11to12 Circulars - Edition 8 August 2020

Courses

Proposed grade distributions for 2020 WACE courses – supporting advice

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

School administrators and Heads of Learning areas are reminded that when schools submit their proposed grades through the Student Information Records System (SIRS) that a brief comment can be entered for each course unit with additional supporting information to assist the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) review the school’s grade distribution. The comments field is on the right of the proposed grades screen. Please note each comment is limited to 1000 characters.

Schools are strongly encouraged to provide this supporting information when the school distribution is unusual or dissimilar to the school’s historical distribution pattern. The supporting information could for example, include:

  • clarification about the impact of COVID on student cohort performance
  • explanation that the student profile for the cohort is quite different to that of previous years
  • other details that support the distribution pattern for the proposed grades.

Provision of this information within the report will, in most cases, remove the need for the Authority to contact Heads of Learning Areas to request explanatory information related to the submitted course unit proposed grade distribution.


Minor syllabus changes for 2021 – the Humanities and Social Sciences learning area

Contact
Mandy Hudson 
(08) 9273 6755
Mandy.Hudson@scsa.wa.edu.au

School administrators, Heads of Learning Area – Humanities and Social Sciences, and teachers are requested to note for 2021 the following courses that have minor syllabus changes. These syllabuses are now available on course pages and labelled as ‘For teaching from 2021’.

Course

Syllabus change

Career and Enterprise

Year 12 Foundation

The following content identified in italics has been revised in the syllabus:


Unit C12.1
Where are all the jobs?

  • identify key organisations, people in the community or services that can assist in finding employment opportunities in the local area, such as:
    • Myfuture
    • Jobs and Skills WA
    • Workforce Development Centres
  • investigate employment trends in the local area by accessing information from sources, such as:
    • Job Outlook
    • Myfuture
    • Australian Jobs
    • Jobs and Skills WA
    • Workforce Development Centres

Career and Enterprise

Year 11 Foundation

The following content identified in italics has been revised in the syllabus:


Unit C11.4
Designing Your Future

  • sources of information and organisations used to gain career information, including:
    • Myfuture
    • Job Outlook
    • Australian Jobs
    • individual training providers
    • universities
    • Jobs and Skills WA
    • Job Jumpstart
    • Indeed career guide
    • individual Industry Training Council websites
    • career counsellors
    • VET co-coordinators
    • career expos
    • skills expo
    • family members
  • work search tools, resources and organisations used to gain work, such as:
    • an IPP
    • a career portfolio
    • Jobs and Skills WA
    • Job Jumpstart
    • Seek.com
  • locate and interpret information from the most recent edition of Australian Jobs from (https://australianjobs.employment.gov.au/ opens in new window) for the following:
    • occupational overviews
    • occupational outlook
    • employer expectations in the workplace

Career and Enterprise

Year 11 General

The following content identified in italics has been revised in the syllabus:


Unit 1

  • tools, resources and organisations used to gain work, such as:
    • an individual pathway plan
    • a career portfolio
    • Jobs and Skills WA
    • Job Jumpstart
    • Seek.com
    • Indeed career guide
    • Job Outlook
    • Australian Jobs
    • MyFuture

Modern History Year 11 General

The following content identified in italics has been revised in the syllabus:


Unit 1
Analysis and use of sources

  • evaluate the reliability, usefulness and contestable nature of sources to develop informed judgements that support an historical judgement

Unit 2

Analysis and use of sources

  • evaluate the reliability, usefulness and contestable nature of sources to develop informed judgements that support an historical judgement

Modern History Year 12 General

The following content identified in italics has been revised in the syllabus:


Unit 3
Analysis and use of sources

  • evaluate the reliability, usefulness and contestable nature of sources to develop informed judgements that support an historical judgement

Unit 4
Analysis and use of sources

  • evaluate the reliability, usefulness and contestable nature of sources to develop informed judgements that support an historical judgement

Modern History Year 12 ATAR

The following content identified in italics has been revised in the syllabus:


Unit 3
Elective 2: Russia and the Soviet Union 1914-1945

  • the social/cultural impact of Bolshevism and Stalin’s Cultural Revolution to 1945, including women, nationalities, youth and education (Komsomol), the arts (including Socialist Realism) and religion

Elective 3: China 1935-1989

  • similarities and differences in both structure and ideology between Guomindang (GMD), and the Chinese Communist Party and the conflict that led to a change in the regime in 1949

Politics

Year 12 ATAR

The following content identified in italics has been revised in the syllabus:


Unit 3

  • change in the balance of power since federation, with reference to
    • financial powers, including vertical fiscal imbalance and horizontal fiscal equalisation, the Grants Commission
    • referral of powers Section 51(xxxvii)
    • the Council of Australian Governments (COAG)
    • National Federation Reform Council (NFRC) and the National Cabinet (replaced COAG June 2020)
    • co-operative federalism as opposed to coercive federalism
    • High Court of Australia constitutional interpretation, including external affairs power Section 51(xxix), corporations power Section 51(xx), and taxation powers

Unit 3

  • at least one reform proposal to change the Commonwealth Constitution (Australia), such as
    • the move to become a republic
    • reference to Indigenous Australians in the Commonwealth Constitution (Australia)
    • recognition of local government in the Commonwealth Constitution (Australia)
    • Commonwealth Constitution (Australia) Section 44

Minor syllabus changes for 2021 – Health and Physical Education learning area

Contact
Graeme Quelch 
(08) 9273 6758
Graeme.Quelch@scsa.wa.edu.au

School administrators and Heads of Learning Area – Health and Physical Education are requested to note for 2021 the following courses that have minor syllabus changes. These syllabuses are now available on course pages and labelled as ‘For teaching from 2021’.

Course

Syllabus change

Outdoor Education

Year 12 ATAR

The following content in the syllabus has been revised:


Unit 3

  • key aspects of the Western Australia Department of Education Recreational and Outdoor Education Activities for Public Schools Procedures

Health Studies

Year 12 ATAR

The following content in the syllabus has been included:


Unit 4

This replaces:

  • purpose and functions of Australia’s aid program

Minor syllabus changes for 2021 – Languages learning area

Contact
Nadia Civa 
(08) 9273 6355
Nadia.Civa@scsa.wa.edu.au

School administrators, Heads of Learning Area – Languages, and teachers are requested to note:

  • for 2021 the Italian: Second Language Year 12 ATAR has minor syllabus changes. The syllabus is now available on course page and labelled as ‘For teaching from 2021’
  • the courses listed below have revised information related to the application for enrolment.

Course

Syllabus change

Italian: Second Language

Year 12 ATAR

The following content identified in italics has been revised in the syllabus:


Unit 4

  • The Italian-speaking communities: I problemi dei giovani oggi (Youth issues): Students explore employment, alcohol, and smoking as issues for Italian youth.
  • The changing world: I problemi ambientali (Environmental issues): Students consider current global environmental issues, in relation to climate change, that are relevant to them.

For Year 11 and Year 12:

  • Chinese: Second Language ATAR
  • Chinese: Second Language General
  • Chinese: Background Language ATAR
  • Chinese: First Language ATAR
  • French: Second Language ATAR
  • French: Second Language General
  • French: Background Language ATAR
  • German: Second Language ATAR
  • German: Second Language General
  • German: Background Language ATAR
  • Indonesian: Second Language ATAR
  • Indonesian: Second Language General
  • Indonesian: First Language ATAR
  • Italian: Second Language ATAR
  • Italian: Second Language General
  • Italian: Background Language ATAR
  • Japanese: Second Language ATAR
  • Japanese: Second Language General
  • Japanese: Background Language ATAR
  • Japanese: First Language ATAR

Application for enrolment in a language course

All students wishing to study a Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) language course are required to complete an application for permission to enrol in a WACE language course in the year prior to first enrolment in the course.


Information about the process, including an application form, is sent to schools at the end of Term 2.


Minor syllabus changes for 2021 – the Science learning area

Contact
John Newman 
(08) 9273 6758
John.Newman@scsa.wa.edu.au

School administrators and Heads of Learning Area – Science are requested to note for 2021 the following courses that have minor syllabus changes. These syllabuses are now available on course pages and labelled as ‘For teaching from 2021’.

Course

Syllabus change

Chemistry

Year 12 ATAR

The following content in the syllabus has been revised:

Unit 3
Science as a Human Endeavour

Oxidation and reduction

  • Spontaneous redox reactions can be used as a source of electrical energy, including primary cells (for example the Leclanché cell), secondary cells (for example the lead-acid accumulator) and fuel cells (for example the hydrogen fuel cell). Fuel cells are a potential lower-emission alternative to the internal combustion engine and are already being used to power various modes of transport. Organisations, including the International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy, have been created to foster global cooperation on research and development, common codes and standards, and information sharing on infrastructure development.

Science Understanding

  • a range of reactions involve the oxidation of one species and reduction of another species, including metal and halogen displacement reactions, and combustion in both limited and excess oxygen environments
  • corrosion of iron is an electrochemical process that can be prevented by a range of techniques including by exclusion of oxygen and/or water and through cathodic protection and sacrificial anodes
  • electrolytic cells use an external electrical potential difference to provide the energy to allow a non-spontaneous redox reaction to occur
  • describe the use of electrolysis in electrolytic refining including for purification of copper, and metal electroplating including for silver

Unit 4
Chemical synthesis

Science Understanding

  • industry produces a vast range of plastics, including addition polymers (for example polyethene and polytetrafluoroethene) and condensation polymers (for example nylon and polyethylene terephthalate [PET]) which have different properties and uses
  • the varied structures of different plastics due to characteristics including cross-linking, chain length, and intermolecular forces leads to a range of distinct properties and consequent uses (for example, the different structures, properties and related uses for polyethene, polytetrafluoroethene, nylon and polyethylene terephthalate [PET])

Minor syllabus changes for 2021 – the Technologies learning area

Contact
Graeme Quelch 
(08) 9273 6758
Graeme.Quelch@scsa.wa.edu.au

School administrators and Heads of Learning Area – Technologies are requested to note for 2021 the following courses that have minor syllabus changes. These syllabuses are now available on course pages and labelled as ‘For teaching from 2021’.

Course

Syllabus change

Food Science and Technology

Year 12

General

The following content in the syllabus has been revised:


Unit 4

  • food processing techniques are used to control the performance of food
    • temperature – heat, cold
    • exposure to air
    • pH level
    • addition of chemicals – salt, sugar
    • removal of moisture
    • manipulation

Food Science and Technology

Year 12

ATAR

The following content in the syllabus has been removed:


Unit 4

  • national health priority areas and role in improving health in Australia

Examinations

Calculators in the 2020 ATAR course examinations

Contact
Kerry Cribb (08) 9273 6787
Kerry.Cribb@scsa.wa.edu.au 

Kaylene Power (08) 9273 6309
Kaylene.Power@scsa.wa.edu.au

Teachers are reminded of the April Circular item informing schools of the change to the types of calculator approved for use by the Authority in the ATAR course examinations. The word approved has been removed to avoid confusion.

Information regarding the use of calculators in the 2020 ATAR course examination are reflected on the front covers, available 28 August, of the appropriate ATAR course examinations and in the affected syllabus examination design briefs. In addition the Year 12 Information Handbook Parts I and 2: information for all students 2020 contains the information.

Courses which permit the use of calculators in the 2020 ATAR course examinations include:

  • Accounting and Finance
  • Animal production Systems
  • Aviation
  • Biology
  • Business Management and Enterprise
  • Chemistry
  • Computer Science
  • Design
  • Earth and Environmental Science
  • Economics
  • Engineering Studies
  • Food Science and Technology
  • Geography
  • Human Biology
  • Integrated Science
  • Marine and Maritime Studies
  • Materials Design and Technology
  • Mathematics Applications
  • Mathematics Methods
  • Mathematics Specialist
  • Physical Education Studies
  • Physics
  • Plant Production Systems
  • Psychology.

Front covers for the 2020 ATAR course examinations available to schools

Contact
Kerry Cribb (08) 9273 6787
Kerry.Cribb@scsa.wa.edu.au

Front covers for the 2020 ATAR course examinations are available on the School Curriculum and Standards Authority website under the ‘Examination Materials’ heading on the relevant course page at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/syllabus-and-support-materials opens in new window.

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

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

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


Vocational Education and Training (VET)

2020 Awards for Outstanding Achievement in VET

Contact
Arti Dogra 
(08) 9273 6751
Arti.Dogra@scsa.wa.edu.au

The last date for schools to submit VET Awards nominations via Student Information Record System (SIRS) is Monday, 31 August 2020 (4:30 p.m.). The online SIRS VET Awards nomination form can be accessed via the following link: https://sirs.scsa.wa.edu.au/scsaform/vetnominationform using your username and password for SIRS.

For a detailed description on eligibility criteria and advice on the application and selection processes, download the 2020 VET Awards Nomination Kit from the following link:

https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/certification/exhibitions-and-awards under Awards for outstanding achievements in VET.

The online SIRS VET Awards nomination form will only display students who meet the initial eligibility criteria, therefore, it is a requirement that VET and ADWPL enrolments for the student being nominated have been successfully uploaded in SIRS prior to commencing the online nomination process.


SIRS, enrolments and general information

Collection of Year 12 students’ achievement data – 2020

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

This is an early reminder that the Year 12 achievement data is due to the School Curriculum and Standards Authority by Thursday, 29 October 2020 as per the 2020 Activities Schedule.

Information about collecting achievement data will be received by schools by

Monday, 12 October 2020.

Schools will need to provide the achievement data for:

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

Year 11 and Year 12 student achievements where students transfer schools between Terms 2 and 3

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

Schools are required to upload achievements for semester courses by Friday, 24 July 2020, where Year 11 (and Year 12) students have transferred between schools at the end of Term 2. This information is due now.

Note: this upload is optional for Year 11 and Year 12 students who are continuing their enrolments at the same school.

Details on the process for uploading achievement into SIRS can be found in Section 8 – Results and achievement of the Data Procedures Manual 2020 (available on the Authority website at https://scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/data-procedures-manual).

The School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) introduced this process to alleviate the situation, for example, where a Year 11 student transfers from one school delivering the course as year-long to another school delivering the course as single units. The new school can then enrol the student in the second unit of the course. This may affect the student meeting all requirements to achieve the WACE in Year 12.

Before awarding a mark and grade for a course unit, schools must ensure students have met all of the assessment requirements for that unit.

Detailed advice on allocation of grades for Year 11 students enrolled in either single units or year-long courses is provided on pages 33–35 of the WACE Manual 2020 (available on the Authority website at https://scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/wace-manual) in Section 2.7 Assessing students who transfer.


New Process: Recognition of student achievement in ATAR course units for Year 10 students in 2022 (Year 8, 2020)

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

The revised process requires schools to identify students in Year 8 (2020) and to submit the amended application form demonstrating how the Year 9 and Year 10 Western Australian curriculum, will be compacted and how student achievement within the Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline will be reported.

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

  • either gifted and talented or
  • accelerated language students.

To apply for recognition and recording of student achievement in ATAR units for Year 10 students in 2022, the school needs to complete the Application for recording of enrolment and achievement in ATAR Units 1 and 2 for students in Year 10 in 2022 (Year 8, 2020) form, available on School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) website at https://scsa.wa.edu.au/forms/forms.

For further information please refer to Section 7 in the WACE Manual 2020. This publication is available on the Authority website via the following link: https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/wace-manual.

The completed application form is to be returned to the Senior Consultant – Certification, certification@scsa.wa.edu.au at the Authority, no later than Thursday, 19 November 2020.


Reminder – Online Student Declaration and Permission

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

Schools are reminded that the due date for completion of the online Student Declaration and Permission is Thursday, 17 September 2020.

The following students are required to complete the online Student Declaration and Permission:

  • all Year 12 students
  • Year 11 students who are studying ATAR Units 3 and 4 and sitting the 2020 ATAR course examinations
  • Year 10 students given approval by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) to study ATAR Units 3 and 4 and sit the 2020 ATAR course examinations.

Please note: students will be required to complete the online Student Declaration and Permission when they log in to the portal before they can gain access to other important information, such as their course enrolments, examination timetable/s and results.

Schools to ensure that students have received the necessary information in order to complete the online form correctly, such as:

Further information about the online Student Declaration and Permission is available on the Authority website at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/the-wace/student-declaration.

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

The Authority appreciates your assistance in obtaining this important information.


Reminder: Applications for exemption from enrolment eligibility criteria for Foundation units 2020 for Semester 2

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

Principals are reminded that Applications for exemption from enrolment eligibility criteria for Foundation units for Semester 2 will be considered after the September Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (OLNA) results are released in October.

Applications must be received by the Authority no later than Thursday, 5 November 2020. These applications and supporting documentation should be emailed to foundationapplications@scsa.wa.edu.au.

In completing the application please refer to Section 1.8 of the PDFWACE Manual 2020 opens in new window.

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