About the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA)

Who are we?

The School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) is the Western Australian Government certification authority responsible for setting the curriculum for over 1100 schools from Kindergarten to Year 12. Reporting directly to the Western Australian Minister for Education and Training, the SCSA is administered by a board of educators with experience in curriculum and assessment from early childhood to post-graduate university level.

Our curriculum experts are experienced educators who excel in supporting teachers to achieve the best possible outcomes for their students. Our approach to designing the curriculum is based on evidence gathered from teachers working in Western Australian schools, and validated by university-based academics, curriculum specialists and measurement experts. The SCSA conducts regular quality reviews to ensure the curriculum remains relevant and focused on students, their learning needs and aspirations.

The SCSA has been licensing international schools to deliver its curriculum programs overseas for more than 32 years. Schools currently licensed to deliver the SCSA's curriculum programs are located in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mauritius, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey and Vietnam. Through the SCSA's curriculum and support provided to international schools, students are able to access a range of desired post-school study and work options.

How we approach curriculum

The SCSA has a rich tradition of providing world-class curriculum programs to Western Australian and international schools. These curriculum programs, adopted and adapted from the Australian Curriculum, are relevant to students' learning needs and aspirations, evidence-based and forward-focused.

The SCSA has set a minimum standard for students in Year 12 for literacy and numeracy based on the Australian Core Skills Framework Level 3. This is a standard regarded as essential for individuals to meet the demands of everyday work and life in a knowledge-based economy.

We are also committed to helping students develop transferrable skills, such as:

  • critical and creative thinking
  • personal and social capabilities
  • intercultural understandings.

These skills are integral to enable students to navigate an increasingly interconnected world, including embarking upon further education, training and work.

By completing our curriculum programs, each year thousands of students have gained entry into:

  • Western Australia’s universities
  • Australia’s universities, including the group of eight
  • leading universities around the world, including in the United States of America and the United Kingdom
  • other post-school pathways.

We use the latest international research on effective assessment practice to develop support materials for teaching and learning in schools. By reviewing thousands of authentic student work samples from all year levels and year-level syllabuses, we capture a wide range of student achievement. We consult with experienced classroom teachers to independently analyse and validate the ranking of student work samples.

Our underlining principles

Making a difference to students, their teachers and school communities is at the heart of our work. Our education programs and support are defined by the following four pillars.

We believe all students should have access to a world-class education that maximises their opportunities. Our courses, and the resources we provide to ensure successful course implementation, build on this belief.

We are committed to maintaining the fairness of our curriculum, assessment and standards of achievement. Our programs are grounded in educational rigour – evidenced by our transparency, integrity, professionalism and accountability.

We build partnerships with the common goal of promoting the best opportunities for students at, and beyond, school. We approach our partnerships with an open, supportive and mutually-respectful mindset.

We want to best-prepare students for the world beyond school. We provide practical, evidence-based learning that gives students the knowledge and skills they need for success. We ensure our programs remain relevant in an ever-changing world.


History of Western Australian education