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Western Australia Government Schools offer flexible study pathways for international students. Students can choose courses that help them get into university, training, or the workplace.

 

Learning areas

From Pre-primary to Year 10 the curriculum is organised into 8 learning areas.

The learning areas are:

  • English
  • Health and Physical Education
  • Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Languages
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Technologies
  • The Arts

The Year 11 and 12 curriculum is taught as courses. These courses are completed as semester units. The courses have different levels of difficulty.

The Year 11 and 12 courses build on the Pre-primary to Year 10 curriculum and align with the same eight learning areas.

Students are encouraged to choose subjects that match their interests, strengths, and career goals.

The Western Australian Certificate of Education

Students choose a range of courses to meet the requirements of the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE).

The WACE is a nationally recognised certificate. To qualify, students must complete senior secondary school and satisfy WACE requirements. This typically takes 2 years.

To achieve the WACE, students must:

  • complete 20 units in total
  • demonstrate minimum standards of literacy and numeracy
  • pass the Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (OLNA)

There are two main types of WACE courses for students to choose from: the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) and General courses.

Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank

Students who want to attend university typically enrol in ATAR courses. ATAR is a rank, used by universities to determine whether a student qualifies for their programs. The rank goes from 0.0 to 99.95.

These numbers show the student’s position compared to other students in the same school year. For example, students with an ATAR of 80.0 are in the top 20 per cent of their age group. ATAR courses may also be suitable for certain vocational pathways.

General Courses

Students who want to start vocational training or employment straight after school typically complete a general course. These courses include vocational education and training (VET) courses designed for specific industries.

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

VET courses are nationally recognised qualifications that help students prepare for further training or employment. General courses can be combined with a VET qualification at Certificate II or higher.

WA Government schools offer a range of VET courses. For example, hospitality, engineering, tourism, or technology. Students should choose a school that offers the VET course they are interested in, so they can achieve their future career goals.

Find out more information about the Western Australia curriculum at the School Curriculum and Standards Authority.

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We acknowledge and respect the traditional custodians of the lands and waters on which our students live and are educated throughout Western Australia.

We acknowledge and understand that Elders, parents, families and communities are the first educators of their children and we recognise and value the cultures and strengths that Aboriginal children bring to the classroom. Aboriginal people have a long tradition of teaching and learning through sharing their connections with country, community, language and culture, and through their oral histories, stories and lived experiences that are passed from generation to generation. We recognise and value the learning that Aboriginal children bring with them from their homes and communities into the classroom.

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this site may contain images of people who are deceased.
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