Fewer Year 12s from WA schools prepared to tackle enough exams to score ATAR

The share of WA Year 12s willing to tackle final exams is flat-lining, with less than 40 per cent sitting enough exams this year to make them eligible for an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank. Ahead of the start of ATAR exams later this month, preliminary figures reveal WA’s long-term decline in ATAR participation — one of the lowest in the nation — shows no sign of improvement. While ATAR courses are considered the best preparation for the rigours of university study, students can bypass them and still get into university. Exam enrolment data obtained from the School Curriculum and Standards Authority shows the proportion of Year 12s enrolled to sit four or more exams — making them eligible for an ATAR score — dipped marginally, from 38.99 per cent last year to 38.08 per cent this year. They also revealed that out of 28,627 Year 12s eligible for a WA Certificate of Education, only 13,367 students — or 47.64 per cent — were preparing to sit at least one ATAR exam, down from 49.26 per cent at the same time last year. However, the overall number of students taking four exams rose in line with the growth in school population, from 10,686 to 10,900. Around 156 students are scheduled to sit an exam on the first day of the written exam period, which starts on October 29 and runs until November 20. English has the most students, with 9537 enrolled to sit the exam in that subject on November 3. The second-most popular subject is mathematics applications, with 8069 enrolments. A spokesperson for the authority said exam marks provided a fair, valid and reliable assessment of student achievement in each ATAR course. “The rigour of completing Year 12 ATAR courses and examinations provides the best preparation for students to succeed and thrive in their university studies,” the spokesperson said. “Not all students aspire to achieve an ATAR and this is reflected in their course selection for Years 11 and 12.” They said some students chose to take between one and three ATAR subjects, adding General courses or vocational qualifications to suit their interests and plans for life beyond school. The authority this year decided to allow Year 12s who achieved D grades to be able to pass ATAR subjects in a bid to boost the number of students attempting the exams-based courses. Previously, students had to get at least six C grades in Year 12 to qualify for a WA Certificate of Education. The move was based on research that showed a D grade in an ATAR course was equal to at least a C grade in a General course. Allowing students to credit D grades in ATAR courses towards their high school accreditation was one of the recommendations from a review of senior secondary school pathways released last year.