Education in Western Australia facts for kids
Education in Western Australia consists of public and private schools in the state of Western Australia, including public and private universities and TAFE colleges. Public school education is supervised by the Department of Education, which forms part of the Government of Western Australia. The School Curriculum and Standards Authority is an independent statutory authority responsible for developing a curriculum and associated standards in all schools (public and private), and for ensuring standards of student achievement, and for the assessment and certification according to those standards.
Western Australia follows a three-tier system, consisting of primary education (primary schools), followed by secondary education (high schools or secondary colleges) and tertiary education (Universities and TAFE Colleges).
Education is compulsory in Western Australia between the ages of six and seventeen. From 1 January 2008 persons in their 17th year must be in school, training, or have a job until the end of that year.
Contents
History
Education in the early years of Western Australia was limited, school were limited the first schools started to appear during the 1830s. From the 1850s schools became more common around Western Australia with many of the teachers being sourced educated convict who had obtained their Ticket of leave. Initially there was no official qualifications for teaching only being literate many of the schools became run by nuns or single women.
It wasn't until the University of Western Australia was established in 1911 that tertiary qualifications could be obtain prior to that students either studied on the east coast of Australia or in United Kingdom.
In 1915 James Miles chose Toodyay school to be the pioneer of his Special Rural Schools programme. To this end he worked with the headmaster Roderick Brooke Cowden and his staff to design the equipment needed to enable the students to be more independent and resourceful in the learning process. Subjects were to be based on the practical activities of farming life. School gardens were established where the children experimented with different types of grains such a wheat, oats and barley, and the growing of vegetables and flowers. Girls were taught fruit and vegetable preservation, and first aid. When teaching standard curriculum subjects such as arithmetic and history, teachers were encouraged to use local sources, for example "figures showing the district's imports and exports were computed from the railway records". By 1920 twelve other special rural schools were established in the state. This number would peak at 40 in 1922. This success was in no small part due to the government's recognition of the state's dependence on agriculture. The commissioners of the Royal Commission into Education 1921 visited Toodyay and were highly impressed with its programme.
From 1989 Tertiary Entrance Exam (TEE) was the standard academic examination for students completing their twelfth year of schooling up until 2010 when it was renamed the West Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) . The results of the exams were used to determine a students Tertiary Entrance Rank and Tertiary Entrance Score, which determine a students eligibility for tertiary study. Prior to this student studying in years 11 & 12 wanting enter University under took studies with the Tertiary Admittance Exam, the marks for establishing a person score was based solely on the result of a single exam for each of 6 subjects after two years of study.
Curriculum
The curriculum for all Western Australian schools, both government and non-government is determined by the Curriculum Council. Secondary students in years 11 and 12 are enrolled in the Western Australian Certificate of Education program.
Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank
The Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) was introduced in 2010 in all states of Australia bar Queensland as a means of standardizing the national university entrance system. The ATAR system follows the same principles as the systems that it replaces and improves upon them by allowing for greater interstate comparison of student achievements.
Tertiary Pathways
The classification of tertiary qualifications in Western Australia is governed in part by the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), which attempts to integrate into a single national classification all levels of tertiary education (both vocational and higher education), from trade certificates to higher doctorates.
Technical and Further Education
Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutes are state-administered. TAFE institutions generally offer short courses, Certificates I, II, III, and IV, Diplomas, and Advanced Diplomas in a wide range of vocational topics. They also sometimes offer Higher Education courses.
In addition to TAFE Institutes, there are privately operated Registered Training Organisations (RTOs). They include:
- commercial training providers,
- the training department of manufacturing or service enterprises,
- the training function of employer or employee organisations in a particular industry,
- Group Training Companies,
- community learning centres and neighbourhood houses,
- secondary colleges providing VET programs.
In size these RTOs vary from single-person operations delivering training and assessment in a narrow specialisation, to large organisations offering a wide range of programs. Many of them receive government funding to deliver programs to apprentices or trainees, to disadvantaged groups, or in fields which governments see as priority areas.
All TAFE institutes and private RTOs are required to maintain compliance with a set of national standards called the Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF), and this compliance is monitored by regular internal and external audits.
Vocational education and training (VET) VET programs delivered by TAFE Institutes and private RTOs are based on nationally registered qualifications, derived from either endorsed sets of competency standards known as Training Packages, or from courses accredited by state/territory government authorities. These qualifications are regularly reviewed and updated. In specialised areas where no publicly owned qualifications exist, an RTO may develop its own course and have it accredited as a privately owned program, subject to the same rules as those that are publicly owned.
All trainers and assessors delivering VET programs are required to hold a qualification known as the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAA40104) or demonstrate equivalent competency. They are also required to have relevant vocational competencies, at least to the level being delivered or assessed.
University
There Universities in Western Australia, the oldest being University of Western Australia who's campus is in Nedlands. Murdoch University with campuses in Murdoch and Rockingham, Curtin University with its main campus in Bentley. Edith Cowan University newest education department associated university has campuses in a number of locations also includes WAAPA in Mt Lawley and Joondalup campus which also houses the WA Police training facilitiy. Fremantle's historic west end is home to University of Notre Dame Australia Westerns Australias only privately operated university
However, as Universities in Australia (and a few similar higher education institutions) largely regulate their own courses, the primary usage of AQF is for vocational education. However, in recent years there have been some informal moves towards standardization between higher education institutions.
Primary and secondary education
Kindergarten and preschool
In Western Australia, children can start their education in Kindergarten, however compulsory schooling starts the following year in Pre-primary.
Preschool Pre-primary, was made compulsory in 2013. Before that time, many children were attending pre-primary education programs, but the government of Western Australia put in place legislation to bring the state into line with other jurisdictions.
Early childhood educators in Western Australia follow the Australian Government and the School Curriculum and Standards Authorities guidelines on Early Learning. Many schools have adopted the Early Years Learning Framework, part of the National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education, which focuses on Belonging, Being and Becoming.
Primary schools
Primary education consists of six grades: a preparatory year (commonly called "pre-primary") followed by Years 1 to 6. The minimum age at which a child can commence primary school education is 4.5 years. That is, the child can enrol in a school at the preparatory level if he or she would be five years of age by 30 June of that year. A child must commence education before age six.
Secondary schools
Students in the Western Australian school system attend a secondary school from years 7 to 12. The age that a student begins secondary school was lowered in 2015, to begin at Year 7. The government of Western Australia believes that a secondary school is more appropriate for young adolescents from Year 7 to assist with social and emotional development, and also assists in the delivery of the Australian Curriculum to Year 7 students. Some institutions in Western Australia have an integrated primary and secondary school, educating students from Kindergarten to Year 12, while a number of private schools may operate separate middle schools for students in years 7 to 9 exclusively, with students in years 10 to 12 attending a senior school. This is normally within the same institution.
Gifted education and specialist programs
A number of public secondary schools have specialist programs for gifted and talented students. Perth Modern School is Western Australia's only public academically selective school, and entry is based on an Academic Selective Entry Test. John Curtin College of the Arts in Fremantle, offers students in the public system an arts based selective learning experience, with enrolment to programs such as media arts, music, dance and drama available through a talent and aptitude test. Gifted and Talented Visual Arts is also offered at Applecross Senior High School, Balcatta Senior High School and Kalamunda Senior High School. Gifted and Talented Dance is also offered at Hampton Senior High School, and Gifted and Talented Music is offered at Churchlands Senior High School.
Selective Academic Program
The Selective Academic Program is a program in some public schools in Western Australia that provides further opportunities for gifted and talented students in English, humanities, mathematics and science. A key part of this program is extension activities that can include participation in state, national and international competitions, leadership programs and exposure to university programs. The Selective Academic Program is accelerated and differentiated to support the needs of gifted and talented students.
Participating schools
- Bunbury Senior High School
- Comet Bay College
- Duncraig Senior High School
- Fremantle College
- Governor Stirling Senior High School
- Kelmscott Senior High School
- Melville Senior High School
- Online for country students
- Shenton College
- Willetton Senior High School
Images for kids
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Winthrop Hall, a prominent landmark on the main UWA campus.
