from this, he has decided to pursue further study after Year 12 by going to TAFE to study the Certificate III in Guiding to become a tour guide.

Matthew heard about the VET awards through a friend who was nominated the year before, so discussed the possibility of putting in an application with his VET coordinator.  He is keen to share with others his experience of undertaking a VET pathway at school.

Important dates
Nominations are open from Friday, 30 June 2023 to Monday, 28 August 2023. The winners will be announced in February 2024 at a ceremony organised by the Authority.

Find out more about the 2023 VET Awards at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/certification/exhibitions-and-awards.

Don’t forget to be ready with all of your attachments and ensure you give yourself enough time to complete your part of the nomination process. Allow plenty of time to get the information required for your school to submit the nomination before the final deadline.

Any questions?
Contact your VET Coordinator for any questions about the VET Awards.

You can also email awards@scsa.wa.edu.au if you have any issues with the nomination process.

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Are you aware that your school has now provided your Year 12 enrolments to the Authority?

This means you can now check your enrolments to ensure the information provided is correct. Read on for information about why it’s important for you to check your enrolments, how you do this and when you need to do it by.

How do I check the information?
You can check on your course enrolments using the student portal at https://studentportal.scsa.wa.edu.au. The student portal is a space for Year 12 students to check and access personal information that relates to their WACE.

We will be collecting enrolments in VET and endorsed programs later in the year. If you are studying these programs, they will probably not be listed at this stage.

What do I need to access the student portal?
To access the student portal, you need to have your WA student number (WASN), which you can find out through your school (it may also be on your SmartRider and on your school report). When you log in to the portal for the first time, you will be prompted to enter your personal email address and change your password. You will need to use your WASN and password each time you log in.

The first time you visit the student portal, you will be asked to provide a mobile number. While this is not compulsory, we encourage Year 12 students and examination candidates to provide a mobile number so that we can notify you via a group SMS if there are any changes to examination timetables and/or venues during the examination period. If you change your mobile number, you can edit this in the student portal.

You will need to visit the portal throughout the year to download various items (e.g. a copy of your Personalised written examination timetable) and to view your results. We will keep you posted via Facebook and our website, so you know when details become available. A complete list of what you will be able to download can be found in the Year 12 Information Handbook 2023, Part I: Information for all students, available on the Authority website at https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/year-12-information.

When do I need to check my course enrolments by?
The last date for changes to enrolments for ATAR, General, Foundation, Preliminary and VET industry specific courses for Year 12 students is Thursday, 30 March 2023. We strongly recommend that you let your school know of any errors as soon as possible so they can inform us before the last date. After Thursday, 30 March 2023, our database will be locked, and no further enrolments will be accepted in the above courses.

Can I withdraw from courses after the last enrolment date?
Yes. You cannot enrol in a new course after 30 March 2023, but you can still withdraw from courses by the dates below.

• For ATAR courses (Units 3 and 4) with practical examination components, the last date for withdrawal is Thursday, 20 July 2023.
• For ATAR courses (Units 3 and 4) that do not have practical examination components, ATAR (Units 1 and 2), General, Foundation, Preliminary and VET industry specific courses, the last date for withdrawal is Monday, 7 August 2023.

Any changes to your current program of study must be discussed with your parents/guardian and school before a final decision is made to alter your program. It is recommended you also use the WACE Checker (see below).

What are the consequences of withdrawing from courses?
Withdrawing from units may mean you don’t complete enough units this year and may not meet the requirements to achieve a WACE. The WACE requirements are set out in the Year 12 Information Handbook 2023, Part I: Information for all students.

Am I on track to receive the WACE?
Once you are satisfied that your enrolment with the Authority is correct, you should use the WACE Checker to see how you are progressing towards meeting the requirements of the WACE.

What is the WACE Checker?
The WACE Checker is a tool Year 12 students can use to check on their progress towards meeting the requirements of the WACE. It is designed to determine whether you have met (or are expected to meet) each of the WACE requirements. You can save and/or download and print the report, and you can save the data entered into the checker for a month. When you select Save, you get an access code that will allow you to use the Fetch My Data button in the Checker. You can also save the summary of your input as a PDF and use this to track your progress and check the impact of any changes to your enrolments.

You will find the Checker, and more information on how to use it, on the Authority website at https://wacechecker.scsa.wa.edu.au/.

What if I need help with the WACE Checker?
The Tell me more button provides support when using the Checker. If you have any concerns about your progress towards meeting the requirements of the WACE after entering your information, you should follow up with the relevant staff at your school. They will be able to help you clarify any issues around your enrolments and achievements.

What is the Student Declaration and Permission, and why do I need to complete it?
When you log in to the student portal, you will be required to complete the Student Declaration and Permission before you can gain access to your enrolment information.

This is to ensure students are aware of the requirements:

• to achieve the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE)
• for sitting the ATAR course examinations.

It also enables you to give permission for the:

• release of certain personal information should you receive an award (if you don’t give permission and do receive an award, your name will not appear in any published recipient list)
• use of schoolwork for creating support materials
• use of examination responses (written and practical).

What do I do if the information in the student portal is incorrect?
If any of your information, including your personal details or enrolments, is incorrect, you must let your school know so that they can update the information provided to the Authority.

All the best with your studies.

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You’re nearly there! Preparing to receive Year 12 results

It’s so close! Monday, 19 December 2022 is ‘results day’ and we know that you, along with your family and friends, are likely to have some questions. Here are some questions we’re often asked around this time of year, and information to help you plan your next steps.

How can I access my results?

On Monday, 19 December 2022, you’ll be able to log in to the student portal at

https://studentportal.scsa.wa.edu.au to see your results.

You will need your WA student number (WASN) and password to access the student portal.

Remember that your password may be different from the one you use for the TISC website to access your ATAR because, if you have made a university application through TISC, you will have set your own password.

Where will I find my WASN?

Look for your WASN on your school report, SmartRider or examination timetable.

Note: due to privacy and security requirements, the Authority cannot provide your WASN over the phone or by email.

What is included in the Year 12 results?

Your Year 12 results will include the following details, as appropriate:

• achievement of a WACE
• achievement of the literacy and numeracy standard
• school grades, school marks*, moderated school marks*, examination marks* and combined scores for all ATAR (Units 3 and 4) courses for the current year only
• school grades and school marks in General and Foundation units
• completed VET industry specific units
• successfully completed VET units of competency
• completed endorsed programs
• number of community service hours undertaken (if reported by your school)
• completed Preliminary units.

*A course with a practical examination component will have written and practical marks reported separately.

Senior secondary achievements from previous years will also be listed.

How do Year 10 and Year 11 students find out their ATAR course examination results?

Like Year 12 students, Year 10 and Year 11 students who sat an ATAR course examination will also be able to download their results via the student portal.

How do non-school candidates find out their ATAR course examination results?

Non-school candidates who sat an ATAR course examination will also be able to download their examination marks via the student portal. Examination results are not printed on the WASSA for students enrolled as non-school candidates.

For non-school candidates, that examination does not contribute towards meeting the requirements for the WACE.

When will I receive my folio of achievement?

Folios of achievement are provided in a digital format. In mid-January 2023, all students will be able to download digital copies of their folio of achievement.

To download digital copies of your folio, documents and certificates, you will need to log in to the student portal at https://studentportal.scsa.wa.edu.au.

One or more of the following will be available in your folio, depending on your achievement:

• WASSA – Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement
• WACE – Western Australian Certificate of Education
• ATAR course report for each ATAR course completed.

More details relating to the WACE, WASSA and ATAR course reports can be found in The WACE 2022 – Your guide to the Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement, Western Australian Certificate of Education and ATAR Course Report, on the Authority website at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/certification/wace.

What will appear on my WASSA if I missed an ATAR course examination?

If you did not sit an ATAR course examination and did not have an approved sickness/misadventure application, you will not have completed the course and it will not appear on your WASSA, nor will you receive an ATAR course report for that course.

For ATAR courses with practical components, students must have completed both the written and practical examinations.

How do my grades contribute towards meeting the WACE requirements?

Your grades are used to meet the breadth and depth, and achievement standard requirements for the achievement of the WACE. However, if you are enrolled in a Year 12 ATAR course examination, you must have sat the ATAR course examination for your grade to count towards meeting the WACE requirements. If you did not sit an ATAR course examination, and you do not have an approved sickness/misadventure application for that course, the grades for the pair of units (Units 3 and 4) will not contribute to the calculation of the WACE.

How can someone authenticate my achievement of the WACE?

An education institution or employer can authenticate your achievement of the WACE by entering details such as your WASN, the provider code and the name on your certificate into the WACE Authentication form, available via the home page of the Authority website at https://waceauthentication.scsa.wa.edu.au.

If I did not achieve a WACE, what can I do?

Don’t panic! Depending on which requirements you did not meet, you have several options.

• Students who still need to demonstrate the literacy and numeracy standard
  You will be able to apply to re-sit the Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (OLNA) in the Term 1 window (Year 11–12 students) in late February to early March 2023. Applications for this round (March 2023) will open in early January 2023. Frequently asked questions regarding OLNA for Year 12 students are available at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/assessment/olna/students-parents-carers. If you don’t see your question answered there, email us at olna@scsa.wa.edu.au.

• Students who need to complete a VET qualification
  If you didn’t achieve a WACE because you did not complete a VET qualification in time, you can complete it in the future and then notify us so we can add the details to your student record and issue you with a WACE (providing all other WACE requirements have been met). Details will be available on our website in early January 2023.

• Students who did not get a WACE because they did not meet the breadth and depth and/or achievement standard requirements
  If you did not meet the breadth and depth and/or achievement standard requirements, you need to consider your options for continuing enrolment at a school.

How will I know if I have received an award or exhibition?

Awards and exhibitions, including the Beazley medallists, will be announced on Wednesday, 21 December 2022. A list of award winners will be published on the Authority website after the announcement (late morning on Wednesday, 21 December 2022, if you want to keep an eye out).

Students who receive any of the following awards will receive their certificates at the Awards Ceremony on Friday, 17 February 2023:

• Beazley Medal: WACE
• Beazley Medal: VET
• General exhibitions
• Special general awards
• Subject exhibitions.

After this date, all awards will be available for download from the student portal.

Where will I find my Universities Admission Advice Letter?

The Tertiary Institutions Service Centre (TISC) is responsible for information about university admissions. All students with at least one scaled score can access their TISC Universities Admission Advice Letter (UAAL) via the TISC website at http://www.tisc.edu.au/static/home.tisc.

These letters contain the following information:

• scaled score for each ATAR course examination sat
• advice on your achievement of a WACE
• ATAR/Selection Rank
• eligibility status for each of the five Western Australian universities.

If you have any questions relating to the UAAL, scaling or the calculation of the ATAR, contact TISC via info@tisc.edu.au or on 9318 8000.

Do you need more information? If you have any further questions, have a look at Part I and Part II of the Year 12 Information Handbook at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/further-resources/year-12-information.

Most importantly, remember that a disappointing or incomplete result is not the end of the world and there are many paths you can take to get to where you want to go. Congratulations on reaching this point and we wish you the best for your future.

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Sitting examinations to complete an ATAR course

It’s examinations time again, and we know there’s a lot for students to think about and manage during this period. This is an important reminder of the vital role of examinations in completing your ATAR courses.

To complete a Year 12 ATAR course you are required to sit the ATAR course examination provided by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority). For Year 12 ATAR courses with practical components, you must complete both the written and practical examinations.

If you do not sit an ATAR course examination, and you do not have an approved sickness/misadventure application for that course, the grade for the pair of units (Units 3 and 4) will not contribute to the calculation of the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE).

You may be enrolled in ATAR course/s but may not need an ATAR for your future plans. Even so, you must sit the examination for that course for it to contribute to your WACE and appear on your WASSA. This applies to anyone doing Year 12 ATAR courses, even if you are only enrolled in one or two.

Consequences of not sitting an ATAR course examination – WACE requirements

If you are enrolled in an ATAR Year 12 course and then do not sit the ATAR course examination (without an approved sickness/misadventure application), the grade for that Year 12 course will not contribute to the:

• completion of a minimum of 20 units, including ten Year 12 units
• completion of at least one pair of Year 12 units from an English learning area course (if the ATAR Year 12 course was either English, Literature or English as an Additional Language or Dialect)
• completion of one pair of Year 12 units from List A (arts/languages/social sciences) or List B (mathematics/science/technology)
• achievement of at least 14 C grades or higher, including at least six C grades in Year 12 units
• completion of at least four Year 12 ATAR courses.

Consequences of not sitting an ATAR course examination – certification

If you are enrolled in a Year 12 ATAR course and do not sit the course examination (without an approved sickness/misadventure application) you will not:

• have a course mark generated
• have a grade for the Year 12 ATAR course recorded on your WASSA
• receive an ATAR course report.

You may also find you are no longer eligible to achieve your WACE.

Availability of results

Your results will be available online via the Authority’s student portal (at https://studentportal.scsa.wa.edu.au/) on Monday, 19 December 2022. If you sat the ATAR course examination as a non-school candidate, you will be able to also download your examination results from the student portal.

You will be able to print your folio of achievement (WASSA, WACE, ATAR course reports and selected award certificates) for 2022 by logging in to the student portal in mid-January 2023. It is important to remember your login and student password details.

Further information

The Year 12 Information Handbook includes information about school-based assessment and completing courses. You can find it on the Authority website at https://scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/year-12-information.

You may also find additional information on our student information page at https://student.scsa.wa.edu.au/home.

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If you are passionate about choosing vocational education and training (VET) as your future career pathway, it is time to consider your nomination for the 2022 VET Awards.

The nominations for the 2022 School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) Awards for Outstanding Achievement in VET are currently open. There are awards in nine industry areas.

Choosing a VET pathway while still at school opens many career options for you. The Authority also recognises your efforts and skills you have gained when studying VET while still at school.

Students completing VET qualifications may be eligible to apply for a VET Award.

How to apply for a VET Award
Applying is an easy process.

This is a perfect opportunity to gain recognition for your hard work. You need to have completed a Certificate II or higher nationally recognised VET qualification by the end of Year 12 and two-unit equivalents of Authority-Developed Workplace Learning (ADWPL) in an industry area related to the VET qualification.

Apply now for VET Awards 2022 to highlight your skills and achievements. Speak to your VET Coordinator at school for more information about this exciting opportunity.

What VET Awards offer
Applying for the VET Awards will prepare you for the future by enhancing your presentation and communication skills. You may achieve a certificate of excellence or even be the top student in your industry. As the top student in your industry area, you would be eligible to be the Beazley Medal: VET winner.

Check your eligibility
To achieve a VET exhibition or certificate of excellence, you must meet some general criteria:

• be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident of Australia;
• be enrolled as a full-time student in a registered secondary school; and
• have satisfied the requirements for a WACE at the time of the determination of the award.

In addition, by the end of Year 12 you must have completed:

• a nationally recognised VET qualification to a minimum AQF level 2*; and
• at least two unit equivalents of the ADWPL endorsed program equivalent to 110 hours or more (The workplace for your ADWPL must be related to the industry area for your nomination).

*If you have completed 220 nominal hours in Year 12 towards the completion of a Certificate III or higher, you are eligible for nomination.

To be eligible for the Beazley Medal: VET, you must meet the general criteria and have achieved a VET exhibition in one of the nine industry areas.

Short-listing and interviews
A panel for each industry area short-lists eligible students nominated by schools. Short-listed students are invited to an interview. This is an opportunity to showcase your skills, knowledge and experience in your industry area.

VET Awards scenarios
Alana is passionate about working in the healthcare industry. Alana worked with her school career and VET Coordinator to see which VET qualification would allow her to achieve her goal of becoming an Occupational Therapist. Alana studied Certificate III in Allied Health in Year 12. She demonstrated excellence in her VET studies and spoke to the VET Coordinator to find out if she could be nominated for the VET Awards. She won the VET exhibition in her industry area and was also offered a job as an Occupational Assistant when she finished school.

Elliott has had a love of food and cooking for as long as he can remember. When Elliott was growing up, he took any opportunity to be in the kitchen and learn new skills and techniques from his family. After talking with his grandmother, Elliott decided to do a VET qualification in commercial cookery while at school and hopefully learn the finer art of being a Chef. Due to Elliott’s passion, he was able to undertake the qualification through an apprenticeship pathway and started his school-based apprenticeship in Year 11. By the end of Year 12, Elliott was halfway through his Chef’s apprenticeship and was working with a fine dining restaurant near his home. Elliott’s school VET coordinator and TAFE lecturer worked together to nominate him for the VET awards. For Elliott, undertaking VET while at school helped fulfil his passion and desire to be a high-class chef.

Important dates
Nominations are open from Friday, 1 July 2022 to Monday, 29 August 2022. The winners will be announced in February 2023 at a ceremony organised by the Authority.

Find out more about the 2022 VET Awards at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/certification/exhibitions-and-awards.

Don’t forget to be ready with all of your attachments and ensure you give yourself enough time to complete your part of the nomination process. Allow plenty of time to get the information required for your school to submit the nomination before the final deadline.

Any questions?
Contact your VET Coordinator for any questions about the VET Awards.

You can also email awards@scsa.wa.edu.au if you have any issues with the nomination process.

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Did you know there is a difference between changing courses and withdrawing from courses?

The last date to change Year 12 student enrolments with the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) was Thursday, 31 March. It is now time for you to decide whether you are going to withdraw from any Year 12 courses.

Remember that you are able to check your enrolments by accessing the student portal at https://studentportal.scsa.wa.edu.au. Check the type of course and school year of all courses you are enrolled in.

Before making any final decisions, please use the WACE Checker on our website: https://wacechecker2021.scsa.wa.edu.au/. It is important that you take the time to check the impact of any change you make to your enrolment.

Withdrawing or changing

When you change a course enrolment, you replace one course with another. The last date for this option has passed for Year 12 students in 2022.

Withdrawing means you are no longer studying a course. If you withdraw from a course, there will be no listing of your enrolment in the course for 2022 on your Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement (WASSA). This means you will not receive any credit for the work you completed this year prior to dropping the course. It is important you take this into consideration.

Deadlines

There are two key dates for withdrawing from a course. This is because of the arrangements required for ATAR course examinations. The Authority needs to be notified of withdrawals from student enrolments in:

• Year 12 ATAR courses with practical examination components by Thursday, 21 July
• Year 12 ATAR courses without a practical examination component and other Year 12 General, Foundation, Preliminary courses and VET industry specific courses by Monday, 8 August.

Note: schools may have earlier deadlines in order to manage the administrative work that goes with changes to enrolments. If you are thinking about withdrawing from a course, you should check with your school about their deadlines.

Check carefully

Year 12 courses are studied as a pair of units and you must complete the pair of Year 12 units for the grade to contribute towards meeting the WACE requirements.

If you are considering withdrawing from your only List B (mathematics/science/technology) course in Year 12, then you will no longer be eligible to achieve the WACE. Students are required to complete one pair of Year 12 units from each of List A (arts/languages/social sciences) and List B. Completing a List B course in Year 11 does not meet this requirement.

You also need to consider whether you will have enough units completed for the breadth and depth requirement for the WACE.

Check whether you will be eligible for any VET or endorsed programs to contribute to how you meet the WACE requirements as unit equivalents.

The WACE requirements for 2022 and information about unit equivalents are listed in the Year 12 Information Handbook at https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/year-12-information on the Authority website.

Think carefully

Withdrawing from a course is a significant decision. Talk with your parents/guardians as well as your teachers, Year Coordinator or Careers Counsellor about why you think withdrawing might be an option before you make a final decision.

You may also find it helpful to check our student information page at https://student.scsa.wa.edu.au/home.

In particular, you should check (double check … triple check) that you will continue to be on track to meet the WACE requirements. Use the WACE Checker to test the possible impact of the options you are considering.

What it comes down to

If you are enrolled in a Year 12 course, you need to know that withdrawing from a course is an important decision. Think carefully about what is right for you and work within the deadlines.

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Did you know that your school has provided your Year 12 enrolments to the Authority?

You now have an opportunity to check your enrolments to ensure that the information provided is correct. Read on for information about why it’s important for you to check your enrolments, how you do this and when you need to do it by.

How do I check the information?

You can check on your course enrolments by accessing the student portal at https://studentportal.scsa.wa.edu.au.

We will be collecting enrolments in VET and endorsed programs later in the year. If you are studying these programs, they will probably not be listed at this stage.

What do I need to access the student portal?

The student portal is a space for Year 12 students to check and access personal information that relates to their WACE.

To access the student portal, you need to have your WA student number (WASN), which you can find out through your school (it may also be on your SmartRider and on your school report). When you log in to the portal for the first time you will be prompted to enter your personal email address and change your password. You will need to use your WASN and password each time you log in to the portal.

The first time you visit the student portal you will be asked to provide a mobile number. While this step is not compulsory, we encourage Year 12 students and examination candidates to provide a mobile number so that we can notify you via a group SMS if there are any changes to examination timetables and/or venues during the examination period. If you change your mobile number, you can edit this in the student portal.

You will need to visit the portal throughout the year to download various items (e.g. a copy of your Personalised written examination timetable) and to view your results. We will keep you posted via Facebook and our website so you know when details become available. A complete list of what you will be able to download can be found in the Year 12 Information Handbook 2022, Part I: Information for all students, available on the Authority website at https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/year-12-information.

When do I need to check my course enrolments by?

The last date for changes to enrolments for ATAR, General, Foundation, Preliminary and VET industry-specific courses for Year 12 students is Thursday, 31 March 2022. We strongly recommend that you let your school know of any errors as soon as possible so they can inform us in time and before the last date. After Thursday, 31 March 2022, our database will be locked and no further enrolments will be accepted in the above courses.

Can I withdraw from courses after the last enrolment date?

Yes. However, you are unable to enrol in a new course after 31 March 2022, but you can still withdraw from courses by the dates below.

• For ATAR courses (Units 3 and 4) with practical examination components, the last date for withdrawal is Thursday, 21 July 2022.
• For ATAR courses (Units 3 and 4) which do not have practical examination components, ATAR (Units 1 and 2), General, Foundation, Preliminary and VET industry-specific courses, the last date for withdrawal is Monday, 8 August 2022.

Any changes to your current program of study must be discussed with your parents/guardian and school before a final decision is made to alter your program. It is recommended you also use the WACE checker (see below).

What are the consequences of withdrawing from courses?

Withdrawing from units may mean you don’t complete enough units this year and may not meet the requirements to achieve a WACE. The WACE requirements are set out in the Year 12 Information Handbook 2022, Part I: Information for all students.

Am I on track to receive the WACE?

Once you are satisfied that your enrolment with the Authority is correct, you should use the WACE Checker to see how you are progressing towards meeting the requirements of the WACE.

What is the WACE Checker?

The WACE Checker is a tool Year 12 students can use to check on their progress towards meeting the requirements of the WACE. It is designed to determine whether you have met (or are expected to meet) each of the WACE requirements. You can save and/or download and print the report, and you can save the data entered into the checker for a month. When you select Save you get an access code that will to allow you to use the Fetch My Data button in the Checker. You can also save the summary of your input as a PDF and use this to track your progress and to check the impact of any changes to your enrolments.

You will find the Checker, and more information on how to use it, on the Authority website at https://wacechecker.scsa.wa.edu.au/.

What if I need help with the WACE Checker?

The Tell me more button provides support when using the Checker. If you have any concerns about your progress towards meeting the requirements of the WACE after entering your information, you should follow up with the support staff at your school. They will be able to help you clarify any issues around your enrolments and achievements.

What is the Student Declaration and Permission, and why do I need to complete it?

When you log in to the student portal you will be required to complete the Student Declaration and Permission before you can gain access to your enrolment information.

The purpose of this online Student Declaration and Permission is to ensure students are aware of the requirements:

• to achieve the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE)
• for sitting the ATAR course examinations.

It also enables you to give permission for the:

• release of certain personal information should you receive an award (if you don’t give permission and do receive an award, your name will not appear in any publication of the recipient list)
• use of school work for creating support materials
• use of examination responses (written and practical).

What do I do if the information in the student portal is incorrect?

If any of your information, including your personal details or enrolments, is incorrect you must let your school know so that they can update the information that is provided to the Authority.

All the best with your studies.

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Monday, 20 December 2021 is ‘results day’ and we know students, along with their families and friends, are likely to have some questions. Here are some questions we are often asked around this time of year and responses to these questions to help you plan your next steps.

How can I access my results?
On Monday, 20 December 2021, you will be able to log in to the student portal at https://studentportal.scsa.wa.edu.au to see your results.

You will need your WA student number (WASN) and password to access the student portal.

Note: your password may be different from the one you use for the TISC website to access your ATAR because, if you have made a university application through TISC, you will have set your own password.

Where will I find my WASN?
Look for your WASN on your school report, SmartRider or on your examination timetable.

Note: due to privacy and security requirements, the Authority cannot provide your WASN over the phone or by email.

What is included in the Year 12 results?
Your Year 12 results will include the following details, as appropriate:

• achievement of a WACE
• achievement of the literacy and numeracy standard
• school grades, school marks*, moderated school marks*, examination marks* and combined scores for all ATAR (Units 3 and 4) courses for the current year only
• school grades and school marks in General and Foundation units
• completed VET industry specific units
• successfully completed VET units of competency
• completed endorsed programs
• number of community service hours undertaken (if reported by your school)
• completed Preliminary units.

*A course with a practical examination component will have the written and practical marks reported separately.

Senior secondary achievements from previous years will also be listed.

How do Year 10 and Year 11 students find out their ATAR course examination results?
Year 10 and Year 11 students who sat an ATAR course examination will be able to download their results via the student portal.

How do non-school candidates find out their ATAR course examination results?
Non-school candidates who sat an ATAR course examination will be able to download their examination marks via the student portal. Examination results are not printed on the WASSA when the student was enrolled as a non-school candidate.

As a non-school candidate, that examination does not contribute towards meeting the requirements for the WACE.

When will I receive my folio of achievement?
Folios of achievement are provided in a digital format. In mid-January 2022, all students will be able to download digital copies of their folio of achievement.

To download digital copies of your folio, documents and certificates, you will need to log in to the student portal at https://studentportal.scsa.wa.edu.au.

One or more of the following items will be available in your folio, depending on your achievement:

• WASSA – Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement
• WACE – Western Australian Certificate of Education
• ATAR course report – for each ATAR course completed.

More details relating to the WACE, WASSA and ATAR course reports can be found in The WACE 2021 – Your guide to the: Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement, Western Australian Certificate of Education and ATAR Course Report, on the Authority website at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/certification/wace.

What will appear on my WASSA if I missed an ATAR course examination?
If you did not sit an ATAR course examination and did not have an approved sickness/misadventure application, you will not have completed the course and it will not appear on your WASSA, nor will you receive an ATAR course report for that course.

For ATAR courses with practical components, students must have completed both the written and practical examination.

How do my grades contribute towards meeting the WACE requirements?Your grades are used to meet the breadth and depth, and achievement standard requirements for the achievement of the WACE. However, if you are enrolled in a Year 12 ATAR course examination, you must sit the ATAR course examination for your grade to count towards meeting the WACE requirements. If you do not sit an ATAR course examination, and you do not have an approved sickness/misadventure application for that course, the grades for the pair of units (Units 3 and 4) will not contribute to the calculation of the WACE.

How can someone authenticate my achievement of the WACE?
An education institution or employer may authenticate your achievement of the WACE by entering details such as your WASN, the provider code and the name on your certificate into an online form. The WACE Authentication form is available via the home page of the Authority website at https://waceauthentication.scsa.wa.edu.au/.

If I did not achieve a WACE, what can I do?
Depending on the requirements that you did not meet, you have some options.

• Students who still need to demonstrate the literacy and numeracy standard
  You will be able to apply to re-sit the Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (OLNA) Round 1 at the end of February to early March 2022. Applications for this round (March 2022) will open in late-December. OLNA frequently asked questions for Year 12 students are available at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/assessment/olna/students-parents-carers. If you have any queries please email olna@scsa.wa.edu.au.

• Students who need to complete a VET qualification
  If you did not achieve a WACE because you did not complete a VET qualification in time, you can complete it in the future and then notify us so we can add the details to your student record and issue you with a WACE (providing all other WACE requirements have been met). Details will be available on our website in early January.

• Students who did not get a WACE because they did not meet the breadth and depth and/or achievement standard requirements
  If you did not meet the breadth and depth and/or achievement standard requirements, you need to consider your options for continuing enrolment at a school.

How will I know if I have received an award or exhibition?
Awards and exhibitions, including the Beazley medallists, will be announced on Wednesday,
22 December 2021. A list of award winners will be published on the Authority website after the announcement (late morning, Wednesday, 22 December 2021).

Students who receive any of the following awards will receive their certificates at the Awards Ceremony on Friday, 11 February 2022: Beazley Medal: WACE, Beazley Medal: VET, General exhibitions, Special general awards, and Subject exhibitions. After this date, all awards will be available for download from the student portal.

Where will I find my Universities Admission Advice Letter?
The Tertiary Institutions Service Centre (TISC) is responsible for information about university admissions. All students with at least one scaled score can access their TISC Universities Admission Advice Letter (UAAL) via the TISC website at http://www.tisc.edu.au/static/home.tisc.

These letters contain the following information:

• scaled score for each ATAR course examination sat
• advice on your achievement of a WACE
• ATAR/Selection Rank
• eligibility status for each of the five Western Australian universities.

Any questions relating to the UAAL, scaling or the calculation of the ATAR, contact TISC via info@tisc.edu.au or 9318 8000.

Do you need more information?
If you have any further questions, have a look at Part I and Part II of the Year 12 Information Handbook at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/further-resources/year-12-information.

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The nominations for the 2021 School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) Awards for Outstanding Achievement in VET are currently open.

If you are passionate about choosing VET as your future career pathway, it is time to consider your nomination for the 2021 VET Awards!

How exciting it is to get recognition for the effort you have put in to achieve your VET qualification while still at school.

Completing a VET qualification while still at school opens many career options for you and the Authority recognises your efforts and skills you have gained when studying VET while still at school. Students completing VET qualifications may be eligible to apply for a VET Award.

How to apply for a VET Award

The nomination process is easy.

If you have completed a Certificate II or higher nationally recognised VET qualification by the end of Year 12 and two unit equivalents of Authority-Developed Workplace Learning (ADWPL) in an industry area related to the VET qualification, this is a perfect opportunity to gain recognition for your hard work.

Apply now for VET Awards 2021 to highlight your skills and achievements. Speak to your VET Coordinator at school for more information about this exciting opportunity.

What VET Awards offer

Applying for the VET Awards will prepare you for future by enhancing your presentation and communication skills. You may achieve a certificate of excellence or may even be the top student in your industry area, making you eligible to be the Beazley Medal: VET winner.

Check your eligibility

To achieve a VET exhibition or certificate of excellence, you must meet some general criteria:

• be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident of Australia
• be enrolled as a full-time student in a registered secondary school
• have satisfied the requirements for a WACE at the time of the determination of the award.

In addition, you will have completed by the end of Year 12:

• a nationally recognised VET qualification to a minimum AQF level 2*; and
• at least two unit equivalents of the ADWPL endorsed program equivalent to 110 hours or more. (The workplace for your ADWPL must be related to the industry area for your nomination).

*If you have completed 220 nominal hours in Year 12 towards the completion of a Certificate III or higher, you are eligible for nomination.

To be eligible for the Beazley Medal: VET, you must meet the general criteria and have achieved a VET exhibition in one of the nine industry areas.

Short-listing and interviews

A panel for each industry area short-lists eligible students nominated by schools. Short-listed students are invited to an interview. This is an opportunity to showcase your skills, knowledge and experience in your industry area.

VET Awards scenarios

Sarah is passionate about working with engines and she used to help her grandfather with machinery on the family’s farm. She chose a VET pathway by undertaking the Certificate II in Automotive Servicing Technology pre-apprenticeship. Sarah demonstrated excellence in her VET studies and spoke to her VET Coordinator so that she could be nominated for the VET Awards. She won the VET exhibition in her industry area and was also offered an apprenticeship for undertaking a Certificate III by a big mining company. She is all set for an exciting career.

Lauren loves engaging with young kids and contribute to their learning. She undertook a Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care while still at school. She wants to work in this sector and see children’s development and learning firsthand as they grow and flourish under her care. Lauren sees VET as a great opportunity to gain understanding and knowledge in this sector and wants to pursue further education in VET and at university. She has plans to start her own child care centre one day to give children a valuable start in life to a good education and helping them to develop their social skills in a safe and a caring environment. Undertaking VET while still at school gave her a head start for a fulfilling career in the future.

Important dates

Nominations are open from Friday, 25 June 2021 to Monday, 30 August 2021. The winners will be announced in February 2022 at a ceremony organised by the Authority.

Find out more about the 2021 VET Awards at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/certification/exhibitions-and-awards.

Don’t forget to be ready with all of your attachments and ensure you give yourself enough time to complete your part of the nomination process. Allow plenty of time to get the information required for your school to submit the nomination before the final deadline.

Any questions?

Contact your VET Coordinator for any questions in relation to VET Awards.

You can also email awards@scsa.wa.edu.au if you have any problems with the nomination process.

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Did you know there is a difference between changing courses and withdrawing from courses?

The last date to change enrolments for Year 12 students was Thursday, 1 April. It is now time for students to decide whether they are going to withdraw from Year 12 courses.

Remember that you are able to check your enrolments by accessing the student portal at https://studentportal.scsa.wa.edu.au. You should check the impact of your choices before going ahead.

Withdrawing from or changing a course

When you change a course enrolment, you replace one course with another. Withdrawing means you are no longer studying a course. If you withdraw from a course, there will be no listing of your enrolment in the course for this year on your Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement (WASSA). This means you will not receive any credit for the work you have done for this year’s units prior to dropping the course. It is important you take this into consideration.

Check carefully

Year 12 courses are studied as a pair of units. You must complete the pair of Year 12 units to receive credit for the grade to contribute towards meeting the WACE requirements.

If you are considering withdrawing from your only List B (mathematics/science/technology) course in Year 12, then you will be no longer eligible to achieve the WACE. Students are required to complete one pair of Year 12 units from each of List A (arts/languages/social sciences) and List B. Completing a List B course in Year 11 does not meet this requirement.

You also need to consider whether you will have enough units completed for the breadth and depth requirement for the WACE.

Deadlines

There are two key dates for withdrawing. This is because of the arrangements for ATAR course examinations. The Authority needs to be notified of withdrawals from student enrolments in

• Year 12 ATAR courses with practical examination components by Thursday, 22 July
• Year 12 ATAR courses without a practical examination component and other Year 12 General, Foundation, Preliminary courses and VET industry specific courses by Monday, 9 August.

Note: schools may have earlier deadlines in order to manage the administrative work that goes with changes to enrolments. If you are thinking about withdrawing from a course, you should check with your school about their deadlines.

Think carefully

Withdrawing from a course is a significant decision. Talk about why you think withdrawing might be an option with your parents/guardians as well as your teachers, Year Coordinator or Careers Counsellor before you make a final decision. In particular, you should check (double check … triple check) that you will continue to be on track to meet the WACE requirements. Use the WACE Checker at https://wacechecker.scsa.wa.edu.au to test the possible impact of the options you are considering.

WACE requirements

The full details of the WACE requirements for 2021 are listed in the Year 12 Information Handbook at https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/year-12-information on the Authority website. Year 12 students should know what they need to do to meet the WACE requirements. Using the WACE Checker will help show where you are at in your progress towards the WACE completion requirements.

Completing an ATAR course

To complete a Year 12 ATAR course requires you to sit the ATAR course examination. For Year 12 ATAR courses with practical components, you must complete both the written and practical examinations.

If you do not sit an ATAR course examination, and you do not have an approved sickness/misadventure application for that course, the grade for the pair of units (Units 3 and 4) will not contribute to the calculation of the WACE.

You may be enrolled in ATAR course/s but may not need an ATAR for your future plans. Even so, you must sit the examination for that course for it to contribute to your WACE and for it to appear on your WASSA. This applies to anyone doing one, two or three Year 12 ATAR courses.

Consequences of not sitting an ATAR course examination – WACE requirements

If you stay enrolled in an ATAR course and then do not sit the ATAR course examination, the grade for the ATAR Year 12 course where you were absent for the examination (without an approved sickness/misadventure application), will not contribute to:

• completion of a minimum of 20 units, including ten Year 12 units
• completion of at least one pair of Year 12 units from an English learning area course (if the ATAR Year 12 course was either English, Literature or English as an Additional Language or Dialect)
• completion of one pair of Year 12 units from List A (arts/languages/social sciences) or List B (mathematics/science/technology)
• achievement of at least 14 C grades or higher, including at least six C grades in Year 12 units
• completion of at least four Year 12 ATAR courses.

Consequences of not sitting an ATAR course examination – certification

If you are enrolled in a Year 12 ATAR course and do not sit the course examination (without an approved sickness/misadventure application) you will not:

• have a course mark generated
• have a grade for the Year 12 ATAR course recorded on your WASSA
• receive an ATAR course report.

What it comes down to

If you are enrolled in a Year 12 ATAR course, you need to know that withdrawing from a course is an important decision. Think carefully about what is right for you and work within the deadlines.

Availability of results

Your results will be available online via the Authority’s student portal on Monday, 20 December 2021. If you sat the ATAR course examination as a non-school candidate, you will be able to also download your examination results from the student portal.

You will be able to print your folio of achievement (WASSA, WACE, ATAR course reports and selected award certificates) for 2021 by logging in to the student portal in mid-January 2022. It is important to remember to keep a copy of your login and student password details.

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Did you know that your school has provided your Year 12 enrolments to the Authority?

You now have an opportunity to check your enrolments to ensure that the information provided is correct. Read on for information about why it’s important for you to check your enrolments, how you do this and when you need to do it by.

How do I check the information?

You can check on your course enrolments by accessing the student portal at https://studentportal.scsa.wa.edu.au.

The Authority will be collecting enrolments in VET and endorsed programs later in the year. If you are studying these programs, they will not be listed at this stage.

What do I need to access the student portal?

The student portal is a space for Year 12 students to check and access personal information that relates to their WACE.

To access the student portal, you need to have your WA student number (WASN), which you can find out through your school (it may also be on your SmartRider and on your school report). When you log in to the portal for the first time you will be prompted to enter your personal email address and change your password. You will need to use your WASN and password each time you log in to the portal.

The first time you visit the student portal you will be asked to provide a mobile number. While this step is not compulsory, we encourage Year 12 students and examination candidates to provide a mobile number so that we can notify you via a group SMS if there are any changes to examination timetables and/or venues during the examination period. If you change your mobile number, you can edit this in the student portal.

You will need to visit the portal throughout the year to download various items (e.g. a copy of your Personalised written examination timetable) and to view your results. We will keep you posted via Facebook and our website so you know when details become available. A complete list of what you will be able to download can be found in the Year 12 Information Handbook 2021, Part I: Information for all students, available on the Authority website at https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/year-12-information.

What is the Student Declaration and Permission, and why do I need to complete it?

When you log in to the student portal you will be required to complete the Student Declaration and Permission before you can gain access to your enrolment information.

The purpose of this online Student Declaration and Permission is to ensure students are aware of the requirements:

• to achieve the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE)
• for sitting the ATAR course examinations.

It also enables you to give permission for the:

• release of certain personal information should you receive an award (if you don’t give permission and do receive an award, your name will not appear in any publication of the recipient list)
• use of school work for creating support materials
• use of examination responses (written and practical).

What do I do if the information in the student portal is incorrect?

If any of your information, including your personal details or enrolments, is incorrect you must let your school know so that they can update the information that is provided to the Authority.

When do I need to check my course enrolments by?

The last date for changes to enrolments for ATAR, General, Foundation, Preliminary and VET industry-specific courses for Year 12 students is Thursday, 1 April 2021. We strongly recommend that you let your school know of any errors as soon as possible so they can inform the Authority in time before the last date. After Thursday, 1 April 2021, the Authority’s database will be locked and no further enrolments will be accepted in the above courses.

Can I withdraw from courses after the last enrolment date?

Yes. You are unable to enrol in a new course after 1 April 2021, but you can still withdraw from courses by the dates below.

• For ATAR courses (Units 3 and 4) with practical examination components, the last date for withdrawal is Thursday, 22 July 2021.
• For ATAR courses (Units 3 and 4) which do not have practical examination components, ATAR (Units 1 and 2), General, Foundation, Preliminary and VET industry-specific courses, the last date for withdrawal is Monday, 9 August 2021.

Any changes to your current program of study must be discussed with your parents/guardian and school before a final decision is made to alter your program.

What are the consequences of withdrawing from courses?

Withdrawing from units may mean you don’t complete enough units this year and may not meet the requirements to achieve a WACE. The WACE requirements are set out in the Year 12 Information Handbook 2021, Part I: Information for all students.

Am I on track to receive the WACE?

Once you are satisfied that your enrolment with the Authority is correct, you should use the WACE Checker to see how you are progressing towards meeting the requirements of the WACE.

What is the WACE Checker?

The WACE Checker is a tool Year 12 students can use to check on their progress towards meeting the requirements of the WACE. It is designed to determine whether you have met (or are expected to meet) each of the WACE requirements. You can save and/or download and print the report, and you can save the data entered into the checker for a month. When you select Save you get an access code that will to allow you to use the Fetch My Data button in the Checker. You can also save the summary of your input as a PDF and use this to track your progress and to check the impact of any changes to your enrolments.

You will find the Checker, and more information on how to use it, on the Authority website at https://wacechecker.scsa.wa.edu.au/.

What if I need help with the WACE Checker?

The Tell me more button provides support when using the Checker. If you have any concerns about your progress towards meeting the requirements of the WACE after entering your information, you should follow up with the support staff at your school. They will be able to help you clarify any issues around your enrolments and achievements.

All the best with your studies.

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Sunday, 20 December 2020 is ‘results day’ and we know students, along with their families and friends, are likely to have some questions. Here are some questions we are often asked around this time of year and responses to these questions to help you plan your next steps.

How do my grades contribute towards meeting the WACE requirements?

Your grades are used to meet the breadth and depth, and achievement standard requirements for the achievement of the WACE. However, if you are enrolled in a Year 12 ATAR course examination, you must sit the ATAR course examination for your grade to count towards meeting the WACE requirements. If you do not sit an ATAR course examination, and you do not have an approved sickness/misadventure application for that course, the grades for the pair of units (Units 3 and 4) will not contribute to the calculation of the WACE.

How do I know if I have achieved the WACE?

On Sunday, 20 December 2020, you will be able to log in to the student portal at https://studentportal.scsa.wa.edu.au to see if you have met all of the requirements to achieve the WACE.

You will need your WA student number (WASN) and password to access the student portal.

Note: your password may be different from the one you use for the TISC website to access your ATAR because, if you have made a university application through TISC, you will have set your own password.

Where will I find my WASN?

Look for your WASN on your school report, SmartRider or on your examination timetable.

Note: due to privacy and security requirements, the Authority cannot provide your WASN over the phone or by email.

What is included in the Year 12 results?

Your Year 12 results will include the following details, as appropriate:

• achievement of a WACE
• achievement of the literacy and numeracy standard
• school grades, school marks*, moderated school marks*, examination marks* and combined scores for all ATAR (Units 3 and 4) courses for the current year only
• school grades and school marks in General and Foundation units
• completed VET industry specific units
• successfully completed VET units of competency
• completed endorsed programs
• number of community service hours undertaken (if reported by your school)
• completed Preliminary units.

*A course with a practical examination component will have the written and practical marks reported separately.

Senior secondary achievements from previous years will also be listed.

When will I receive my folio of achievement?

In 2020, folios of achievement will only be provided in a digital format. In mid-January 2021, all students will be able to download digital copies of their folio of achievement.

To download digital copies of your folio, documents and certificates, you will need to log in to the student portal at https://studentportal.scsa.wa.edu.au.

One or more of the following items will be available in your folio, depending on your achievement:

• WASSA – Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement
• WACE – Western Australian Certificate of Education
• ATAR course report – for each ATAR course completed.

More details relating to the WACE, WASSA and ATAR course reports can be found in The WACE 2020 – Your Guide to the WASSA, WACE and ATAR Course Report, on the Authority website at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/certification/wace.

How will I know if I have received an award or exhibition?

Awards and exhibitions, including the Beazley medallists, will be announced on Tuesday, 22 December. A list of award winners will be published on the Authority website after the announcement (late morning, Tuesday, 22 December 2020).

Students who receive any of the following awards will receive their certificates at the Awards Ceremony on Friday, 12 February 2021: Beazley Medal: WACE, Beazley Medal: VET, General exhibitions, Special general awards, and Subject exhibitions. After this date, all awards will be available for download from the student portal.

What will appear on my WASSA if I missed an ATAR examination?

If you did not sit an ATAR course examination and did not have an approved sickness/misadventure application, you will not have completed the course and it will not appear on your WASSA, nor will you receive an ATAR course report for that course.

For ATAR courses with practical components, students must have completed both the written and practical examination.

How do Year 10 and Year 11 students find out their ATAR course examination results?

Year 10 and Year 11 students who sat an ATAR course examination will be able to download their results via the student portal.

How do non-school candidates find out their ATAR course examination results?

Non-school candidates who sat an ATAR course examination will be able to download their examination marks via the student portal. Examination results are not printed on the WASSA when the student was enrolled as a non-school candidate.

As a non-school candidate, that examination does not contribute towards meeting the requirements for the WACE.

If I did not achieve a WACE, what can I do?

Depending on the requirements that you did not meet, you have some options.

• Students who still need to demonstrate the literacy and numeracy standard
  You will be able to apply to re-sit the Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (OLNA) in March 2021. Applications for this round (March 2021) will open in late-December. OLNA FAQs for Year 12 students are available at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/assessment/olna/students-parents-carers. If you have any queries please email olna@scsa.wa.edu.au.

• Students who need to complete a VET qualification
  If you did not achieve a WACE because you did not complete a VET qualification in time, you can complete it in the future and then notify us so we can add the details to your student record and issue you with a WACE (providing all other WACE requirements have been met). Details will be available on our website in early January.

• Students who did not get a WACE because they did not meet the breadth and depth and/or achievement standard requirements
  If you did not meet the breadth and depth and/or achievement standard requirements, you need to consider your options for continuing enrolment at a school.

Where will I find my Universities Admission Advice Letter?

The Tertiary Institutions Service Centre (TISC) is responsible for information about university admissions. All students with at least one scaled score can access their TISC Universities Admission Advice Letter (UAAL) via the TISC website at http://www.tisc.edu.au/static/home.tisc.

These letters contain the following information:

• scaled score for each ATAR examination sat
• advice on your achievement of a WACE
• ATAR/Selection Rank
• eligibility status for each of the four public universities.

Any questions relating to the UAAL, scaling or the calculation of the ATAR, contact TISC via info@tisc.edu.au or 9318 8000.

How can someone authenticate my achievement of the WACE?

An education institution or employer may authenticate your achievement of the WACE by entering details such as WA student number, provider code and name on certificate into an online form. The WACE Authentication form is available via the home page of the Authority website at https://waceauthentication.scsa.wa.edu.au/.

Do you need more information?

If you have any further questions, have a look at Part I and Part II of the Year 12 Information Handbook at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/further-resources/year-12-information.

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It is time to consider your nomination for the 2020 School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) Awards for Outstanding Achievement in VET.

Do you want to give your career a head start? Completing a VET qualification while still at school could open many career options for you and the Authority recognises your efforts and skills you have gained when studying VET while still at school. Students completing VET qualifications may be eligible to apply for a VET Award.

How to apply for a VET Award

It is an easy process.

If you have completed a Certificate II or higher nationally recognised VET qualification by the end of Year 12 and two unit equivalents of Authority-Developed Workplace Learning (ADWPL), this is a perfect opportunity to gain recognition for your hard work.

Apply now to give your career a boost. Speak to your VET Coordinator at school for more information about this exciting opportunity.

What VET Awards offer

Applying for the VET Awards will prepare you for the world of work by enhancing your presentation and communication skills. You may achieve a certificate of excellence or may even be the top student in your industry area, making you eligible to be the Beazley Medal: VET winner.

Check your eligibility

To achieve a VET exhibition or certificate of excellence, you must meet some general criteria:

• be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident of Australia
• be enrolled as a full-time student in a registered secondary school
• have satisfied the requirements for a WACE at the time of the determination of the award.

In addition, you will have completed by the end of Year 12:

• a nationally recognised VET qualification to a minimum AQF level 2*; and
• at least two unit equivalents of the ADWPL endorsed program equivalent to 110 hours or more. (The workplace for your ADWPL must be related to the industry area for your nomination).

*If you have completed 220 nominal hours in Year 12 towards the completion of a Certificate III or higher, you are eligible for nomination.

To be eligible for the Beazley Medal: VET, you must meet the general criteria and have achieved a VET exhibition in one of the nine industry areas.

Short-listing and interviews

A panel for each industry area short-lists eligible students nominated by schools. Short-listed students are invited to an interview. This is an opportunity to showcase your skills, knowledge and experience in your industry area.

VET Awards scenarios

Mark is passionate about working with engines and he used to help his grandfather with machinery on the family’s farm. He chose a VET pathway by undertaking the Certificate II in Automotive Servicing Technology pre-apprenticeship. Mark demonstrated excellence in his VET studies and spoke to his VET Coordinator so that he could be nominated for the VET Awards. He won the VET exhibition in his industry area and was also offered an apprenticeship for undertaking a Certificate III by a big mining company. He is all set for an exciting career.

Anne loves animals and undertook a Certificate II in Animal Studies while still at school. She wants to work in this sector and serve animals. Anne sees VET as a great opportunity to gain understanding and knowledge in the area of animal studies and wants to pursue further education in VET and at university. She has plans to start her own clinic one day to provide nursing care for animals. Undertaking VET while still at school gave her a head start for a fulfilling career in the future.

Important dates

Nominations are open from Friday, 26 June 2020 to Monday, 31 August 2020. The winners will be announced in February 2021 at a ceremony organised by the Authority.

Further information about the VET Awards is available on the Authority website at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/certification/exhibitions-and-awards.

Don’t forget to be ready with all of your attachments and ensure you give yourself enough time to complete your part of the nomination process. Allow plenty of time to get the information required for your school to submit the nomination before the final deadline.

Any questions?

Contact your VET Coordinator for any questions in relation to VET Awards.

You can also email awards@scsa.wa.edu.au if you have any problems with the nomination process.

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The student portal is now available on the Authority’s website and can be found at: https://studentportal.scsa.wa.edu.au. This is for all Year 12 students and anyone enrolled in Year 12 ATAR Units 3 and 4. This is your space to access, so log in now and get started.

When you log in to the student portal, you will need to enter your Western Australian student number (WASN). The first time you log in you will be asked to change your password. Once logged in, you will be required to complete the student declaration and permissions. You will not be able to go further until you have done this.

From this year, you will be able to download your Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement (WASSA) and Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) from the student portal.

Student declaration

It is important that all Year 12 students are aware of the requirements to achieve the WACE. If you are undertaking an ATAR course, you will also need to know what the rules and expectations are for the examinations.

Knowing what is required to achieve the end result empowers you. Making sure you are informed can help you avoid disappointment and decrease the potential for stress and confusion. For this reason, it is good to know right from the beginning what you are working towards and what you need to do to achieve it.

You will find the WACE requirements in the Year 12 Information Handbook Part I, which is available on the Authority’s website: (http://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/year-12-information). The answers to most questions you will have about the WACE, come from this handbook.

Agreeing to the student declaration shows that you have read the handbook and you know what is required of you as a Year 12 student, or if you are someone not in Year 12, but who will be a candidate for an ATAR course examination.

Student permissions

You also need to complete a permissions agreement in the portal. You will be asked to give permission for the following:

• Release of your name if you win an award.

Did you know that we publish a list of award winners at the end of the year? If you do not give us permission to release your name, we put ‘Not for Publication’ next to the name of your school.

• Use of your schoolwork for creating support materials for teachers.
• Use of your examination responses (written and practical).

You have had the benefit of teachers being able to look at work and materials from previous students, now this is your chance to make a contribution to education. All students benefit from the professional discussions teachers have and the resources they can draw on. This can deepen their understanding of the courses and can promote an awareness of common standards across schools within Western Australia.

We recommend you discuss this information with your parents/guardians/carers before you complete your responses. All information is available on the Authority’s website: (http://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/the-wace/student-declaration).

Student declarations and permissions are due by the end of Term 2; however, you should aim to complete this task before then, so you can check things like your enrolment and personal details.

Checking your details

The student portal allows you to check your enrolment details in WACE course units and, if your school has uploaded enrolments in VET qualifications and endorsed programs, these enrolment details will be available to you. If any of your details are incorrect, you need to follow up with your school as soon as you can to have corrections made.

In addition to completing the student declaration and permissions in the portal, you can also:

• check your personal details;
• check your enrolments;
• download a copy of your Personalised written examination timetable and/or a copy of your Personalised practical examination timetable,if you are enrolled in a Year 12 ATAR course from Thursday, 10 September 2020;
• download a copy of your Physical Education Studies practical examination information about the sport to be examined and skill level;
• download a copy of your approved special examination arrangements;
• download a copy of your sickness/misadventure outcome;
• check your results on Sunday, 20 December 2020; and
• view and download digital copies of your WACE, WASSA, ATAR course reports, ATAR examination results, and any awards from mid-January 2021. (You can present these digital certificates when applying for university, TAFE, employment or training).

For more information, download the Student portal flyer 2020 Year 12 from the Authority website: (https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/brochures).

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Title: Preparing to receive Year 12 results.

Thursday, 19 December 2019 is ‘results day’ and we know students, along with their families and friends, are likely to have some questions. Here are some questions we are often asked around this time of year and responses to these questions to help you plan your next steps.

When will my school results have been provided to the Authority?

Your school will provide you with your grades and school marks, in writing, for all courses studied in Year 12 by Tuesday, 22 October 2019. The grades achieved in your courses will be used to determine whether you have met the requirements to achieve the WACE.

Following this, your school is required to provide the Authority with your marks, grades, VET and endorsed programs by Thursday, 31 October 2019.

How do my grades contribute towards meeting the WACE requirements?

Your grades are used to meet the breadth and depth, and achievement standard requirements for the achievement of the WACE. However, if you are enrolled in a Year 12 ATAR course examination, you must sit the ATAR course examination for your grade to count towards meeting the WACE requirements. If you do not sit an ATAR course examination, and you do not have an approved sickness/misadventure application for that course, the grades for the pair of units (Units 3 and 4) will not contribute to the calculation of the WACE.

How do I know if I have achieved the WACE?

On Thursday, 19 December 2019, you will be able to log in to the student portal at

https://studentportal.scsa.wa.edu.au to see if you have met all of the requirements to achieve the WACE.

You will need your WA student number (WASN) and password to access the student portal.

Your password may be different from the one you use for the TISC website to access your ATAR. If you have made a university application through TISC, you will have set your own password.

Where will I find my WASN?

Look for your WASN on your school report, SmartRider or on your examination timetable.

Note: due to privacy and security requirements, the Authority cannot provide WASNs over the phone or by email.

What is included in the Year 12 results?

Your Year 12 results will include the following details, as appropriate:

• achievement of a WACE
• achievement of the literacy and numeracy standard
• school grades, school marks*, moderated school marks*, examination marks* and combined scores for all ATAR (Units 3 and 4) courses for the current year only
• school grades and school marks in General and Foundation units
• completed VET industry specific units
• successfully completed VET units of competency
• completed endorsed programs
• number of community service hours undertaken (if reported by your school)
• completed Preliminary units.

*A course with a practical examination component will have the written and practical marks reported separately.

Senior secondary achievements in previous years will also be listed.

When will I receive my folio of achievement?

Folios of achievement are posted in mid-January 2020 and include one or more of the following, as appropriate:

• WASSA – Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement
• WACE – Western Australian Certificate of Education
• ATAR course report – for each ATAR course completed
• Selected award certificates, which include the following: Certificates of Merit, Certificates of Distinction, Subject Certificates of Excellence, Special Subject Certificates of Excellence, Certificates of Excellence VET and Special Certificates of Excellence VET.

From the last week in January 2020, you will be able to download electronic versions of your WASSA, WACE and ATAR course reports via the student portal.

More details relating to the WACE, WASSA and ATAR course reports can be found in The WACE 2019 – Your Guide to the WASSA, WACE and ATAR Course Report, when available, on the Authority website at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/certification/wace.

How will I know if I have received an award or exhibition?

Awards and exhibitions, including the Beazley medallists, will be announced on Friday, 20 December. A list of award winners will be published on the Authority website after the announcement (late morning, Friday, 20 December 2019).

Students who receive any of the following awards will receive their certificates at the Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, 19 February 2020: Beazley Medal: WACE, Beazley Medal: VET, General exhibitions, Special general awards, and Subject exhibitions.

What will appear on my WASSA if I missed an ATAR examination?

If you did not sit an ATAR course examination and did not have an approved sickness/misadventure application, you will not have completed the course and it will not appear on your WASSA, nor will you receive an ATAR course report for that course.

For ATAR courses with practical components, students must have completed both the written and practical examination.

How do Year 10 and Year 11 students find out their ATAR course examination results?

Year 10 and Year 11 students who sat an ATAR course examination will be able to download their results via the student portal.

How do non-school candidates find out their ATAR course examination results?

Non-school candidates who sat an ATAR course examination will be able to download their examination marks via the student portal. Examination results are not printed on the WASSA when the student was enrolled as a non-school candidate.

If I did not achieve a WACE, what can I do?

Depending on the requirements that you did not meet, you have some options.

• Students who still need to demonstrate the literacy and numeracy standard

You will be able to apply to re-sit the Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (OLNA) in March 2020. Applications for this round (March 2020) will open in late-December. OLNA FAQs for Year 12 students are available at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/assessment/olna/students-parents-carers. If you have any queries please email olna@scsa.wa.edu.au.

• Students who need to complete a VET qualification

If you did not achieve a WACE because you did not complete a VET qualification in time, you can complete it in the future and then notify us so we can add the details to your student record and issue you with a WACE (providing all other WACE requirements have been met). Details will be available on our website in early January.

• Students who did not get a WACE because they did not meet the breadth and depth and/or achievement standard requirements

If you did not meet the breadth and depth and/or achievement standard requirements, you need to consider your options for continuing enrolment at a school.

When will the Universities Admission Advice Letters be available?

The Tertiary Institutions Service Centre (TISC) is responsible for information about university admissions. All students with at least one scaled score can access their TISC Universities Admission Advice Letter (UAAL) via the TISC website at http://www.tisc.edu.au/static/home.tisc from Thursday, 19 December 2019.

These letters contain the following information:

• scaled score for each ATAR examination sat
• advice on your achievement of a WACE
• ATAR/Selection Rank

• eligibility status for each of the four public universities.

Any questions relating to the UAAL, scaling or the calculation of the ATAR, contact TISC via info@tisc.edu.au or 9318 8000.

Do you need more information?

If you have any further questions, have a look at Part I and Part II of the Year 12 Information Handbook at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/further-resources/year-12-information.

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Endorsed programs can provide you with an opportunity to undertake a range of extra-curricular activities in Years 10, 11 and 12 that also contribute towards the achievement of the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) and are reported on your Western Australian Statement of Student Attainment (WASSA).

What are Endorsed Programs?

Endorsed programs are learning programs developed by a school, community organisation or a private provider, and endorsed by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority).

WACE Recognition

Endorsed programs can contribute to the WACE requirements. You can achieve up to four unit equivalents (two in Year 11 and two in Year 12) via endorsed programs.

WACE changes 2021 and beyond

On 2 May, 2019 a third option for students to achieve their WACE was announced.

Along with the other requirements that need to be met, students entering Year 11 in 2020 will be able to choose to complete:

• at least four Year 12 ATAR courses, OR
• five Year 12 General courses and/or ATAR courses, or equivalent, OR
• a Certificate II (or higher) VET qualification in combination with ATAR, General or Foundation courses.

This means you will have more study options to choose from at school.

Flexible Delivery

Endorsed programs can be delivered in or out of school by schools or private providers, such as community organisations, training institutions, universities or workplaces.

Examples of Endorsed Programs

• Workplace Learning
• Community Service
• Cadets WA (e.g. Air Force, Army, Navy, Police Rangers, Emergency Services and Bush Rangers)
• Surf Life Saving WA certificates and awards
• Music and Speech and Drama examinations (e.g. Australian Music Examinations Board, Trinity College London)
• Information Technology programs (e.g. Cisco, Certiport)
• Service clubs (e.g. Leos, Interact)
• Diver certificates (e.g. PADI, Scuba Schools International)
• Awards WA Inc.
• Off-campus enrichment programs (e.g. international maths or science competitions, intercultural exchange programs, Premier’s ANZAC tour)
• University enabling programs

To view the complete list of endorsed programs, go to https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/vet/endorsed-programs

Reporting of Endorsed Programs

Endorsed programs are reported to the Authority by your school. Before endorsed program enrolments are uploaded, principals are required to validate your achievements.

It is important that you speak with your school before undertaking any programs outside of school.

You should contact your school if you have any queries regarding reporting of endorsed programs.

How do endorsed programs fit with study options?

Julie is passionate about helping people; however, she is indecisive about which path to choose after school. She decides to undertake a combination of ATAR and General courses along with Community Service (ADCS), which is an Authority-developed endorsed program. This gives Julie a good understanding of working in the community services sector and, at the same time, it provides credits towards the achievement of her WACE.

Mark is interested in the Arts and has undertaken Drama and Media Production and Analysis as part of his combination of subjects. He participates extensively in school productions, which include backstage support, property management, costume design, choreography and performance. Mark spoke to his teacher to ask what recognition he can get for all the effort he is putting in. Based on discussions with the teacher, he enrolled in the school production (ADSP) endorsed program because it will give him credit towards his WACE. Mark also works at a music production company outside of school hours to gain work experience. He decided to enrol in workplace learning (ADWPL) as well to gain recognition for his work. This study combination and exposure of working in the industry gives his career a head start.

Any questions?

Contact the Workplace Learning/VET coordinator at your school for any questions in relation to endorsed programs.

You can also contact us at endorsed@scsa.wa.edu.au if you have any questions regarding endorsed programs.

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Key dates for WACE decisions

Did you know there is a difference between changing courses and withdrawing from courses?

The last date to change enrolments for Year 12 students was Thursday, 4 April. It is now time for students to decide whether they are going to withdraw from Year 12 courses.

Remember that you are able to check on your enrolment in courses by accessing the student portal via https://studentportal.scsa.wa.edu.au. You should check the impact of your choices before going ahead.

Withdrawing from or changing a course

When you change a course enrolment, you replace one course with another. Withdrawing means you are no longer studying a course. If you withdraw from a course, there will be no listing of your enrolment in the course for this year on your Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement (WASSA). This means you will not receive any credit for the work you have done for this year’s units prior to dropping the course. It is important you take this into consideration.

Check carefully

Year 12 courses are studied as a pair of units. You must complete the pair of Year 12 units to receive credit for the grade to contribute towards meeting the WACE requirements.

If you are considering withdrawing from your only List B (mathematics/science/technology) course in Year 12, then you will be no longer eligible to achieve the WACE. Students are required to complete one pair of Year 12 units from each of List A (arts/languages/social sciences) and List B. Completing a List B course in Year 11 does not meet this requirement.

You also need to consider whether you will have enough units completed for the breadth and depth requirement for the WACE.

Deadlines

There are two key dates for withdrawing. This is because of the arrangements for ATAR course examinations. The Authority needs to be notified of withdrawals from student enrolments in

• Year 12 ATAR courses with practical examination components by Friday, 26 July
• Year 12 ATAR courses with only written examination components and other Year 12 General, Foundation, Preliminary courses and VET industry specific courses by Thursday, 15 August.

Note: schools may have earlier deadlines in order to manage the administrative work that goes with changes to enrolments. If you are thinking about withdrawing from a course, you should check with your school about their deadlines.

Think carefully

Withdrawing from a course is a significant decision. Talk about why you think withdrawing might be an option with your parents/guardians as well as your teachers, Year Coordinator or Careers Counsellor before you make a final decision. In particular, you should check (double check … triple check) that you will continue to be on track to meet the WACE requirements. Use the WACE Checker to test the possible impact of the options you are considering.

You will find the WACE Checker, and more information on how to use it, on the Authority website at https://wacechecker.scsa.wa.edu.au. If you test a number of options, print or save the reports as a PDF to use when you talk to your school.

WACE requirements

The full details of the WACE requirements for 2019 are listed in the Year 12 Information Handbook, on the Authority website at https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/year-12-information. Year 12 students should know what they need to do to meet the WACE requirements. Using the WACE Checker will help show where you are at in your progress towards the WACE completion requirements. To achieve the WACE in 2019, you must complete:

• a minimum of 20 units (which may include unit equivalents attained through VET and/or endorsed programs), including ten Year 12 units
• four units from an English course, post-Year 10, including at least one pair of Year 12 units from an English course
• one pair of Year 12 units from each of List A (arts/languages/social sciences) and List B (mathematics/science/technology).

Completing an ATAR course

To complete a Year 12 ATAR course requires you to sit the ATAR course examination. For Year 12 ATAR courses with practical components, you must complete both the written and practical examinations.

If you do not sit an ATAR course examination, and you do not have an approved sickness/misadventure application for that course, the grade for the pair of units (Units 3 and 4) will not contribute to the calculation of the WACE.

You may be enrolled in ATAR course/s but may not need an ATAR for your future plans. Even so, you must sit the examination for that course for it to contribute to your WACE and for it to appear on your WASSA. This applies to anyone doing one, two or three Year 12 ATAR courses.

Consequences of not sitting an ATAR course examination – WACE requirements

If you stay enrolled in an ATAR course and then do not sit the ATAR course examination, the grade for the ATAR Year 12 course where you were absent for the examination (without an approved sickness/misadventure application), will not contribute to:

• completion of a minimum of 20 units, including ten Year 12 units
• completion of at least one pair of Year 12 units from an English learning area course (if the ATAR Year 12 course was either English, Literature or English as an Additional Language or Dialect)
• completion of one pair of Year 12 units from List A (arts/languages/social sciences) or List B (mathematics/science/technology) {depending on the list of the ATAR Year 12 course}
• achievement of at least 14 C grades or higher, including at least six C grades in Year 12 units
• completion of at least four Year 12 ATAR courses.

Consequences of not sitting an ATAR course examination – certification

If you are enrolled in a Year 12 ATAR course and do not sit the course examination (without an approved sickness/misadventure application) you will not:

• have a course mark generated
• have a grade for the Year 12 ATAR course recorded on your WASSA
• receive an ATAR course report.

What it comes down to

If you are enrolled in a Year 12 ATAR course, you need to know that withdrawing from a course is an important decision. Think carefully about what is right for you and work within the deadlines.

Availability of results

Your results will be available online via the Authority’s student portal (at https://studentportal.scsa.wa.edu.au) on Thursday, 19 December 2019. If you sat the ATAR course examination as a non-school candidate, you will be able to also download your examination results from the student portal.

In mid-January 2020, you will be sent a copy of your WACE (if achieved), WASSA and ATAR course reports. To ensure that you receive these documents, it is vital you let your school know if you change address during the year.

Australian Tertiary Admission Rank

Your ATAR is calculated by TISC on the basis of student achievement data provided to them by the Authority.

Your ATAR is not included on either your WASSA or your ATAR course report.

You will be able to obtain your ATAR at www.tisc.edu.au on Thursday,

19 December 2019.

To access your ATAR, you will need your WA student number and a password. Initially, the password is preset, with instructions on the TISC login screen. For advice regarding university admission, phone TISC on 9318 8000 or email info@tisc.edu.au.

It should be noted that the TISC and WACE portals have separate login accounts.

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It is time to consider your nomination for the 2019 School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) Awards for Outstanding Achievement in VET.

Do you want to give your career a head start? Completing a VET qualification while still at school could open many career options for you and the Authority recognises your efforts and skills you have gained when studying VET while still at school. Students completing VET qualifications may be eligible to apply for a VET Award.

How to apply for a VET Award

It is an easy process.

You might have heard about VET Awards.

If you have completed a Certificate II or higher nationally recognised VET qualification by the end of Year 12 and two unit equivalents of Authority-Developed Workplace Learning (ADWPL), this is a perfect opportunity to gain recognition for your hard work.

Apply now to give your career a boost. Speak to your VET coordinator at school for more information about this exciting opportunity.

What VET Awards offer

Applying for the VET Awards will prepare you for the world of work by enhancing your presentation and communication skills. You may achieve a certificate of excellence or may even be the top student in your industry area, making you eligible to be the Beazley Medal: VET winner.

Check your eligibility

To achieve a VET exhibition or certificate of excellence, you must meet some general criteria:

• be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident of Australia
• be enrolled as a full-time student in a registered secondary school
• have satisfied the requirements for a WACE at the time of the determination of the award.

In addition, you will have completed by the end of Year 12:

• a nationally recognised VET qualification to a minimum AQF level 2*; and
• at least two unit equivalents of the ADWPL endorsed program equivalent to 110 hours or more. (The workplace for your ADWPL must be related to the industry area for your nomination).

*If you have completed 220 nominal hours in Year 12 towards the completion of a Certificate III or higher, you are eligible for nomination.

To be eligible for the Beazley Medal: VET, you must meet the general criteria and have achieved a VET exhibition in one of the nine industry areas.

Shortlisting and interviews

A panel for each industry area shortlists eligible students nominated by schools. Shortlisted students are invited to an interview. This is an opportunity to showcase your skills, knowledge and experience in your industry area.

VET Awards scenarios

Mark is passionate about working with engines and he used to help his grandfather with machinery on the family’s farm. He chose a VET pathway by undertaking the Certificate II in Automotive Servicing Technology pre-apprenticeship. Mark demonstrated excellence in his VET studies and spoke to his VET coordinator so that he could be nominated for the VET Awards. He won the VET exhibition in his industry area and was also offered an apprenticeship for undertaking a Certificate III by a big mining company. He is all set for an exciting career.

Anne loves animals and undertook a Certificate II in Animal Studies while still at school. She wants to work in this sector and serve animals. Anne sees VET as a great opportunity to gain understanding and knowledge in the area of animal studies and wants to pursue further education in VET and at university. She has plans to start her own clinic one day to provide nursing care for animals. Undertaking VET while still at school gave her a head start for a fulfilling career in the future.

Important dates

Nominations are open from Friday, 28 June 2019 to Monday, 2 September 2019.The winners will be announced in February 2020, at a ceremony organised by the Authority.

Further information about the VET Awards is available on the Authority website at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/certification/exhibitions-and-awards.

Don’t forget to be ready with all of your attachments and ensure you give yourself enough time to complete your part of the nomination process. Allow plenty of time to get the information required for your school to submit the nomination before the final deadline.

Any questions?

Contact your VET coordinator for any questions in relation to VET Awards.

You can also contact awards@scsa.wa.edu.au if you have any problems with the nomination process.

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If you are going into Year 11 next year (2020), you will have an additional option to achieve your WACE. This additional option will allow you to complete five General courses when you are in Year 12 (or a combination of General and up to three ATAR courses) to achieve your WACE, if you choose not to undertake four ATAR courses or a Certificate II or higher VET qualification.

The current ATAR and VET pathways will remain unchanged – you can still achieve your WACE by studying four ATAR courses in Year 12 or completing a Certificate II or higher VET qualification in combination with ATAR, General or Foundation courses (in addition to the other WACE requirements).

If you are currently a Year 11 or Year 12 student, you are still required to study four or more ATAR courses, or complete a Certificate II or higher in combination with ATAR, General or Foundation courses to meet WACE requirements. The new WACE pathway option is only being introduced for students who are going into Year 11 in 2020 and the years following.

Further information about the WACE changes is available on the Authority’s website: https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/the-wace/wace-requirements

Choosing pathways

For an idea of course and VET combinations with the new WACE changes, please see the case studies below.

Igor – Physiotherapy

Igor is interested in going to university to study Physiotherapy. He has researched the prerequisites (essential WACE subjects) that the local university requires for admission into the Bachelor of Physiotherapy to assist him with selecting his WACE courses. Igor is also interested in becoming a Swimming Teacher, so he can find casual employment while he is undertaking his degree at university.

Igor selects five ATAR subjects and enrols in the AUSTSWIM Teacher of Swimming and Water Safety Endorsed Program. This combination will ensure Igor is WACE eligible and, with achievement of a competitive ATAR score, he is on the right path to gaining admission into the Bachelor of Physiotherapy at the university he prefers.

Lynn – Electrician

Lynn has excelled at maths her whole life, and is keen to get a job in a trade industry. She has decided she would like to go to TAFE after finishing Year 12 to become an Electrician.

To get a head start on her learning, Lynn has arranged to do a Certificate II School-based Traineeship over Years 11 and 12. She also chooses three General courses plus an ATAR Maths course, as she is aware the course at TAFE is very competitive. This combination will ensure Lynn is WACE eligible, and will make her a competitive applicant for TAFE.

Tim – Banking

Tim would like to get a job straight after he finishes Year 12. He completed some workplace learning at his local bank while he was in Year 10 and is now interested in pursuing a career in banking as a customer adviser.

Tim continues his workplace learning at the bank over Years 11 and 12 and selects five General courses. This combination will ensure Tim is WACE eligible, and together with his workplace learning, will provide him with good skills and experience to apply for entry-level jobs in the banking industry.

Jenny – Food blogger

Jenny has a passion for food and would like to turn her hobby of food blogging into a career. Jenny is deciding between going to TAFE after Year 12 to get more formal practical experience by doing a Patisserie course, or going to university to focus on her photography with a Bachelor of Design.

As she is undecided about which path she will take after school, Jenny chooses to undertake four ATAR courses and one General course. To complement her secondary education program, Jenny is also looking at enrolling in the Community Arts Performance Endorsed Program. In addition to being WACE eligible, this combination of courses means that Jenny receives an ATAR score for guaranteed entry into university, as well as providing a pathway for entry into TAFE.

More information

It is important that you research the specific entry requirements for University or TAFE courses to assist in WACE course or VET qualification selections in Years 11 and 12. Talk with your parents and teachers as well about the pathway you think will work best for you.

The minimum requirements for a student to receive a WACE can be found at: https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/the-wace/wace-requirements

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Year 12 enrolments

Did you know that your school has provided your Year 12 enrolments to the Authority?

You now have an opportunity to check to ensure that the information provided is correct. How do you check the information and when do you need to do this by?

Checking course enrolments

Year 12 students are able to check on their enrolments in courses by accessing the student portal at/via https://studentportal.scsa.wa.edu.au.

The Authority will be collecting enrolments in VET and endorsed programs later in the year. As such, if you are studying these programs, they will not be listed at this stage.

What do I need to access the student portal?

To access the student portal, you need to have your WA student number (WASN) – which you can find out through your school. When you visit the portal for the first time you will be prompted to change your password. You will need to use your password each time you want to access the portal.

You will need to visit the portal throughout the year to download various items (e.g. a copy of your Personalised written examination timetable) and to view your results. The Authority will keep you posted via Facebook and our website, so you know when details become available. A complete list of what you will be able to download can be found in the Year 12 Information Handbook 2019, Part I: Information for all students available on the Authority website at https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/year-12-information.

Completing the Student Declaration and Permission

When you log in to the student portal you will be required to complete the Student Declaration and Permission before you can gain access to your enrolment information.

What is the purpose of completing the online Student Declaration and Permission?

The purpose of this online Student Declaration and Permission is to ensure students are aware of the requirements:

• to achieve the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE)
• for sitting the ATAR course examinations.

It also enables students to give permission for the:

• release of certain personal information should they receive an award
• use of school work for creating support materials and
• use of examination responses (written and practical).

What do I do if the information in the student portal is incorrect?

The student portal is a space for Year 12 students to check and access personal information that relates to their WACE.

If any of your information, including your personal details or enrolments is incorrect, then you must let your school know so that they can update your information.

When do I need to have checked my course enrolments?

The last date for changes to enrolments for ATAR, General, Foundation, Preliminary and VET industry specific courses for Year 12 students is Thursday, 4 April 2019. This being the case, it is strongly recommended that you let your school know of any errors as soon as possible so that they may inform the Authority in time before the last date. After Thursday, 4 April 2019, the Authority’s data base will be locked and no further changes (except withdrawals) will be accepted in the above courses.

Can I withdraw from courses after the last enrolment date?

While, you are unable to enrol into a ‘new’ course after 4 April, 2019, you can still withdraw from courses by the dates below.

Year 12 students are able to withdraw from ATAR courses (Units 3 and 4) with practical examination components until Friday, 26 July 2019. In the case of ATAR courses (Units 3 and 4) which do not have practical examination components, ATAR (Units 1 and 2), General, Foundation, Preliminary the last date for withdrawing is Thursday, 15 August 2019.

Any changes to your current program of study must be discussed with your parents/guardian and school before a final decision is made to alter your program.

Consequences of withdrawing from courses

Withdrawing from units may mean you don’t complete enough units this year and may not meet the requirements to achieve a WACE. The WACE requirements are set out in the Year 12 Information Handbook 2019, Part I: Information for all students.

Am I on track to receive the WACE?

Once you are satisfied that your enrolment with the Authority is correct, you should use the WACE Checker to see how you are progressing towards meeting the requirements of the WACE.

What is the WACE Checker?

The WACE Checker is a tool which Year 12 students can use to check on their progress towards meeting the requirements of the WACE. It is designed to determine whether you have met (or are expected to meet) each of the requirements for the WACE. You can then choose to save and/or download and print the report. You can save the data entered into the checker for a month. When you select save you get an access code that will to allow you to use the ‘Fetch My Data’ button in the Checker. You can also save the summary of your input as a PDF and use this to track your progress and to check the impact of any changes to your enrolments.

You will find the Checker, and more information on how to use it, on the Authority website at https://wacechecker.scsa.wa.edu.au/.

Support of the WACE Checker

The ‘Tell me more’ button provides support when using the Checker. If you have any concerns about your progress towards meeting the requirements of the WACE after entering your information, you should follow up with the support staff at your school. They will be able to help you clarify any issues around your enrolments and achievements.

Please remember the decisions you make now may affect your future study plans so think carefully and weigh up your options.

All the best with your studies.

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Monday, 17 December is ‘results day’ and we know students, along with their families and friends, are likely to have some questions. Here are some questions we are often asked around this time of the year and responses to these questions to help you plan your next steps.

How can I access my results?

You can access your school and examination results via the student portal at

https://wace.wa.edu.au. You will need your WA Student Number and password to access the portal.

Your password may be different from the one you use for the TISC website to access your ATAR. If you have made a university application through TISC, you will have set your own password.

Where will I find my Student Number?

Look for your student number on your school report, SmartRider or on your examination timetable.

Note: due to privacy and security requirements, the Authority cannot provide student numbers over the phone or by email.

What is included in the Year 12 results?

Your Year 12 results will include the following details, as appropriate:

• achievement of a WACE
• achievement of the literacy and numeracy standard
• school grades, school marks*, moderated school marks*, examination marks* and combined scores for all ATAR (Units 3 and 4) courses for the current year only
• school grades and school marks in General and Foundation units
• completed VET industry specific units
• successfully completed VET units of competency
• completed endorsed programs
• number of community service hours undertaken (if reported by your school)
• completed Preliminary units.

*A course with a practical examination component will have the written and practical marks reported separately.

Senior secondary achievements in previous years will also be listed.

When will I receive my folio of achievement?

Folios of achievement are posted in mid-January 2019 and include one or more of the following, as appropriate:

• WASSA – Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement
• WACE – Western Australian Certificate of Education
• ATAR course report – for each ATAR course completed.
• Selected award certificates, which include the following: Certificates of Merit, Certificates of Distinction, Subject Certificates of Excellence, Special Subject Certificates of Excellence, Certificates of Excellence VET and Special Certificates of Excellence VET.

From the beginning of February 2019, you will be able to download electronic versions of your WASSA, WACE and ATAR course reports via the portal.

More details relating the WACE, WASSA and ATAR course reports can be found in The WACE 2018: Your Guide to the WASSA, WACE and ATAR Course Report is available on the Authority website at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/certification/wace.

How will I know if I’ve received an award or exhibition?

Awards and exhibitions, including the Beazley medallists, will be announced on Friday, 21 December. A list of award winners will be published on the Authority’s website after the announcement (late morning, Friday, 21 December).

Students who receive any of the following awards will receive their certificates at the Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, 13 February 2019: Beazley Medal: WACE, Beazley Medal: VET, General exhibitions, Special general awards, and Subject exhibitions.

What will appear on my WASSA if I missed an ATAR examination?

If you did not sit an ATAR course examination and did not have an approved sickness/misadventure application, you have not completed the course and it will not appear on your WASSA. Nor will you receive an ATAR course report for that course.

For ATAR courses with practical components, students must have completed both the written and practical examination.

How do Year 10 and Year 11 students find out their ATAR course examination results?

Year 10 and Year 11 students who sat an ATAR course examination will be sent an ATAR course report from the Authority. These results are not available via the student portal.

How do non-school candidates find out their ATAR course examination results?

Non-school candidates will receive a letter from the Authority informing them of their examination marks. Examination results are not printed on the WASSA when the student was enrolled as a
non-school candidate.

If I didn’t achieve a WACE, what can I do?

Depending on the requirements that you did not meet, you have some options.

Students who still need to demonstrate the literacy and numeracy standard

You will be able to apply to re-sit the OLNA (Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment) in March 2019. Details will be available on our website in early January. OLNA FAQs for 2018 Year 12 students are available at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/assessment/olna/students-parents-carers.

Students who need to complete a VET qualification

If you did not achieve a WACE because you did not complete a VET qualification in time, you can complete it in the future and then notify us so we can add the details to your student record and issue you with a WACE (providing all other WACE requirements have been met). Details will be available on our website in early January.

Students who did not get a WACE because they did not meet the breadth and depth and/or achievement standard requirements

If you did not meet the breadth and depth and/or achievement standard requirements, you need to consider your options for continuing enrolment at a school.

When will the Universities Admission Advice Letters be available?

The Tertiary Institutions Service Centre (TISC) is responsible for information about university admissions. All students with at least one scaled score can access their TISC Universities Admission Advice Letter (UAAL) via the TISC website from Monday, 17 December 2018.

These letters contain the following information:

• scaled score for each ATAR examination sat
• advice on your achievement of a WACE
• ATAR/Selection Rank

• eligibility status for each of the four public universities.

Any questions relating to the UAAL, scaling or the calculation of the ATAR, contact TISC via info@tisc.edu.au or 9318 8000.

Do you need more information?

If you have any further questions, have a look at Part I and Part II of the Year 12 Information Handbook at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/further-resources/year-12-information.

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A word from Catherine Carver, Publications Officer

The Year 12 Information Handbook is published each year. This year’s handbook has been split into two parts following feedback, particularly from students. Not all students need information about the ATAR course examinations. Students requiring information about the ATAR course examinations wanted it a bit closer to exam season.

The solution

Part I of the Year 12 Information Handbook 2018 provides an overview of general information relevant to all Year 12 students. Part II focuses on important information and dates relating to ATAR course examinations.

Part I

Part I of the Year 12 Information Handbook 2018 was published in March and contains information significant to all Year 12 students, including the WACE requirements in place for the year, the difference between the WACE and the WASSA, where to find information and who to go to if you have questions. There is also information about how school-based assessment works. It is important that all Year 12 students are familiar with Part I of the handbook and are aware of the relevant dates and deadlines.

Part II

Part II was published in July and is specifically for Year 12 ATAR students. It contains information about the ATAR course examinations. The focus on sitting examinations and examination rules and the processes followed if a breach of these rules occurs is clearly important. There is information about what happens after the examinations and when you will receive your results and folio of achievement.

Part II also includes advice on how to handle the pressure of exams, what you can do to get the most out of your study time and tips to remember in the examination room.

Referring to the Handbook

With the written ATAR course examinations starting next week, Year 12s are encouraged to read through Part II of the handbook if they have questions about the exams. There are contact points listed in the handbook if more information is required.

Part I and Part II of the Year 12 Information Handbook 2018 are now available on the School Curriculum and Standards Authority website at: https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/year-12-information.

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In March this year, I wrote about students deciding whether to change courses. It is now time for students to decide whether they are going to withdraw from Year 12 courses.

The difference between withdrawing and changing a course

It might seem obvious but it is important to be aware of the difference between changing a course and withdrawing from a course.

Changing means that you replace one course enrolment with another, but withdrawing means you are no longer studying a course. If you withdraw from a course, there will be no listing of your enrolment in the course for this year on your Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement (WASSA). This means you will not receive any credit for the work you have done for this year’s units prior to dropping the course.

Implications

Year 12 courses are studied as a pair of units. You must complete the pair of Year 12 units to receive credit for the grade to contribute towards meeting the WACE requirements.

Deadlines

The Authority needs to be notified of withdrawals to student enrolments in Year 12 ATAR courses with practical examination components by Friday, 27 July.

The last date for the Authority to be notified of withdrawals to student enrolments in Year 12 ATAR courses with only written examination components and other Year 12 General, Foundation and Preliminary courses is Friday, 17 August.

Note: Schools may have earlier deadlines in order to manage the administrative work that goes with changes to enrolments.

Seek good advice

The decision to change your enrolments should not be made lightly. You should discuss your options with your parents/guardians as well as your teachers, Year Coordinator or Careers Counsellor before you make a final decision. In particular, you should check (double check … triple check) that you will continue to be on track to meet the WACE requirements.

Checking with the WACE checker

The Authority’s WACE Checker can help you with your decision. You can use it to check on your progress towards meeting the WACE requirements. It is designed to show whether you have met (or are expected to meet) each of the requirements for the WACE.

You will find the Checker, and more information on how to use it, on the Authority website at https://wacechecker.scsa.wa.edu.au. If you have printed or saved a PDF of the report from the WACE Checker, you can use that when you talk to your school.

WACE requirements

The full WACE requirements are listed in the Year 12 Information Handbook, on the Authority website at https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/year-12-information. Year 12 students should know what they need to do to meet the WACE requirements. When considering withdrawing from a course, remember the WACE completion requirements. To achieve the WACE, you must complete:

• a minimum of 20 units (which may include unit equivalents attained through VET and/or endorsed programs), including ten Year 12 units
• four units from an English course, post-Year 10, including at least one pair of Year 12 units from an English course
• one pair of Year 12 units from each of List A (arts/languages/social sciences) and List B (mathematics/science/technology).

Completing an ATAR course

To complete a Year 12 ATAR course means you are required to sit the ATAR course examination. For Year 12 ATAR courses with practical components, you must complete both the written and practical examinations.

If you do not sit an ATAR course examination, and you do not have an approved sickness/misadventure application for that course, the grade for the pair of units (Units 3 and 4) will not contribute to the calculation of the WACE.

You may be enrolled in ATAR course/s but may not need an ATAR for your future plans. Even so, you must sit the examination for that course for it to contribute to your WACE and for it to appear on your WASSA.

Consequences of not sitting an ATAR course examination – WACE requirements

If you stay enrolled in an ATAR course and then do not sit the ATAR course examination, then the grade for the ATAR Year 12 course where you were absent for the exam (without an approved sickness/misadventure application), will not contribute to:

• completion of a minimum of 20 units, including ten Year 12 units
• completion of at least one pair of Year 12 units from an English course (if the ATAR Year 12 course was either English, Literature or English as an Additional Language or Dialect)
• completion of one pair of Year 12 units from List A (arts/languages/social sciences) or List B (mathematics/science/technology) {depending on the list of the ATAR Year 12 course}
• achievement of at least 14 C grades or higher, including at least six C grades in Year 12 units
• completion of at least four Year 12 ATAR courses.

Consequences of not sitting an ATAR course examination – certification

If you are enrolled in a Year 12 ATAR course and do not sit the course examination (without an approved sickness/misadventure application) you will not:

• have a course mark generated
• have a grade for the Year 12 ATAR course recorded on your WASSA
• receive an ATAR course report.

What it comes down to

If you are enrolled in a Year 12 ATAR course, you need to know that withdrawing from a course is an important decision. Think carefully about what is right for you and work within the deadlines.

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Did you know that Thursday, 5 April is the last day to change your course enrolment if you’re in Year 12, or enrolled in a Year 12 course? Now is the time to make some decisions.

Check your enrolments today

Year 12 student can check their enrolments and personal details online at https://www.wace.wa.edu.au. To log on, you will need your WA student number and other personal identification information. The Authority strongly encourages you to check that your enrolments in course units are listed. This is especially important where students are studying at more than one school (e.g. also studying via SIDE). Students must report inaccurate information to the school for updating.

Changing your enrolment

Changing your enrolment can impact how you meet the requirements of the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE). It might also impact on your options for further study and the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) you achieve.

Changing your enrolment is a decision that you should make carefully. You should ensure that you:

1. check your options and use the Authority’s WACE Checker (see below) to see the impact any change might have on meeting the requirements of the WACE
2. talk with your parents/guardians as well as your teachers, Year Coordinator or Careers Counsellor before you make a final decision
3. meet the deadline to change your enrolment – and be aware that schools may have earlier deadlines than Thursday, 5 April in order to manage the administrative work that goes with changes to enrolments.

You will not be able to pick up new courses after Thursday, 5 April until a new school year begins. This means, if you don’t have enough units from the courses you complete this year to meet the WACE requirements, you will need to continue your studies next year.

Withdrawing

Withdrawing from courses means there will be no listing of your enrolment in these courses for this year on your Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement (WASSA). After Thursday, 5 April, you will only be able to withdraw from your courses.

The dates for withdrawing from courses in 2018 are:

• Friday, 27 July for Year 12 ATAR courses with practical examinations component
• Friday, 17 August for all other Year 12 courses – including Year 12 ATAR courses without a practical examination component, General, Foundation and Preliminary courses.

If you remain enrolled in a course after these dates for withdrawal, you are expected to complete the assessment requirements of the course. The results you achieve for ATAR (see section about ATAR courses below), General, Foundation and Preliminary courses will be listed on your WASSA.

Withdrawing from units may mean you don’t complete enough units this year and may not meet the requirements to achieve a WACE. The WACE requirements are set out in the Year 12 Information Handbook 2018, available on the Authority website at https://scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/year-12-information.

ATAR students

If you are enrolled in an ATAR Year 12 course, and you do not withdraw from that course, you are required to sit the ATAR examination in that course.

If you do not sit an ATAR course examination and do not have an approved sickness/misadventure application for that course, then the grades for the pair of units completed in that year will not contribute to the calculation of the WACE.

This means that the grades from your school-based assessment for the ATAR Year 12 course will not contribute to the following WACE requirements:

• completion of a minimum of 20 units, including 10 Year 12 units
• completion of four units from an English learning area course, post-Year 10, including at least one pair of Year 12 units from an English learning area course
• completion of one pair of Year 12 units from List A (arts/languages/social sciences) or List B (mathematics/science/technology)
• achievement of at least 14 C grades or higher, including at least six C grades in Year 12 units
• completion of at least four Year 12 ATAR courses.

Checking with the WACE Checker

The Authority’s WACE Checker can help you with your decision.

The WACE Checker is a tool you can use to check your progress towards meeting the requirements of the WACE. It is designed to show whether you have met (or are expected to meet) each of the requirements for the WACE. You will find the Checker, and more information on how to use it, on the Authority website at https://wacechecker.scsa.wa.edu.au.

Please remember the decisions you make now may affect your future study plans. Think carefully.

All the best with your studies.

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Tuesday 19 December is ‘results day’ and we know students, along with their families and friends, are likely to have some questions. Here are some answers to questions we are often asked around this time of the year.

How can I access my results?

You can access your school and examination results via the student portal at https://www.wace.wa.edu.au. You will need your WA Student Number and password to access the portal.

Where will I find my Student Number?

Look for your student number on your school report, SmartRider or an examination timetable.

Note: due to privacy and security requirements, the Authority cannot provide student numbers over the phone or by email.

Your password may be different from the one you use for the TISC website to access your ATAR. If you have made a university application through TISC, you will have set your own password.

What is included in the Year 12 results?

Year 12 results include the following details, as appropriate:

• achievement of WACE
• achievement of literacy and numeracy standard
• school grades, school marks*, moderated school marks*, examination marks* and combined scores for all ATAR (Units 3 and 4) courses for current year only
• school grades and school marks in General and Foundation units
• completed VET industry specific units
• successfully completed VET qualifications and VET units of competency
• completed endorsed programs
• number of community service hours undertaken (if reported by your school)
• completed Preliminary units.

*A course with a practical examination component will have the written and practical marks reported separately.

Senior secondary achievements in previous years will also be listed.

When will I receive my folio of achievement?

Folios of achievement are posted in mid-January 2018 and include one or more of the following, as appropriate:

• WASSA – Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement
• WACE – Western Australian Certificate of Education
• ATAR course report – for each ATAR course completed.

Selected award certificates, which include the following: Certificates of Merit, Certificates of Distinction, Subject Certificates of Excellence, Special Subject Certificates of Excellence, Certificates of Excellence VET and Special Certificates of Excellence VET.

More details relating the WACE, WASSA and ATAR course report can be found in The WACE 2017: Your Guide to the WASSA, WACE and ATAR Course Report is available on the Authority website at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/certification/wace.

How will I know if I’ve received an award or exhibition

Awards and exhibitions, including the Beazley medallists, will be announced on Friday 22 December. The student portal will be updated to include any awards or exhibitions after the formal announcement.

Students who receive any of the following awards will receive their certificates at the Awards Ceremony on Tuesday 13 February 2018: Beazley Medal: WACE, Beazley Medal: VET, General exhibitions, Special general awards, and Subject exhibitions.

What will appear on my WASSA if I missed an ATAR examination?

If you did not sit an ATAR course examination and did not have an approved sickness/misadventure application, you have not completed the course and it will not appear on your WASSA. Nor will you receive an ATAR course report for that course.

For ATAR courses with practical components, students must have completed both the written and practical examination.

How do Year 10 and Year 11 students find out their ATAR course examination results?

Year 10 and Year 11 students who sat an ATAR course examination will be sent an ATAR Course Report from the Authority. These results are not available via the student portal.

How do non-school candidates find out their ATAR course examination results?

Non-school candidates will receive a letter from the Authority informing them of their examination marks. Examination results are not printed on the WASSA when a student was enrolled as a non-school candidate.

If I didn’t achieve the WACE, what can I do?

Depending on the requirements you did not meet, you have some options.

Students who still need to demonstrate the literacy and numeracy standard

You will be able to apply to re-sit the OLNA (Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment) in March 2018. Details will be available on our website in early January. OLNA FAQs for 2017 Year 12 students are available at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/assessment/olna/students-parents-carers

Students who need to complete a VET qualification

If you did not achieve your WACE because you did not complete a VET qualification in time, you can complete it in the future and then notify us so we can add the details to your student record and issue you with a WACE (providing all other WACE requirements have been met). Details will be available on our website in early January.

Students who did not get their WACE because of not meeting the breadth and depth and/or achievement standard requirements

If you did not meet the breadth and depth and/or achievement standard requirements, you need to consider your options for continuing enrolment at a school.

When will the Universities Admission Advice Letters be available?

The Tertiary Institutions Service Centre (TISC) is responsible for information about university admissions. All students with at least one scaled score can access their TISC Universities Admission Advice Letter (UAAL) via the TISC website at www.tisc.edu.au from Tuesday 19 December 2017.

These letters contain the following information:

• scaled score for each ATAR examination sat
• advice on your achievement of WACE
• ATAR/Selection Rank
• eligibility status for each of the four public universities.

Any questions relating to the UAAL, scaling or the calculation of the ATAR, contact TISC via info@tisc.edu.au or 9318 8000.

Do you need more information

If you have any further questions, have a look at the Year 12 Information Handbook at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/further-resources/year-12-information.

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With the ATAR course written exams about to begin, I’d like to wish all candidates, their families and everyone involved in the delivery of the exams the best for the examination period. The Year 12 Information Handbook at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/further-resources/year-12-information has a section dedicated to the exams with detailed information but I would like to emphasise some points which come up every year.

Personalised examination timetables

Candidates need to take a signed copy of their personalised examination timetable to each examination. Copies of personalised timetables are available from schools or via the student portal at https://www.wace.wa.edu.au. Note: you will need your WA Student Number and password to access the portal. Your password is different from the one you use for the TISC website.

Equipment to be provided by the candidate

Candidates are responsible for providing their own stationery and any other items specified or recommended for particular courses as listed on the Examination front covers as ‘To be provided by the candidate.’ Items should be contained in a pencil case made of clear materials. Copies of the Examination front covers can be downloaded from https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/assessment/examinations/2017-examination-front-covers.

Water bottles

It can be hot during the exam period and it is important to stay hydrated. Candidates can bring water to the examination in a clear plastic bottle with all labels removed. The water bottle should have a secure lid and have a capacity of no more than 1500ml. Water bottles may not be refilled during the examination.

Clothing

Clothing worn to the exams should be acceptable to the school or centre at which the examination is being held. Caps or hats cannot be worn in the examination room and need to left with your possessions before entering the examination room. If a hood is attached to clothing, the hood must not be placed on your head. Veils or headwear, worn for cultural, medical or religious reasons as part of your usual attire when attending school, can be worn during an examination. The Authority does not require candidates to wear school uniforms to the exams.

Maths notes

Candidates may take up to two (2) A4 sheets of notes into Mathematics examinations, to be used in the calculator-assumed section only. The notes can be handwritten, typed, photocopied or commercially produced. They must be flat, contain no folds and not be pages joined by glue or tape. They may be written on both sides, but must not have other notes attached to them (including sticky notes). The notes can be laminated.

Using pen or pencil

Multiple-choice sections are scanned for marking and, therefore, need to be answered in blue or black pen. In the other sections of the examination, it is preferred that blue or black pen is used. Candidates are strongly advised not to use erasable pens as they can be affected by heat, which can impact on the clarity of the script for marking.

Times for arriving, starting, finishing and leaving

Candidates should arrive at least 30 minutes before the prescribed start time for an examination: 8.50 am for an exam that starts at 9.20 am, and 1.30 pm for an exam that starts at 2.00 pm. No one will be admitted after 30 minutes have passed from the start of the working time of the examination. Candidates entering the room late should cause as little disruption as possible.

Candidates will not be allowed to leave the examination during the first hour of the working period or during the final 15 minutes of the examination. Once the examination has finished, candidates cannot leave until all papers have been collected and the supervisors indicate everyone can leave.

Sickness and misadventure

Candidates who suffer from a temporary sickness, non-permanent disability or an unforeseen event close to or during the examinations which they believe may have resulted in performance below expectations or non-attendance in particular examinations can apply for sickness/misadventure consideration. Applications for sickness/misadventure must be received by Wednesday, 22 November 2017.

Candidates seeking sickness/misadventure consideration should note the need for medical evidence for the day of (or before) the exam and that part of the form needs to be completed by a medical practitioner.

Completing an ATAR course

If you are enrolled in a Year 12 ATAR course, you are required to sit the ATAR course examination in that course. If you do not sit the examination, and do not have an approved sickness/misadventure application, you will not have completed the course. This means the course will not appear on your WASSA (Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement) and will not count towards any of the requirements to receive a WACE (Western Australian Certificate of Education).

More information

We have also been posting some reminders about life balance, the exam rules and general exam tips on our student Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/scsawa/. These posts will continue until the end of exams.

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It's coming up to the pointy end of the school year: tests at school, assignments and those exams! To help make it a little easier, here are a few ideas to help you.

Nutrition

Keep the balance. Eat regularly with lots of vegetables and protein, and even … carbs! Fruit is good, too.

Keeping everything in proportion not only helps the brain, but also keeps your body healthy so you can cope better.

Hydration

Don't forget the water, around 2 litres a day, especially when the weather starts to warm up. It may be tempting to drink more caffeinated and energy drinks so you can stay awake longer to study. However, the sugars that most of these contain have the opposite effect. These will only make you feel more physically and mentally fatigued and impact on your ability to concentrate.

Exercise

Energise your body and your mind with some physical activity. Exercise is one of the most effective ways to improve memory and attention. Make the time to get outdoors, away from all screens and social media; enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. Vitamin D and oxygen do amazing things for your mind and body.

Stay involved with regular sporting activities, groups you belong to and make exercise a part of your day.

Not everything has to stop because of your exams and tests. Put things in perspective. Activity from a simple walk or an energetic game of basketball helps clear your mind, relax and refocus. Giving your brain a break helps it work better when you are studying and completing assignments and assessments!

Rest

You need sleep. Who would have thought that doing nothing does so much? Sleep is time to recharge and recover both mentally and physically. No devices, no books and pencils, just your pillow.

Aim to be as fresh as possible. A sleep routine is important for your mental and physical wellbeing.

Prepare

Know about the structure of each of your exams and assessments.

Prepare a clear bag of your favourite pens, pencils and any materials that you are permitted to have in the exam, and have this ready to go. That's one thing less that you need to worry about as you walk out the door to head to your exam.

Stay calm

We have all heard about people who get to an exam or are faced with an important assessment and freeze. If you tend to find that you get stressed, here are some strategies that might help.

• Breathe – focus on your breath, and slow down, be quiet and mindful.
• Stretch – imagine yourself releasing any tension in your body.
• Support – speak with a parent or teacher, if you are finding it hard to cope.

Perspective

And finally, don’t think that the exams and your Year 12 results are everything. There are many opportunities and pathways open to you after you leave school.

ATAR course exams

If you’re in Year 12 and taking ATAR course exams, your preparation can help you get through the exam season with a clear focus.

The examination front covers help you prepare for the examinations. They contain details of the structure of each examination, the allocation of marks, and the rules governing the conduct of the examination. You can have an idea of what to expect.

Check the front covers of the examinations for the list of Standard and Special items you can take into the exam. You will find the front covers at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/assessment/examinations/2017-examination-front-covers.

When you pack your materials for the ATAR course exams, remember to include your signed Personalised examination timetable and identification (e.g. a library card). It will be one less thing to remember. Also, you can water into the exam room, if it is in a clear bottle with no markings.

Remember to check your pockets before entering the examination room, and leave your mobile phone outside the room.

More information

You can find more information in this year’s Year 12 Information Handbook 2017 about ‘Preparing for examinations’ (pages 58–59) and in the ‘Be balanced’ section (pages 60–61). This information is useful for all students.

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The 2017 ATAR course exams are just around the corner, starting with the practical examinations. Practical examinations can take a number of forms and for our ATAR courses they can be a performance, an interview, portfolio or production. If you have a practical examination coming up, your preparation should be well under way. Here are some reminders and points to consider.

About dates and times

The date and time for your practical examination cannot be changed.

The time for your practical performance or interview is given on your Personalised practical examination timetable. You must attend the examination for the time given. You will not be admitted to the examination, if you arrive after your scheduled examination time.

You must take your signed Personalised practical examination timetable and identification, e.g. a library card with you to each practical examination. If you need a new copy of your timetable, you can download a copy from the student portal at https://www.wace.wa.edu.au.

Your teachers would have advised you when your portfolio and/or production submission are due. Teachers must ensure all of the school’s submissions are delivered to School Curriculum and Standards by Wednesday, 20 September.

Useful information

The Year 12 Information Handbook 2017 provides an overview of the requirements of the practical examination for each course. You will find the handbook at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/further-resources/year-12-information.

Each course with a practical examination component has a set of practical examination requirements. These are available under the Examination Materials accordion on the relevant course pages on our website at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/syllabus-and-support-materials. It is essential that you read the information given for specific courses and follow those instructions.

Avoiding breaches of examination rules

In 2016, there were 75 breaches of examination rules which resulted in loss of examination marks. Most of these breaches could have been avoided had students read and followed instructions. Make sure you know the requirements for your practical examination.

Portfolio and production submissions

Ensure that you complete all forms accurately and completely. Check that you have included all the components required for the submission. Also take care to follow any safety requirements.

Check that your name and school are not included on the materials you are submitting.

Performance and oral examinations

Follow the rules about mobile technologies, and communication with other candidates. When you finish your performance or interview, leave the examination area. It is a requirement that you do not share information with other candidates about the exam. This includes on social media.

You must not wear or carry anything that can identify you, your school or your achievements.

Completing the examination

By now you are aware that you must complete the examination in order to complete the course. For courses with a practical component, this includes the practical as well as the written examination. If you do not complete the practical, you will not have completed the course and it will not count towards your completion of the WACE requirements, nor will it appear on your WASSA.

Sickness and misadventure

If you are unwell or experience a misadventure close to, or during the examinations, you may make a sickness or misadventure application. Sickness/misadventure applications are assessed by a panel that includes a medical practitioner.

Should you need to apply for consideration because of sickness/misadventure, check the information available in the Year 12 Information Handbook 2017 and on the Authority website carefully.

Further information

Page 5 of the Year 12 Information Handbook 2017 lists some places to find more detailed information. There is an email address for examination queries – exams@scsa.wa.edu.au and a Facebook page for students at https://facebook.com/SCSAWA.

We wish you all the best with your practicals.

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We are now in the position to announce that assessment activities and assessment support materials are available and ready for you to explore on the open section of the website. The Judging standards materials which include the Reading Aloud samples are secured in the Extranet* (top right corner of the Authority Home website. You can log in by registering with your TRBWA number.
www.scsa.wa.edu.au/extranet/login

*The Extranet is a secure area for teachers to access materials and resources.

Sample Teaching and Learning Outlines

Teaching and Learning Outlines are now available in Science, HASS, Health and Physical Education and for Kindergarten.  The sample teaching and learning outlines exemplify the elements of a teaching and learning program. When developing a program for your students consider the following:

• timing and sequencing of the year level syllabus content
• range of learning experiences through which students can apply the knowledge, skills and concepts from the syllabus content
• selection of resources to support teaching and learning experiences
• implementation of the principles of teaching and learning as articulated in the ‘Ways of teaching’ in the Overview of the syllabus.

http://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/teaching/teaching-support-materials

Reading Aloud samples

Early Childhood (P–2) Reading Aloud samples show students completing reading assessments. The videos highlight the importance of assessment beyond students’ ability to decode text by addressing aspects of the achievement standard in relation to students’ ability to interpret and respond to a range of texts and text types. They reflect age-appropriate learning and curriculum content relevant to the specific year level.

The samples have been developed with classroom teachers from a range of schools in Western Australia.

A reminder

Grades should be allocated based on a suite of work. The samples are carefully annotated to exemplify the observable qualities that are indicative of the allocated grade.

k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/assessment/judgingstandards

Assessment Activities

The new additions include: Science (Years 4 and 6), Mathematics (Years 1–6) and Health and Physical Education (Year 2, 3, 5 and 6). Sample marking keys are provided with many of the tasks. These keys vary in their format according to the years of schooling and the assessment strategy. A marking key should be developed by teachers at the same time as the assessment activity is being developed. The suggested, but not compulsory, summative marking keys are detailed and can be used at the end of a teaching cycle to provide additional evidence for reporting purposes. The marking keys:

• support a consistent interpretation of the criteria that guide the teacher's judgement
• provide the basis for feedback to students
• enable the fair and valid ranking of student achievement.

The assessment activity and marking key formats are not prescriptive.

k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/assessment/assessment-activities

Kindergarten

A five week sample program focusing on an inquiry question to investigate a ‘big idea’ allows children and educators to pursue knowledge and increase understanding across the learning and development areas. This dynamic and play-based program allows children to transfer concepts and develop a deeper understanding in a range of perspectives with the educator not only leading learning but researching alongside the children. At the end of the document you will locate a Play Opportunity Web (POW) that incorporates a range of different ideas to suit different learning styles.

k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/media/teaching-support-materials/kindergarten/Kindergarten-Sample-Teaching-Learning-Outline-2017.PDF

Keep up-to-date

Keep informed by signing up for the Authority’s Kto10Circular at www.scsa.wa.edu.au/.

Tick the circular you require (you might like to receive the 11to12 Circular as well), add your email address and send. You will automatically receive updates.

Blog image: https://pixabay.com/en/detective-magnifying-glass-viewing-788592/

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Are you in Year 12 and wondering how you are progressing towards meeting the requirements of the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE)? The School Curriculum and Standards Authority is pleased to announce that it has developed a WACE Checker for Year 12 students.

What is it?

The WACE Checker is a tool which Year 12s can use to check their progress towards meeting the requirements of the WACE. It is designed to determine whether you have met (or are expected to meet) each of the requirements for the WACE. The WACE Checker is easy to use and is now available on the Authority website at: https://wacechecker.scsa.wa.edu.au.

Providing information

The WACE Checker calculates on the basis of the information entered into the system.

By its nature, some of the information is assumed – you’re putting in what you expect to achieve in Year 12, and perhaps looking to see what the impact on meeting the requirements will be if you do not complete a course.

To use the WACE Checker, add information about your achievements in Year 11 and your expected achievements in Year 12. The tool collects information about:

• literacy and numeracy standard
• course enrolment
• VET achievement
• VET industry specific courses
• endorsed programs
• block credit.

Calculating progress

Once you have added the information about your enrolments and achievement, the WACE Checker calculates your progress.

As a tool, the checker will be of most assistance if the information provided for Year 12 is realistic.

When you add your anticipated grades for Year 12, you need to add what you realistically expect to achieve this year.

Providing feedback

The WACE Checker generates a report that shows the information you have entered and the requirements that you have met. If you are missing a requirement, the WACE Checker shows what it is. You can then choose to save and/or download and print the report.

An option to save

You can use a save function which will keep the data entered into the checker for a month. An access code is provided to allow you to use the ‘Fetch My Data’ button when you select that option in the checker.

A copy to print

The WACE Checker allows you to save the summary of your input as a PDF. You can use this PDF to track your progress and to check the impact of any changes to your enrolments or achievements.

Tell me more

The ‘Tell me more’ button provides support when using the Checker.

A guide, not a guarantee

The WACE Checker is provided as a guide only. The report it generates must not be interpreted as a guarantee that you will achieve a WACE. You need to remember that achievement of the WACE is dependent on the calculation of a student’s final results and completion of courses.

You are encouraged to consult the Year 12 Information Handbook for the relevant year, or your school, if you wish to confirm WACE eligibility based on your enrolment and predicted/actual achievement. If you have printed or saved a PDF of the report from the WACE Checker, you can use that when you talk to your school.

Following up

If you have any concerns about your progress towards meeting the requirements of the WACE after entering your information, you should follow up with the support staff at your school. They will be able to help you clarify any issues around your enrolments and achievements.

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Completing a VET qualification as part of your WACE (Western Australian Certificate of Education) is a great beginning to life after school.

As well as preparing you for the world of work, your VET qualification may make you eligible for this year’s VET Awards.

Applying for a VET award

You might be thinking about applying for this year’s VET Awards. If so, here are some things to consider.

Applying for the VET awards can be a great way to hone your interview and presentation skills and, if successful, you will be awarded with a Certificate of Excellence. The top student from an industry area may also be awarded a VET exhibition. Students awarded with a VET Exhibition are shortlisted for the Beazley Medal: VET.

Applying for the VET awards is also an excellent opportunity to develop your job application skills, even if you aren’t shortlisted for an interview. Enhancing your job application skills is something you will need to continually improve upon throughout your career so why not get a head start now?

Check your eligibility

To achieve a VET exhibition or Certificate of Excellence, you must meet some general criteria:

• be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident of Australia
• be enrolled as a full-time student in a registered secondary school
• have satisfied the requirements for a WACE at the time of the determination of the award.

In addition, you will have completed in Year 12:

• a nationally recognised VET qualification to a minimum AQF level 2*; and
• at least two unit equivalents of the Authority-Developed Workplace Learning (ADWPL) Endorsed Program equivalent to 110 hours or more. (Make sure that the workplace is related to the industry area you submit your nomination in).

*If you have made reasonable progress towards the completion of a Certificate III or higher you are also eligible for nomination.

To be eligible for the Beazley Medal: VET, you must meet the general criteria and also have achieved a VET exhibition in one of the nine industry areas.

Shortlisting and interviews

Nominations received from eligible students are considered by a panel that prepares a shortlist of nominees. Shortlisted students are invited to an interview. The interview gives you an opportunity to showcase your skills, knowledge and experience in your chosen industry area. It also gives you an opportunity to reflect on your presentation skills for future interviews.

Advice from last year’s winner

The 2016 Beazley Medal: VET award recipient, Esperance Senior High School’s Tate Bertola, suggests if you are thinking of applying for this year’s VET awards to make sure you have an in depth understanding of the trade or industry you are studying ‘because it will be a lot easier when someone starts firing questions at you. Think about what questions you would be asked and the kinds of things that people (the panel) would want to know.’

The next step

Check out last year’s blog post for additional information on the nomination process and interview panel.

Download the VET awards brochure and Nomination Kit for full details.

Remember, nominations for the 2017 VET awards close at 4.30 pm on Monday, 4 September. If you’re interested in submitting a nomination, leave plenty of time to complete the nomination process.

If you have questions

If you have questions you should talk with the VET coordinator at your school.

You can also check out the School Curriculum and Standards Authority Exhibition and Awards webpage at http://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/certification/exhibitions-and-awards

If you have problems with the nomination process, you can email awards@scsa.wa.edu.au

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In March I wrote about students needing to decide whether to change courses. Now, it is time for students to decide whether they are going to withdraw from Year 12 courses.

Withdrawing is different from changing a course

It might seem obvious but it is important to be aware of the difference between changing a course and withdrawing from a course.

Changing means that you replace one enrolment with another. Withdrawing means you drop an enrolment. Withdrawing from a course means there will be no listing of your enrolment in the course for this year on your Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement (WASSA). This means you will not receive any credit for the work you have done for this year’s units prior to dropping the course.

Implications

Year 12 courses are dealt with in terms of pairs of units. Even if you have ‘completed’ Unit 3, it will not count towards your Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE), and it will not appear on your WASSA.

Deadlines

The Authority needs to be notified of withdrawals to student enrolments in Year 12 ATAR courses with practical examination components by Friday, 28 July.

The last date for the Authority to be notified of withdrawals to student enrolments in Year 12 ATAR courses with only written examination components and other Year 12 General, Foundation and Preliminary courses is Friday, 25 August.

Note: Schools may have earlier deadlines in order to manage the administrative work that goes with changes to enrolments.

Seek good advice

Changing your enrolments is a big decision and it should not be made lightly. You should discuss your options with your parents/guardians as well as your teachers, Year Coordinator or Careers Counsellor before you make a final decision. In particular, you should check (double check … triple check) that you will continue to be on track to meet the WACE requirements.

WACE requirements

To achieve the WACE, you must complete:

• a minimum of 20 units (which may include unit equivalents attained through VET and/or endorsed programs), including ten Year 12 units
• two Year 11 units from an English course, post-Year 10, including at least one pair of Year 12 units from an English course
• one pair of Year 12 units from each of List A (arts/languages/social sciences) and List B (mathematics/science/technology).

Completing an ATAR course

To complete a Year 12 ATAR course means you are required to sit the ATAR course examination. For Year 12 ATAR courses with practical components, you must complete both the written and practical examinations.

If you do not sit an ATAR course examination, and you do not have an approved sickness/misadventure application for that course, the grade for the pair of units (Units 3 and 4) will not contribute to the calculation of the WACE.

You may be enrolled in ATAR course/s but may not need an ATAR for your future plans. Even so, you must sit the examination for that course for it to contribute to your WACE and for it to appear on your WASSA.

Consequences of not sitting an ATAR course examination – WACE requirements

If you stay enrolled in an ATAR course and then do not sit the ATAR course examination, then the grade for the ATAR Year 12 course where you were absent for the exam (and do not have an approved sickness/misadventure application), will not contribute to:

• completion of a minimum of 20 units, including 10 Year 12 units
• completion of at least one pair of Year 12 units from an English course (if the ATAR Year 12 course was either English, Literature or English as an Additional Language or Dialect)
• completion of one pair of Year 12 units from List A (arts/languages/social sciences) or List B (mathematics/science/technology) {depending on the list of the ATAR Year 12 course}
• achievement of at least 14 C grades or higher, including at least six C grades in Year 12 units
• completion of at least four Year 12 ATAR courses.

Consequences of not sitting an ATAR course examination – certification

If you are enrolled in a Year 12 ATAR course and do not sit the course examination (and do not have an approved sickness/misadventure application) you will not:

• have a course mark generated
• have a grade for the Year 12 ATAR course recorded on your WASSA
• receive an ATAR course report.

What it comes down to

If you are in Year 12, or someone enrolled in a Year 12 ATAR course, you need to know that withdrawing from a course is an important decision. Think carefully about what is right for you and work within the deadlines.

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The student portal – https://www.wace.wa.edu.au – is now open for all Year 12 students, and anyone enrolled in ATAR course examinations, to complete the online student declaration and permissions. These are expected to be completed by Thursday, 22 June 2017.  

Why are the declaration and permissions important?

Student Declaration

The student declaration is an acknowledgement that you know and understand some important information.

It is important that all Year 12 students are aware of the requirements to achieve the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE). If you are sitting ATAR course examinations you also need to know what the rules and expectations are for those.

Knowing yourself what is required to achieve the end result empowers you. Making sure you are informed is a way to avoid disappointment and the potential for stress and confusion. For this reason, it is good to know right from the beginning what you are working for and what you need to achieve it.

You will find the requirements in the Year 12 Information Handbook. This is available on the Authority website at http://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/year-12-information. The answers to most questions you will ask about the WACE come from this handbook.  

Signing the student declaration shows that you have read the handbook and you know what is required of you as a Year 12, or someone not in Year 12 but who will be a candidate for an ATAR course examination.

Student Permissions

The second thing we need you to do when you make your student declaration is complete a permissions agreement. You will be asked to give permission for the following:

• Release your name if you win an award

Did you know that we publish a list of award winners at the end of the year? If you don’t give us permission to release your name, we put ‘Not for Publication’ next to the name of your school.

• Use school work for creating support materials
• Use examination responses (written and practical).

You have had the benefit of teachers being able to look at work and materials from previous students, now this is your chance to make a contribution to education. All students benefit from the professional discussions teachers have and the resources they can draw on. This has deepened their understanding of the courses and has also promoted an awareness of common standards across schools within the state.

What next?

We recommend you discuss this information with your parents/guardians before you complete your responses. All the information is available on the Authority website at http://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/the-wace/student-declaration.

Thank you for taking the time in completing this valuable information.

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We have made some changes to student eligibility for enrolment in Foundation courses. We made these changes as a result of our consultations with teachers where we were advised that the eligibility rules around enrolments in the List B Foundation courses needed reviewing.

There are three List B Foundation courses: Foundation Mathematics, Foundation Health, Physical and Outdoor Education and Foundation Applied Information Technology.

The change

From Semester 2, 2017, students who have not demonstrated the minimum literacy standard are permitted to enrol in both the List A and List B Foundation courses. This is a change from the rule where students who have not met the literacy standard have been eligible to enrol only in Foundation List A courses.

Why we made the change

The change reflects the emphasis that List B Foundation courses place on both literacy and numeracy. In the List B Foundation courses there are clear connections to course content that support the development of students’ literacy skills.

The change accommodates students who have demonstrated the OLNA numeracy standard but not the literacy standard. These students need to continue to develop the literacy skills that are needed to support their ongoing development of numeracy skills integral to Foundation List B course content and structure.

What it means

The change means that Year 11 students who have demonstrated the numeracy standard but not the literacy standard can enrol in List B Foundation courses in Semester 2, 2017. Alternatively, students may choose to enrol in General or ATAR List B courses. If students choose this option, they should be aware that the literacy demands of the courses may present significant challenges for their skills.

What schools need to do

Schools will receive the results from the March 2017 OLNA in May. When they receive the OLNA results, schools should identify those students whose eligibility to enrol in Foundation courses has changed.

Any changes to a student’s eligibility and their options for Semester 2 enrolments should be discussed with the student and their parents/guardians.

Schools have until Friday, 2 June 2017 to update student enrolments in Foundation courses to reflect changes in student eligibility.

What the Authority will do

The Authority will review student enrolments in Foundation courses against the OLNA results.

After this date, the Authority will withdraw students’ enrolments in Foundation courses where they are not eligible to be enrolled.

If you have questions

Year 11 students who have questions about changes to their courses for Semester 2 and into Year 12 should speak with their teachers and staff at their school.

School administrators with questions about the process for changing student enrolments should email the Data Services team at dataservices@scsa.wa.edu.au.

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If you’re in Years 10, 11 or 12, there is information on our website that you need to know about.

Year 11 and 12 students

The Year 12 Information Handbook is published each year for students in Year 12. It contains information about the WACE requirements in place for the year, the difference between the WACE and the WASSA, where to find information and who to go to if you have questions. There is information about how school-based assessment works and an extensive section about ATAR courses. This last section concentrates on examinations and includes information about rules, how the practical and written exams work and what happens after the exams.

While the information in the handbook is targeted at Year 12s this is information that students in Year 11 should be starting to become familiar with. There bits of advice about study and keeping a balanced approach to your studies that are worth getting to grips with sooner rather than later. Also, if you are a Year 11 enrolled in a Year 12 ATAR course you need to know the information about the ATAR course exams.

Year 10 students

There is a Year 10 Information Handbook that we publish each year for students in Year 10. It isn’t as extensive as the handbook for Year 12s, but it contains information to support you in making decisions for Years 11 and 12. It explains the WACE requirements

There is also a slideshow on our website that accompanies the Year 10 Information Handbook. We make this available to schools to use with parents and students at Year 10 information evenings and for subject selection counselling. You might find it useful to refer to if you have any questions.

Social media

We know that not everyone uses social media – and that when you’re studying it is ESSENTIAL not to become distracted by sites like Facebook and Twitter. Social media can, however, be a useful way to communicate and should not be a problem when used responsibly. For this reason, the Authority has two Facebook pages and a Twitter account. These provide options for contacting us.

https://facebook.com/SCSAWA: is the page we recommend as most relevant to students in Years 10, 11 and 12, their parents, teachers and community stakeholders. The focus of the page is on providing information to students working towards the WACE and a WASSA. You can message us directly through this page and we will get back to you as quickly as we can.

On the subject of response times, our office hours are 8.00 am to 4.30 pm from Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays. We formally monitor our social media accounts during these hours. Please be aware that a response to a question or comment may take some time to be provided due to checking processes and other commitments. Responding out-of-hours is on a case-by-case basis and is dependent on staff availability.

We also have https://facebook.com/SCSAWAteachers, which is mostly for teachers but community stakeholders may find it interesting, and https://twitter.com/scsawa, which provides general information to the Authority’s stakeholders.

Other points of contact

The student portal https://www.wace.wa.edu.au is where Year 12s (and anyone enrolled in a Year 12 ATAR course) need to go to check enrolments and, if relevant, your examination timetable. This is also where you need to go to complete the Student Declaration and Permission. (The Student Declaration and Permission is important for Year 12s. You are expected to complete it by Thursday, 22 June 2017.)

It is important to remember that if, when you check your enrolment, you see that you need to make changes to your personal details or your enrolments, you must inform your school. This gets to be critical once it is time to mail out your folio of achievement at the end of the year. (You can find out about the folio of achievement in the Year 12 Information Handbook.)

You can have ask your teacher or your school careers counsellor about any enrolment questions you might have. Alternatively, you can contact the Authority on 9273 6344 or email enrolments@scsa.wa.edu.au.

If you have questions about examinations (timetables, processes, etc.), you can email exams@scsa.wa.edu.au.

General enquiries can be directed to info@scsa.wa.edu.au.

Stay in touch

Obviously, the questions you might ask would be about timetables and processes. You wouldn’t be wanting to know about what’s in the exams. No one can give out that information.

We also can’t provide subject specific advice. Your teacher is the best person to contact about the work you are doing at school.

If there is anything you don’t understand about the WACE requirements or you have questions from reading the handbooks or attending an information session, ask. There is quite a bit to come to terms with when you are working towards your WACE and it is worth staying in touch with your teachers and school staff as well. Avoid stress and confusion by seeking clarification when you need it.

All the best with your studies.

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The time is fast approaching for Year 12 students to decide whether or not to change course enrolment. Changing your enrolments is a big decision and it should not be made lightly. You should discuss your options with your parents/guardians as well as your teachers, Year Coordinator or Careers Counsellor before you make a final decision.

Schools may have earlier deadlines in order to manage the administrative work that goes with changes to enrolments, but the last date for the Authority to be notified of changes to Year 12 enrolments is Wednesday, 5 April. After then, you will only be able to withdraw from your courses.

Withdrawing from courses means there will be no listing of your enrolment in these courses for this year on your Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement (WASSA). The dates for withdrawing are:

• Friday, 28 July for Year 12 ATAR courses with practical examinations component
• Friday, 25 August for all other Year 12 courses – including Year 12 ATAR courses without a practical examination component, General, Foundation and Preliminary courses.

If you remain enrolled in a course after these dates for withdrawal, you are expected to complete the assessment requirements of the course. The results you achieve for ATAR (see note about ATAR courses below), General, Foundation and Preliminary courses will be listed on your WASSA.

You will not be able to pick up new courses until a new school year begins. This means, if you don’t have enough units from the courses you complete this year, you will need to continue your studies next year.

ATAR students

If you are enrolled in an ATAR Year 12 course, and you do not withdraw from that course, you are required to sit the ATAR examination in that course.

If you do not sit an ATAR course examination and do not have an approved sickness/misadventure application for that course, then the grades for the pair of units completed in that year will not contribute to the calculation of the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE).

If we unpack this further, it means that the grades for the ATAR Year 12 course will not contribute to the following WACE requirements:

• completion of a minimum of 20 units, including 10 Year 12 units
• completion of at least one pair of Year 12 units from an English course (if the ATAR Year 12 course was either English, Literature or English as an Additional Language or Dialect)
• completion of one pair of Year 12 units from List A (arts/languages/social sciences) or List B (mathematics/science/technology)
• achievement of at least 14 C grades or higher, including at least six C grades in Year 12 units
• completion of at least four Year 12 ATAR courses.

Withdrawing from units may mean you don’t complete enough units this year and may not meet the requirements to achieve a WACE.

Special note about Year 12 ATAR courses

If you do not sit an ATAR course examination, you will not have a course mark or grade recorded on your WASSA, and you will not receive an ATAR course report for that course. This means there will be no record at the Authority of you having studied this course.

WACE requirements

You are able to find details relating to the WACE requirements in the Year 12 Information Handbook 2017, available on the Authority website at http://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/year-12-information.

Please remember the decisions you make now may affect your future study plans. Think carefully.

All the best with your studies.

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The Authority’s vision statement is ‘to provide quality curriculum, assessment and reporting of standards of achievement of all students studying the Western Australian curriculum, so that they become confident, creative learners and active, informed citizens who contribute positively to society.’ In 2017 we will be continuing to work with schools and teachers to act on and realise this vision.

Our emphasis in 2017

Earlier this week the Chair of the Board and I wrote to school principals about the areas the Authority will be focusing on this year for Pre-primary to Year 12 curriculum, assessment and reporting.

Our core focus is on supporting schools in their implementation of the Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline (the Outline – Pre-primary to Year 10) and the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE – Year 11 and 12).

Schools and their teachers have done a fantastic job implementing the Outline –Pre-primary to Year 10.  We thank you all for your efforts so far and look forward to building on the progress made in recent years.

The Outline

The P–10 curriculum for English, Mathematics and Science has already been implemented and these learning areas will be joined in 2017 by Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) and Health and Physical Education (HPE). The curriculum for HASS and HPE will be implemented with reporting to parents on student achievement by the end of Semester 1 this year.

The remaining learning areas of Technologies, The Arts and Languages are expected to be in place in 2018, with reporting to parents on student achievement by the end of Semester 1 next year in Technologies and the Arts and in Year 3 Languages.

The Authority is continuing to work with schools and teachers to develop a range of materials that support the delivery of the curriculum and teacher judgements.

WACE

Can I particularly thank all teachers for the phenomenal effort that has been put into all of the WACE reforms.  Developing new programs for ATAR, General, Foundation and Preliminary courses, implementing the Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (OLNA) and managing the Externally Set Tasks (ESTs) were all responsibilities that teachers and schools have embraced.   At the end of 2016, 21 473 students received a WACE and 25 338 students received the Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement (WASSA).

2017 will be a year of consolidation with a focus on gaining insights into the standards particularly in the General and Foundation courses. Plans are underway to explore ways of working with teachers delivering Preliminary courses to build a common understanding of Unit Completion.

Parent website

In addition to our work with teachers and schools, we will soon be launching a website for parents. The website will support parents and carers of students from Kindergarten through to Year 12 with information about curriculum, assessment and reporting.

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There are a number of ATAR courses that have a practical component as part of the examination. This practical might be a performance, oral, portfolio or production. The portfolios and productions were due in on Wednesday 21 September, the performance and oral components begin on Saturday 24 September.

Portfolio and production submissions

Teachers and schools coordinate the delivery of portfolio and production submissions. In 2016, the Authority has taken delivery of:

• Design portfolio submissions
• Materials Design and Technology folio submissions
• Media Production and Analysis practical submissions
• Music portfolios
• Visual Arts production examination submissions.

Students enrolled in French, German and Italian Background Languages have sent through their personal investigation interview sheets.

Marking of the portfolio and production submissions is underway and will be completed by 12 October.

Performance and oral examinations

The performance and oral examinations begin with Music on Saturday 24 September. Dance and Physical Education Studies begin on Sunday 25 September and Drama and English as an Additional Language/Dialect (overseas) on Monday 26 September. Aviation begins on 29 September and the Languages orals begin on 15 October.

These performance and oral examinations run over the school holidays and include weekends and public holidays. The practical examinations timetable is available on the examination timetable page of our website.

Personalised examination timetable

All students enrolled in a practical examination have a Personalised practical examination timetable. This can be downloaded by your school or students can download a copy from the student portal at https://www.wace.wa.edu.au

The Personalised practical examination timetable has information about the date, venue time and location of the examination. Students must sign their Personalised practical examination timetable and take it to each practical examination they are completing.

Remember that a practical examination cannot be rescheduled.

Things to remember

There are rules around what students need to do when they are participating in a practical or oral examination. One of these is ensuring anonymity. Students cannot wear or carry anything that identifies them, their school or their achievement. For example, if you are on a state training squad for your sport, you wouldn’t wear the team tracksuit to a Physical Education Studies practical. Likewise, if you are attending a Music practical, you wouldn’t wear your school uniform.

It is important to bring the equipment you need. Information about required equipment is included on the cover page for each examination under the heading ‘To be provided by the candidate’. The examination cover pages are on the course pages under the Syllabuses and Support Materials tab of http://wace1516.scsa.wa.edu.au/

Year 12 Information Handbook

Students completing performance and oral examinations may find it useful to check the Year 12 Information Handbook for general information about examinations. It is available on the Year 12 information page of our website.

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Advice for Year 12 students

Are you in Year 12, completing a Certificate II or higher qualification and getting hands on experience in an industry related workplace?

If the answer is yes then you may be eligible to nominate for the 2016 VET Awards.  Speak to your school’s VET coordinator or Workplace Learning coordinator about how to apply.

Additional info

As part of the nomination process you will need to provide a student statement plus a statement from your workplace representative and the VET coordinator so it's a good idea to start early before the actual online nomination.

Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed by a panel which consists of two school representatives and one industry representative. If successful at interview you may be awarded a VET Exhibition (for the top student in an industry area) and/or a Certificate of Excellence (for outstanding achievement in VET).

Did you know?

The Beazley Medal: VET award is one of two of the highest award for Year 12 students. To be shortlisted for a Beazley Medal: VET award in 2016 you will need to be a VET Exhibition recipient.

Download the 2016 VET Awards information sheet and speak to your school for more information.

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A word from Peter Williams, Communications

When you’re writing under pressure, like in a test or an exam, it’s easy to think the most important thing is to get the information down. There’s some truth in that. Answering the question is why you’re sitting at that desk.

Remember, though, the quality of your handwriting matters. The person marking your paper needs to be carried along with your writing – seeing all of your ideas so you have every chance to get high marks. Right? None of this can happen if your writing is illegible.

Legible writing comes down to letter formation. Perhaps you remember learning to write and practising your letters on those pale blue lines. Upstrokes, downstrokes, looping the tail of a 'g' –arms and dots. Perhaps you liked to invent your own letter shapes. Or perhaps you don’t do that much hand writing now – unless you have to, because a keyboard or smart phone is easier.

Do you even think about your letters as you write? If, in your heart of hearts, you know your handwriting could do with some improvement, read on!

Analysing your writing can help

Poor hand writing can mean we get less marks than we should. Letters or words that are not written clearly can look like mistakes. Try analysing your writing and see what you can improve. Copy three or four sentences from this blog and answer these questions about what you wrote:

1. Do you write with curves and loops? Or do you write straight?
2. Do your letters run together? Are they recognisable? Do you dot the 'i's and cross the 't's?
3. Does your writing slant, significantly, to one side? Or do you write perpendicular to the lines? Does the angle of words change as you write?
4. Does your writing overlap the lines?
5. Is your writing cramped? (Can you write a single 'o' in the space between each word?) Cramped words can be hard to read.
6. Do you use all (or very little) of the space in the lines to write?
7. Are the lines in your letters even and balanced or uneven and bumpy?

Do you ever find it hard to read your own writing? If so, consider changing one or more of these seven areas to improve your writing’s legibility. Still not convinced? Did you know that some of our chief examiners have reported that poor handwriting interferes with student performance?

You are your first reader!

Whether you’re revising your notes or proofing an exam essay, you are your first reader. This means you must read your own work to ensure it’s as easy to read as possible. When you're checking for clarity of meaning and accuracy you don't need the distraction of trying to decipher your own scrawl.

Your next reader is the person marking your work. Do you think of them as you write? Chances are, if you’re not thinking about who you’re writing for, they won’t engage with them as well as you could. Your handwriting is your written voice – your message to your audience. Ignore being clear at your peril!

Writing (itself) is an art

For some people, the 'way of writing', also known as calligraphy, is an art to be developed. Calligraphy requires practice, care, a dexterous hand and an eye for the visual balance of words or characters and ink on paper. We’re not suggesting you aim for the detail and flourishes of calligraphy but please consider investing some time in writing practice.

As a busy student you might think you don’t have time for the ‘luxury’ of practising writing. But if you’ve ever tried to ride a skateboard, play a guitar or swing a golf club, you know the importance of technique. In the same way, your pen control has a big impact on your writing. Here are some suggestions to improve your pen handling skills:

• Write some of your study notes by hand. Use this as an opportunity to work on letter formation and legibility. The aim is to write neatly, but freely. This takes practice.
• Mark your own ‘neatness’ in your practice essays. Don’t just time yourself getting ideas on the page. Time yourself getting ideas on the page legibly.
• Look at your handwriting analysis (using the seven steps above) and target one or more areas that need attention. Why not work some exercises (to improve your spacing, alignment, balance or letter shapes) into your routine as a signal to yourself that you’re starting (or finishing) a study session?
• Find some ‘no pressure’ writing opportunities – a birthday card, a party invitation, a note to a friend, or a postcard.

How many skills that involve hand and eye coordination would you expect to master, if you rarely practise them? Make time to improve your writing. It will be a sound investment.

Other strategies

Choose your tools wisely. A pen that sits well in your hand and writes smoothly as you move it across the page is important. If you have to use a pencil, make sure it’s sharp. Try your pen (or pencil) before you buy it, to find one that works well for you.

Your sitting posture matters too. Yes, it’s true! If you sit with your back supported, your body angled forward, and your feet on the ground, it will help your writing; especially if you’re going to be putting pen to paper for an extended period of time. Some people write most neatly when they can move their shoulders and forearms freely. Posture is important!

Is your head supported? Your head should be supported by your neck, not by your spare hand. If your spine is not aligned properly and you’re leaning to rest your head on your hand, your head is not properly supported. In fact, your ‘spare hand’ is not really spare at all. It should be holding the page steady and moving it as you work your way along it.

Get a grip! In the mix with good posture is good grip (or grasp). The way you hold your pen affects your posture. If your grip is too tight, you become tense. Remember to keep your wrist and arm loose. Ideally, the movement of the pen across the page should be fluid and relaxed. Be aware of how you hold your pen.

Keywords: handwriting, exams, tests

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A word from Allan Blagaich, CEO

Hi folks.

Our role as educators is to support students to develop the skills for life at and beyond school. After 13 years of schooling every student should be able to leave school with at least a minimum level of literacy and numeracy that will ensure they can meet the demands of everyday life and work.

Young people leaving school need to be able to complete tasks such as writing a job application and balancing the family budget. Beyond that, they need to be able to engage in the ongoing learning that comes with further training and education. The community – including universities, training organisations, employers and industry – has been explicit that a clear, minimum standard is essential as a starting point for students moving into life beyond school.

Results released to schools

The results for the March round of the Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (OLNA) were recently released to schools. The changes to the WACE requirements that come into play this year mean there are going to be some students who are concerned about their OLNA results.

Diagnostic reports

In response to feedback from schools, the results we have released include information to help schools target support for students. This diagnostic information will be very helpful to schools because it includes details about individual student performance for all students that have not yet demonstrated the standard.

These Category 1 and 2 reports detail the skills and understandings students found the most challenging in the assessment. Schools will be able to use this information along with school-based assessments and observations when identifying areas requiring support and planning intervention strategies for individual students prior to the September round of assessments.

The WACE and the WASSA

For the WACE to be valued and respected it must involve a rigorous and acceptable standard. To achieve a WACE, students need to meet all of the requirements and demonstrating the literacy and numeracy standard is just one of these. It is important that everyone understands that there is no exemption or exclusion from demonstrating the standard. All the requirements need to be met in order to achieve the WACE. However it is important that students understand that they are able to accumulate results for a WACE over a lifetime.

A student’s results and achievements can be ‘banked’ indefinitely. There will be opportunities for students to continue to accumulate results after leaving school until they meet the requirements of the WACE. This includes demonstrating the literacy and numeracy standard.

I recognise that many students, for a variety of reasons, may not be able to demonstrate the minimum standards of literacy and numeracy by the end of Year 12. For that reason, the Board of the Authority announced that all students in Western Australia will receive a Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement (WASSA). This document will provide a record of all that a student has achieved over the senior secondary years.

The WASSA will be used by TAFE at the point of entry to look at what a student has achieved and will also be used by employers to determine achievement in courses applicable to their industry. In the instance where students have not met one or more of the elements of the OLNA, I understand that TAFE will be providing additional literacy and numeracy programs which can be taken in conjunction with Certificate courses. The final point I’d like to make is that there are many requirements to be met to achieve a WACE. Meeting the literacy and numeracy standard is just one of them.

Do you need more information?

There is information on our website. You’ll find it in the OLNA section under the Assessment tab of our Years 11 and 12 website at http://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/assessment/olna.

Keywords: OLNA, WACE, WASSA

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A word from Kerry Cribb, Manager, Examination Development

If you are in Year 12, or have a child in Year 12, you may have heard about externally set tasks, which are also known as ESTs.

This new moderation process is part of the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) reforms. Starting in 2016, all students enrolled in a General Year 12 course and/or a Foundation Year 12 course are required to complete the EST for that course.

What is an EST?

Each EST is 50 minute written assessment which students complete under standard test conditions. It contributes 15% to the student’s school mark for the pair of units.

Why do we need ESTs?

The EST provides a common reference point for student assessment in a course. This promotes fair assessment of student achievement. Using a common task and marking key will support shared understandings among teachers and will model best assessment practice.

Teachers will be able to apply the elements of the EST to their development of other assessment tasks and marking keys.

How will the ESTs work?

In Term 3 of the year before an EST is held, the Authority identifies the content to be assessed in the task. Schools are informed of the content in the year before the EST is conducted so the teacher can cover the content at an appropriate time. The Authority then develops the tasks based on Unit 3 content from the course.

In Term 2, the Authority distributes the tasks to schools. The schools then administer the ESTs (in 2016, this is between 16 May and 3 June). Students might complete the ESTs in class, as for other assessment tasks, or as part of their school’s Semester 1 Year 12 examinations timetable.

Teachers mark their students’ work using a marking key provided by the Authority. Schools then send the mark for each student enrolled in Unit 3 and Unit 4 to the Authority.

The Authority will select a random sample of students from each school for each course. The school will scan the EST scripts for these students and upload the scripts to the Authority.

The Authority will independently mark the selected scripts and provide the school with feedback. Teachers will then review the marks for the sample of students and, where appropriate, adjust their marking practices.

What about students with disability?

As with other timed assessments, there is opportunity for students with disability to apply for appropriate adjustments. The Guidelines for disability adjustments for timed assessments are available on our Years 11 and 12 website at http://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/ under the assessment tab.

Key dates 2016

6 May – printed copies of the ESTs are delivered to schools

16 May – the EST marking keys and marks collection forms for General and Foundation Year 12 courses made available to schools

16 May to 3 June – schools administer ESTs for each General and Foundation Year 12 course being delivered

7 June – schools receive a SIRS report listing the students whose EST script is required to be externally marked (schools need to scan and upload the scripts)

10 June – marks for each student for ESTs to be uploaded to the Authority

17 June – the scanned EST scripts of Authority‐identified students for courses to be externally marked to be uploaded to the Authority

4 to 15 July – Independent marking of ESTs for identified students

12 August – the EST feedback report for each courses will be available to schools.

16 September – The Unit 3 content on which the EST for each General and Foundation course will be based in 2017 is made available to schools

Contact and follow up

For more information, see the Externally Set Tasks Handbook, available on our website http://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/assessment/externally-set-tasks.

If you have a query about the EST process, email info@scsa.wa.edu.au.

Keywords: Year 12, General, Foundation

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A word from Marilyn McKee, Manager, K-10 Testing

This week, from Tuesday 10 May to Thursday 12 May, students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 from across Australia will sit the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests.

If you have a child who is about to sit the NAPLAN you might be concerned about test-related stress and the expectations of performance.

I want to take this opportunity to run through why the NAPLAN is a useful tool and nothing to fear.

Based on curriculum

First of all, the NAPLAN tests are designed to sit within a student’s assessment program. They build on the skills and understandings students are expected to be assessed on throughout the year.

The content of each test is informed by the Australian Curriculum (English and Mathematics). In Western Australia this means that students are being tested on skills developed over time through content from the Western Australian curriculum syllabuses for English and Mathematics. These syllabuses are available on our website at http://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/p-10-curriculum/curriculum-browser.

When students are engaging with the curriculum they are developing skills and understandings that they can draw. Teaching the curriculum equips students to complete the tests.

A point-in-time snapshot

The assessments have always been intended as what is known as a point-in-time snapshot. This means they are not expected to give a full picture of a student’s knowledge and abilities. What they provide information of a student’s performance on one day.

The information this snapshot provides is useful to teachers and schools because it provides a strong comparison of their students in relation to other students of the same year group at that same time.

This helps schools put support in place for students. Information from the tests identifies strengths as well as weaknesses. If your child has specific gaps in their knowledge and understandings, the NAPLAN results can help pinpoint these. Your child’s results can be a useful starting point for conversations with classroom teachers and school staff.

Individuals and groups

The point-in-time information is enhanced by being in the context of the larger student population. It can also confirm ongoing student performance. In situations where support, and possibly intervention, is needed, information from the tests can confirm starting points which are likely to have been emerging through a student’s classroom performance.

As students move through school, their performance on tests provides a measurable map of their progress in the context of their own past performances. The ongoing performances of their year group is also indicated. This provides a starting point for conversations with a student’s teacher and school.

Skills for life

The literacy and numeracy skills students need for success at school and participation in the world beyond school develop over time. The NAPLAN tests provide information about how students are going at developing these core skills.

The skills and understandings students demonstrate in the literacy assessment include spelling, grammar and punctuation, developing and organising ideas and showing understanding of texts.

The numeracy assessment involves problems relating to content strands from the mathematics syllabus. In Years 7 and 9, the numeracy assessment involves two parts; one where a calculator is allowed and one where a calculator cannot be used.

Putting fears to rest

As with any test or assessment of a student’s performance, the expectation is that the student performs to the best of their ability on the day.

The NAPLAN tests are not intended to put students under additional pressure. They are an assessment like any other. The difference is the common questions and timing of the tests to coincide on the same day.

The tests reflect the content for the year level. Students are showing what they know in the tests. This is what they are asked to do in assessment activities – including projects, presentations and tests – on any other school day.

NAPLAN, the OLNA and the WACE

In closing, I want to address questions that have arisen about NAPLAN, the Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (OLNA) and the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE).

From 2016, students need to demonstrate a literacy and numeracy standard to achieve a WACE. The standard is a description of what is expected of Year 12 students. Students demonstrate the standard through the OLNA.

Some students will be able to demonstrate the standard before Year 12 but some will not do this until they are in Year 12. Also, there are provisions for students to continue to work towards demonstrating the standard after Year 12. To ensure students have opportunities to demonstrate the literacy and numeracy standard, they first attempt the OLNA in Year 10. .

There are some students who will not need to sit the OLNA because they will have prequalified as demonstrating the standard by achieving a Band 8 in the Year 9 NAPLAN.

Some Year 9s are concerned they won’t demonstrate the literacy and numeracy standard required for Year 12. The important thing to remember is that they do not need to demonstrate the standard until they are in Year 12. The Year 9 NAPLAN is not a part of the WACE. It is just that some students demonstrate the standard early and there is no need for them to demonstrate it again in another test.

More information

See the information for parents in the NAPLAN section under the Assessing tab of our Kindergarten to Year 10 website http://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/assessment/testing/naplan.

Keywords: NAPLAN

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A word from Russell Dyer, Director - Standards and Certification

Now that you have completed one term as a Year 11 student you might be thinking about the appropriateness of the course you have chosen. Perhaps you have discovered that certain subjects don’t interest you or the level of the course is too hard or too easy. You might also have decided what you want to do when you leave school and the course you are currently studying doesn’t suit your goals.

It is coming up to the time when you need to make a decision about your studies. Transferring out of units that do not suit your interests or abilities might be worth considering. It is a big decision so you shouldn’t make it lightly and be prepared to stick with the decision.

Considerations

If you have any concerns about your unit selection then you should discuss your concerns with your parents as well as your teachers, Year Coordinator or Careers Counsellor. You need to consider a number of factors if you are thinking of transferring out of a unit and individual cases may have additional factors to consider. Ask yourself the following questions:

Unit completion requirement

Does transferring out of a unit involve transferring into a unit? The minimum twenty unit requirement may be achieved with some unit equivalents but you need to complete a specific number of units. The breadth and depth requirement means you need to study:

• 10 units or the equivalent at Year 12 level
• two Year 11 units from an English course and one pair of Year 12 units from an English course, and
• one pair of units completed in Year 12 from each of List A (arts/languages/social sciences) and List B (mathematics/science/technology).

It is important that you don’t confuse transferring units with dropping units. How will you make up the units you still need to meet the minimum 20 units in the breadth and depth requirement?

List A/B course balance

Will a transfer upset your balance of List A and List B courses in your program of study? If you transfer out of a unit, will you still be in a position in Year 12 to complete a pair of List A units and a pair of List B units? The Authority is clear that the responsibility is on the individual student and the school to make sure a student’s course selections meet the List A/List B requirements.

Pre-requisites for post-school options

Consider your plans for when you leave school.  If you have an idea of the courses or training that you hope to pursue, you should be clear about any pre-requisites required. Do any of the courses you are interested in studying at university or TAFE have pre-requisites? Do the courses you are currently studying meet the pre-requisites?

Playing to your strengths

Will transferring units help you to maximise your potential? Developing your areas of strength may also have a positive impact by allowing you to focus your time and energy to improve your performance in other courses. You are most likely to perform at your best when you are interested and challenged which could also mean continuing on with the course you have already chosen.

Implications

If you transfer out of units, assessment programs will need to be completed; you will need to catch up on any content that you missed prior to transferring. Are you able to balance this with your other courses?

Remember, schools need to make arrangements and decisions relating to students transferring units in line with their assessment policies. There may be timetabling and resourcing issues at your school that mean you can’t transfer in or out of courses.

Key dates

• 4 March 2016 was the recommended last date for student transfers from single Year 11 units for Semester One
• 6 May 2016 is the recommended last date for student transfers between pairs of Year 11 units (E-code).
• 5 August 2016 is the recommended last date for student transfers from single Year 11 units for Semester Two.

Please note that in Year 12 you will be enrolled in pairs of units and cannot transfer from one course to another.

Advice

The WACE Manual 2015–16 [Revised edition] contains information about transferring out of units.  You can access this manual on the Authority’s website at: http://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/wace-manual

Make sure you have discussed any proposed changes with you parents and key staff at your school. Finally, regardless of the units you enrol in and the programs you complete, it is important to always do your best.

Keywords: Courses and units, WACE

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A word from Sarah Clough, Principal Consultant - Online Strategy and Development

We’re excited to be launching our new website. It brings together the Authority’s work in a way that will help everyone find the information they need more quickly and easily.

Thank you to everyone who replied to our survey. Your feedback has been invaluable in determining how to approach updating the website.

Three sites in one

The Authority website carries a lot of information and it divides into three sites. These are the main Authority website, the K–10 website and the Year 11 and 12 website.

We have had these three sites for a while. In the past, users could get to each of the sites from the main Authority home page. This was ok but not ideal. We found that it could be confusing for people to find their way forward and back between the sites.

What we have done with the new site is bring the three sites together. Each site can be reached via a tab at the top of the navigation bar. Jumping from one to the other by way of the tabs means people using the sites will be able to see where they are more easily. The tabs will always be visible, so users will always be able to ‘find their way back’ to any of the sites.

Things in common

Some materials, like the P–12 Activities Schedule and the Circulars relate to all years of schooling. You will find links to these materials are located on each of the sites.

In other cases, information might be of interest to people visiting the K–10 site and the senior secondary site. The OLNA is an example of this. It involves students in Years 10, 11 and 12. This means we have links to OLNA information on both the K–10 site and the senior secondary site.

Each site links to the extranet – the secure area for teachers to access materials and resources.

The main headings

The Authority site (purple) has been streamlined. The focus is on our administration and communications. The top level headings on this site are:

• About Us
• Publications
• Policy (coming soon)
• SIRS information
• Events
• Forms.

The K–10 site (blue) has always been quite contained. The main changes on this site are to the navigation. The top level headings on this site are:

• Principles
• Teaching
• Assessing
• Reporting
• Resources.

The Years 11 and 12 site (grey) has been developed from the old WACE 15–16 site. It now also includes the information from the Senior Secondary tab from the old Authority main site. The top level headings on this site are:

• The WACE
• Syllabus and support materials
• Assessment
• Moderation
• Certification
• Vocational Education and Training
• Resources.

All kinds of people

We have a vast number of users. There are around 30 000 teachers in Western Australia and there are over 400 000 students from Kindergarten through to Year 12. The Authority websites provide information to teachers, school leaders, parents and students (particularly students in Years 10–12).

Delivering information to so many users in distinct user groups can be a challenge.

We expect the clearer division into the three sites will be helpful. In addition to the sites we are launching today, we are looking forward to launching a website for parents later this year. The parent site will become the fourth tab at the top of the website.

Teachers, who are registered with TRBWA, are able to access resources in a secure area on our extranet. The extranet has been expanded to include materials for teachers from Pre-primary to Year 10 along with the materials for senior secondary teachers.

We are expanding our social media activities by introducing a new Facebook page that will provide general and administrative updates for teachers and school leaders.

Feedback

We would appreciate your feedback. Please let us know what you think by emailing LMShelp@scsa.wa.edu.au.

Keywords: Website navigation, extranet

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A word from Vanessa Peters, Manager - Policy, Planning and Communications

If you’re in Year 12 you’ve probably been told more than once that this is an important year for you. There will have been the chats about staying on top of your work, dealing with stress, trying your best. I could go on, but you don’t need me to.

You’re living this challenging, exciting time already. Yes, even if the assessments are coming in and you are starting to feel edgy about doing everything you want to do – but my ATAR! ... my portfolio for TAFE … I want my dream job – this is an exciting year. Year 12 can be amazing.

Knowing what you’re working towards and how to get there will help.

The WASSA

Whatever you do and however you go this year, you’re going to finish with a WASSA, properly known as the Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement.

The WASSA lists everything you have done as a senior secondary student.

Achieved any of the WACE requirements? They will be listed. Completed WACE course units? Your school grades, school marks and – if you did ATAR units – your combined scores will be listed. Completed any endorsed programs or gained any VET qualifications? They’ll be there. You’ll find more details on the WACE requirements and certification page of our website.

The WASSA gives the detail of what you have achieved as a senior secondary student. You will be able to use it when applying for jobs, training and further study. It is an official record that you will be asked to provide well into the future.

The WACE

If you meet the requirements of the Western Australian Certificate of Education, you will receive a WACE. The WACE shows you have achieved – or exceeded – the required minimum standards in an educational program that has suitable breadth and depth.

The requirements for the WACE are listed in detail on our website (on the WACE requirements for students completing Year 12 in 2016 and beyond page) and in the Year 12 Information Handbook. In brief, they are:

• demonstrate a minimum standard of literacy and a minimum standard of numeracy
• demonstrate breadth and depth of study through the number and level of units studied
• meet a minimum achievement standard through the number of level of C grades attained.

You should familiarise yourself with the detail of the requirements and know what you are working towards.

The Handbook

What is in the Year 12 Information Handbook? Why do you need to read it?

The Handbook brings together information you need to know. It explains information you need to provide and things you need to do. If you’re sitting ATAR course exams, the Handbook is a starting point. It has information about preparing for the exams but also what you are expected to do during an exam. There is information about school assessments, including the externally set tasks for General and Foundation courses.

It is for Year 12s but information will also be of interest to parents and teachers. The important dates listed in Appendix A are worth noting!

You’ll find the Handbook under the Publications tab on our website.

Social Media

I’m not suggesting you fill your time with social media. That said, the Authority has a Facebook page and Twitter feed for information related to students.

We use social media as a way to extend the reach of what the Authority posts in notices on our website and communicates to schools. You won’t miss out if you don’t follow or like us, but it is a convenient way to access timely information.

Facebook and Twitter are also places where you can ask questions if you need to.

Facebook https://facebook.com/SCSAWA
Twitter https://twitter.com/scsawa

If you need more information

If you need more information, a good place to start is with your teachers and year coordinator at school. Your teacher is the first person to speak with about course content.

If you have a question for the Authority about the WASSA or the WACE, you can ask us on Facebook or Twitter or via email. There are some dedicated email addresses you should know:

General queries info@scsa.wa.edu.au
Enrolment queries enrolments@scsa.wa.edu.au
Examination queries exams@scsa.wa.edu.au

A final note

In closing, I want to emphasise that even with all the work, milestones and challenges of Year 12 try to enjoy the year. Be at peace with the idea that this is your work for now. Work hard but remember to be kind to yourself.

Keywords: WACE, WASSA

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Hi folks

As the summer holidays draw to a close many teachers and school administrators are already preparing for the school year. I hope that everyone getting ready to return to school has had a good break and is able to enjoy some more of it.

Guidelines for disability adjustments for timed assessments

We released the Authority’s Guidelines for disability adjustments for timed assessments (Guidelines) today. The Guidelines summarise the adjustments that may be appropriate for a particular student in NAPLAN, OLNA, ESTs, school-based timed assessments for courses and ATAR course examinations. The Guidelines bring together the explanation of the adjustments that may be available into one document supports students, their families and schools as they progress through the assessments that are a part of the schooling.

We have developed the Guidelines in response to feedback from teachers, school administrators and parents. I want thank everyone involved in developing the Guidelines and to take a moment to reflect on how they connect with the vision we have for our work at the Authority.

Connecting the Guidelines with our vision

Like most organisations, the Authority has a vision statement that sets out what we want to achieve. Our vision is ‘to provide quality curriculum, assessment and reporting of standards of achievement of all students studying the Western Australian curriculum, so that they become confident, creative learners and active, informed citizens who contribute positively to society’. This statement connects a number of ideals. In particular, it embraces the rights of all students to participate in quality assessment as part of their schooling.

As part of our work towards meeting the needs of all students we embrace the Disability Standards for Education 2005 (the Standards) and the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. The Standards require that ‘reasonable adjustments’ are made to assist students with disability to participate in education on the same basis as other students. A reasonable adjustment helps students with disability to participate in education while taking into account the student’s learning needs and balancing the interests of all parties affected, including those of the student with the disability, the education provider, staff and other students.

The appropriateness of an adjustment will depend on the nature of both the assessment and the disability. Any consideration of an adjustment for a student needs to begin with consideration of the disability itself. A formal diagnosis is a part of this consideration. In the interests of equity and fairness, the use of an adjustment needs to meet the interests of everyone involved.

What is in the Guidelines?

The Guidelines:

• set out the types of adjustments that may be made
• identify the responsibilities of schools, students and parents/carers
• outline the processes for applying for and/or making adjustments.

Key dates for applying for disability adjustments

• 18 February – March OLNA round
• 8 April – NAPLAN
• 17 May – ATAR course exams
• 11 August – September OLNA round

Read more

If you require further information, please send us an email to info@scsa.wa.edu.au

You will find the Guidelines on our website.

Keywords: Disability adjustments, timed assessments

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Hi folks.

Here we are at the end of Term 4, 2015. Where has the time gone?

Thank you and well done

So, the curtain has come down on the school year, I’d like to say thank you to everyone who has been a part of our work in 2015. It has been a big year for all of us here at the School Curriculum and Standards Authority. Thank you to the hundreds of teachers across the state from all the school sectors and systems who have worked with us in collecting work samples, taking part in pilot groups, developing resources and providing feedback.

In 2015 we have seen the successful implementation of the first courses in the Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline. Students from Pre-primary to Year 10 received reports on their achievement in English, Mathematics, Science and History.

Well done to everyone during this first year of implementation. Next year will be an opportunity to consolidate this year’s work and build towards implementation of HASS and Health and Physical Education in 2017.

The wait is nearly over

In just a short while, thousands of students across the state and in our international partner schools are going to receive their final results. These days, hard copies of the results are mailed out but students don’t have to wait for the post to arrive. On the day in question (December 30 this year) a button is pushed and everyone’s results go live online.

Students only get to see their own results. It isn’t like those days where people who matriculated and the results were published in the local paper. There is a secure website for students at https://www.wace.wa.edu.au.

The online release means the wait ends for everyone at the same time. There’s no three day delay for kids living in the country. If you are away on holidays you can check out your results online.

If you’re a student waiting for your results, I know that it can be an anxious time. Remember, though, whatever your results for Year 12, the new year will bring new challenges and new opportunities. I wish you all the best and encourage you to embrace them.

Keywords: WA Curriculum, ATAR, results, WACE

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A word from Allan Blagaich, CEO

Hi folks.

Welcome back to the final term for 2015.

Term 4 brings together all the hard work teachers and students have done over the year. End-of-year reports are being written and judgements made about how far students have progressed.

Kindergarten to Year 10

This is the first year of reporting against the Western Australian Curriculum Achievement standard for English, Mathematics, Science and History for Pre-primary to Year 10. The Achievement standards come to us from the Australian Curriculum. They are part of the Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline. In coming years, the remaining learning areas – of Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS), Health and Physical Education, Technologies, The Arts and Languages – will be implemented.

We have been working with teachers and staff from the Department of Education, Catholic Education Western Australia and the Association of Independent Schools of Western Australia to develop materials for the Outline. The Pre-primary to Year 10 syllabuses were published earlier this year.

Teachers will familiarise themselves with the new Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) and Health and Physical Education syllabuses in 2016. They will start teaching with them in 2017. The new syllabuses for Technologies, The Arts and Languages will be used from 2018.

End of year exams

The WACE practical exams began at the end of Term 3. Thousands of students have submitted portfolios and taken part in oral and performance examinations. In just a couple of weeks even more students will start the written WACE examinations.

The WACE exams are a major undertaking. They are a milestone for many students who have been working hard to reach this point. Teachers, families and friends have been also a part of this journey.

Our thoughts are with everyone involved in the exams – students, teachers, examiners, supervisors, families. We wish you well over the examination period. Remember that balance is important. Students need to sleep, eat sensibly and exercise as well as study in order to be in top form.

Many Year 11s will also be preparing to take their end-of-year exams. We also wish everyone who is a part of these exams the best for a good exam season.

Keywords: Reporting, collaboration, WA Curriculum, WACE

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