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| Western Australian Certificate of Education | |
|---|---|
| Name | Western Australian Certificate of Education |
| Abbreviation | WACE |
| Administered by | School Curriculum and Standards Authority |
| Region | Western Australia |
| Established | 1962 (modern reforms 1990s) |
| Qualification level | Senior secondary certificate |
Western Australian Certificate of Education The Western Australian Certificate of Education is the senior secondary qualification awarded to students who complete prescribed studies in the state of Western Australia. It certifies completion of secondary schooling and provides pathways to tertiary institutions such as University of Western Australia, Murdoch University, Curtin University, Edith Cowan University and vocational providers like TAFE WA. The certificate is overseen by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority and interacts with national frameworks including the Australian Qualifications Framework and university admissions systems such as the Tertiary Institutions Service Centre.
The WACE constitutes the culmination of programs delivered by secondary institutions including Perth Modern School, Christ Church Grammar School, St Hilda's Anglican School for Girls, Scotch College, Perth, and regional schools in districts like Albany, Bunbury, Broome, Kalgoorlie and Geraldton. It encompasses academic subjects from curricula developed in consultation with organizations such as the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, tertiary stakeholders including Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation advisors, and industry partners like Austal and Woodside Petroleum for vocational contexts. The credential facilitates entry to higher education pathways via ATAR calculation used by universities like Australian National University applicants and supports vocational routes using qualifications aligned to the National Skills Framework.
The origins of senior secondary certification in Western Australia trace to reforms influenced by bodies such as the Mason Inquiry-era reviews and state policy decisions involving ministers from administrations including the Court Ministry (Western Australia) and the Gallop Ministry. Major overhauls in the 1990s and 2000s were informed by reports from agencies like the Australian Education Union and policy think tanks such as the Grattan Institute. The establishment of the School Curriculum and Standards Authority succeeded predecessors like the Western Australian Curriculum Council and responded to events that included curriculum controversies paralleling national debates such as the Bradley Review.
WACE curriculum offerings include courses across learning areas represented in schools like All Saints' College, Perth, Hale School, Mercedes College, and regional colleges collaborating with providers such as South Regional TAFE and North Regional TAFE. Subject lists encompass humanities and arts subjects that reference works like Romeo and Juliet, The Great Gatsby, Hamlet, Death of a Salesman, and To Kill a Mockingbird through English and literature syllabuses; sciences informed by research institutions such as Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research and WA Museum; and mathematics options mirroring standards in bodies like Mathematical Association of Western Australia. Electives extend to languages referencing Mandarin Chinese, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, French programs, and specialist courses influenced by industry partners including Rio Tinto, BHP, and Chevron.
Assessment integrates school-based judgments, moderated external exams, and practical assessments similar to protocols used by examination authorities like the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and the New South Wales Education Standards Authority. External examinations are set and administered under authority of the School Curriculum and Standards Authority with security and integrity measures informed by precedents from international testing organizations such as Cambridge Assessment and validation practices used by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Assessment types include written examinations, performance assessments referencing standards used by adjudicators from institutions like the West Australian Symphony Orchestra for music, and portfolio evaluations comparable to methodologies from the National Gallery of Australia for visual arts.
Certification requires students to meet breadth-and-depth requirements, literacy and numeracy standards, and achieve specified unit counts, with ATAR calculation processes linked to admissions systems like the Universities Admissions Centre and percentile scaling models informed by research from the Australian Council for Educational Research. The grading system produces course results that factor into rank calculations used by applicants to institutions such as Monash University, University of Sydney, and interstate campuses of University of Melbourne when interstate entry is sought. The authority issues statements of results and formal certificates comparable to credentials managed by other state authorities like the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority.
VET within the WACE framework connects students to qualifications delivered by Registered Training Organisations including TAFE NSW-aligned partners, Sandalwood Training, Australian Industry Group endorsed programs, and employers such as Fortescue Metals Group and Wesfarmers. VET offerings range from certificates II–IV and diploma articulation, with competency-based assessment practices consistent with standards from the National Skills Standards Council and pathways articulated to recognition frameworks like the Australian Apprenticeships system. Collaborative arrangements exist with industry bodies such as the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia and professional associations including the Australian Medical Association (WA) for health-related traineeships.
Administration is performed by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority, operating under state legislation enacted by the Parliament of Western Australia and subject to oversight interactions with agencies such as the Department of Education (Western Australia), audit processes influenced by Auditor-General of Western Australia reports, and policy review inputs from stakeholder groups including the Western Australian Parents and Citizens Association and unions like the Australian Education Union (WA Branch). Governance structures align with national frameworks coordinated with bodies like the Council of Australian Governments and reporting cycles that echo accountability models from institutions such as the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership.