Year 12 in 2022Information for Year 10 Students and their Parents

All students receive a Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement (WASSA) when they complete Year 12.

The WASSA:

• formally records a student’s achievement in every course, qualification and program that the student has completed in senior secondary schooling

• provides evidence of achievement.

The WASSA – All students

• The Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) is awarded to students who have successfully completed senior secondary schooling in WACE studies and have met the WACE requirements.

• The majority of students in Western Australia achieve the WACE.

• Study towards the WACE can be undertaken over a lifetime.

The WACE

Students must:

• complete one of three course combination options

complete at least four Year 12 ATAR courses OR

complete at least five Year 12 General courses and/or ATAR courses or equivalent OR

complete a Certificate II (or higher) VET qualification in combination with ATAR, General or Foundation courses

• demonstrate the literacy and numeracy standards

• meet the requirements for breadth and depth of study

• meet the achievement standard.

WACE requirements

Students must demonstrate minimum standards of literacy and numeracy by either:

• demonstrating the standard through the Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (OLNA); or

• pre-qualifying for a particular component by achieving Band 8 or higher in reading, writing and numeracy in their Year 9 NAPLAN and being exempted from that component in the OLNA.

Literacy and numeracy standard requirement

Students must complete a minimum of 20 units or the equivalent, including:

• a minimum of ten Year 12 units or the equivalent

• four units from an English course, post-Year 10, including at least one pair of Year 12 units from an English learning area course

• one pair of Year 12 units from List A

• one pair of Year 12 units from List B.

Breadth and depth requirement

Students must achieve 14 C grades or higher (or equivalents) in Year 11 and Year 12 units, including at least six C grades (or equivalents) in Year 12 units.

Achievement standard requirement

Students are offered three study options which they can mix and match:

• WACE courses (four course types – ATAR, General, Foundation and VET industry specific)

• VET programs

• endorsed programs.

Study options

Sample study programs – ATAR

Sample study programs – General

Sample study programs – Training

These courses:

• are examined by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (the Authority)

• are used by the Tertiary Institutions Service Centre (TISC) to calculate a student’s Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR).

There are written examinations for all ATAR courses.

There are practical examinations for some ATAR courses. Students must complete both examinations in these courses.

Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) courses

Students enrolled in a Year 12 ATAR course pair of units are required to sit the written and, if the course has one, practical examination.

Students who do not sit the examination will not:

• have a course mark or grade recorded on their WASSA

• receive an ATAR course report

• have the pair of units completed in that year contribute towards any of the WACE requirements.

Completing ATAR courses

These courses:

• are not externally examined

• have an externally set task (EST) which is set by the Authority

• are designed for students who are typically aiming to enter further vocationally based training or the workforce directly from school.

General courses

These courses:

• focus on functional literacy and numeracy skills, practical work‐related experience and personal skills

• are not an alternative senior secondary pathway

• are for students who have not been able to demonstrate the minimum standard for literacy and/or numeracy before Year 11 and who require significant support

• have an externally set task (EST) set by the Authority.

Foundation courses

The Authority provides Preliminary courses for students who have been identified as having a:

• learning difficulty and/or an intellectual disability, and

• recognised disability under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992.

Preliminary courses do not contribute to the WACE, but a student doing Preliminary courses may also undertake studies that do contribute to the WACE.

Preliminary courses

VET is nationally recognised and enables students to gain qualifications for all types of employment, and specific skills to help them in the workplace or in further training.

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

• As part of the minimum WACE requirements, a student may complete a Certificate II or higher in combination with ATAR, General or Foundation courses.

• Studying VET can provide up to eight units towards the number of course units students need to complete to achieve their WACE.

• Students will typically enrol in four or five additional ATAR, General or Foundation courses to meet the WACE requirements.

• Students who do not enrol in at least four Year 12 ATAR courses or at least five Year 12 General courses and/or ATAR courses (i.e. their program of study includes one or more Foundation course/s in Year 12) must also complete a Certificate II or higher to achieve the WACE.

VET contribution to the WACE

VET and the WACE

• Certificate II in Applied Language – Indonesian• Certificate II in Business• Certificate II in Community Services (Childcare focus)• Certificate II in Creative Industries• Certificate II in Hospitality• Certificate II in Information Digital Media and Technologies• Certificate II in Music Industry• Certificate II in Outdoor Recreation• Certificate II in Sport Coaching• Certificate III in Music Industry• Certificate III in Design Fundamentals

Certificates offered at CVC

• Students can apply for qualifications delivered at TAFE or Private Training Providers whilst still at school

• Offerings will be advertised via Connect• These include:• Aviation• Automotive• Business Administration and Information Digital Media Technologies• Building and Construction• Education Support and Early Childhood• Engineering• Population Health• Make Up/ Retail Cosmetics• Retail

VET Delivered to Secondary Students

• CVC fully supports students taking part in School Based Traineeships (SBT’s)

• Students are able to undertake an apprenticeship or traineeship one or two days per week and be paid while completing secondary schooling.

• Traineeships include:

• Retail

• Hospitality/Kitchen Operations

• Individual Support

• Warehousing

• Engineering

• Hairdressing

School Based Traineeships/Apprenticeships

These programs:

• provide access to areas of learning not covered by WACE courses or VET programs and contribute to the WACE as unit equivalents

• are for students wishing to participate in programs that are delivered in a variety of settings by schools, workplaces, universities and community organisations.

Endorsed programs

Endorsed programs can be used to:

• contribute towards the breadth and depth requirement and the achievement standard requirement of the WACE

• count as a maximum of four unit equivalents towards the WACE – two unit equivalents in Year 11 and two unit equivalents in Year 12.

The list of endorsed programs is available on the Authority website.

Endorsed programs and the WACE

There are three categories of endorsed programs, which differ in respect to the developer, the type of evidence required for determining student achievement and the quality assurance process.

These categories are:

• Authority-developed endorsed programs

• Provider-developed endorsed programs

• School-developed endorsed programs.

Categories of endorsed programs

• ADWPL – Workplace Learning

• ADOEP – Off Campus Enrichment

• ADCS – Community Service

• ADCAP – Community Arts Performance

• ASDAN

• Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

• Recreational Skippers Ticket

• Keys for Life Pre-Driver Education

• Bushrangers

• Employment Advantage

• Circus Troupe

Endorsed Programs at CVC include:

• The Authority publishes dates about changing enrolments in its Activities Schedule.

• There are points in the semester after which students should not change courses because it would be unlikely they could complete the assessment program.

Changing courses in Years 11 and 12

• Changing means students replace one course enrolment with another.

• Withdrawing means students are no longer studying a course.

• If students withdraw from a course in Year 12, their enrolment course for the year is not recorded on their WASSA. This means no credit is given for the work done for the year’s units prior to dropping the course.

Changing courses and withdrawing from courses

Meeting these standards:

• is a benchmark of educational achievement

• is valued by employers and post-school training providers

• ensures all students leave school with the best chance of future success.

Literacy and numeracy standards

• Adjustments will be made to the OLNA conditions, if a student’s access to the assessment is significantly affected by a disability, impairment, illness or impediment.

• Evidence of a disability, diagnosed by a specialised medical professional, is required for adjustment.

• The Guidelines for disability adjustments for timed assessments is available on the Authority website at https://senior-secondary.scsa.wa.edu.au/assessment/disability-adjustment-guidelines.

OLNA disability adjustments

Adjustments typically requested for approval by principals include:

• rest breaks and provision for a pause button

• extra time to work

• a reader

• scribe assistance for the writing component

• use of a support person for the reading and numeracy components

• special formats.

OLNA — Typical adjustments

Assistance is available through:

• Foundation courses designed for students who require significant support

• feedback to schools on individual student performance for each OLNA component.

Students who have achieved the minimum standard of literacy and/or numeracy through the OLNA, are not eligible to enrol in Foundation courses.

Support — Literacy and numeracy standard

Subject Selection Online

Courses:

Visual Art – ATAR and General

Dance – General

Drama – General

Media – General and ATAR

Certificate II in Creative Industries

Certificate III in Music Industry

Certificate III in Design Fundamentals (Fashion)

ART

Visual Art• Students are encouraged to appreciate the work of other artists and engage in

their own art practice through portraiture and landscape.

Media Production and Analysis• Students gain an understanding of media language considering media forms,

narrative, codes and conventions, representations and skills and processes.

General Dance• Dance is dynamic and powerful. Students look at human movement through

Dance and have the opportunity to create and perform original choreography.

General Drama• Students gain skills in speaking in front of an audience, working as an effective

team member as well as skills in observation, analysis and reflection.

General Courses

Visual Art

• Students are encouraged to explore and represent their ideas and gain an awareness of the role that artists and designers play in reflecting, challenging and shaping societal values.

• The Visual Arts ATAR course allows students to develop aesthetic understandings and a critical awareness to appreciate and make informed evaluations of art through their engagement of their own art practice and the work of others.

• This course will develop your abilities in creative and flexible thinking as well as learning how meaning can be created and recognise meaning from a broader range of symbols and nuances. This course leads to Visual Arts ATAR in Year 12.

ATAR Courses

Media

• Students learn the skill to explore, experiment and interpret their world, while reflecting and analysing on contemporary life, the impact of media products and consider the important role of audiences.

• Through the production requirements students are able to demonstrate their understanding of the key concepts of media languages, representation, audience, skills and processes as well as express their creativity and originality.

• Students learn to make decisions about all aspects of production, including pre-production and post-production phases. This provides an opportunity for students to reflect on and discuss their own creative work, intentions and outcomes.

ATAR Courses

Certificate II Creative Industries

• Students have the opportunity to be involved in hands-on practical activities such as designing and running an event, project management, mentoring others, designing and presenting, broadcasting/ publication/advertising content, and creating and maintaining digital content (film).

Certificate III in Music Industry

• Students will be trained in practical musicianship and performance skills, be introduced to a range of music technologies, study music theory, musical styles and song writing and develop an understanding of the inner workings of the music industry

Certificate III in Design Fundamentals

• Introduces students to various textile techniques allowing them to create innovative fabric that will be used in the production of garments and accessories.

Certificate Courses

Courses:

Geography – ATAR and General

Modern History – ATAR and General

Economics – ATAR

Career and Enterprise – ATAR and General

Politics and Law – ATAR

Ancient History - General

Certificate II in Business

Overview of HASS

Geography• geography of environments at risk, and the geography of people and places

Ancient History• Looks at a number of ancient civilisations and the powerful people behind these civilisations by

looking at the impact they had on society then and now. Looking at the people, places and monuments that have become significant over time will allow students to develop skills that will enable them to look at history and the event makers in new ways.

Modern History• Exposes students to a variety of historical sources, including government papers, extracts from

newspapers, letters, diaries, photographs, cartoons, paintings, graphs and secondary sources, in order to understand the historical narrative including cause and effect, and the forces influencing people and events.

Career and Enterprise• Career and Enterprise aims to provide students with the knowledge, workplace skills and

attitudes valued within work environments as a preparation for employment. This course enables students to make industry contacts, create resumes, create electronic portfolios, learn valuable workplace skills and clarify career choices and options.

General Courses

Geography

• The only subject that gives the full picture on sustainable living, poverty, renewable energy, migration, urban regeneration, floods, droughts, cyclones and hazard management.

Modern History

• Students learn essential historical concepts of people, events ideas, beliefs, motives, forces, perspective, discrimination, cause and effect and empathy.

Career and Enterprise

• Involves learning to manage and take responsibility for personal career development. The Career and Enterprise ATAR course involves recognising one’s individual skills and talents, and using this understanding to assist in gaining and keeping work.

Economics

• Economics investigates the choices people, groups and societies face as they confront the ongoing problem of satisfying their unlimited wants with limited resources.

Politics and Law

• Focuses on the processes of decision making concerning society’s collective future. It aims to develop the knowledge of the principles, structures, institutions and processes of political and legal systems primarily in Australia.

ATAR Courses

Certificate II in Business• Is a dynamic course that provides students with real and transferable skills that will

enable students to navigate the complex life and work environments that they will face in this ever increasingly competitive information age.

• They will develop a wide range of employable skills including the need to be flexible, self-directed, motivated and accountable individuals that value the need for lifelong learning.

• Some typical activities students will encounter include: • Producing tickets and certificates for school events, such as: river cruise, dinner dance, and/or the

school ball. • Producing and compiling digital information that can be used for the school website, the year 12

Year Book and/or the valedictory ceremony.

• This qualification is currently under review by PwC and if there are any changes these will be communicated to students and parents once the review has been finalised.

Certificates

Courses:

• Health Education – General

• Physical Education - General

• Certificate II in Outdoor Recreation

• Certificate II in Sport Coaching

Physical Education

Health Education

• Students explore factors which influence their health, and design action plans to improve health and achieve set goals.

• Students explore actions, skills and strategies to cope with health influences and improve health.

Physical Education

• Approximately 50% practical and 50% theory. Opportunities to enhance and refine physical skills in sports. Practical sessions include a variety of sports and may include squash, lawn bowls, ten pin bowling, trampolining, golf and volleyball. These sports help link classroom based knowledge with practical application.

General Courses

Certificate II in Outdoor Recreation

• A very practical subject, student are provided with the opportunity to acquire skills to participate in multiple recreational activities.

Certificate II in Sport Coaching

• This course is made up of 70% practical and 30% theory. The practical will include participation in a variety of sports developing skills, tactics and game play. Sports will depend on the availability of resources.

Certificate Courses

Courses:

• General English

• General English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EALD)

• ATAR English

• ATAR Literature

• ATAR English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EALD)

English

General English

• The English General course focuses on consolidating and refining the skills and knowledge needed by students to become competent, confident and engaged users of English in everyday, community, social, further education, training and workplace contexts.

EALD

• The EALD courses are designed for students who speak another language or dialect as their first or ‘home’ language. EALD focuses on development of the competent use of Standard Australian English (SAE) in a range of contexts. The EALD General course prepares students for a range of post-secondary destinations in further education, training and the workplace. Please speak to the HOLA of Languages for eligibility requirements.

General Courses

English• The English ATAR course focuses on developing students’ analytical, creative, and critical

thinking and communication skills in all language modes, encouraging students to critically engage with texts from their contemporary world, the past, and from Australian and other cultures.

Literature• Students learn to create readings of literary texts and to create their own texts, including

essays, poems, short stories, plays and multimodal texts. Students learn about literary language, narrative, image and the power of representation. They experience the aesthetic and intellectual pleasure that reading and creating literary texts can bring.

EALD• The EALD courses are designed for students who speak another language or dialect as

their first or ‘home’ language. EALD focuses on development of the competent use of SAE in a range of contexts. The EALD ATAR course develops academic English skills to prepare students for tertiary study. Please speak to the HOLA of English for eligibility requirements.

ATAR Courses

Courses:

• Foundation Mathematics (General) – OLNA Cat 1 or 2

• Mathematics Essential (General) - No prerequisites

• Specialist (ATAR) – prerequisite - High A consistently

• Methods (ATAR) – prerequisite - A

• Applications (ATAR) – prerequisite - B

Mathematics

Mathematics Foundation

• Is designed for students who have not demonstrated the (WACE) standard of numeracy skills. Student who have achieved a Category 1 or 2 in OLNA may be eligible in discussion with the Head of Mathematics.

Mathematics Essential

• Is a General course which focuses on using mathematics effectively, efficiently and critically to make informed decisions. It provides students with the mathematical knowledge, skills and understanding to solve problems in real contexts for a range of workplace, personal, further learning and community settings. This course provides the opportunity for students to prepare for post-school options of employment and further training.

Foundation and General Mathematics

Mathematics Specialist

• Provides opportunities, beyond those presented in the Mathematics Methods ATAR course, to develop rigorous mathematical arguments and proofs, and to use mathematical models more extensively.

Mathematics Methods

• Focuses on the use of calculus and statistical analysis. The study of calculus provides a basis for understanding rates of change in the physical world, and includes the use of functions, their derivatives and integrals, in modelling physical processes.

Mathematics Applications

• Focuses on the use of mathematics to solve problems in contexts that involve financial modelling, geometric and trigonometric analysis, graphical and network analysis, and growth and decay in sequences.

ATAR Mathematics

• Integrated Science – (General)

• Human Biology – (General)

• Chemistry – (ATAR)

• Physics – (ATAR)

• Earth & Environmental Science – (ATAR)

• Biology – (ATAR)

• Human Biology – (ATAR)

Science

Chemistry• Students who have an interest in chemistry and/or would like to pursue a career or further

study in science or chemistry should select this course.

Physics• Students who have an interest in the physical world and/or would like to pursue a career or

further study in the physical sciences area should select this course.

Earth & Environmental Sciences• EES embraces the fundamental aspects of physics, chemistry and biology, elaborating these

processes within the Earth and environment context which allows students to appreciate how relevant and authentic their science learning is.

Biology• This course provides a strong scientific background for all students. However, it is especially

beneficial for students who have an interest in biology and the environment, and/or would like to pursue a career in the Biological Sciences.

Human Biology• This course provides a strong scientific background for all students. It is especially beneficial for

students who have an interest in the human body and/or would like to pursue a career in the Human Biological Science area.

ATAR Courses

Human Biology

• The course explores how the human body works. It focuses on the cells, tissues and organs that work together to make up our major body systems. It also covers the human body’s requirements for healthy living as well as reproduction and pregnancy, and the various technologies available to treat associated disorders.

Integrated Science

• The focus for learning is the practice of science, general knowledge of factual content in biological, physical and environmental/earth science and an understanding of the impact of science on the world in which students live.

General Courses

Building and Construction - General

Materials Design & Technology – General

• Wood

• Metal

Home Economics

• Children, Family & Community – General

• Certificate II in Community Services (Childcare Focus)

• Food Science & Technology – General

• Certificate II in Hospitality

Digital Technologies

• Computer Science – General

• Certificate II in Information, Digital Media & Technology

Technologies

Computer Science – General• Course focuses on the fundamental principles, concepts and skills within the

field, and provides students with opportunities to develop flexibility and adaptability in the application of these in the roles of developers and users. Students develop problem-solving abilities and technical skills as they learn how to diagnose and solve problems in the course of understanding the building blocks of computing.

Certificate II in Information, Digital Media & Technology• This qualification will provide students with the practical skills and knowledge to

operate the essential functions of software applications.• This qualification is currently under review by PwC and if there are any changes these will be

communicated to students and parents once the review has been finalised.

Digital Technologies

Children, Family & Community – General

• An understanding of reproduction/pregnancy, how a child grows and develops, family types and an awareness of services and networks to support and assist families are an important focus of the course.

Certificate II in Community Services (Childcare Focus)

• Students will learn how to care for and educate young children through hands on practical experience and child theory based research in the area of health, communication, nutrition and working with others, in a very student friendly, fun and educational environment.

Food Science & Technology – General

• Students explore ways in which individuals select and use foods, and how this is determined by family customs, lifestyle, and budget, availability of food and preparation skills. Students will learn about the availability and variety of local foods. Students will identify their personal food requirements, and the influence of food choice on health. Students will demonstrate safe food handling procedures and work individually and in teams to generate and communicate ideas when producing and storing food products.

Certificate II in Hospitality

• Provides students with a range of vocationally orientated skills which enable participants to gain employment within the hospitality industry.

Home Economics

Building and Construction – General

• Explore properties of common construction materials. Basic plan reading is practiced with application in building, as well as skills in areas of content, such as working with materials.

Materials Design & Technology – General

• Wood

• Introduction to a range of technology skills, generate ideas and realise these ideas through their design projects. Suggested projects include small personalised furniture items, household products or frame construction projects.

• Metal

• Use an array of manipulative skill processes and techniques. There are a number of set projects which will enhance the students’ skills in bench work, sheet metal fabrication, welding and machining.

Materials

Courses:

• General Italian – Second Language

• Certificate II in Applied Language - Indonesian

• ATAR Indonesian – Second Language

• ATAR Italian – Second Language

Languages

General Italian: Second Language

• Students develop communication skills in Italian and gain an insight into the language and culture.

Certificate II in Applied Language: Indonesian

• This course is designed to provide students with language skills and intercultural knowledge to enable them to communicate in social and workplace situations in Indonesian.

General and Certificate Courses

Italian: Second Language

• Students gain a broader and deeper understanding of the Italian language and extend and refine their communication skills. Allows students to connect to the world of work, further study and travel.

Indonesian: Second Language

• Students can connect to the world of work, further study and travel. The course is designed to equip students with the skills needed to function in an increasingly globalised society, a culturally and linguistically diverse local community and to provide the foundation for life-long language learning.

ATAR Courses

• The WACE Checker is a tool that Year 12 students can use to check their progress towards meeting the requirements of the WACE.

• It is designed to determine whether students have met (or are expected to meet) each of the requirements for the WACE.

• The WACE Checker is easy to use

• An updated version for 2021 Year 12s will be available in early 2020.

WACE Checker

WACE Checker – Start Screen

WACE Checker – Summary

For studentshttps://www.scsa.wa.edu.au/publications/year-10-information

Websites for students and parents

www.scsa.wa.edu.au

info@scsa.wa.edu.au

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