Chronologies of Secondary School Curriculum Policy: Western Australia

1996 – 2005

2005

  • The Department of Education and Training published Outcomes and Standards Framework. Based on the Curriculum Framework Progress Maps, this framework provided a new basis for monitoring student progress.
  • The Curriculum Council published Curriculum Framework Progress Maps. These publications included an overview document and books of descriptions for outcomes in each of the eight learning areas.
  • The new Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) was introduced with courses of study to be phased in from 2005-2009.
  • The Curriculum Council published The new Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE): Information for administrators.
  • The Department of Education and Training issued a policy statement, The Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Policy.
  • The Department of Education and Training released School Accountability Framework.
  • The Report of the Ministerial Taskforce on issues surrounding proposed changes to post-compulsory education (Robson Report) was released. Details
  • The Department of Education and Training issued the policy statement, Gifted and Talented.

2003

  • The Department of Education and Training issued the policy statement, Antiracism.

2002

  • Our Youth, Our Future: Post-Compulsory Education Review Summary of the directions endorsed by the Western Australian Government was released in March.
  • The Education Department issued a policy on VET in schools, The K-12 guide to enterprise education.

2001

  • The report on the Review of Post-Compulsory Education, Our Youth, Our Future: Post-compulsory Education Review, was released in November. Details

2000

  • A formative evaluation of the five year Curriculum Improvement Program was commenced in 2000.
  • In November, a second paper from Post-Compulsory Education Review was released by the Curriculum Council, The Post-Compulsory Education Review Position Paper. Details

1999

  • The Education Department published Focusing on Outcomes: Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting. Details
  • The School Education Act 1999 was passed. Details
  • In October the Curriculum Council released Post-Compulsory Education Review Discussion Paper. Details

1998

  • The Curriculum Council published its new K-12 Curriculum Framework, Curriculum framework for kindergarten to year 12 education in Western Australia. Details
  • The Curriculum Council published An introduction to the curriculum framework: a guide for school-based curriculum planning, a supporting document to the new K-12 framework.
  • The Education Department issued the policy statement, Curriculum, assessment and reporting: policy and guidelines.
  • The Education Department published Student Outcome Statements: Overview. Details
  • The Curriculum Council began a statewide review of post-compulsory education.

1997

  • The Curriculum Council Act 1997 was passed, repealing the Secondary Education Authority Act 1984. The Act established the Curriculum Council (replacing the Secondary Education Authority) and provided for the development of a curriculum framework.
  • The Education Department published School Performance: A framework for improving and reporting.

1996

  • The Education Department published a working edition of Student Outcome Statements.
  • The Department of Education published Policy and guidelines for the education of gifted and talented students.

1986 – 1995

1995

  • Review of School Curriculum Development Procedures and Processes in Western Australia (Temby Report) was released.

1994

  • The Ministerial Review of Schooling in Rural Western Australia released its report, Schooling in Rural Western Australia.
  • The Department of Education issued a Policy for the education of gifted and talented students
  • The Education Department published working edition of Student Outcome Statements.

1993

  • The Committee of Review of Education Employment and Training released its report, Review of Education and Training (Vickery Report). Details

1991

  • The Ministry of Education published Educational Standards in Western Australian Government Schools 1990: The Monitoring Standards in Education Program.

1990

  • The Joint School/TAFE Ministerial Post-Compulsory Education Taskforce released the report, Adjusting to the Future: A framework for post-compulsory education. Details
  • The Ministry of Education issued the policy statement, School Decision Making: Policy and Guidelines. Details

1989

  • The Ministry of Education released Upper secondary certification and tertiary entrance: Review of upper secondary certification and tertiary entrance procedures commissioned by the Minister for Education in Western Australia (Andrich Report). Details
  • The Ministry of Education issued the policy statement, School Development Plans: Policy and guidelines.

1988

  • The Working Party on the Development of a Policy for the Teaching of Languages Other Than English (LOTE) released in March, Languages for Western Australians: report of the Ministerial Working Party on the Development of a Policy for the Teaching of Languages Other Than English (LOTE) in Western Australian Schools.
  • The Western Australian Government published Government Schools in Western Australia: A Statement by the Premier. Details
  • The Ministry of Education published Gender, Ethnicity and Class: The career crunch for girls from non-English speaking background.

1987

  • The Ministry of Education published Better Schools in Western Australia: A programme for improvement (Pearce Better Schools Report). Details

1986

  • The Department of Education issued the policy statement, Sexual Harassment Policy.
  • The Education Department published Corporate Plan: Strategic Plan 1986.

1976 – 1985

1985

  • The Secondary Education Authority (SEA) was established, replacing the Board of Secondary Education.

1984

  • The Ministerial Working Party on School Certification and Tertiary Admissions Procedures released its report, Assessment in the Upper Secondary School in Western Australia (McGaw Report). Details
  • The Secondary Education Authority Act 1984, was passed.
  • The Committee of Inquiry into Education in Western Australia released its report, Education in Western Australia: Report of the Committee of Inquiry into Education in Western Australia (Beazley Report). Details

1981

  • The Department of Education released the report, Review of Educational Standards in Lower-Secondary Schools in Western Australia (Priest Report). Details

1977

  • The Department of Education published Disadvantaged Schools Programme handbook 1977: Programme description and proposal guidelines.
  • The Committee of Inquiry into Religious Education in the Government Schools of Western Australia released the report, Religious education in the government schools of Western Australia: Report of the Committee of Inquiry into Religious Education in the Government Schools of Western Australia.

1976

  • The Committee Appointed to Enquire into the Incidence of Sex-Based Discrimination released the report, Males and females in the state education system of Western Australia: A report to the Minister for Education.

The 1975 Context

1972

  • The Committee Enquiring into Discipline in Secondary Schools released Discipline in Secondary Education in Western Australia. Details
  • The Certificate of Achievement was first awarded by the Board of Secondary Education (BSE) for Year 10 students, replacing the Junior Certificate awarded by the Public Examinations Board (PEB).

1969

  • Following recommendations made in the Dettman Report, the Board of Secondary Education (BSE) was established to approve courses for secondary schools.
  • The Committee on Secondary Education released Secondary Education in Western Australia (Dettman Report). Details