WA Education Awards

Excellence in school leadership

This award celebrates schools and teams taking an inclusive approach to leadership where shared responsibility and a focus on collective impact rather than individual achievement is encouraged. This award recognises schools that create and sustain the conditions for all students to achieve and progress. It acknowledges that collective leadership can happen at all levels.

Excellence in teaching and learning (Primary) 

This award acknowledges primary schools that demonstrate excellence in teaching and learning. It recognises schools that create an environment in which students are positively impacted through excellent learning and teaching. Schools nominated for this award should demonstrate collaboration, inclusion and show innovative ways to enhance student achievement and progress.

Excellence in teaching and learning (Secondary)

This award acknowledges secondary schools that demonstrate excellence in teaching and learning. It recognises schools that create an environment in which students are positively impacted through excellent learning and teaching. Schools nominated for this award should demonstrate collaboration, inclusion and show innovative ways to enhance student achievement and progress.

Excellence in cultural responsiveness

This award recognises schools that lead equity and reconciliation in school communities through culturally responsive, whole-school approaches. It acknowledges schools that demonstrate a commitment to building culturally safe and engaging learning environments for Aboriginal students. The award recognises schools that lead the whole school community in strengthening their knowledge, understanding and respect for Aboriginal histories, cultures and languages. It celebrates schools that contribute to and benefit from reconciliation.

Excellence in disability and inclusion

This award acknowledges schools and teams that demonstrate excellence in meeting the diverse needs of students, their parents, families and communities. It recognises schools that provide engaging and inclusive learning programs and environments for students with a disability or an imputed disability. Schools nominated for this award should demonstrate the collaborative, inclusive and innovative ways they are enabling equitable access to education and other opportunities.

Prepare your statement

Use the WA Education Awards 2023 written statement template.

Submit a separate written statement for each category you nominate your school for. 

The statement must be no more than 3 pages, in size 11 point Arial font. We don't permit any other attachments or supporting documents.

Use your limited space wisely. If you decide to insert an image, it will quickly use up valuable space to tell your story.

A free, independent writing consultant can help you review your statement. To let us help as many as possible, they can only review it once. Requests for support close at 5 pm on Tuesday 3 October 2023. To get help, email waeducationawards@education.wa.edu.au.

Once your statement is complete, get your principal's endorsement. 

Domains to address

Your statement needs to tell your school’s story and clearly demonstrate its success. Address all 6 domains in the Public School Review Standard:

• relationship and partnerships
• learning environment
• leadership
• use of resources
• teaching quality
• student achievement and progress.

Demonstrate your school’s achievements and claims against the 6 domains. Support this with examples and evidence. While all the domains are important, you may decide a greater focus is required on some over others. 

Also reflect on:

• student achievement, both progress and performance
• inclusive cultures
• engagement with the community
• impact for Aboriginal students and acts of reconciliation (if no Aboriginal students attend your school, then understanding Aboriginal cultures and commitment to reconciliation).

Other resources for reference

As well as the Public School Review Standard, you may refer to other resources, like:

• the Quality Teaching Strategy – Teaching for Impact
• the School Improvement and Accountability Framework
• the Aboriginal Cultural Standards Framework
• The Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration
• the Disability Access and Inclusion Plan 2018-2023
• the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Plan 2021–2025
• our Code of Conduct.

To submit your nomination digitally, you need your completed written statement.

We also encourage you to submit up to 5 photos. These don’t form part of the judges’ assessments but we'll use these to promote your school if it's a finalist or winner. 

Where possible, submit photos that relate to the achievements outlined in your statement and:

• are a mix of posed and action shots
• include staff and students, rather than focus on school facilities
• are at least 3 MB each
• are in image file format, such as JPEG or PNG (don't include photos in a Word document)
• have all relevant photo permissions.

Name all the files clearly and include the name of your school.

Gather your written statement and photos. You can't save your progress on the digital form. 

Once you have everything ready, submit your WA Education Awards 2023 nomination.

Nominations close at 5 pm on Friday 6 October 2023.