Home schooling

The Western Australian Monitoring Standards in Education assessment program is held in week 3, term 3.

In 2010, the following will be assessed:

Test	Year 5	Year 7	Year 9
Science	Yes	Yes	Yes
Society and Environment	Yes	Yes	Yes

In 2009, the following was assessed:

Test	Year 5	Year 7	Year 9
Science	Yes	Yes	Yes
Society and Environment	No	Yes	Yes

Home schoolers are able to participate in WAMSE assessments.

Why is the assessment service provided?

The major purpose is to give parents information about the progress of their children in relation to state (WAMSE) performance of students in the same year level. A second purpose is to provide those responsible for teaching a child with information that can be helpful in planning the child’s continuing education. In the case of home schoolers this information is useful to you as a parent and also as the child’s teacher.

Is participation compulsory?

No. You are responsible for providing education to your child and you are the person who makes decisions about assessment of your child’s progress.

If I wish to, how do I participate?

Please complete the Homeschooling Registration Form to participate and send it by fax, email or post to the address shown.  Details of the deadline for registration will be made available early 2010.

When do the assessments occur?

For 2010:

TERM	DATE	ASSESSMENT PROGRAM	YEAR GROUP/S
Term 3	Monday 2 August – Friday 6 August	WAMSE5, WAMSE7 and WAMSE9 Science and, Society and Environment	5,7,9

• The test materials as well as instructions about how to manage the tests will be mailed to your home prior to each assessment period.

• During the assessment week/s you will supervise the tests for your child.

• When all testing is finished you will mail the papers to the address provided.

• You will receive an individual WAMSE report for your child towards the end of term 4.

• Instructions relating to security of the tests must be strictly adhered to.

What are the tests like?

The Information for Schools page provides links to sample questions and other information that will give you a clear idea of what the WAMSE assessment tasks will be like.

Who will mark my child’s work?

People qualified to do so mark the papers and are bound to respect the confidentiality of all results.

If I participate in the program, what control do I have in the process?

As home educator you make the following decisions:

• Whether or not to participate

• At any stage in the process, whether to continue with the process

• Whether to share the report information with your child or with anyone else

• Whether to use the information you obtain from the report in planning your child’s continuing education

I don’t use year labels for my children. Does that matter?

Testing protocols require students who are not working in a Year level or graded situation to sit the test paper that is designed for the year level they would be in accordance to their age. i.e.

1. Children turning 10 by June 30th sit the Year 5 test.
2. Children turning 12 by June 30th sit the Year 7 test.
3. Children turning 14 by December 31st sit the Year 9 test.

My child has a disability. How will I deal with that?

Your child will in most cases, be eligible to sit the tests using the same additional support that they would usually have in learning situations. Further details regarding special provisions for students with disabilities can be found in the Use of a Scribe Form.

If your child requires Braille or Large Print test materials, you will need to complete the Braille and Large Print Request form.

What information is provided in the reports?

You will receive separate reports for each test about your child’s progress.

The WAMSE report to parents will show student performance against the performance of other students in the same year level across the state.

Each report will provide the following:

• Information that will enable you to compare your child’s progress with the achievement of other children at the same year level.

• Information that enables you to compare your child’s progress with the minimum expected standard for children in schools at that year level.

• Information about your child’s developmental progress.

• Information about the skills associated with your child’s achievement.

What are the benefits of the assessment results?

The assessment results have most value when they are considered in conjunction with your own on-going assessment of progress that has been occurring through the year.

Information in the report will be a useful supplement to your own judgement of progress, which can provide a useful basis for planning future learning experiences.

How much does it cost to participate?

Participation is free.