Reporting Requirements and Exemptions
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| Application for Exemption from Curriculum Framework |
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Statement endorsed by the Curriculum Council on 13 August 2003.
Implementation of the Curriculum Framework
The Curriculum Council is responsible for determining arrangements to be used or followed for the implementation of the Curriculum Framework(1).
The Curriculum Framework(2) 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 and eight Learning Area Statements.
The learning outcomes comprise the mandatory element of the Curriculum Framework; that is, all schools in Western Australia must either implement them or obtain an exemption from the Minister for Education and Training.
To implement the Curriculum Framework, teachers and schools 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.
Reporting on implementation of the Curriculum Framework
The requirements and process for reporting acknowledge that implementation of the Curriculum Framework is the responsibility of the Department of Education and Training, the Catholic Education Office and independent schools. The Council and the school sector/systems have agreed on the following reporting requirements.
- School sector/systems will develop policy that forms the basis for implementing the Curriculum Framework in schools. Independent schools will develop this policy at the school level with guidance from the Association of Independent Schools of WA.
- School systems and independent schools will report annually to the Council on their schools’ compliance with this policy at the system or, in the case of independent schools, whole-school level.
- The Council will comment on compliance with implementation policies in its annual report. Reporting for 2004 will appear in the Curriculum Council’s 2004/05 Annual Report.
- Data to substantiate compliance with policies will be held at the system/school level and may be accessed by the Office of the Auditor General for verification if required.
School and system implementation policies
How a school structures learning opportunities in terms of time and the range of courses and programs provided is the school’s responsibility. Schools will be guided by system or school level policy.
Implementing the Curriculum Framework does not mean that students need to focus on all of the learning outcomes in each year of schooling. There will be times when particular outcomes may be emphasised and periods when some learning outcomes are not included in learning and teaching programs.
During the entire period of schooling, it is expected that all students will achieve all of the outcomes in the Curriculum Framework to some extent. System/school policies on implementation will, therefore, make provision for longitudinal tracking of students’ progress to ensure that the necessary learning experiences are provided during the course every student’s schooling from K-12.
Phases of development
The Curriculum Framework describes learning that students might typically experience in phases of development. Each of these phases has a particular learning focus that will assist schools in determining the relevance of particular outcomes at the phase.
Teachers may decide to give precedence to some outcomes over others in a particular phase. The learning focus of a phase of development legitimises these professional judgements.
Advice on each phase 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. Teachers 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
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
In rare circumstances an education provider may be unable to implement particular learning outcomes set out in the Curriculum Framework. Exemptions will be granted(3) 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.
Please note:
- Exemptions will not be granted for whole learning areas, only for individual outcomes.
- Exemptions will not be granted due to lack of resources to provide suitable learning programs at a particular phase of development.
Application process
- Applications should be made in writing on the form provided to the Minister for Education and Training, care of the Chief Executive Officer of the Curriculum Council. The process for considering applications for exemptions will be administered by the Council.
- Where schools or education providers are administered by a school system, applications for exemption will first be assessed at the system level prior to being approved for submission to the Council.
- Applications should clearly state the outcome or outcomes from which exemption is being sought and the reasons for seeking exemption. Contact details for the education provider must be provided to enable further information to be requested, if required.
- An Exemption Panel will assess applications for exception and will make recommendations to the Minister for Education and Training. Applicants will be notified in writing of when their applications are received, and will be notified of the outcome of their application within six weeks of the lodgement date.
Schools requiring further information about arrangements for continued implementation from 2004 should contact the following people:
| Association of Independent Schools | Valerie Gould Deputy Executive Director |
(08) 9244 2788 |
| Catholic Education Office | Mary Retel Deputy Director |
(08) 9381 3201 |
| Department of Education and Training | Robyn Smith A/Area Director, Assessment Reporting and Moderation |
(08) 9264 4567 |
| Curriculum Council | John Gougoulis Director, Curriculum |
(08) 9273 6353 |
| Office of Non Government Education |
Mark Brown |
(08) 9441 1960 |
(1) As provided for under Section 10(2)(b) of the Curriculum Council Act
(2) In accordance with Section 4(b) of the Curriculum Council Act 1997
(3) Section 11 of the Curriculum Council Act 1997 provides for exemptions to be granted by the Minister for Education.
