2. Student participation, achievement and satisfaction

Appendix 2

 

 

‘Primary’ denotes Kindergarten to Year 6 and ‘Secondary’ spans Years 7 to 12 unless specified otherwise.

 

 

Figure A2: Participation rate (%) of persons aged 15 to 17 years engaged in some form of education by gender 2016 to 2020(a)(b)

A bar chart showing participation data. This data is quite complex but essentially the chart shows that in 2016 just over 88% of 15 to 17 year olds were enrolled in either public or non-government schools, less than 1% at universities and approximately 8% in VET. The percentage enrolled in schools has increased to approximately 91% in 2020 with half a per cent in university and 8% enrolled in VET. Overall the percentage of people aged 15 to 17 years who were engaged in some form of education increased from 96.8% in 2016 to 98.1% in 2018, decreased slightly to 97.8% in 2019 and increased to 99.4% in 2020. For all years presented, a slightly higher proportion of females enrolled in private schools and university and a slightly higher proportion of males enrolled in VET.

Source: System and School Performance
(a) Based on Australian Bureau of Statistics preliminary estimates of resident population (age at 30 June) and data collected from public and non-government schools (Semester 2 student census, age at 1 July), universities (age at 30 June), and vocational education and training providers (age at 30 June).
(b) University enrolment data for 2020 is an estimate based on 2019 university enrolment data and an annual compound growth factor calculated from university enrolment data across the previous four years.

 

 

 

 

Table A15: Public school student attendance rate (%) by level of education and subgroup 2020(a)(b)(c)

Level of education Aboriginal All
All 73.1 90.1
Primary(d) 77.6 91.9
Secondary 65.9 87.3

Source: System and School Performance
(a) Excludes Kindergarten students, Canning College students and international students.
(b) As per National Standards for Student Attendance Data Reporting.
(c) Excludes weeks 7 to 10 of Term 1 due to disruptions caused by COVID-19.
(d) Pre-primary to Year 6.

 

 

 

Table A16: Percentage of public school students by attendance category by subgroup 2020(a)(b)(c)(d)

      Attendance category     Aboriginal     All  
Regular attendance (90–100%) 33.5 70.2
Indicated attendance risk (80–<90%) 19.7 17.1
Moderate attendance risk (60–<80%) 20.5 8.0
Severe attendance risk (<60%) 26.3 4.6

Source: System and School Performance
(a) Excludes Kindergarten students, Canning College students and international students.
(b) Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding.
(c) As per National Standards for Student Attendance Data Reporting. 
(d) Excludes weeks 7 to 10 of Term 1 due to disruptions caused by COVID-19. 

 

 

 

Figure A3: Percentage of public school students by subgroup by attendance category 2016 to 2020(a)(b)(c)

A stacked column chart of the attendance categories for all students and Aboriginal students. The percentage of students in each risk category (Regular attendance, indicated risk, moderate risk and severe risk) has remained consistent from 2016 to 2020. Over the last five years, regular attendance was achieved by between 67.7% and 71.8% of all students; and between 33.3% and 36.5% of Aboriginal students.

Source: System and School Performance
(a) Excludes Kindergarten students, Canning College students and international students.
(b) As per National Standards for Student Attendance Data Reporting.
(c) Excludes weeks 7 to 10 of Term 1 due to disruptions caused by COVID-19.

 

 

 

Table A17: Apparent secondary retention rate (%) of public school students by subgroup 2016 to 2020(a)(b)(c)(d)

Subgroup 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
  % N % N % N % N % N
All 77.7 13,398 80.1 13,856 81.4 13,925 81.6 14,041 81.5 14,189
Female 80.4 6,612 83.8 6,927 84.3 6,874 85.7 7,118 84.9 7,154
Male 75.1 6,786 76.7 6,929 78.7 7,051 77.8 6,923 78.2 7,030
Aboriginal 38.8 627 45.3 717 47.3 718 47.6 768 46.9 783
Female 38.0 285 46.7 356 47.3 355 48.4 397 46.7 382
Male 39.5 342 44.1 361 47.3 363 46.8 371 47.1 401

Source: System and School Performance
(a) Excludes Canning College and Tuart College students, part-time and international students, and mature-aged students at senior campuses.
(b) All includes gender category ‘Other’.
(c) Semester 2 student census. ‘N’ is the number of Year 12 students.
(d) Prior to 2020, the apparent retention rate is from Year 8 to Year 12. From 2020, the apparent retention rate is from Year 7 to Year 12. This change is because the 2020 Year 12 cohort was the first cohort to commence secondary school in Year 7.

 

 

 

Figure A4: Apparent secondary retention rate (%) of public school students by subgroup 2001 to 2020(a)(b)(c)(d)

A line chart of apparent retention rates for each subgroup showing similar trends with one another over time. Female students have consistently had the highest retention rates, more than five percentage points higher than retention rates for male students for all years shown. The overall retention rate has increased from 60.1% in 2001 to 81.6% in 2019. Female student retention rates have increased from 65.5% in 2001 to 85.7% in 2019. Male student retention rates have increased from 55.2% in 2001 to 77.8% in 2019. Retention rates for Aboriginal students have increased from 18% in 2001 to 47.6% in 2019. For all groups the apparent retention rate peaked in 2014 before decreasing in 2015 and 2016. The rates increased again in 2017 and 2018 and increased slightly in 2019 for female students, Aboriginal students and overall but decreased slightly for male students. The rates for 2020 cannot be compared with previous years due to a change in methodology (refer to note d). The overall rate was 81.5%, the retention rates for female students was 84.9%, male students was 78.2% and Aboriginal students was 46.9%.

Source: System and School Performance
(a) Excludes Canning College and Tuart College students, part-time and international students, and mature-aged students at senior campuses.
(b) All includes gender category ‘Other’.
(c) Semester 2 student census.
(d) Prior to 2020, the apparent retention rate is from Year 8 to Year 12. From 2020, the apparent retention rate is from Year 7 to Year 12. This change is because the 2020 Year 12 cohort was the first cohort to commence secondary school in Year 7.

 

 

 

Table A18: Year 12 public school student WACE achievement rate and attainment rate by subgroup 2019 and 2020(a)

  Subgroup 2019 2020
    % N % N
WACE achievement rate(b) All
Aboriginal		 80.7
46.7		 11,617
359		 81.7
46.2		 11,829
362
Attainment rate(c)(d) All
Aboriginal		 90.9
69.8		 13,197
538		 92.1
70.8		 13,431
557

Source: System and School Performance
(a) ‘N’ is the number of students who achieved the outcome. Only includes students counted in the rate’s denominator.
(b) Percentage of Year 12 full-time students in the Semester 2 student census who achieved WACE. For details on criteria required to achieve a WACE, refer to our WACE achievement key performance indicator.
(c) Percentage of Year 12 students in the Semester 2 student census who achieved an ATAR of at least 55 and/or a certificate II or higher VET qualification.
(d) Figures are ‘actuals’; previous reports presented ‘apparent’ attainment figures.

 

 

Table A19: Year 12 public school student ATAR achievement by subgroup 2019 and 2020(a)(b)

    2019 2020
  Subgroup Students Median ATAR Students Median ATAR
    % N % N
Students who achieved an ATAR(c) All
Aboriginal		 34.0
7.3		 4,945
56		 78.25
57.275		 33.6
7.2		 4,901
57		 79.25
62.15
ATAR students who achieved at least 55(d) All
Aboriginal		 85.2
51.8		 4,213
29		 –
–		 85.5
59.6		 4,190
34
 		 –
–

Source: System and School Performance
(a) Figures are ‘actuals’. Previous reports presented ‘apparent’ achievement figures.
(b) ‘N’ is the number of students who achieved the outcome. Only includes students counted in the rate’s denominator.
(c) Percentages use the number of Year 12 students in the Semester 2 student census as the denominator.
(d) Percentages use the number of Year 12 students in the Semester 2 student census who achieved an ATAR as the denominator.

 

 

Table A20: Year 12 public student VET certificate II or higher achievement by subgroup 2019 and 2020(a)(b)

  2019 2020
Subgroup Students Total VET certificates II or higher Students Total VET certificates II or higher
  %(c) N %(c) N
All 73.7 10,711 15,935 75.4 10,989 16,136
Aboriginal 66.3 511 688 67.2 529 742

Source: System and School Performance
(a) Figures are ‘actuals’. Previous reports presented ‘apparent’ achievement figures.
(b) ‘N’ is the number of students who achieved a VET certificate II and higher. Only includes students counted in the rate’s denominator.
(c) The number of Year 12 students in the Semester 2 student census is the denominator.

 

 

 

Table A21: WACE achievement rate (%) of Year 12 public school students by subgroup 2016 to 2020(a)(b)

Subgroup 2016 2017 2018(c) 2019 2020
All 79.8 79.5 80.5 80.7 81.7
Male 78.3 77.2 77.9 78.1 80.1
Female 81.3 81.9 83.2 83.2 83.3
Aboriginal 46.9 44.8 47.7 46.7 46.2

Source: System and School Performance
(a) Year 12 full-time students in the Semester 2 student census.
(b) Year 12 WACE achievement data from the School Curriculum and Standards Authority and taken at a point in time. Data may be updated after this time for a variety of reasons such as students successfully appealing their results.
(c) A few registered training organisations did not complete VET certification for some public school students in time to be included in the 2018 data. This may have affected the data reported for 2018.

 

 

Table A22: Satisfaction of Year 12 public school students by subgroup 2016 to 2020(a)

Subgroup 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020(b)
% satisfied with quality of teaching
All 87.3 88.0 87.7 87.4 88.4
Male 87.0 87.5 87.1 86.5 88.0
Female 87.6 88.6 88.3 88.3 88.8
Aboriginal 91.0 88.2 89.9 86.5 88.8
% satisfied with quality of education facilities
All 83.3 83.4 84.8 83.3 84.2
Male 83.2 83.2 84.7 82.5 83.6
Female 83.5 83.7 84.9 84.1 84.6
Aboriginal 84.6 82.6 88.2 83.9 85.6

Source: System and School Performance
(a) Post school intentions and satisfaction survey, conducted in Semester 2.
(b) Completed by more than 9,000 Year 12 students.