Deputy Principal/Curriculum Coordinator Workshops 2009

2009/16119v4

WACE Policy and Guidelines

Will focus today on:• WACE requirements 2010 and beyond• Enrolment trends and student pathways• Reporting student achievement.

Feedback will be sought in order to ensure

policy and guidelines best support

schools.

Our Youth, Our Future

Imperatives for Senior Secondary Reform

• Meeting young people’s needs and life prospects

• Transition from school to further study or work• Preparing for the 21st century• Community demands for explicit educational

standards and greater transparency• A K-12 system of education

New WACE courses

• Semester units (with flexibility)• Stage 1-3 units• Additional units (P, Stage 1, Stage

2)• School-based assessment• Links to external assessment• VET industry courses• Endorsed programs

Enrolment trends and student pathways

For Year 12s in 21 WACE courses examined in 2009

Enrolments in:• a unit pair for a stage - as predicted• courses with additional Stage 1- as predicted• the two Aboriginal courses are very low• Stage 2 for six courses are very small.

Enrolment trends and student pathways

Undesirable trends:• much larger Year 12 enrolments in 1C and

1D relative to 2A and 2B• unit pairs being offered across Stage 1 and

2 (e.g. ENG 1D and 2A).

Enrolment trends and student pathways

Explanation of trends:• schools ‘protecting’ students from exams• concern about external scrutiny• student preference for easier options• teacher lack of confidence• desire for some ‘recreation-level’ courses.

Enrolment trends and student pathways

Possible impact of trends:• mid-range Year 12 students not challenged• students denied future opportunities• students completing non-examinable units

will not receive a WACE course score nor course report

• perpetuation of the ‘TEE’/‘non-TEE’ divide.

Qualifying for a WACE in 2009

A student will need to:• complete at least 10 full-year (or

equivalent) Curriculum Council subjects• achieve an average of C grade or better• achieve English language competence• include all 13 overarching outcomes in

their overall program of study.

Qualifying for a WACE from 2010

A student will need to:• complete at least the equivalent of 20

course units• achieve an average of C grade or better• achieve English language competence• complete, in final WACE year (12), at

least one pair or course units from each of List A and List B.

Reporting student achievement

• Courses

• VET

• Endorsed programs

• Community service

• Statement of results

• Course reports

Preliminary stage units

• Do they contribute to the WACE?• Do they contribute to English language

competency?• How are they reported?• Can they be completed over more than 55 hours?• Will they be moderated?• What does ‘completed’ mean?• Are they only for students with intellectual

disability?

Integrated planning and delivery of

courses • What can ‘integration’ mean?• In what ways can teachers plan and

deliver courses in an integrated manner?

• How can teachers assess units delivered in an integrated manner?

• Can teachers save time by integrating units?

Reporting student achievement

Key dates for the remainder of 2009

(see yellow paper)

Student registration and demographic file

Upload requirements• name, address, date of birth• particulars of any educational program• particulars of any employment,

apprenticeship/ traineeship, training or any combination of these.

(See lime green paper)

Evaluation form

Please complete section four of the evaluation form on WACE feedback