There are many acronyms that you should be aware of:
ATAR – Australian Tertiary Admission Rank – ATAR courses are designed for students who are aiming to enrol in a university course directly from school. These courses will be examined by the Authority and contribute to the achievement of an ATAR. An ATAR is used to determined eligibility for university entrance. Students will need to study a minimum of 4 ATAR courses in Year 11 and 4 in Year 12 to be eligible for an ATAR. In Year 12 students will study more difficult unit pairs (Units 3 and 4). 50% of a student’s final score in an ATAR course is determined at the school and 50% is determined by the externally set exam.
OLNA – Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment – If you have not pre-qualified in reading, writing or numeracy you are required to sit the corresponding component/s of the OLNA in Semester 1 of Year 10. If you do not meet the standard in Semester 1, then you must sit the OLNA in Semester 2, Year 10, and, if required, Semester 1, Year 11. You will have up to six opportunities (in March and September of each year) before completing Year 12 to demonstrate the WACE minimum standard of literacy and numeracy.
SCSA – the School Curriculum and Standards Authority
The Authority – the School Curriculum and Standards Authority
TISC – Tertiary Institutions Service Centre – The Tertiary Institutions Service Centre (TISC) is a company limited by guarantee, whose shareholders are Curtin University, Edith Cowan University, Murdoch University and The University of Western Australia.
VET – Vocational Education and Training – VET qualifications are for students wishing to participate in nationally recognised training. All VET qualifications require registered training organisation (RTO) delivery, assessment and quality control under the relevant VET regulatory body. A Certificate II or higher is one of the range of requirements for achieving a WACE. VET credit transfer can contribute up to eight of the 20 units you need to achieve your WACE. These qualifications contribute to the WACE as unit equivalents.
WACE – Western Australian Certificate of Education – The WACE is awarded by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (Authority) when students successfully meet the requirements of the WACE.
If you wish to achieve a WACE, the Authority requires you to complete at least four Year 12 Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) courses or a Certificate II (or higher) VET qualification.
WASSA – Western Australian Statement of Student Achievement – The WASSA is issued to each Year 12 student at the completion of their senior secondary schooling. Senior secondary school typically takes two years. The WASSA lists all courses and programs that a student has completed and the grades and marks achieved.
KEFL – Kimberley Education for Life – offers school-based traineeships.
USI – Unique Student Identifier – A USI is needed for every student undertaking nationally recognised training, including students undertaking VET in Schools programs, part time TAFE, apprentices and trainees. For students, the USI will build an online record of their nationally recognised training. This will improve students’ access to their current and future training records and streamline data exchange between students, training providers and other stakeholders.
