General
WACE Manual for Year 11 students in 2015 and Year 11 and Year 12 students in 2016
Contact
George Temple (08) 9273 6703
george.temple@scsa.wa.edu.au
The Authority has published the WACE Manual for Year 11 students in 2015 and Year 11 and Year 12 students in 2016 on its website.
The WACE Manual 2015–16 is the companion to the WACE Manual 2014–15 which is for Year 11 and Year 12 students in 2014 and Year 12 students in 2015.
Schools should note that both manuals cover 2015, but are designed for different cohorts of students and different WACE requirements. They will support schools during the 2015 transition year.
The manuals describe the policies and procedures for senior secondary schooling.Consensus moderation 2015
Contact
Chris Stone (08) 9273 6365
chris.stone@scsa.wa.edu.au
Schools are advised that consensus moderation will not be conducted in 2015.
Curriculum, Assessment and Moderation updates for schools
Contact
Chris Stone (08) 9273 6365
chris.stone@scsa.wa.edu.au
A Curriculum, Assessment and Moderation update will be available from the Authority website for each Learning Area in early January. The update provides information for teachers of Year 11 and 12 courses regarding access to the syllabuses accredited for 2015, key changes to Authority delivery and assessment requirements, moderation processes for 2015, and Authority support for teachers of Year 11 and 12 courses.
All teachers of Year 11 and 12 classes are encouraged to read the update/s relevant to the Learning Areas in which they will be teaching.
Courses, moderation and VET
Syllabus Delivery Audit 2015 - document requirements
Contact
Chris Stone(08) 9273 6365
chris.stone@scsa.wa.edu.au
Schools are advised that sections 2.3.3 and 2.3.4 (pgs. 11-15) of the WACE Manual 2015-16 provide details of the requirements for the course outline and assessment outline.
These requirements are illustrated with examples.
Teacher Support Materials are in final preparation and will continue to be progressively uploaded on the Authority’s website.
Reminder that school-based reviewers are required for the syllabus delivery audit 2015
Contact
Chris Stone(08) 9273 6365
chris.stone@scsa.wa.edu.au
Teachers are reminded that the Authority is seeking expressions of interest from experienced teachers of Year 11 in Western Australian schools who are interested in the role of school-based reviewer. During the period 13 to 16 February 2015, each reviewer will consider the documents from about 25 schools for a selected Year 11 General or Foundation course. The task of the reviewer will be to determine whether the course outline and the assessment outline reflect the current syllabus and meet the requirements outlined within the WACE Manual 2015–16.
To apply for this position, teachers will need to complete the application form that is available on the Authority website (http://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/internet/About_Us/Employment). A scanned copy of the completed form must be emailed to syllabusaudit@scsa.wa.edu.au by 4pm on Thursday, 11 December.
The list of courses for which school-based reviewer are required is available in Edition 13 of the 11to12 Circular.
Endorsed programs update
Contact
Leanne Meldrum (08) 9273 6746
leanne.meldrum@scsa.wa.edu.au
Community Service
The Authority has endorsed a new Community Service program that replaces all current endorsed community service and service-learning programs developed by schools or school sector/systems. It is available to all schools for 2015 and beyond.
Community Service (ADCS) is an Authority-developed endorsed program that is managed by individual schools and can be adapted to suit all school contexts and student abilities. This is a 55-hour program in which a student must undertake at least 50 hours of community service and up to five hours of induction and reflection.
Completion of one Community Service program contributes the equivalent of one unit towards the WACE unit completion requirement. A maximum of four Community Service programs completed over Years 10, 11 and 12 can contribute towards the WACE.
The program outline is available on the Endorsed Programs page of the Authority website at:http://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/Apps/EP/display.aspx
A PowerPoint presentation summarising the program and its WACE recognition is also available from this siteMathematics - Research into the use of technology in senior school mathematics courses
Contact
Malachy Doherty (08) 9273 6768
Malachy.doherty@scsa.wa.edu.au
The Authority has employed an external, independent body to undertake research into the impact of technology on teaching and examinations in senior school mathematics courses. The research is to be completed in July 2015.
The Mathematics course advisory committee will consider the outcomes of the research and provide advice to the Board of the Authority. Schools will be advised of any changes recommended as a result of the research and notified of the time-frame for their implementation.
Minor amendments to 2015 VET industry specific syllabuses
Contact
Angela Kiely (08) 9273 6751
angela.kiely@scsa.wa.edu.au
Nicole Gazey (08) 9442 9401
nicole.gazey@scsa.wa.edu.au
Minor amendments have been made to syllabuses across the 10 VET industry specific courses (listed below). The updated version of each syllabus can be found within the VET industry specific course page of the WACE 2015-2016 section of the Authority website via http://wace1516.scsa.wa.edu.au/.
Edits to the VET industry specific course syllabuses include:
- course code changes
- unit of competency code updated to reflect the most current training package release
- Certificate I in Resources and Infrastructure WPL requirement down from 2 units to 1 unit.
Course | Code | VET industry specific |
Automotive (VET industry specific) | VAU | Certificate I in Automotive Vocational Preparation (VEVAU) |
Business Services (VET industry specific) | VBS | Certificate I in Business (VEVBS) |
Community Services (VET industry specific) | VCS | Certificate II in Community Services (VEVCSS, VTVCSS) |
Construction (VET industry specific) | VCO | Certificate I in Construction (VEVCO) |
Creative Industries (VET industry specific) | VCI | Certificate I in Creative Industries (VEVCI) |
Engineering (VET industry specific) | VEN | Certificate I in Engineering (VEVEN) |
Hospitality and Tourism (VET industry specific) | VHT | Certificate I in Hospitality (VEVHT) |
Information Technology (VET industry specific) | VIT | Certificate I in Information, Digital Media and Technology (VEVIT) |
Primary Industries (VET industry specific) | VPI | Certificate I in Agrifood Operations (VEVPIF) |
Sport and Recreation (VET industry specific) | VSR | Certificate I in Sport and Recreation (VEVSR) |
Updated versions are indicated on the website as at 19/11/2014.
Teacher seminars – Curriculum, Assessment and Moderation
Contact
Chris Stone (08) 9273 6365
chris.stone@scsa.wa.edu.au
The Authority provides the following half-day seminars during Term 1 of each year. Details of each seminar follow:
Seminar for new/inexperienced teachers of WACE courses
This seminar is designed to assist teachers who are delivering one or more WACE courses for the first time (e.g. graduate teachers, teachers who have not taught Year 11 and 12, teachers from interstate or overseas).
Seminar for teachers in a small group moderation partnership
This seminar is designed to assist Year 12 teachers who will be in a partnership, as their class has fewer than six (6) WACE examination candidates. Teachers will be informed of the required procedures and how to ensure that the partnership is effective.
To attend either or both of these seminars, please register online from the Upcoming Events section on the homepage of the Authority website at http://www.scsa.wa.edu.au
Certification
2014 student achievements – other than Year 12
Contact
Kerry Tarrant (08) 9273 6770
kerry.tarrant@scsa.wa.edu.au
Schools are reminded that the Authority requires achievements for students in years other than Year 12 by Friday, 5 December 2014 in:
- course units
- VET units of competency
- endorsed programs
- VET qualifications.
Schools are required to upload the appropriate data files RSCOS, RSVET, RSEND, RSQUAL to the Student Information Records System (SIRS).
Please note that all:
- course unit enrolments require a grade
- VET units of competency and endorsed programs require the appropriate specified value/code as detailed in theWACE Procedures File.
Results for all students shown as currently enrolled at the school need to be recorded, even if they are no longer attending the school.
If students should have been withdrawn from a course unit, this withdrawal will need to be uploaded through the ENCOS file to SIRS. VET units of competency and endorsed program withdrawals need to be withdrawn using the correct code through the RSVET and RSEND files respectively.
Information regarding the submission of achievement data was emailed to schools on 7 November 2014. If schools require clarification regarding the achievement collection processes, please contact Kerry Tarrant.
Introduction to SIRS 2015
Contact
Lynn Galbraith (08) 9273 6702
lynn.galbraith@scsa.wa.ed.au
Limited places are available for school staff who use the Student Information Records System (SIRS) to attend a familiarisation seminar at the Authority. The seminar is aimed at new and existing users who have not previously attended a seminar.
Ideally, two staff members should attend; the clerical staff member who may be responsible for maintaining the changes on the school database and the deputy or associate principal who is responsible for timetable changes for students.
The seminar will cover the basic operations and functions of SIRS. This includes data transfer and the generation of reports which enable the information transferred to SIRS to be checked.
The seminar will be two hours long. Participants will log into SIRS using their own school login and password.
There will be four sessions available prior to school commencing in 2015, which may be preferable for staff in remote and country WA.
Seminar dates and times (2015)
Day/Date | AM | PM |
Thursday, 22 January | 9.30–11.30 | 1–3 |
Friday, 23 January | 9.30–11.30 | 1–3 |
Thursday, 5 February | 9.30–11.30 | 1–3 |
Monday, 9 February | 9.30–11.30 | 1–3 |
Wednesday, 11 February | 9.30–11.30 | 1–3 |
Tuesday, 17 February | 9.30–11.30 | 1–3 |
More sessions may be provided if these sessions are fully booked.
Registrations can be made online at
www.scsa.wa.edu.au/internet/Events_and_Forms/Registrations_and_Logins/SIRS_intro.
The seminars will be held in the Authority’s Temby and Louden rooms at 303 Sevenoaks Street, Cannington. Further details will be supplied to participants once registered.
In 2014, two sessions were held in Bunbury for South West participants, and if we have enough interest for 2015, it may be possible to conduct sessions there again. Please contactLynn.Galbraith@scsa.wa.edu.au if you would be interested in attending SIRS familiarisation in Bunbury.Registration of secondary students and early registration of Year 10 students in 2015
Contact
Lynn Galbraith (08) 9273 6702
lynn.galbraith@scsa.wa.edu.au
Schools and other education providers will be required to register their Year 10 and Year 11 students with the Authority by Thursday, 19 February 2015. All other students in Years 7, 8, 9, and 12 must be registered by Friday, 20 March 2015.
It is critical that Year 10 and Year 11 students are registered by 19 February to ensure their inclusion in the compulsory Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment in March (unless pre-qualified through Year 9 NAPLAN performance or their achievement of the standard in Year 10). Demonstrating the minimum standard in the three components of the assessment (reading, writing and numeracy) is a requirement for students to achieve the WACE from 2016.
Please note this is the first year for Year 7 students to be registered on SIRS. The process is the same as registering Years 8–12 students.
Details of how to register students will be provided in the updated Data Procedures Manual 2015 (previously called the WACE Procedures File), with instructions to assist schools using Reporting To Parents, MAZE, and Excel.
Requests for SCSA student numbers for 2015
Contact
Lynn Galbraith (08) 9273 6702
lynn.galbraith@scsa.wa.edu.au
SCSA student numbers infoline (08) 9273 6344
numbers@scsa.wa.edu.au
Schools may request School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) student numbers automatically through the Student Information Record System (SIRS) for Year 7 and Year 8 students starting in 2015. Details of how to request SCSA student numbers are in Section 5.1 of the WACE Procedures File 2014, which is available online athttp://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/internet/Publications/WACE_Procedures_File. The WACE Procedures File will be replaced in 2015 by the Data Procedures Manual 2015.
For students other than Year 7 or Year 8, schools are encouraged to do an initial search in SIRS for student numbers via Enrolment > Student Enrolment > Find Student Number. If no record is found, schools can emailnumbers@scsa.wa.edu.au and advise the following:
- your school code
- student first name
- student surname
- date of birth
- academic year
- if the student has arrived in WA from overseas or interstate.
This will enable a more comprehensive search to be undertaken before a new number is issued.
Schools who allocated Year 7 numbers to their students in 2014 are requested to utilise the same number for each student, and upload via their Student registration and demographic (SRGDG) files in 2015 when the students enter Year 8.
School WACE statistics 2014 available in January
Contact
Jenny Offer (08) 9273 6313
jenny.offer@scsa.wa.edu.au
Schools will be able to download 2014 Year 12 statistical reports from the student information records system (SIRS) at https://sirs.curriculum.wa.edu.au/ from 12 January 2015.
School login details of user-name and password are needed to access these reports. These are available from the SIRS coordinator at your school.
The reports and their pathways are:
- STS010 – Year 12 provider statistics (parts 1 and 2)
- STS009 – Year 12 State statistics (parts 1 and 2)
- STS022 – Year 12 school assessment statistics (for each course at
Stage 2 or 3) - STS028 – Year 12 course statistics by provider (all courses at Stage 2 or 3)
- STS029 – Distribution of examination statistics (for each course at Stage 2 or 3)
6. STS036 – Statistical moderation and concurrent validity of school assessments.
These six reports will be available through: reports > other reports > report type: statistics.
Another report – CSE077 – will be available for checking individual Year 12 student summary details by provider. This report will be available from: reports > other reports > report type: students.
Explanatory notes containing detailed information about these reports will also be accessible from 12 January 2015 through the Authority website at www.scsa.wa.edu.au/.
If you require assistance with SIRS, contact the Authority helpdesk on9273 6719 or email SIRShelp@scsa.wa.edu.au.
Examinations
WACE results online 29 December 2014
Contact
Jenny Offer (08) 9273 6313
jenny.offer@scsa.wa.edu.au
Schools are reminded that 2014 Year 12 students will be able to access their results online athttps://www.wace.wa.edu.au on Monday, 29 December 2014.
To log on, students will need their SCSA student number and other personal identification information.
Students who experience technical difficulties in accessing their information need to contact the Authority atwacehelp@scsa.wa.edu.au (monitored from Monday to Friday between 8:00am to 5:00pm).
Schools are reminded that the Authority may need to speak with the specified contact person early in January should students question the results reported by schools to the Authority.