Recognition of learning success for all: ensuring trust and utility in a new approach to recognition of learning in senior secondary education in Australia

This paper argues that too many young Australians finish school ill-equipped with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and dispositions that they need to navigate the transition from school to further education, training or employment. It provides the background to the problem and the opportunity. It examines the prevailing conceptions of success built into the recognition system in senior secondary schooling in Australia and explores how to build a more equitable system that celebrates and measures a broader and deeper conception of success.

The dominant recognition system for senior secondary schooling includes the Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) rankings for tertiary selection and senior secondary certificates. The paper argues that a new narrative is required for recognition of learning in senior secondary schooling, so that valuable innovation and change can be scaled and sustained. As part of this narrative, a broader and deeper conception of what constitutes success in learning in Australian secondary schools is adopted, so that all young people have the confidence and creativity, knowledge and know how they need to make a smooth transition from school to further study and work, and into a thriving adulthood as lifelong learners. In addition, better alignment to this conception of learning is required in the recognition system that sets standards and requirements and assesses and credentials the learning of secondary school leavers. Six components that would generate better alignment were described. The appendix contains four learner profile initiatives in Australia.

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