School Curriculum and Standards Authority

What School Curriculum and Standards Authority does

The School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) is a statutory authority of the Government of Western Australia, established under the School Education Act 1999, with 191 employees and headquarters in Cannington, WA. It is the sole certifying body for the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) and the sole calculator of ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) for university entrance within the state. SCSA develops and maintains the Western Australian Curriculum for Kindergarten through Year 10, the senior secondary curriculum for Years 11 and 12, and administers externally set tasks and course examinations. It coordinates national assessments including NAPLAN (Years 3, 5, 7, 9) and the state-level Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (OLNA). Its core technology comprises two proprietary student information platforms — SIRS (Student Information Recording System) and SRMS (Student Records Management System) — supplemented by student-facing tools (WACE Checker, WACE Authentication, Student Portal) and educator-facing portals (Online Marks Collection, Mark Manager). It publishes an extensive library of curriculum outlines, handbooks, manuals, circulars, statistical reports, and past ATAR examinations. SCSA does not operate a commercial revenue model; its operations are funded through government appropriations and its services are mandated statutory public functions. Its customer base spans all Western Australian schools (government, Catholic, independent), students, parents, and a niche international schools program serving WA-curriculum delivery outside Australia.

Name

School Curriculum and Standards Authority

Legal name

School Curriculum and Standards Authority

Website

https://curriculum.wa.edu.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

SCSA is a Western Australian government statutory authority that develops K-12 curriculum, administers assessments, and issues WACE certification and ATAR rankings for all WA schools. It operates SIRS and SRMS student information systems and serves government, Catholic, and independent schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Education Standards and Assessment

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

National/State Curriculum & Standards Authorities (EDADAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Standards Alignment & Curriculum Mapping (State/National) (EDAJAFAD), Early Childhood Learning Standards Authorities (EDADAEAF)

Keywords

• Curriculum standards
• Student assessment
• Secondary certification
• Educational governance
• School records systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Cannington

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The School Curriculum and Standards Authority develops and administers Kindergarten to Year 12 curriculum, assessment, and certification for Western Australian schools. It operates proprietary student information and records systems (SIRS and SRMS), administers externally set tasks and course examinations, calculates ATARs, and is the sole issuer of the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE). It also administers OLNA, coordinates NAPLAN at state level, and provides endorsed VET programs, curriculum handbooks, manuals, statistical reports, and an International Schools Program.

Product overview

The School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) is a Western Australian government body responsible for Kindergarten to Year 12 curriculum development, assessment, certification, and educational standards. The organization's product portfolio consists of interconnected systems organized around four core functions: (1) Student Information Systems (SIRS and SRMS) for managing student records and assessment data; (2) Assessment and Certification Tools (WACE Checker, WACE Authentication, Online Marks Collection, Mark Manager) for WACE certification and tertiary entrance processing; (3) Curriculum Resources (K-10 Curriculum Outline, Senior Secondary Curriculum, AbleWA, International Schools Program) providing teaching and learning materials; and (4) Publications and Reports (WACE Manual, Year 10/12 Handbooks, Statistical Reports, Annual Reports, Past ATAR Examinations) documenting requirements, procedures, and outcomes. Student-facing portals (Student Portal) provide access to examinations, awards, and records, while assessment programs (OLNA, NAPLAN) measure student achievement against national and state standards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SIRS (Student Information Recording System)
• SRMS (Student Records Management System)
• WACE Checker
• WACE Authentication
• Student Portal
• Online Marks Collection (OMC)
• OLNA (Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment)
• K-10 Curriculum Outline
• Senior Secondary Curriculum
• NAPLAN (state-level coordination)
• VET Endorsed Programs
• International Schools Program
• AbleWA (gifted and talented resources)
• WACE Manual
• Data Procedures Manual
• Year 12 Information Handbook
• Year 10 Information Handbook
• Past ATAR Course Examinations
• Statistical Reports
• Annual Reports

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA): QCAA develops Queensland P-12 syllabi, administers QCAA-developed summative assessments, and issues the QCE certificate — a directly comparable K-12 curriculum, assessment and certification authority.
• NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA): NESA is the NSW state-level statutory authority that sets HSC curriculum, administers examinations, and issues the Higher School Certificate — the closest direct peer to SCSA's WACE/ATAR function in Australia's largest state.
• Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA): VCAA develops Victorian F-10 curriculum, administers VCE assessments and ATAR/VAT calculations, and issues the VCE certificate — directly analogous to SCSA's role in Western Australia, including statewide student records systems.
• Northern Territory Board of Studies: NT Board of Studies supports NTCET and senior secondary certification in the Northern Territory — a small-population peer with a comparable state-level curriculum and certification mandate.
• SACE Board of South Australia: SACE Board administers the South Australian Certificate of Education including SACE subjects and ATAR — closely comparable to SCSA's WACE and ATAR responsibilities in Western Australia.
• Tasmanian Assessment Standards and Certification (TASC): TASC accredits senior secondary courses, oversees assessment, and issues the Tasmanian Certificate of Education — a smaller-jurisdiction peer with the same senior secondary certification and ATAR function.
• ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies: The ACT BSSS develops Years 11-12 courses, moderates school-based assessment, and issues the ACT Senior Secondary Certificate — directly comparable in scope to SCSA's senior secondary function.

Others

• International Baccalaureate Organisation (IB): IB is the dominant internationally-recognised K-12 curriculum and certification body operating outside national systems — relevant to SCSA's International Schools programme as an alternative credential competing for the same international school market.

Regional players

• New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA): NZQA administers NCEA and secondary credentials in New Zealand — a trans-Tasman peer with similar statutory curriculum, assessment and certification responsibilities, useful as a regional comparison point.

Broad incumbents

• Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA): ACARA develops the national Australian Curriculum that SCSA adopts and adapts, manages NAPLAN, and publishes national reporting — a federal-level incumbent that constrains and shapes SCSA's curriculum authority.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/curriculum-council-western-australia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about School Curriculum and Standards Authority