Experts say ATAR is in need of a dramatic overhaul, as Queensland gets set to make the change

As Queensland students prepare to transition to a new university admission system, education gurus have slammed it as flawed and outdated.

EDUCATION experts have slammed the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank as a flawed and outdated measurement that should be scrapped in favour of a broader system.

Australian Learning Lecture today releases a position paper on Australia’s current Year 12 ranking system, which Queensland is set to fully transition to next year.

School fees just the start of blowouts

Cutting-edge answer to cyber-bullying

How Qld schools fared in NAPLAN

The paper – which had contributions from about 50 vice-chancellors, senior principals, and key education stakeholders – claims the system has corrupted and narrowed senior secondary education, with a “good ATAR” becoming the overwhelmingly dominant goal.

Instead a system similar to the one used in Hong Kong has been proposed, which would see Year 12s graduate with a “learning profile” which could contain grades, awards, extra-curricular activities and skills such as teamwork and critical thinking.

Treating Year 10 to the first year post-school has its own specific stage of education to better navigate positive career outcomes and thrive into adulthood was also put forward.

In Queensland, next year’s Year 12 students will be the first to receive an ATAR rather than an overall position score to apply for university, bringing the state in line with the rest of the country.

Australian Learning Lecture founder Ellen Koshland said there had been a broad range of experts offering their input, with the majority agreeing the current system was outdated with the future of work and employment.

“There’s a new understanding of what success is, and there are different kinds of skills needed to succeed,” she said.

“The elephant in the room is ATAR, which is holding people back with an outdated form of measurement.

“Australian schools and systems have been really trying to move forward, and that works up until we get to the senior years.

“But then it all stops, because we go back to memorising.”

A group of education experts have slammed the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) as a flawed and outdated measurement in a damning new report. Picture: iStock

Education Minister Grace Grace said ATAR would be one element of Queensland’s new senior assessment and tertiary entrance system, which she said was developed following extensive consultation.

“Implementation of the new system is progressing well, with considerable resources invested in informing and preparing students, parents and teachers for the changes,” she said.

Ms Koshland said one of the major flaws with ATAR was it didn’t recognise skills crucial to succeed in the modern workforce such as teamwork, communication, collaboration and leadership.

“There’s something called the jagged profile, where you can be exceptional in an area and good enough in other areas. But ATAR asks you to be good at everything,” she said.

“ATAR only works for about 30 per cent of students, but the problem is it’s the dominant narrative which drives ranking in schools, it drives parent choice.”

With Queensland the last state in Australia to adopt the system, Ms Koshland said the opportunity to include more elements was there.

“I don’t think the ATAR is the best way to serve young people,” she said.

“You could use it as part of the picture, but it would be great if Queensland added other components and it’s very possible to do that.”