2021 Key Messages – Secondary School Leader Briefings

Contact
Rosalba Butterworth (08) 9273 6359
Rosalba.Butterworth@scsa.wa.edu.au

Ivan Banks (08) 9273 6370
Ivan.Banks@scsa.wa.edu.au

Secondary school principals and deputy principals are invited to register to attend a briefing to be presented by Allan Blagaich, Juanita Healy and Russell Dyer.

The briefing will provide an opportunity to be updated on curriculum, assessment and moderation for Years 7-12 and to provide feedback to the School Curriculum and Standards Authority Board. The briefing will also provide an update on the Authority's development of new Years 7–10 resources, the review of the senior secondary syllabuses and the consultative process for the review of the F–10 Australian Curriculum by ACARA.

Register now at https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/events/2021-key-messages.

Literature Prescribed Text List

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

Literature teachers and students are reminded that the Literature course has a prescribed text list for Year 12.

The poetry section of the prescribed text list was changed in 2020 for the commencement of the 2021 school year. The poetry section now contains names of poets only, rather than poetry books. In the context of poetry, the word ‘text’ may now refer to a poem, a collection of poetry by the poet, or the works of the poet.

Teachers and students need to be aware that students who use a text that does not appear on the prescribed text list as their primary text in any section of the examination, will receive a penalty of 15% of the total available marks for the examination. Penalties were applied for non-prescribed text use in 2020.

The text list can be accessed at the Literature course page of the School Curriculum and Standards Authority website PDFhttps://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/612045/ATAR-Literature-prescribed-text-list-from-2021.PDF. opens in new window

Meeting WACE Requirements Seminars 2021

Contact
Adriana Douglas (08) 9273 6784
Adriana.Douglas@scsa.wa.edu.au

Schools are advised that the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) is offering Meeting WACE Requirements learning area specific seminars in February.

Meeting WACE Requirements seminars are designed for teachers in:

• schools that are offering a course for the first time in 2021
• schools that are reintroducing a course for the first time since 2015

teachers delivering one or more WACE courses for the first time in 2021 (e.g. graduate teachers, teachers who have not previously taught Year 11 or Year 12, teachers whose past experience has been interstate or overseas)

• new school leaders (e.g. Heads of Learning Area).

The purpose of these seminars is to provide teachers with information on the Authority’s assessment and moderation requirements that teachers need to follow when delivering senior secondary courses.

An online (WebEx) generic seminar will be conducted for teachers in regional, remote or international schools.

Registration and further information can be located on the Authority’s website using the link below:

https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/events/meeting-wace-requirements-2021.

Consensus Moderation Meetings in 2021

Contact
Adriana Douglas (08) 9273 6784
Adriana.Douglas@scsa.wa.edu.au

Schools are advised that the Board of the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) has endorsed consensus moderation meetings for selected Year 11 and Year 12 ATAR and General courses in 2021.

Participation in this moderation process is compulsory for all schools delivering a course in the table below. In 2021, consensus moderation meetings will be full day meetings conducted in two parts. Part A will be the review of student assessment files and a focus on applying the grade descriptions in a course to determine a grade, while Part B will focus on assessment practices as outlined in the WACE Manual 2021 in Section 2.4. A key aspect to achieving comparability in standards is the development and implementation of valid and appropriate school-based assessment tasks that provide for a comprehensive sampling of the syllabus content, and provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate the full range of achievements.

Teachers participating are required to provide a student assessment file for three students (one at each grade from A to C), including all assessment types and all marked assessments up to the time of providing the file. Additionally, schools will be required to provide a proposed grade distribution for the course at the time of the meeting. Further, course specific, information will be provided to schools in Term 1.

In the Perth metropolitan area and larger regional centres consensus moderation occurs at meetings of typically 10 – 15 teachers. Schools more than 100 km from the nearest scheduled meeting venue will participate in an online meeting following the same process as the face-to-face meetings where all assessment files are reviewed independently, twice by other teachers participating in the meeting.

For each assessment file, feedback is provided by the reviewing teacher in the form of a grade and a supporting comment for that judgement based on the grade descriptions for the course. Teachers reflect on the feedback received from their colleagues, to help determine any adjustments that may be required, so that the school’s marking and grading is comparable with the standard of their colleagues in the group. The process will be conducted in Term 2 and Term 3.

Teachers are reminded that they need to have procedures in place to ensure that all marked student work is retained for moderation purposes. This includes evidence collected for courses with portfolios and/or practical requirements. Please see the WACE Manual 2021 (Section 2.8) for further details.

During Term 1 2021, each school will be required to register one teacher for each of the courses below that the school is delivering. Principals will receive information regarding registration for the consensus moderation meetings teachers and specific requirements in March 2021. For further information, please email Adriana.Douglas@scsa.wa.edu.au.

Courses in Consensus Moderation in 2021  

Small group moderation partnerships for 2021

Contact
Rita Colliander (08) 9273 6378 (partnership registration)
Adriana Douglas (08) 9273 6784 (moderation queries)

Schools planning to run a class with fewer than six examination candidates in an ATAR Year 12 course are reminded of the need to establish a small group moderation partnership for 2021. Note: Year 12 ATAR courses with one student enrolled are still required to form a small group moderation partnership. All schools with one or more small groups must register their partnerships with the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) on the required form by Thursday, 11 February 2021.

To ensure the required comparability of marks, a partnership should be made with another school early to ensure delivery of the course at the same time. Establishment of a partnership before teaching commences enables the teachers involved to agree to the sequence and timing of delivery and to plan a common assessment outline.

All schools in a partnership are required to:

• use an identical assessment outline (typically developed collaboratively)
• establish and use identical assessment tasks and marking keys
• conduct all assessment tasks under the same agreed conditions (or conditions that are as similar as possible)
• co-develop and document agreed marking strategies to ensure comparability of marking, which can include:
  • one teacher marking a task from all students in all partner schools (i.e. rotating the marking of tasks between teachers)
  • double-marking a task from all students or from selected students across the range of grades (i.e. both teachers independently mark the whole task or particular sections/questions, then discuss comparability, review marks and make adjustments where required)
  • co-marking a task (i.e. each teacher marks particular sections/questions for all students).

Full details of the small group moderation procedures for 2021 are available in Section 3.6 of the WACE Manual 2021, available on the Authority website at https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/wace-manual.

A copy of the form required for registering Small Group Moderation partnerships with a Principal’s signature can be found at https://scsa.wa.edu.au/forms/forms under Moderation.

Seminars will be provided in February 2021 for those teachers who have not participated in a small group moderation partnership before, or for those who wish to refresh their understanding of the required procedures.

Registration and further information can be located on the Authority website using the link below:

https://scsa.wa.edu.au/events/small-group-moderation-seminar

SDA 2021 of selected Years 11 and 12 General and ATAR courses

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

Schools are advised that in 2021 the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) will conduct a syllabus delivery audit (SDA) for selected Years 11 and 12 General and ATAR courses (see table below). This moderation activity is designed to ensure that all schools are teaching and assessing the current syllabus in line with the requirements of the WACE Manual 2021, available on the Authority website.

Schools are required to submit a separate course outline and assessment outline for each listed course delivered.

For courses with defined contexts, schools are required to upload a separate course outline and assessment outline for each defined context.

Schools are reminded that for Year 12 courses, the course outline and the assessment outline must cover both Unit 3 and Unit 4 (year-long).

The process will require the upload of documents to SIRS2.

The Syllabus Delivery Audit 2021 School Coordinator Handbook and the Syllabus Delivery Audit 2021 Teacher and Head of Learning Area (HoLA) Handbook are available on the Authority website at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/moderation/syllabus-delivery-audit. Schools are required to complete the task of uploading documents by 4.00 pm Friday, 19 February 2021. The documents can be either in Microsoft Word or PDF format.

Following the Authority’s review of the documents in 2021, a report for each course will be available to schools. Schools will be informed if a document does not meet the requirements of the syllabus and/or the WACE Manual 2021. The report will specify the action/s that the school needs to take to ensure the document meets the requirements of the Authority.

Courses selected for the Syllabus Delivery Audit 2021 – Years 11 and 12 General and ATAR courses

2021 EST for all Year 12 General and Foundation courses

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

Teachers are advised that all students enrolled in a General Year 12 course and/or a Foundation Year 12 course, are required to complete the Externally Set Task (EST) developed by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) for that course. The EST is compulsory and forms part of the school-based assessment.

Information about ESTs and the administration of ESTs can be found in the Externally Set Tasks Handbook 2021 that is available on the Authority website at
https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/assessment/externally-set-tasks

Change in order of texts in ATAR Italian: Second Language written examination, Section One: Response: Listening

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

As of 2021, the longer text will occur first in Section One: Response: Listening in the ATAR Italian: Second Language written examination. The longer text will be divided into parts and will be played once in its entirety and then each of its parts will be played twice. The shorter texts will follow. This does not involve any change to the written examination design brief.

Submission of Year 12 ATAR course practical portfolio and production examinations 2021

Contact
Barclay Jones (08)9273 6309
Barclay.Jones@scsa.wa.edu.au

In 2021, Year 12 ATAR course practical portfolio and production examination submissions for the courses listed below are due to the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) on Tuesday, 21 September. In previous years, submissions have been due to the Authority on the Wednesday of the last week in Term 3. Courses with course practical portfolio and production examination submissions include:

• Design
• Materials Design and Technology
• Media Production and Analysis
• Music (composition portfolio examination)
• Visual Arts.

The submission day and date cited above is included in the 2021 Activities Schedule. It is highly recommended that teachers flag this change of day and date in their calendar.

Rules of conduct for Year 12 ATAR course examinations 2021

Contact
Barclay Jones (08) 9273 6309
Barclay.Jones@scsa.wa.edu.au

The rules of conduct for the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) Year 12 ATAR course examinations will be published in the Year 12 Information Handbook Part II: Examinations 2021, which will be uploaded to the Authority website in July 2021. 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.

To ensure that all students understand the rules relating to the Year 12 ATAR course examinations and that, if they breach these rules penalties will apply, the breach rules and generic instructions read aloud by supervisors to candidates prior to the commencement of examination reading time, can be located on the Authority website at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/assessment/examinations/rules-of-conduct-for-atar-course-examinations

It is strongly recommended that schools conduct school-based examinations using the generic instructions to ensure students are familiar with the rules prior to sitting the external examinations conducted by the Authority.

Given the challenge of identifying and determining the use of mobile technologies in the examination room, please note the ongoing rule which will continue in 2021 for the Year 12 ATAR course examinations, no candidate will be permitted to wear or take a watch or wireless-enabled technology device e.g. Fitbit, into the examination room. These items will be considered unauthorised items. Please ensure that all students are made aware of this rule.

Advice for schools

Schools should work with their students to ensure that they understand the instructions relating to the examinations. In particular, schools are asked to:

• ensure that where materials are permitted in the examination room, they are approved according to the relevant syllabus examination design brief/s outlining the Standard items and Special items to be provided by the candidate, as shown on the front cover of course examinations published on the Authority website in August; 11to12 Circular items and the Year 12 Information Handbook Part II: Examinations 2021
• ensure that all students understand the rules relating to the Year 12 ATAR course examinations conducted by the Authority by using the generic instructions read aloud by supervisors provided below, to conduct school-based examinations
• ensure that teachers and students follow the course practical examination requirements published on the Authority website in March
• inform students that they cannot wear or take a watch or wireless-enabled technology device e.g. Fitbit, into the examination room. These items are considered unauthorised items
• inform their students that mobile technologies such as mobile telephones and other communication or storage devices must not be taken into the examination room
• inform students that they are responsible for the calculator they take into an examination room, no calculators will be distributed to any candidate after they have entered the examination room and no spare calculator will be given to any candidate in the event that their calculator fails to operate
• inform students that they should not write on their hands or other parts of the body before or during examinations as this may be perceived by supervisors to constitute unauthorised notes
• inform students that they must not use their fingernail to mark the multiple-choice questions during reading time
• inform their students that, should they observe another candidate breaking the examination rules, they should report this action immediately to a supervisor
• ensure that teachers are aware they cannot authorise materials to be used in an examination if the material is not approved by the Authority
• check the ATAR course Practical examination requirements documents for compliance with all examination and submission requirements.

Year 12 ATAR course examinations 2021

Contact
Barclay Jones (08) 9273 6309
Barclay.Jones@scsa.wa.edu.au

The 2021 Year 12 ATAR course written examinations are scheduled from Monday, 1 November to Friday, 19 November 2021.

The 2021 Year 12 ATAR course practical examinations are scheduled from Saturday, 25 September to Sunday, 17 October 2021. See the schedule below.

The 2021 Year 12 ATAR course examination timetables will be available on the Examination Timetables webpage of the School Curriculum and Standards Authority website on Wednesday, 9 June 2021. No information regarding the date of specific written examinations is available prior to this date.

From Thursday, 9 September 2021, students will be able to download their Personalised written examinations timetable and Personalised practical examination timetable from the student portal at https://student.scsa.wa.edu.au/student-portal.

The Personalised written examinations timetable will contain the date, time and examination centre for the student’s written examinations. The Personalised practical examination timetable will contain the date, time, venue and location of the student’s practical examination.

2021 Year 12 ATAR course practical examinations schedule

1. Saturday, 25 September to Sunday, 3 October (Saturday, Sunday and the public holiday included) Aviation, Dance, Drama, Music and Physical Education Studies
2. Saturday, 25 September to Sunday, 10 October (Saturday, Sunday and the public holiday included) English as an Additional Language or Dialect (overseas schools)
3. Saturday, 9 October to Sunday, 17 October (Saturday and Sunday included) Chinese: Second Language, English as an Additional Language or Dialect (Western Australian schools), French: Background Language, French: Second Language, German: Background Language, German: Second Language, Indonesian: Second Language, Italian: Background Language, Italian: Second Language and Japanese: Second Language.

Schools will not be able to specify particular day/s for the practical examinations to be held for any student. Students from a school will be randomly allocated to examination times throughout all of the days allotted for a course. This process ensures anonymity for all candidates.

Schools are advised to plan activities such as school examinations, final-day assembly, graduation, valedictory dinners and leavers’ breakfast on dates other than those listed above.

Schools are requested to communicate the written and practical examination dates to students, teachers and parents. No allowance in the timetable can be made for holidays, work or personal arrangements.

The Year 12 ATAR course written examination scheduled date range for future years is below. Note that the proposed end date may alter based on the principle for setting the written examination dates that states, ‘The written examination period will be for a period of approximately 15 weekdays.’

• 2022  Monday, 31 October – Friday, 18 November
• 2023  Monday, 30 October – Friday, 17 November
• 2024  Monday 28 October – Friday, 15 November.

ATAR course examinations marked online 2021

Contact
Barclay Jones (08)9273 6309
Barclay.Jones@scsa.wa.edu.au

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

In 2021, online marking of ATAR course examinations will continue for the following courses:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Drama
• Economics
• English
• English as an Additional Language/Dialect
• Geography
• Human Biology
• Literature
• Mathematics Applications
• Mathematics Methods
• Mathematics Specialist
• Modern History
• Physical Education Studies
• Physics
• Psychology
• Religion and Life.

Online marking will be introduced for the following ATAR course examinations:

• Accounting and Finance
• Business Management and Enterprise.

For examination scripts to be scanned for online marking, the format of the paper includes the following features:

• a barcode at the bottom of the front page
• a solid 5 mm square in each corner of the front page
• a unique identifying number printed on every page within the paper.

The margins of each page will be excluded from the area available for writing and will be marked with the wording ‘DO NOT WRITE IN THIS AREA AS IT WILL BE CUT OFF’.

It is highly recommended that you advise your students not to use erasable pens, gel pens or pencil. Pencil is acceptable for diagrams.

The front covers of each examination will be available on the School Curriculum and Standards Authority website in August.

Application for 2021 ATAR course examination Chief Markers

Contact
Barclay Jones (08) 9273 6309
Barclay.Jones@scsa.wa.edu.au

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

The School Curriculum and Standards Authority is seeking applications for the role of Chief Marker for the written and practical components of the 2021 ATAR course examinations. For information regarding the application for 2021 ATAR course examination Chief Markers please refer to:

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

Alternative format practical examinations for ATAR course examination candidates with long-term injury or illness 2021

Contact
Carolyn Hackett (08) 9273 6316
Carolyn.Hackett@scsa.wa.edu.au

Candidates with an injury or illness existing at the start of Term 3 should apply to be examined in an alternative format, if the injury or illness will affect their participation in the standard practical examination of any course. There will be no sickness/misadventure consideration in practical examinations for candidates on the basis of an injury or illness existing at the start of Term 3.

For more information on the alternative format practical examinations, please visit
https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/assessment/examinations/special-provisions

The last date for application is Wednesday, 28 July 2021.

Special arrangements for ATAR course examinations 2021

Contact
Carolyn Hackett (08) 9273 6316
Carolyn.Hackett@scsa.wa.edu.au or specialprovs@scsa.wa.edu.au

The Application for Special Examination Arrangements form for the 2021 ATAR course examinations will arrive in schools in time for the start of Term 1. This form is to be used for candidates with a permanent or temporary disability that is demonstrated to impair their access to examinations under standard conditions.

It is the responsibility of the school to complete the form and submit it to the Authority on behalf of each eligible candidate. The form is not to be sent home for completion. Completed forms should be submitted to the Authority by Thursday, 1 April 2021.

Any student seeking any type of variation to the standard examination conditions must have an application form submitted for them. Special arrangements are available for practical and written examinations.

For information on the application process, please visit
https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/assessment/examinations/special-provisions.

There will be no sickness/misadventure consideration in practical examinations for candidates on the basis of an injury or illness existing at the start of Term 3.

Applications for alternative format practical examinations will be accepted until 28 July 2021. No late applications can be considered.

Special examination arrangements assessors 2021 – expressions of interest

Contact
Carolyn Hackett (08) 9273 6316
Carolyn.Hackett@scsa.wa.edu.au or sprecialprovs@scsa.wa.edu.au

The School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) is seeking expressions of interest by Friday, 26 February 2021 from suitably qualified and experienced persons to assist with the assessment of special examination arrangement applications for the 2021 ATAR course examinations. Applications to be assessed will relate to candidates within the specific learning disability, psychological/neurological or ADD/ADHD categories.

Assessors (a registered psychologist and a person with school management experience) will work in pairs. Work will be outside business hours on a contract basis, with payment per application. As highly sensitive information will be accessed during the process, all assessors will be expected to sign a confidentiality declaration. Before commencing work, assessors must already have a current Department of Education Screening Clearance Number (SCN) or apply through the Department of Education to complete a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check to be issued with an SCN.

Assessing applications will provide an excellent opportunity for valuable professional development related to the assessment of candidates with disabilities. The role is also well suited to those recently retired or on leave.

Interested school counsellors or educational psychologists should have experience assessing and diagnosing senior students with learning disabilities using current, relevant diagnostic tools.

Interested school representatives should have experience working in schools with senior students with learning disabilities or psychological/neurological conditions in the ATAR pathway. Ideally, applicants would have whole-of-school management experience.

Training, to be provided before the start of the assessment period, is expected to occur in the first week of Term 2. Training will be conducted outside school hours.

Assessment of most applications will be completed within a tight timeframe in late April, May and June 2021. Assessors should be available through Term 2, with the possibility of some work continuing into Term 3.

An expression of interest does not guarantee appointment. Applicants will be advised in Term 1 if their services will be required. Assessors from previous years are encouraged to reapply for 2021.

The Expression of interest form is available on the Authority website at
https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/assessment/examinations/special-provisions.

Year 12 ATAR course specifications booklet, formula sheets and data booklets for teaching and examining in 2021

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

The following course booklets are available on the School Curriculum and Standards Authority website at the links indicated under ‘ATAR’ and ‘Examination Materials’. Each booklet is for teaching and examining in 2021.

Applications for WACE Recognition of VET Accredited Courses

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

Schools are reminded to check the Accredited Course Recognition Status list on the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) website prior to enrolling students in a vocational education and training (VET) accredited course.

Accredited courses do not automatically provide students with recognition towards achievement of the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE). If a school intends to enrol students in an accredited course that is not currently on the status list, an application must be submitted to the Authority for the course to be approved and classified prior to student enrolment.

Accredited courses are identifiable by their code which will begin with numerals followed by an alpha identifier e.g. 52700WA Certificate II in Plumbing. Accredited courses are different to training package qualifications which will have an alpha identifier followed by numerals e.g. SIS20115 Certificate II in Sport and Recreation.

Application for WACE recognition of a VET accredited course forms are to be submitted to the Authority by Thursday 4 March, 2021.

The application form, status list and further information about accredited courses can be found on the Authority’s website under WACE Recognition of VET Accredited Courses: https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/vet/wace-recognition-of-vet-accredited-courses

Endorsed Programs update 2021

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

2021 Endorsed programs list
The revised list of endorsed programs available to students in Years 10, 11 and 12 in 2021 is available now on the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) website. The web link for endorsed programs is https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/syllabus-and-support-materials/endorsed-programs (Scroll to the bottom of the web page and select the Excel document titled ‘2021 Endorsed program codes and achievement descriptors’).

Workplace Learning endorsed program seminar Thursday 18 February 2021 12.40 – 3.30 pm
Registrations for a seminar for new/inexperienced teachers of the Workplace Learning endorsed program, ADWPL, are now open. Register here https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/events/meeting-wace-requirements-2021 under Meeting WACE requirements 2021 Workplace Learning endorsed program (ADWPL) and Authority-developed endorsed programs.

Applications for endorsement of School-developed programs
Schools are advised that applications for endorsement of School-developed programs must be emailed to Arti.Dogra@scsa.wa.edu.au by Tuesday 23 February 2021. The application form can be downloaded from the endorsed programs page of the Authority website at:

https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/syllabus-and-support-materials/endorsed-programs

VET Awards Selection Report 2020 now online

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

The School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) recommends that School Leaders and people delivering VET to secondary school students read the Awards Selection Report now available on the Authority website at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/certification/exhibitions-and-awards under Awards for outstanding achievement in VET.

The report provides valuable information for teachers who supported the nomination of students in 2020 and for those who plan to do so in 2021.

It presents statistics on the number of students involved in the awards selection process and detailed information on how students were selected for awards, including feedback and recommendations for teachers.

The names of award winners, published in the media on 22 December 2020, are listed on the Authority website.

The 2021 VET Awards for Outstanding Achievement Brochure and 2021 VET Awards Nomination Kit will be available on the website in March under Awards for outstanding achievement in VET.

Access to the online nomination process will be available to schools in Term 3. The last date for schools to submit VET award nominations via SIRS is Monday, 30 August 2021 at 4.30pm.

WASN requests for 2021

Contact
Data Services (08) 9273 6344
numbers@scsa.wa.edu.au

dataservices@scsa.wa.edu.au

All current students in Western Australia should have been allocated a Western Australian Student Number (WASN), and be registered with the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority). This number remains with the student throughout their school life. Schools need to recognise the importance of the WASN to avoid duplication of records and maintain continuity of student data.

Schools can only request WASNs through the Student Information Record System (SIRS) for Kindergarten students commencing in 2021. If a student other than Kindergarten arrives at your school from another WA school, please check to see if they have a WASN first using the ‘Search for WASN’ process – explained in ‘How to Search for WA Student Numbers in SIRS’ in this circular.

Please note we do not issue numbers for Pre- Kindergarten students.

If you cannot locate a number, then contact numbers@scsa.wa.edu.au and give details of the student’s legal surname, legal first name, date of birth and academic year. It is also useful to include your school code in any correspondence. If schools request a WASN for a student who already has a number, the correct WASN number will be sent back to schools. The Authority will forward to schools new WASNs for those students without a number.

All secondary schools with a Year 7 intake can send a complete list (spreadsheet) of Year 7 students entering their school, including the student’s legal surname, legal first name and date of birth and the Authority will look up the numbers on their behalf.

A reminder that details of how to register students can be found in the Student Registration Procedures Manual 2021 – Primary Students found at https://scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/data-procedures-manual – with links to assist schools using Integris (RTP), Civica Maze, and Excel. There is also a Guide to uploading Student Registration and Demographic (SRGDG) file found at PDFhttps://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/349636/GUIDE-TO-UPLOADING-STUDENT-REGISTRATION-AND-DEMOGRAPHIC-FILE.pdf opens in new window and some online training videos found at https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/sirs-info/primary-schools.

Registration of students on SIRS in 2021

Contact
Data Services (08) 9273 6344
dataservices@scsa.wa.edu.au

Schools and other education providers are asked to note the following important dates as the last date for the initial upload of student registration and demographic information to the Student Information Records System (SIRS) in 2021.

Thursday, 11 February 2021

• Initial 2021 registration and demographic information for Years 10–12 students (required for Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (OLNA) student lists and password generation (via SRGDG file).
• Initial 2021 registration and demographic information for students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 (required for National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) (via SRGDG file).
• Initial 2021 registration and demographic information for all Kindergarten – Year 6 students where these students attend schools using Brightpath (via SRGDG file).
• Initial 2021 registration information for all teachers where students attend schools using Brightpath (via THREG file).

Thursday, 1 April 2021

• Registration and demographic information for all remaining Kindergarten – Year 8 students other than those listed above is due to be uploaded by Thursday, 1 April 2021.

Updates to registration and demographic information should be uploaded into SIRS on a regular basis for the remainder of the year.

Details of how to register students are provided in the updated Data Procedures Manual 2021 with links to assist schools using Reporting to Parents, MAZE, and Excel. There is also a separate Student Registration Procedures Manual found at https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/sirs-info/primary-schools to assist primary schools with creating and uploading their Student Registration and Demographic File (SRGDG).

Schools are requested to include their school code in any correspondence.

How to Search for a WASN in SIRS

Contact
Data Services (08) 9273 6344
numbers@scsa.wa.edu.au

dataservices@scsa.wa.edu.au

Please refer to the September 2020 circular item regarding registration and enrolment of P – 10 students transferring between schools in Western Australia. By checking a student number, the system will also give you a student’s current academic year.

If a student arrives at your school from another school in Western Australia, or even from overseas/interstate, you have the ability to search in the Student Information Records System (SIRS) for that student’s Western Australian Student Number (WASN) using a family name, given name and date of birth.

All student registrations are recorded in SIRS by the end of Term 1. After this time, you will be able to search for students including the student’s previous school/s. You will know where to send a transfer note, if required.

1. Hover over Enrolments in the menu bar.
2. Click on Student Enrolment > Student Maintenance > Find Student Number (see image below).

The Find Student Number directory will appear (see image below). Enter the student’s Family Name, Given Name and Date of Birth.

3. Click Search.If the information you have entered exactly matches the information in SIRS, you will find a result even if the student is not at your school (see image below).

If the details you have requested are different from the information in SIRS (e.g. date of birth is different, Jackie is spelt as Jacky), no information will be found. In this case, please email numbers@scsa.wa.edu.au and provide the student’s:

• Family Name (Surname)
• Given Name (First Name)
• Date of Birth
• Academic Year
• Previous School (if known).

Troubleshooting: Search WASN

1. What happens if the requested information does not show?Email numbers@scsa.wa.edu.au and provide student name, academic year and date of birth.
2. What happens when a single year (e.g. 2012 to 2012) is entered in the date range?Only a result for that year will be returned.
3. What does it mean when the Department of Education is shown as the student’s main provider?
   It means the student is likely to be under a Notice of Arrangements or may have been on the Whereabouts Unknown List (more likely with Years 7, 8, 9 and 10).

Non-school candidate enrolments, 2021

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

In 2021, an individual may enrol to sit an ATAR course examination as a non-school candidate (formerly private candidate) in the event that the individual is:

• seeking entry to university as a mature-age applicant, or
• a student who has previously completed Year 12, or
• a Year 12 student undertaking language course examinations through Interstate Language offerings where the course is not offered by the school, or
• a Year 12 student undertaking Chinese: First Language, or French, German or Italian Background language examinations where the course is not offered by the school.

To enrol as a non-school candidate in an Interstate Languages course examination or in Chinese: First Language, or French, German or Italian Background language course examination, the candidate must be enrolled to sit at least three other ATAR course examinations as a school candidate in 2021.

An individual may not enrol in:

• an external examination for an Interstate Language at the same time as being enrolled in that course with the State that hosts the language, and
• more than one Interstate Language examination.

An individual enrolled in an ATAR course examination as a non-school candidate is unable to use the mark from that examination to contribute towards the achievement of an exhibition or award. As a non-school candidate, that examination does not contribute towards meeting the requirements for the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE).

Enrolments as non-school candidates in ATAR course examinations are due by Thursday, 1 April 2021. No further applications will be accepted after this date.

Year 11 and Year 12 student enrolments in course units 2021

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

In 2021, Year 11 and Year 12 students can enrol in ATAR, General, Foundation, Preliminary and VET industry specific courses.

Schools are reminded that Year 11 and Year 12 student enrolments in these courses must be uploaded to the Student Information Records System (SIRS) by Thursday, 25 February 2021.

Enrolments in course units

The instructions to assist schools to enrol their students in courses are detailed in the Data Procedures Manual 2021. The manual is available on the Authority website at the following address: https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/data-procedures-manual.

The specific sub-sections for information relating to extracting data of students enrolled in courses, uploading the enrolments into SIRS and verifying these enrolments in SIRS are listed below.

Details relating to enrolments in course units

Further information relating to the study of courses can be found in PDFSection 5: Enrolments of the Data Procedures Manual 2021 opens in new window.

2020 Student Achievements – Other than Year 12

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

Schools are reminded they have until Thursday, 18 February 2021 to verify and confirm the achievement data submitted to the School Curriculum and Standards Authority for students in other than Year 12.

The achievements required include:

• Course units (ATAR, General, Foundation, Preliminary and VET Industry Specific courses) for semester 1, 2 or full year
• VET qualifications
• VET units of competency
• Endorsed programs.

The declaration forms for course units, VET and endorsed programs are to be completed and signed by the principal. The declaration forms were emailed to schools on 13 January 2021, as per the 2021 Activities Schedule.

Some schools had not finalised the transfer of their data by the end of the 2020 school year. If your school has not uploaded the appropriate data files to the Student Information Records System (SIRS), please do so as a matter of urgency.

Note: Students who were allocated a ‘U’ for Year 11 courses need to also have these results amended and re-uploaded into SIRS by Thursday, 18 February 2021 or the student’s U will default to an E with a zero mark.

A mark and a grade are required for all Year 11 students:

• a student’s school based achievement for a Year 11 course may be recorded for each pair of units (i.e. one mark and one grade), OR
• for each unit completed (i.e. two marks and two grades).

Additionally, the VET Unique Student Identifier is a requirement for VET achievement intended for contribution towards the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) requirements.

The results for students who have left your school need to be finalised if they had enrolments. If the students should have been withdrawn from a course unit, this withdrawal will need to be uploaded through the ENCOS file to SIRS. If students have been withdrawn from VET units of competency and endorsed programs, this will need to be uploaded using the correct code through the RSVET and RSEND files respectively.

Year 11 2020 student result updates and default of U to an E grade

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

Schools are reminded that 2020 students allocated a ‘U’ for Year 11 courses need to have these results finalised in SIRS by Thursday, 18 February this year or the student’s U will default to an E with a zero mark.

Schools can amend their 2020 Year 11 results and re-upload the amended RSCOS file.

After Thursday, 18 February 2021 the SIRS facility will be locked and no further changes can be made.

Application for recording of enrolment and achievement in ATAR Units 1 and 2 for students in Year 10 in 2021

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

Permission must be obtained from the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority) for Year 10 students to enrol and have achievements in ATAR units 1 and 2 contribute towards the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE).

Schools are reminded that the Authority requires all schools to implement the Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline (https://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/policy/teaching-assessing-and-reporting-policy) to meet the learning needs of all students.

The Pre-primary to Year 10: Teaching, Assessing and Reporting Policy and Policy Standards (https://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/policy/policy-standards) set out the mandatory requirements for teaching and assessing the Western Australian (WA) curriculum and for reporting on student achievement.

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 2021, 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 2021 form, available on the Authority website at https://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/forms/forms under Enrolments.

The completed application form is to be returned to the Authority by Thursday, 4 March 2021.