reporting on australian curriculum in decd schools...

Guideline

DECD 12 1430

Reporting on Australian Curriculum in DECD schools Reception–Year 10 V2.0 (Version 2.0) Summary The Guideline Reporting on Australian Curriculum in DECD schools Reception–Year 10 V 2.0 builds on the 2012 reporting guidelines V1.0. It supports schools in using the range of Australian Curriculum achievement standards to provide quality reporting to students and families on learner achievement and progress. It provides advice on how to align reporting on achievement and progress using the Australian Curriculum achievement standards, with requirements regarding assigning A–E grades or word equivalents. It applies to all DECD schools.

Publication Date May 2014

Review Date March 2015

Related Legislation/Applicable Section of Legislation

Australian Education Regulation 2013. Subdivision G-Reports to persons responsible for students at a school

Related Policies, Procedures, Guidelines, Standards, Frameworks

Curriculum, Pedagogy, Assessment and Reporting Policy for Reception–Year 10 2013

Guidelines for the implementation of the Australian Curriculum in DECD schools Reception–Year 10 2013

Replaces Reporting on Australian Curriculum Guidelines for DECD schools R–10 Version 1.0

Policy Officer (Name/Position) Kerry Hugo Program Leader

Standards Assessment and Reporting

Policy Officer (Phone) Desk 82072451

Policy Sponsor (Name/Position) Jen Emery Director Early Years, Wellbeing and Standards

Executive Director Responsible (Name/Position/Office)

Helen Wildash Executive Director Teaching and Learning Services Office for Education

Applies to All DECD schools

Key Words Achievement Standards / Assessment / Australian Curriculum / Carers / Guidelines / Parents / Reporting

1 | Guideline: Reporting on Australian Curriculum in DECD schools Reception–Year 10 V2.0 | 30 June 2014

Status Guidelines

Approved by DECD Senior Executive Group

Approval Date 26 June 2014

Version V2.0


REVISION RECORD

Date Version Revision Description

April 2012 V1.0 Original document: aligned with implementation of the Australian Curriculum phase 1 learning areas/subjects.

Replaced: DECD Assessment and Reporting Operational Guidelines for R-10 schools (SACSA)

May 2014 V2.0 Clarifications and updates to accommodate the inclusion of additional Australian Curriculum learning areas in reporting to parents/carers.


CONTENTS

1. TITLE ................................................................................................................................. 6 2. PURPOSE ........................................................................................................................... 6 3. SCOPE ................................................................................................................................ 7 4. GUIDELINE DETAIL ........................................................................................................... 8

4.1 Background ............................................................................................................. 8 4.1.1 Australian Curriculum implementation .............................................................. 8 4.1.2 Australian Curriculum achievement standards ............................................... 8

4.2 Reporting Requirements ........................................................................................ 9

4.2.1 Timelines ............................................................................................................. 9

4.2.2 Reporting using A–E grades or word equivalents ........................................... 9

4.3 Guidelines for reporting ....................................................................................... 10

4.3.1 Reporting in the Reception year ...................................................................... 10

4.3.2 Reporting in Years 1–10 ................................................................................... 10

4.3.3 Reporting against the year or band level achievement standard ................. 10

4.3.4 Reporting on multi-subject Australian Curriculum learning areas .............. 11

4.3.5 Reporting on Australian Curriculum learning areas with band levels ......... 12

4.3.6 Reporting against the achievement standards for students with disability ....................................................................................................................... 12

4.3.7 Reporting against the achievement standards for English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EALD) students ....................................................................... 13

4.3.8 Reporting on students in composite and multi-age classes ........................ 14

4.3.9 Arrangements for the use of A–E grades or word equivalents for Years 1–10 .. 14

4.3.10 Descriptive reporting ........................................................................................ 14

4.3.11 Reporting on subjects with an achievement standard for each year level in the first half of the year .................................................................................. 15

4.3.12 Reporting on subjects within a two or three (R–2) year band ...................... 15

4.3.13 Reporting on general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities ............. 15

4.4 Reporting Formats ................................................................................................ 15

4.4.1 Recommended reporting formats ................................................................... 15

4.4.2 Reporting against Australian Curriculum and the SACSA Framework

in the same reporting period ........................................................................... 16


4.5 Key Dates and Actions ......................................................................................... 16

4.6 Contacts................................................................................................................. 18 5. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ................................................................................... 19 6. MONITORING, EVALUATION AND REVIEW .................................................................. 19 7. DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................ 20 8. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS ........................................................................................... 21 9. REFERENCES .................................................................................................................. 22 APPENDIX ........................................................................................................................ 22


1. TITLE Reporting on Australian Curriculum in DECD schools Reception–Year 10 V2.0

2. PURPOSE The Department for Education and Child Development (DECD) Curriculum, Pedagogy, Assessment and Reporting Policy for Reception–Year 10 (Version 1.0, 2013) states the policy requirements for DECD schools for reporting to parents/carers on student achievement and refers to these guidelines for further information. These guidelines provide advice on effective practices in meeting DECD requirements for reporting to parents/carers on student achievement and progress. DECD requirements for reporting to parents/carers on student achievement and progress are underpinned by the Australian Education Regulation (AER) 2013.The requirements of the AER Subdivision G-Reports to persons responsible for students at a school identify the following: Student Reports

(1) . . . a school must provide a report to each person responsible for each student at the school in accordance with this section.

(2) A report must be readily understandable to a person responsible for a student at the school.

(3) A report must be given to each person responsible for the student at least twice a year.

(4) For a student who is in any of Years 1-10, the report must: (a) give an accurate and objective assessment of the student’s progress and achievement, including an assessment of the student’s achievement:

(i) against any available national standards; and (ii) relative to the performance of the student’s peer group; and (iii) reported as A, B, C, D or E (or on an equivalent 5 point scale) for each subject studied, clearly defined against specific learning standards …

(Commonwealth of Australia 2013: 53)

When enacting DECD requirements for reporting to parents/carers on student learning, achievement and progress, schools seek advice and guidance on the most effective ways to provide relevant and helpful information. These guidelines make clear DECD requirements for reporting to parents/carers on Australian Curriculum and provide advice on effective ways to do this. The implementation of the Australian Curriculum from 2012 required a range of changes to the then DECD reporting guidelines (DECS 2007) which were aligned to the South Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Accountability (SACSA) Framework. During 2011, new reporting guidelines were developed in consultation with teachers, leaders, parents, DECD Advisory Groups and professional associations.

The 2012 guidelines, Reporting on Australian Curriculum Guidelines for DECD Schools R–10 (Version 1) were released to schools in Term 1 2012. Feedback provided through a range of consultation processes during 2013 has informed the 2014 revised guidelines, Guidelines for Reporting on Australian Curriculum in DECD schools Reception –Year 10 V2.0.


http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/teachingandlearning/pages/Yearsr10/curric/


http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2013L01476

3. SCOPE These guidelines apply to all DECD schools. Teachers of Reception to Year 10 students are required to report twice per year in writing to students and their families about each student’s learning, achievement and progress. The guidelines are a key reference for all local partnerships, principals, staff, curriculum officers and school communities when seeking guidance on effective reporting practices.


4. GUIDELINE DETAIL 4.1 Background

4.1.1 Australian Curriculum implementation The Department for Education and Child Development Curriculum, Pedagogy, Assessment and Reporting Policy for Reception to Year 10 and the Guidelines for the implementation of the Australian Curriculum in DECD Schools: Reception –Year 10 clearly outline expectations related to the implementation of the Australian Curriculum. Implementation of the Australian Curriculum in DECD schools provides opportunity to ensure that teaching, assessment and reporting practices are explicitly centred on the improvement of learning. This includes reference to the Teaching for Effective Learning Framework on which all teachers are required to base their pedagogy in order to ensure that how they teach the Australian Curriculum and design learning opportunities maximises student engagement, intellectual challenge and achievement. This focus on designing and implementing quality teaching includes effective assessment practices which help teachers customise learning to the needs of their students and provide evidence for reporting to parents/carers about the learning quality and progress achieved by each student. By the end of 2015 (for Secondary) and the end of 2016 (for Primary) the Australian Curriculum will be fully implemented in all schools and use of the SACSA Framework standards and outcomes will have been phased out. From the commencement of 2016 (for Secondary) and 2017 (for Primary), the Australian Curriculum achievement standards will be the key reference point for learning design, assessment and reporting on all learning areas and subjects. (Schools may negotiate with and seek approval from the Principal’s line manager for an extension to this timeline to the end of 2017 only. Refer to the Guidelines for the implementation of the Australian Curriculum in DECD schools Reception-Year 10, page 11, 5.1.5.)

4.1.2 Australian Curriculum achievement standards The Australian Curriculum achievement standards, along with the content descriptions, general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities, provide the broad curriculum from which teachers design for learning and assessment. Achievement standards and content descriptions are an interrelated set. Together they are a key reference in the process of designing for learning and assessment. Achievement standards describe what students are typically able to understand and able to do. They describe expected achievement as a result of being taught the curriculum of the respective year or band of schooling by the end of that year or band level. Teachers will use a range of different assessment strategies to ascertain what each student has learnt, their progress, their actual achievement and the support required for further learning. Teachers will make judgements about the extent and quality of each student’s achievement and progress in relation to the Australian Curriculum achievement standards, and use the achievement standards as the reference point for assigning A–E grades or word equivalents


http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/teachingandlearning/files/pages/Policy/DECD_Curriculum_Pedagogy__1.pdf


http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/docs/documents/1/GuidelinesfortheImplement.pdf


http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/assessment/files/links/poster_website.pdf

http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/assessment/files/links/poster_website.pdf

when reporting to parents/carers.

4.2 Reporting Requirements 4.2.1 Timelines In the transition from SACSA to Australian Curriculum the timeline for reporting is as follows: 2014: By the end of the year, for students in years R-9, schools are required to report against Australian Curriculum in English, history, mathematics and science. 2015-2016: The R–10 Australian Curriculum will be fully implemented in all schools with teachers reporting on all Australian Curriculum learning areas and subjects:

• for Years R–7 by the end of 2016, and • for Years 8–10 by the end of 2015.

(Schools may negotiate with and seek approval from the Principal’s line manager for an extension to this timeline to the end of 2017 only. See Attachment 5 – Guidelines for the implementation of the Australian Curriculum in DECD Schools: Reception–Year 10.) 4.2.2 Reporting using A–E grades or word equivalents Through the Australian Education Regulation 2013, DECD schools, in common with all schools around Australia, are required to:

• provide two written reports per year (once in the first half of the year and again at the end of the year) to learners and parents/carers, reporting on all learning areas and subjects taught, against any available National standards

• write reports using plain language that is clear and easy to understand • provide reports in Years 1–10 that are based on 5 achievement levels i.e. A–E

grades or word equivalents.

In addition, schools with more than 10 students in a particular year level prepare information that shows the number of students in each of the five achievement levels (A–E) for each learning area or subject. Parents are to be made aware of the availability of this information on the report. The exact wording to be used on the report is: ‘You can ask the school to provide you with written information that clearly shows your child’s achievements in the subjects studied in comparison to that of other children in the child’s peer group at school. This information will show you the number of students in each of the five achievement levels.’ If parents request it, schools are to provide this comparative information. Reporting on Australian Curriculum requires teachers to provide descriptive information twice per year in addition to the A–E grades or word equivalents. Schools may make decisions to report more frequently on student progress and achievement through descriptive reporting or/and A–E grades or word equivalents. The mid-year report should reflect student achievement demonstrated against the standard, taking into account what has been taught to that point in the year (see page 14). For a Year level achievement standard, the end-of-year report should reflect student achievement across the whole year. See page 23 for a resource to support teachers assign an A–E grade or word equivalent






against an achievement standard.

4.3 Guidelines for Reporting 4.3.1 Reporting in the Reception year While there is no requirement for schools to assign A–E grades or word equivalents in reporting on students in the Reception year, Reception teachers should use the Foundation (F) year Australian Curriculum achievement standards as reference points for reporting on student achievement and progress. Reception teachers will provide two written reports per year, once in the first half of the year and again at the end of the year. 4.3.2 Reporting in Years 1–10 Reporting to parents/carers will provide information about a student’s actual achievement against the Australian Curriculum achievement standards. The use of achievement standards as a common reference point for reporting to parents/carers contributes to consistency in reporting. Each achievement standard should be treated holistically, i.e. as representing broad development of understandings and skills to be used in applying knowledge, rather than as discrete elements to be achieved. Each achievement standard provides the key reference point for reporting on student achievement using A–E grades or word equivalents. Reporting on student achievement against Australian Curriculum achievement standards requires teachers to make a holistic on-balance judgement using a range of learning evidence. Teachers then assign an A–E grade or word equivalent, based on the aspects of the achievement standard addressed in the learning program to that point in the reporting cycle. Only one grade or word equivalent should be assigned for each achievement standard, i.e. students should not be assigned grades or word equivalents for strands or aspects of the learning area or subject. Information about how students have achieved in the strands or aspects of a learning area or subject should be communicated via descriptive reporting. 4.3.3 Reporting against the year or band level achievement standard The Australian Curriculum achievement standards describe expected achievement at each year or band1 level. Therefore student achievement should be reported against the achievement standards of the year or band level in which the student is placed, i.e. the achievement of most Year 5 students will be reported against the Year 5 achievement standards or the Year 5/6 band level achievement standards. Exceptions

1 Year level in learning areas of English, mathematics, science and humanities and social sciences (HASS) Band level over two years in learning areas of the arts, health & physical education, languages and technologies


There will be some students for whom it is necessary for teachers to adjust curriculum, including for students with Learning Plans2. In such cases, schools negotiate and document both the student’s learning program and appropriate reporting arrangements with the student and his or her parents/carers. In cases where the student is working at a level below that of their year or band level cohort, e.g. a Year 5 student working at Year 3 level or Year 3/4 band level, aspects of the student’s learning program may be drawn from a year or band level lower than that in which they are placed. This will then include using A–E grades or word equivalents to report the student’s achievement against the lower year or band level achievement standard. This could occur in one or more learning areas or subjects and must be noted in the report. In such cases, the intention of the student’s learning program, including appropriate interventions, is always to bridge the gap between the student’s current achievement and the achievement standards of the year or band level in which they are placed. In cases where a student is consistently demonstrating an excellent level of achievement, it is desirable to work with the student from the curriculum of the year level in which they are placed and to differentiate the learning program appropriately. If a student’s learning program is drawn from a year or band level higher than that in which they are placed, this will include using A–E grades or word equivalents to report the student’s achievement against the higher year or band level achievement standard. Gifted and talented students whose abilities are not able to be catered for within the regular classroom curriculum will require a Learning Plan. This plan needs to be developed collaboratively with educators, the learner (where appropriate), parents/carers and other relevant professionals at least once a year. This could occur in one or more learning areas and must be noted in the report. 4.3.4 Reporting on multi-subject Australian Curriculum learning areas Humanities and social sciences, technologies and the arts are multi-subject learning areas. From 2014 to the end of 2016 is the timeline for familiarisation and implementation of primary and secondary the arts subjects of dance, drama, media arts, music and visual arts; the humanities and social sciences (HASS) subjects of civics and citizenship, economics and business, geography and history, and technologies subjects of design and technology and digital technologies. Each of the subjects within a learning area has a discrete set of achievement standards. Where any of the subjects are taught via an integrated approach each subject is to be reported on individually.

2 Learning Plans: the term Learning Plans refers to a range of plans developed to document the needs of particular students. This includes Individual Education Plans for students who are under Guardianship of the Minister, Individual Learning Plans for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and Learning Plans designed for students with differing needs, including gifted students. This also includes Negotiated Education Plans (NEP) for students with disability (see page 11). 11 | Guideline: Reporting on Australian Curriculum in DECD schools Reception–Year 10 V2.0 | 30 June 2014

http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/docs/documents/1/GiftedChildrenandStudents.pdf

Learning Areas Subjects

Humanities and Social Sciences

Civics and Citizenship Years 3-8

Economics and Business Years 5-8

Geography Years R-8

History Years R-10

Technology Years R-10

Design and Technology

Digital Technology

The Arts Years R-10

Dance Drama Media Arts Music Visual Art

4.3.5 Reporting on Australian Curriculum learning areas with band levels Where an Australian Curriculum learning area or subject is constructed in band levels rather than year levels, schools will report against the whole achievement standard at least once during the band. Schools may make decisions to report more frequently on progress towards the achievement standard. http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/teachingandlearning/pages/YEarsr10/curric/

Learning Areas Band levels The Arts R-2 3/4 5/6 7/8 9/10

Technologies R-2 3/4 5/6 7/8 9/10 Health and Physical Education R 1/2 3/4 5/6 7/8 9/10

Languages R-2 3/4 5/6 7/8 9/10 4.3.6 Reporting against the achievement standards for students with disability3 In the case of students with disability, schools are required to negotiate both the student’s learning program and appropriate reporting arrangements with the student and their parents/carers. These will be documented in the student’s Learning Plan, e.g. NEP.

• Students with disability requiring accommodations to assist with curriculum access and achievement will be assigned A–E grades or word equivalents against the achievement standards of the year level in which they are placed.

3 Students with disability: The concept of disability has been widely defined by legislation to include all children and students with a disability. This is regardless of eligibility under targeted programs such as the DECD Disability Support Program. The Australian Government Disability Discrimination Act (1992) and the Disability Standards for Education (2005) require schools to make reasonable adjustments for the broad range of students. 12 | Guideline: Reporting on Australian Curriculum in DECD schools Reception–Year 10 V2.0 | 30 June 2014

http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/teachingandlearning/pages/YEarsr10/curric/

http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/C2014C00013

http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/C2014C00013

http://education.gov.au/disability-standards-education

• For some students with disability, in negotiated learning areas, teachers will design, assess and report on learning using curriculum from a year level other than that in which the student is placed. A–E grades or word equivalents will be assigned against the negotiated year level achievement standard(s) documented in the student’s Learning Plan, e.g. NEP. The achievement standard(s) must be indicated in the report.

• For students with significant intellectual disability and those with significant coexisting

conditions, achievement should be reported against the curriculum and learning goals described in the student’s Learning Plan, e.g. NEP. There is no requirement for teachers to assign A–E grades for these students.

4.3.7 Reporting against the achievement standards for English as an Additional

Language or Dialect (EALD) students New Arrival Program (NAP) eligible students NAP eligible students are:

• those attending an Intensive English Language Centre (IELC) or NAP • those attending a mainstream school but eligible to enrol in an IELC/NAP within 12

months of arrival date • those receiving EALD Geographic Isolation funding.

There is no requirement for schools to assign A–E grades or word equivalents in reporting on NAP - eligible students. In the case of NAP - eligible students, schools should determine which aspects of the Australian Curriculum support students’ learning of Standard Australian English or socialisation into Australian society and plan, teach, assess and report accordingly. EALD students after NAP eligibility has expired In the case of EALD students whose NAP eligibility has expired, the mainstream school should negotiate both the student’s learning program and appropriate reporting arrangements with the student and their parents/carers during the first term after their NAP eligibility has expired. These will be documented in the student’s Learning Plan. Reporting options:

1. Provision of a comprehensive descriptive report without A–E grades or word equivalents, for no more than six terms after entry to the mainstream school. Such descriptive reporting will include information about the student’s achievement and learning progress aligned to the Australian Curriculum achievement standards and the goals documented in the student’s Learning Plan. The negotiated Australian Curriculum achievement standard year levels are to be noted in the report.

OR

2. Assigning A–E grades or word equivalents against any learning area/subject achievement standards in which the student is able to demonstrate learning and understanding at the level of the year in which they have been placed. This may


require curriculum differentiation to support students in accessing the English language and literacy demands of the relevant learning areas/subjects. Other learning areas/subjects will be covered by option 1 above. The relevant Australian Curriculum achievement standard year levels are to be noted in the report.

4.3.8 Reporting on students in composite and multi-age classes Students in composite or multi-age classes will in most cases be taught, assessed and reported on according to the year level in which they are placed. There may be some cases in which it is appropriate for teachers to adjust some aspects of the curriculum to cater for more than one year level. In adjusting the curriculum, teachers should ensure that students still have access to the curriculum described for their year or band level and that they are reported on against the year or band level achievement standards of the year level in which they are placed. Where adjustments are made to cater for composite or multi-age class structures, parents/carers are to be informed. 4.3.9 Arrangements for the use of A–E grades or word equivalents for Years 1–10 A–E grades or word equivalents enable the reporting of achievement against each Australian Curriculum achievement standard at a range of achievement from minimal to excellent, as per word equivalents. The following table identifies word equivalents for use in DECD schools.

A Your child is demonstrating excellent achievement of what is expected at this year level.

B Your child is demonstrating good achievement of what is expected at this year level.

C Your child is demonstrating satisfactory achievement of what is expected at this year level.

D Your child is demonstrating partial achievement of what is expected at this year level.

E Your child is demonstrating minimal achievement of what is expected at this year level.

All five levels A–E demonstrate some degree of achievement against the achievement standard (see Reporting Resource: A–E Guide, page 23). The annotated work sample portfolios on the Australian Curriculum website are intended to demonstrate the quality of student achievement: i.e. satisfactory, above satisfactory and below satisfactory achievement against the achievement standard. 4.3.10 Descriptive reporting Teachers use descriptive reporting to provide detailed information about students’ engagement and achievement, about what they have learnt, what they need to learn next, and how the teacher, student and parent/carer can support these next steps to happen. This is done through descriptive information supporting A–E grades or word equivalents in the written reports and also through the range of oral reporting which occurs between schools and


parents/carers, including three-way conferences, phone and other digital contact and other meetings with families and students. 4.3.11 Reporting on subjects with an achievement standard for each year level in the

first half of the semester or first half of the year Australian Curriculum achievement standards describe the expected achievement for students as a result of being taught the curriculum by the end of the year or band. Part-way through a year or band level, where teachers have not addressed the complete achievement standard, students will be making progress towards the expected achievement standard. When reporting in the middle of the semester/year, teachers should make an on-balance judgement as to what level of achievement the student is demonstrating in relation to the achievement standard, taking into account the curriculum taught and assessed to that point in the semester/year. Thus, students demonstrating excellent achievement at that point in time would be assigned an A grade or word equivalent, students demonstrating satisfactory achievement would be assigned a C grade or word equivalent. 4.3.12 Reporting on subjects within a two or three (R–2) year band Australian Curriculum achievement standards describe the expected achievement for students as a result of being taught the curriculum described in the band for the subject. Part-way through the band, teachers should make an on-balance judgement as to what level of achievement the student is demonstrating in relation to the achievement standard, taking into account the curriculum taught and assessed to that point in time. Thus, students demonstrating excellent achievement at that point in time would be assigned an A grade or word equivalent, students demonstrating satisfactory achievement would be assigned a C grade or word equivalent. 4.3.13 Reporting on general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities The Australian Curriculum is composed of learning areas, general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities. In the Australian Curriculum, general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities are addressed through the learning areas and are identified wherever they are developed or applied in content descriptions. They are also identified where they offer opportunities to add depth and richness to student learning in content elaborations. (ACARA 2012: 23) While there is currently no requirement for schools to report separately on general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities, schools may choose to include reference to the general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities within their learning area and subject reporting.

4.4 Reporting Formats

4.4.1 Recommended reporting formats It has not been within the remit of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) to develop a national reporting system or recommended reporting formats.


Teaching and Learning Services has worked collaboratively with the South Australian Primary Principals, Secondary Principals and Area School Principals Associations to develop a small number of reporting formats which DECD schools with R-10 enrolments may choose to use or adapt.

4.4.2 Reporting against Australian Curriculum and the SACSA Framework in the same reporting period

School reports should clearly indicate which learning areas are being assessed and reported on against the Australian Curriculum and that the other learning areas continue to be assessed and reported on against the SACSA Framework. This could be done with a statement such as: Avon Park School is using the Australian Curriculum in English, mathematics, science and history. Accordingly, your child’s achievement in those learning areas is being assessed and reported on against Australian Curriculum achievement standards. For the other learning areas, the SACSA Framework remains the reference point for your child’s learning and achievement. Your child will begin learning Australian Curriculum in other learning areas from … and these achievement standards will accordingly be used for reporting on your child’s learning and achievement from …

Year 4 Student Reports Learning Area Curriculum/Standard Grade Comment

English Australian Curriculum Year 3* achievement standard

Mathematics Australian Curriculum Year 4 achievement standard

Science Australian Curriculum Year 4 achievement standard

History

Australian Curriculum Year 4 achievement standard

Health and Physical Education

SACSA Standard 2

*This is an example of one way to record that a student is working at a year level below that of their year level cohort (see page 10).

4.5 Key Dates and Actions 2014: By the end of the year, for students in years R–9, schools are required to report against Australian Curriculum in English, history, mathematics and science.(Guidelines for the implementation of the Australian Curriculum in DECD Schools: Reception–Year 10 Attachment 4)


http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/assessment/pages/Reportexamples/exemplars/



2015 - 2016: The R–10 Australian Curriculum will be fully implemented in all schools with teachers reporting on all Australian Curriculum learning areas and subjects:

• for Years R–7 by the end of 2016, and • for Years 8–10 by the end of 2015.

(Schools may negotiate with and seek approval from the Principal’s line manager for an extension to this timeline to the end of 2017 only. Refer to Guidelines for the implementation of the Australian Curriculum in DECD Schools: Reception–Year 10, page 11 and Attachment 5.) From the release of the Guideline Reporting on Australian Curriculum in DECD schools Reception –Year 10 V2.0 in term 3 2014, all relevant curriculum officers will ensure effective communication strategies to promote the reporting guidelines with leaders and teachers.

• Term 2 2014 - release of Guideline Reporting on Australian Curriculum in DECD schools Reception –Year 10 V2.0.

• Term 2 2014 - Awareness raising by Australian Curriculum Implementation Officers. • Terms 2, 3, 4 2014 - Support and advice for local partnerships and schools as requested. • Terms 2, 3, 4 2014 - Monitoring of use and effectiveness of the reporting guidelines

through Australian Curriculum Advisory Groups and Professional Associations. • Term 1 2015 - Formal consultation on use and effectiveness of the Guideline Reporting on

Australian Curriculum in DECD schools Reception –Year 10 V2.0.

Personnel Actions required Dates Standards Assessment and Reporting team, Teaching and Learning Services

Ensure effective distribution and communication regarding the guidelines for reporting. • Release of document in hard copy via

Infoconnect • Availability via DECD website • Information regarding availability via a range of

sources including: o Learn Link o TLS Facebook site o Australian Curriculum News o DECD Update ENewsletter.

Standards Assessment and Reporting team officers deliver information sessions for relevant Teaching and Learning Services officers. Standards Assessment and Reporting team provide advice and support to curriculum officers and schools as appropriate.

Term 2 2014 Term 1 2014





Australian Curriculum Implementation Officers, TLS

Promote at local partnership and school meetings with leaders. Support local partnerships, schools and teachers in implementation of effective reporting practices so that South Australian schools demonstrate high quality reporting to parents/carers aligned with local partnership objectives of strong connections with school communities.

Terms 2, 3, 4 2014

Education Directors at the local partnership level

Ensure site awareness of the DECD reporting guidelines and appropriate reporting coherence across the partnership.

2014 - 2015

Coordinators, Primary Australian Curriculum

Support schools in development of site reporting policies and practices as required.

2014 - 2015

Principals and site curriculum leaders

Work with the school community to ensure school policies, parent consultation and reporting practices align with DECD policy and advice on effective reporting practice.

2014 - 2015

Teachers Apply DECD and site policy and agreements when reporting to parents/carers on student learning, progress and achievement.

2014 - 2015

Standards Assessment and Reporting team, TLS

Monitor use of the guidelines for reporting with regard to ongoing review and consultation on appropriate and relevant revisions as the entirety of the Australian Curriculum is implemented and embedded across local partnerships and sites.

Formally consult early 2015

4.6 Contacts Further information on standards, assessment and reporting on Australian Curriculum is available from: Kerry Hugo Program Leader: Standards, Assessment and Reporting

Phone: 8207 2451 and email: [email protected]

Sue Jones Manager: Standards, Assessment and Reporting Phone: 8226 2650 and email: [email protected]

Specific information in relation to reporting on students with disability is available from:


mailto:[email protected]


Helen Talbot Program Leader Special Education Phone: 8207 1027 and email: [email protected]

Specific information in relation to reporting on EALD students is available from: Ross Hamilton Manager: English as an Additional Language or Dialect

Phone: 8226 2937 and email: [email protected]

5. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Role Authority/Responsibility for

Lead work on the development, implementation, advice, monitoring, consultation and revision of the Guideline Reporting on Australian Curriculum Reception –Year 10 V2.0

Standards Assessment and Reporting Team. (Early Years, Wellbeing and Standards Portfolio, Teaching and Learning Services Directorate)

Implementation support and advice on use of the reporting guidelines at the local partnership and school level

Australian Curriculum Implementation Team. (Australian Curriculum Implementation and Aboriginal Education Portfolio, Teaching and Learning Services Directorate)

Development of school policy which ensures implementation of DECD requirements and effective practices for reporting to parents/carers in accordance with the Guideline Reporting on Australian Curriculum in DECD schools Reception –Year 10 V2.0

School principals and leaders

6. MONITORING, EVALUATION AND REVIEW Teaching and Learning Services Standards Assessment and Reporting team will lead monitoring, evaluation and review processes for the Guideline Reporting on Australian Curriculum in DECD schools Reception –Year 10 V2.0. WHEN • Terms 2, 3, 4 2014 - Monitoring of use and effectiveness of the reporting guidelines through

Australian Curriculum Advisory Groups and Professional Associations. • Term 1 2015 - Formal consultation on use and effectiveness of the Guideline Reporting on

Australian Curriculum in DECD schools Reception –Year 10 V2.0. HOW • Formal feedback processes through Australian Curriculum Advisory Groups during 2014. • Formal feedback processes with, and anecdotal feedback via, Australian Curriculum

Implementation Officers during 2014. • Monitoring of requests for advice and support from schools, leaders and parents. • Collation of informal/anecdotal information (usually via telephone and email). • Formal consultation and feedback with Reporting Formats Working Party, principal associations,




professional associations and local partnership leader groups.

7. DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS Term Meaning

ACARA

Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority

Achievement Standard

Achievement standards describe what students are typically able to understand and do. Achievement standards will describe the learning (understanding and skills) expected of students at each year level from R–10. More information can be found in the ACARA Curriculum Design Paper (June 2013):

Band Level Refers to learning areas or subjects which have achievement standards across 2 or 3 year levels.

DECD Department for Education and Child Development

EALD English as an Additional Language or Dialect

Exceptions Students who are not verified under DECD disability criteria but for whom it is necessary to adjust curriculum.

HASS Humanities and Social Sciences (Economics and Business, Civics & Citizenship, Geography, History)

IELC An Intensive English Language Centre (IELC) provides a specialised English language program for primary aged new arrivals or Aboriginal students.

Learning Plan The term Learning Plans refers to a range of plans developed to document the needs of particular students. This includes Individual Education Plans for students who are under Guardianship of the Minister, Individual Learning Plans for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and Learning Plans designed for students with differing needs, including gifted students. This also includes Negotiated Education Plans (NEP) for students with disability.

Multi-subject learning area

The Arts, HASS and Technologies and are all multi-subject learning areas. In each of these learning areas there is more than one subject, each with its own set of achievement standards.

NAP A New Arrivals Program (NAP) provides a specialised secondary English language program for new arrivals.

AER Australian Education Regulation 2013


http://www.acara.edu.au/verve/_resources/07_04_Curriculum_Design_Paper_version_3+1_%28June_2012%29.pdf

http://www.acara.edu.au/verve/_resources/07_04_Curriculum_Design_Paper_version_3+1_%28June_2012%29.pdf

http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/literacy/pages/esl/ielp/?reFlag=1

http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/literacy/files/links/NAP_English_April11_PRESS.pdf

NEP

Negotiated Education Plan. If a student has a disability, as described by the 2007 DECD Eligibility Criteria (Intellectual, Global Developmental Delay, Speech and/or Language, Vision, Hearing, Physical, Autistic Disorder/Asperger Disorder), the school will develop and implement a negotiated education plan (NEP). This plan sets out the background information, strengths and needs of the student and the learning goals. Parents/caregivers should be involved in negotiating the plan.

TLS Teaching and Learning Services. A Directorate in the Department for Education and Child Development. Organisation chart available at http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/teachingandlearning/

Year Level Refers to learning areas which have an achievement standard at each year level.

8. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS • DECD (2013) Curriculum, Pedagogy, Assessment and Reporting Policy for Reception – Year 10,

available at http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/teachingandlearning/files/pages/Policy/DECD_Curriculum_Pedagogy__1.pdf (accessed 22 April 2014)

• DECD (2013) Guidelines for the implementation of the Australian Curriculum in DECD schools: Reception–Year 10, available at http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/docs/documents/1/GuidelinesfortheImplement.pdf (accessed 22 April 2014)

• DECD (2012) Policy Statement Gifted and Talented Children and Students Policy, available at http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/docs/documents/1/GiftedChildrenandStudents.pdf (accessed 22 April 2014)

• DECD Special Education Resource Unit Negotiated Education Plan, available at http://web.seru.sa.edu.au/NEP.htm (accessed 22 April 2014)


http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/speced/pages/specialneeds/NEP/?reFlag=1

http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/teachingandlearning/




http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/docs/documents/1/GiftedChildrenandStudents.pdf

http://web.seru.sa.edu.au/NEP.htm

9. REFERENCES • ACARA (2012) Curriculum Design Paper V3.0

www.acara.edu.au/verve/_resources/Curriculum_Design_Paper_version_3_%28March_2012%29.pdf (accessed 22 April 2014)

• ACARA (October 2012) The Shape of the Australian Curriculum v4.0, available at www.acara.edu.au/verve/_resources/The_Shape_of_the_Australian_Curriculum_v4.pdf (accessed 22 April 2014)

• ACARA Alternative Curriculum Recognition, available at www.acara.edu.au/curriculum/alternative_curriculum_recognition.html (accessed 22 April 2014)

• Commonwealth of Australia (2013) Australian Education Regulation 2013 Division 3, Subdivision G, Reports to persons responsible for students at a school available at http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2013L01476 (accessed 30 April 2014)

• DECD (2013) Curriculum, Pedagogy, Assessment and Reporting Policy for Reception-Year 10, available at http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/teachingandlearning/pages/Yearsr10/curric/ (accessed 22 April 2014)

• DECD (2013) Great start-Strong foundations-Powerful learners: A Numeracy and Literacy Strategy from Birth to 18, available at http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/docs/documents/1/NumeracyLiteracyStrategy.pdf (accessed 22 April 2014)

• DECD (2013) Leading Learning: Making the Australian Curriculum work for us, available at http://www.acleadersresource.sa.edu.au/ (accessed 10 May 2014)

• DECD (2012) Australian Curriculum Leaders’ resource-Getting started, available at http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/teachingandlearning/pages/Leadersresource/44209/ (accessed 22 April 2014)

• DECD (2011) Policy Child Protection in Schools, Early Childhood Education and Care Services, available at www.decd.sa.gov.au/docs/documents/1/ChildProtectioninSchoolsE.pdf (accessed 22 April 2014)

• DECS (2010) South Australian Teaching for Effective Learning (TfEL) Framework, available at http://www.learningtolearn.sa.edu.au/tfel/files/links/DECS_SA_TfEL_Framework_gu_4.pdf (accessed 22 April 2014)

• DECS (2009) CE Circ 09:025 Primary Science, Mathematics and Literacy Strategies, available at www.decd.sa.gov.au/mediacentre/files/links/link_115478.pdf (accessed 11 May 2014)

APPENDIX Appendix 1 Reporting Resource: A–E Guide Refer to page 23


http://www.acara.edu.au/verve/_resources/Curriculum_Design_Paper_version_3_%28March_2012%29.pdf

http://www.acara.edu.au/verve/_resources/Curriculum_Design_Paper_version_3_%28March_2012%29.pdf

http://www.acara.edu.au/verve/_resources/The_Shape_of_the_Australian_Curriculum_v4.pdf

http://www.acara.edu.au/curriculum/alternative_curriculum_recognition.html



http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/docs/documents/1/NumeracyLiteracyStrategy.pdf

http://www.acleadersresource.sa.edu.au/

http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/teachingandlearning/pages/Leadersresource/44209/

http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/docs/documents/1/ChildProtectioninSchoolsE.pdf

http://www.learningtolearn.sa.edu.au/tfel/files/links/DECS_SA_TfEL_Framework_gu_4.pdf

http://www.decd.sa.gov.au/mediacentre/files/links/link_115478.pdf

Appendix Reporting Resource: A–E Guide A guide to making A–E grade judgements when reporting against AC achievement standards in DECD. This guide is for teacher use only; while this guide is NOT intended for distribution to parents, teachers may find it useful in discussions with students or parents/carers about a student’s achievement.

Grade Word Equivalent A–E indicators - in relation to the achievement standard, the student has demonstrated …

A

Your child is demonstrating excellent achievement of what is expected at this year level.

• high level capacity to apply knowledge, skills and understandings in new contexts

• extensive understanding of concepts and key ideas and ability to make connections between them

• outstanding development of skills • comprehensive knowledge of content

B

Your child is demonstrating good achievement of what is expected at this year level.

• strong capacity to apply knowledge, skills and understandings in new contexts

• deep understanding of concepts and key ideas • high level development of skills • thorough knowledge of content

C

Your child is demonstrating satisfactory achievement of what is expected at this year level.

• capacity to apply knowledge, skills and understandings in new contexts

• adequate understanding of concepts and key ideas • sound development of skills • adequate knowledge of content

D

Your child is demonstrating partial achievement of what is expected at this year level.

• capacity to apply knowledge, skills and understandings in familiar contexts

• some understanding of concepts and key ideas • some development of skills • basic knowledge of content

E

Your child is demonstrating minimal achievement of what is expected at this year level.

• beginning capacity to apply knowledge, skills and understandings in a familiar context

• beginning understanding of concepts and key ideas • initial development of skills • limited knowledge of content


reporting on australian curriculum in decd schools...

Documents