Last updated 28 March 2008

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Educational programs Developing a curriculum The Curriculum Framework Implementing the Curriculum Framework Exemptions from the Curriculum Framework Syllabus National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) Work experience during home education Community Service Program during home education Accreditation Studying at TAFE Colleges and Universities Developing a curriculum Curriculum development is undertaken by home educators who may choose to include in their programs materials prepared by outside sources. The Department of Education and Training provides links to a number of useful curriculum sites http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/cmis/eval/index.htm. The Curriculum Framework The home education program and the child's progress are assessed according to the Curriculum Framework that was established under the Curriculum Council Act 1997. The Curriculum Council provides a copy of the Framework to home educators once they are registered with the local district education office (copies are also available by contacting the Council by email at info@curriculum.wa.edu.au; telephone 9273 6300; or on the website: http://www.curriculum.wa.edu.au/pages/framework/framework00.htm. The Framework consists of an Overarching Statement and eight Learning Area Statements about the knowledge, skills and values essential for the education of students in Western Australia. It establishes the learning outcomes that the student will achieve, rather than prescribing a curriculum. Implementing the Curriculum Framework The Framework sets out 'the knowledge, understandings, skills, values and attitudes that students are expected to acquire'. These requirements are described as a series of learning outcomes set out in the Overarching Statement and the eight Learning Area Statements. The learning outcomes comprise the mandatory element of the Framework: all education providers in Western Australia must implement them or obtain an exemption. To implement the Framework, education providers must ensure that when they design and develop learning and teaching programs to suit the needs of their students, they include learning opportunities and enriching experiences aimed at achieving the outcomes set out in the Framework. Advice on the following four phases of development is provided in the 'Scope of the Curriculum' section in the Framework's Overarching and Learning Area Statements: Early Childhood The focus is mainly on development of the processes and skills that will underpin future learning. Literacy, numeracy and social-emotional and physical development are key emphases. Content outcomes are included in learning and teaching programs, mainly as contexts for development of processes. Educators will select these outcomes according to the needs and interests of children. Middle Childhood Students continue to require learning experiences that support them in acquiring processes, but application of processes becomes a greater focus, as does acquisition of learning area concepts. Content outcomes begin to be targeted more systematically. Early Adolescence The focus shifts largely to the application of processes in the acquisition of knowledge. The scope and depth to which content is learned broadens and there is an increased focus on the development and application of understandings. Learning and teaching programs will usually provide opportunities for students to achieve outcomes across all learning areas. Late Adolescence (NB Registration for home education does not extend beyond the compulsory school age). Content becomes more specialised and diverse. Learning and teaching programs will not usually provide learning opportunities across the full range of outcomes in the Curriculum Framework, but will focus on those that underpin courses reflecting students' interests and aspirations for post-school destinations. The emphasis of each phase of development reflects research and current understandings of developmental learning and acknowledges that individual students will have particular learning needs as they progress through their schooling. Exemptions from the Curriculum Framework In rare circumstances an education provider may be unable to implement particular learning outcomes set out in the Framework. Exemptions will be considered by the Curriculum Council when education providers can demonstrate that they are unable to engage students in learning opportunities that will enable them to achieve particular outcomes in the Framework for religious, cultural, moral or other similar reasons. Exemptions will not be granted for whole learning areas, only for individual outcomes; nor will exemptions be granted due to lack of resources to provide suitable learning programs at a particular phase of development. The process for considering applications for exemption by the Council is explained on the Council's website: http://www.curriculum.wa.edu.au/support/exemption.htm. Applications should be made in writing on the exemption form to the Minister for Education and Training, care of the Chief Executive Officer of the Curriculum Council, available at: http://www.curriculum.wa.edu.au/pages/framework/framework00.htm or by telephoning 08 9273 6300). Syllabus K-10 syllabuses are advisory materials to provide support for teachers as they implement the Curriculum Framework. The syllabuses detail content at each year of schooling and phase of development from K – Year 10. Syllabuses are provided for early childhood (K-3), middle childhood (4-7) and each learning area in early adolescence (8-10). Home educators may use these materials as a guide for when to introduce content based on prior learning and achievement. http://k10syllabus.curriculum.wa.edu.au/project_home_view. National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) From 2008, the National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) will replace the Western Australian Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (WALNA) for Years 3, 5 and 7 and the Monitoring Standards in Education at Year 9 (MSE9) for the assessment of literacy and numeracy. The national tests will assess student achievement in literacy and numeracy in much the same way as they have been done in the past. The main difference is that all students at Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 in schools across Australia will be doing the same tests on the same days in May 2008. The Monitoring Standards in Education assessment program will continue to be held in week 3, term 3 (4 - 8 August, 2008). In 2008, the following will be assessed: MSE7 (Year 7) - Science MSE9 (Year 9) - Science, and Society and Environment. Home educated students are able to participate in both the NAPLAN and MSE assessments. For details of the NAPLAN assessments, including the registration form: DET website: http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/naplan/ Curriculum Corporation website: http://www.naplan.edu.au/ Home educators should register for the national tests by fax, email or post by Friday 4 April, 2008. For details of the MSE assessments: http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/MSE9/ Work experience during home education Home educators of secondary students who wish to have work experience while studying at home need to make the necessary arrangements (for example, inspection of work sites to ensure suitability for work experience and insurance). Community Service Program during home education All students need to undertake 20 hours community service over Years 10-12 in order to achieve the WA Certificate of Education (WACE) from 2009. Implementation of the Community Service Program for Year 10 students commenced in 2007. Students must keep a record of their service activities and a number of hours completed. The Curriculum Council provides a log book (free of charge) for this purpose. Alternatively parents may access the ‘record of service’ page from the Curriculum Council website to enable their child to personalise, enhance or create their own record of service. Order forms for the log book are available on the Curriculum Council website: http://newwace.curriculum.wa.edu.au/pages/about_csp.asp When students have completed 20 hours of service this needs to be reported to the Curriculum Council by home educators. The Curriculum Council’s Community Service Guidelines can be found in the new WACE manual or can be downloaded from the Curriculum Council website. Accreditation Home education programs are not graded and therefore students do not receive accreditation. There is no secondary graduation certification. The home educator provides evidence of achievement by the student. The local District Education Office can provide statements confirming registration of the home educator. Information about the Western Australian Certificate of Education can be obtained from the Curriculum Council website: http://newwace.curriculum.wa.edu.au/pages/about_whatis.asp Studying at TAFE Colleges and Universities Home educated students may wish to seek entry to TAFE Colleges and universities during or after their home education program. TAFE Colleges accept students into some courses before Year 10. The home educator remains responsible for the student's full program when assessment by DET is being made. Students who are seeking entry to higher education institutions should contact the relevant institution. Contact well in advance of seeking entry is advisable in order to ensure sufficient preparation to qualify for entry. For TAFE entry, contact the Training Information Centre on telephone 1800 999 167 or email training.information@det.wa.edu.au, or the TAFE Admissions Centre, telephone 9235 8888. For local university entry, contact the Tertiary Institutions Services Centre TISCLine (telephone 1901 191 091). Links to organisations offering e-line tertiary study can be found under External Links on this website.