More than a number: it's time to say goodbye to the ATAR

The past year rocked our education system. As result, pivotal questions about how and why we still use the ATAR are gaining traction – along with an appetite for better alternatives. The day when the ATAR becomes obsolete may not be far away.

2020–2021 saw increasing numbers of year 12 students ditching the ATAR in favour of other pathways into further education. This came along with an unprecedented shift in universities accepting students via a range of entry pathways.

It’s easy to attribute this to COVID, but the timing could be misleading. Data suggests this is not a COVID-induced phenomenon, but a more meaningful indication of student desires and aspirations for future-focussed, lifelong learning.

Building momentum for non-ATAR pathways

It is significant to note that the push for change is coming from multiple sectors:

Schools

We are seeing increasing numbers of secondary schools testing and pioneering contextualised, non-traditional learning, assessment and graduation systems. For example, one of our U@Uni partner schools, Liverpool Boys High, has flipped learning from content to skills, adopting the CAPRI+ framework to measure, assess and report on General Capabilities alongside project-based learning.

Universities

Collaborative pilot programs are being rolled out nationally to move away from traditional modes of learning, assessment and graduation. For example, the University of Melbourne's ‘New Metrics for Success’ program, and our own UTS U@Uni Academy.

Government 

A movement is building to solidify and formalise alternative options to the ATAR. We see this in government reports, DET-sponsored programs, and school and university advocacy. The momentum for future-focussed alternative options is highlighted by the recent unveiling of a new NSW government-sponsored tertiary pathway that combines university and TAFE education with courses designed by industry, backed by David Gonski (UNSW) and Peter Shergold (WSU).

Internationally 

This is also a global phenomenon, with similar concerns raised in China, Singapore, the UK and the US of a reliance on high stakes examination across 25 countries.

Implications for fairer learning

We know, and it is widely accepted in the education sector, that traditional assessment methods deepen systemic barriers to higher education.

Moving away from the ATAR has significant equity implications, with potential to level the playing field (not to mention potential to alleviate common health problems associated with high stakes exam environments, like anxiety and student’s mental wellbeing).

A diverse higher education entry system is a better system for a fair society. It would achieve equitable participation and successful outcomes for larger proportions of the community.

Furthermore, reliance on traditional methods of entry to further education is actually incongruous with research that clearly indicates high success and low attrition rates of alternative entry students once at university.

ATAR alternatives

Continued reliance on traditional methods of learning, assessment and examination is no longer adequate to prepare students for the future labour market.

Cutting-edge programs now focus instead on forming student-centred learning narratives over a number of years that empower learners, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, to own their educational journey and take pride in individualised success, transition and achievement.

This aligns with recent recommendations from the Education Council’s Looking to the Future report – chaired by Peter Shergold – that proposes the integration of a ‘learner profile’, listing the academic results of a student alongside other skills and achievements to better reflect their abilities.

Our own U@Uni Academy program’s assessment framework reimagines future-focussed entry pathways to higher education in 2021, valuing student skills and stories over scores.

This removal of traditional indicators of attainment foregrounds the talents, skills and assets participants bring to their own higher education journeys allowing for more equitable assessment.

The U@Uni assessment framework

Developed in consultation with Dr Peter Kandlbinder from the UTS Institute for Interactive Media and Learning, the UTS Connected Intelligence Centre and Dr Darrall Thompson from the UTS Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, the U@Uni program outcomes and assessment process provides opportunities for students to demonstrate their capabilities in seven key areas:

• Initiative
• Reflection
• Presentation
• Collaboration
• Growth
• Communication
• Information literacy

Demonstration of these attributes supports their entry into UTS, while seeking to set them up for a successful career equipped with future-focussed skills.

We have released our full framework, with details of the capabilities and the assessment criteria we have developed.

We call on policymakers to decentralise traditional assessment methods in favour of more modern, adaptive systems. We hope that our framework can support this process, inspiring other institutions to adopt and value equitable and future-focused assessment. It’s time to let go of the ATAR.