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
|
Career and Enterprise Year 11 Foundation | The following content identified in italics has been revised in the syllabus: Unit C11.4
|
Career and Enterprise Year 11 General | The following content identified in italics has been revised in the syllabus: Unit 1
|
Modern History Year 11 General | The following content identified in italics has been revised in the syllabus: Unit 1
Unit 2 Analysis and use of sources
|
Modern History Year 12 General | The following content identified in italics has been revised in the syllabus: Unit 3
Unit 4
|
Modern History Year 12 ATAR | The following content identified in italics has been revised in the syllabus: Unit 3
Elective 3: China 1935-1989
|
Politics Year 12 ATAR | The following content identified in italics has been revised in the syllabus: Unit 3
Unit 3
|
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
|
Health Studies Year 12 ATAR | The following content in the syllabus has been included: Unit 4
This replaces:
|
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
|
For Year 11 and Year 12:
| 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 Oxidation and reduction
Science Understanding
Unit 4 Science Understanding
|
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 Science and Technology Year 12 ATAR | The following content in the syllabus has been removed: Unit 4
|
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:
- the purpose
- login instructions to the student portal: https://student.scsa.wa.edu.au/student-portal opens in new window
- completion of the online form must be discussed with parents/guardians.
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.