Year 12 Literature Prescribed Text List Update for 2020

Contact
Paula Beck (08) 9273 6782
Paula.Beck@scsa.wa.edu.au

Teachers of the Year 12 and Year 11 Literature ATAR course are advised the prescribed text list for the Year 12 course has been removed from the syllabus documents and is now located separately on the course page under Syllabus:

https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/syllabus-and-support-materials/english/literature.

Teachers are also advised that the prescribed poetry list has been updated. All texts and poets that were previously included on the list are still approved, however, where previously an individual poet was listed with one specific text and edition, the requirement to draw on poems only from that particular text has been removed. This will provide scope for teachers to draw on poems from other editions of the poet’s work.

The list of poetry anthologies remains unchanged. If a poet only appears in an anthology on the list, then only the poems by that poet listed in the prescribed anthology edition may be used. Teachers and students are reminded to check the expanded text list to ensure any poems they may use as primary texts in the examination are listed in the expanded text list. This will remove the risk of a text penalty in the examination where a poem from an edition that is not prescribed is used.

Where a poet is listed with no title, any poem by that poet may be used.

The prose and drama text lists are unchanged.

Improving Student Performance workshops 2020

Contact
John Watson (08) 9273 6374
John.Watson@scsa.wa.edu.au

Carolyn Fleischer (08)92736 735
Carolyn.Fleischer@scsa.wa.edu.au

the School Curriculum and Standards Authority is providing a series of workshops for teachers of selected Year 11 and Year 12 ATAR and/or General WACE courses. Each hands-on workshop will support participants to develop their understanding of syllabus content, course standards and assessment task design. The workshops are free to attend, but schools are responsible for teacher relief and any travel and accommodation expenses. Additional workshops will be advertised at a later date through the 11to12 Circular for Semester two, 2019.

Workshops will be conducted in Semester one for:

• Economics Year 11 and Year 12 ATAR
• English Year 11 and Year 12 ATAR
• Psychology Year 11 and Year 12 General.

Details of all workshops can be accessed when the teacher registers online from the Authority website at https://scsa.wa.edu.au/events.

Applications for marking the 2020 Externally Set Tasks (EST)

Contact
Melanie Jasper (08) 9273 6732
Melanie.Jasper@scsa.wa.edu.au

Cristina Caruso (08) 9273 6317
Cristina.Caruso@scsa.wa.edu.au

The School Curriculum and Standards Authority is seeking qualified people interested in marking the 2020 Externally Set Tasks. For information regarding marker applications for the 2020 Externally Set Tasks please refer to:

https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/about-us/employment

Applications will be live from Tuesday, 3 March 2020 and will close Wednesday, 29 April 2020.

Application for writers and checkers of the 2021 ESTs

Contact
Patricia Daly (08) 9273 6761
Patricia.Daly@scsa.wa.edu.au

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

The School Curriculum and Standards Authority is seeking applications from qualified people who wish to be considered for appointment as writers and checkers of the 2021 Externally set task (EST).

Please see the link below to read the terms of reference and to apply online:

https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/about-us/employment/application-for-writing-ests

Applications must be received no later than 5pm on Friday, 20 March 2020. Successful applicants will be notified after Friday, 10 April 2020.

Year 12 ATAR Physical Education Studies 2020 Touch football examination

Contact
Dino Manalis (08) 9273 6356
Dino.Manalis@scsa.wa.edu.au

Touch Football Australia have recently published updated rules.

Teachers are advised that in the 2020 Physical Education Studies Touch football practical examination, the Touch Football Australia’s new rules will be implemented.

Teachers should inform all students who intend on enrolling in the Touch football examination of these rule changes, especially that which relates to the distance of defensive players retreating, changing from 5m to 7m.

A summary of the rule changes can be found at https://touchfootball.com.au/8th-edition-touch-football-rules/.

Format of the Year 12 Interstate Language practical (oral) examinations 2020

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

Due to the lack of reliability of Skype as a mechanism to examine candidates, and non-school candidates being unable to apply for Sickness/Misadventure in the event of technical issues, the following NSW Interstate language practical (oral) examinations will be conducted by telephone from 2020:

• Armenian
• Chinese: Background Language
• Croatian
• Filipino
• Korean: Background Language
• Japanese: Background Language
• Serbian
• Swedish.

Other Interstate Language practical (oral) examinations hosted by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority will be conducted by telephone, as in previous years.

Rules of conduct for Year 12 ATAR course examinations 2020

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

The rules of conduct for the Year 12 ATAR course examinations conducted by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) will be available in the Year 12 Information Handbook Part II: Examinations 2020, published on the Authority website in July 2020. It is the responsibility of all candidates to ensure that they understand all instructions relating to the examinations. The examination centre supervisor (written examinations) and the chief marker (practical examinations) will report alleged breach of examination rules to the Manager, Examinations Logistics at the Authority.

Information relating to breaches of examination rules and the maximum penalties that might apply in an examination can be located on the Authority website at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/assessment/examinations/rules-of-conduct-for-atar-course-examinations. The generic instructions, read aloud by supervisors to candidates prior to the commencement of reading time for written examinations, can also be located on this webpage. It is strongly recommended that schools familiarise students with the breach rules and conduct school-based examinations using the generic instructions to ensure students are prepared for the external examinations conducted by the Authority.

In terms of a new examination rule for 2020, please note that no candidate will be permitted to wear or take a watch (analogue, digital or smart watch) or similar wireless-enabled technology device (for example, Fitbit) into the examination room in 2020. These items will be considered as unauthorised items. Ensure that all students are made aware of this rule.

Nominal hours for recently released VET qualifications

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

Rachael Davidson (08) 9273 6750
Rachael.Davidson@scsa.wa.edu.au

Schools who will be enrolling students in the qualifications FSK20119 Certificate II in Skills for Work and Vocational Pathways and SIS20319 Certificate II in Sport Coaching are advised to check the nominal hours for the units of competency selected to ensure that the qualification will meet the minimum 220 nominal hour requirement for the full allocation of unit equivalents towards the WACE.

The selection of elective units of competency is important to ensure the 220 nominal hour benchmark is reached for each of the qualifications. Certificate II qualifications with units of competency that are less than 220 nominal hours in total will meet the minimum Certificate II requirement; however, the qualification will only contribute towards the WACE as two Year 11 unit equivalents.

The nominal hours for units of competency can be accessed from the Department of Training and Workforce Development via the training product search: https://www.dtwd.wa.gov.au/training-product-search.

Further information about the allocation of unit equivalence for VET qualifications can be found on page 68 of the 2020 WACE Manual https://scsa.wa.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/583006/WACE-Manual-2020-January-2020.PDF.

Guidelines for the delivery of Certificate IV and above VET qualifications to Senior Secondary Students

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

Rachael Davidson (08) 9273 6750
Rachael.Davidson@scsa.wa.edu.au

Schools who will be offering VET qualifications to students at a Certificate IV level or above are reminded to refer to the Guidelines for the delivery of Certificate IV and above VET qualifications to Senior Secondary Students to assess the appropriateness and suitability of the qualification and delivery arrangements.

The guidelines have been developed by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority to assist schools in making an informed decision about the delivery of higher-level qualifications to students. The guidelines contain key criteria which the school and registered training organisation must be satisfied can be demonstrated prior to the enrolment of the student/s in the qualification.

The guidelines can be found at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/vet/vet-credit-transfer under WACE recognition of Certificate IV or higher qualifications.

WACE Checker developed to assist Year 12 students monitor their progress towards achieving the WACE

Contact
Jenny Offer (08) 9273 6313
Jenny.Offer@scsa.wa.edu.au

Schools are kindly reminded that the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) has developed a Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) Checker for Year 12 students. The WACE Checker is an online tool which Year 12s can use to check their progress towards achieving their WACE and is now available on the Authority website at: https://wacechecker.scsa.wa.edu.au/

The WACE Checker is provided as a guide only. The report it gives students must not be interpreted as a guarantee the student will achieve a WACE. Achievement of the WACE is dependent on the calculation of a student’s final results and completion of courses. Individuals are encouraged to consult the WACE Manual for the relevant year, or their school, should they wish to confirm WACE eligibility for a student based on enrolment and predicted/actual achievement.

To use the WACE Checker, students will need to add information about their achievements in Year 11 and their expected achievements in Year 12. The checker will be of most assistance if the information provided for Year 12 is realistic. When students add their anticipated grades for Year 12, they need to add what they realistically expect to achieve this year.

The WACE Checker will be particularly useful for students considering changes to their education program which may affect their eligibility for the WACE.

The WACE Checker allows students to save the summary of their input as a Portable Document Format (PDF). They can use this PDF to track their progress and to check the impact of any changes to their enrolment or achievement.

Students can also use a save function which will keep the data entered into the checker for a month. An access code is provided to allow students to use the ‘Fetch My Data’ button when they select that option in the checker.

More information is available under the ‘Tell me more’ button on the checker.

Year 11 and Year 12 student enrolments in course units for 2020 – timeline

Contact
Jenny Offer (08) 9273 6313
Jenny.Offer@scsa.wa.edu.au

Last dates for changes and withdrawals

Schools are reminded that the last date for changes to enrolments is Thursday, 2 April 2020 for:

• ATAR, General, Foundation, Preliminary and VET industry specific courses for Year 12 students
• ATAR, General and Foundation courses (Units 3 and 4) for Year 11 students.

After Thursday, 2 April:

• SIRS will be locked and no further changes (except withdrawals) will be accepted in the above courses
• Year 11 and Year 12 students are able to withdraw from ATAR courses (Units 3 and 4) with practical examination components until Thursday, 23 July 2020
• Year 11 and Year 12 students are able to withdraw from ATAR courses (Units 3 and 4) which do not have practical examination components until Monday, 10 August 2020
• Year 12 students are able to withdraw from ATAR (Units 1 and 2), General, Foundation, Preliminary and VET industry specific courses until Monday, 10 August 2020.

If schools do not withdraw students from Year 12 ATAR courses before the above deadlines, then these students are enrolled in the course and are required to sit the ATAR course examinations. Where the Year 12 ATAR course has both written and practical examinations, students are required to sit for both of these examinations. Students who do not sit an ATAR course examination and do not have an approved sickness/misadventure application for that course, will not have the grades for the pair of units completed in that year contribute to the calculation of the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE). Further details relating to the consequences of not sitting examinations and WACE requirements can be found in the WACE Manual 2020 at https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/wace-manual under Explanatory notes relating to WACE requirements (Number 5).

The final date for upload into SIRS for enrolments in year-long Year 11 courses for Year 11 students is Tuesday, 30 June 2020. After this date, SIRS will be locked and no further changes (except withdrawals from these courses) will be accepted. From this date, Year 11 students may only be enrolled into single units for Semester 2. Schools are also reminded that the last date for changes to enrolments in VET industry specific courses for Year 11 students is Thursday, 13 August 2020.