What is the Capability Compass?
The Capability Compass is a dynamic tool designed to help students track and develop essential skills needed for success beyond school. Developed through extensive research, it identifies key capabilities—such as critical reflection, communication, and adaptability—that are crucial in an ever-changing world. The Compass was created to provide students with a clear, structured way to monitor their growth in these areas, ensuring they leave school equipped with the skills necessary to thrive in further education, careers, and life. By making learning more visible and measurable, the Capability Compass empowers students to take an active role in their personal and academic development.
Why is the Capability Compass important?
The Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Education Declaration, states that all young Australian must leave school confident, creative, lifelong learners, who are active and informed members of the community.
The Terminology of the Capability Compass
Attitude and Ethos
Societal (extra-personal)
- Environmental stewardship: “The respect for the fragility and finiteness of natural ecosystems and natural resources, and an understanding of how to interact with them in sustainable ways, including conservation, restoration and sustainable use of resources.”[1]
- Global citizenship: “Cultural competence. A universal respect and valuation (awareness and understanding) of people from other cultures, and their beliefs and practices; implies embracing diversity, equity and inclusion, and respect for others.”1
- Civic responsibility: “The demonstrable regard for: justice, pluralism, political engagement, integrity of civic institutions and respect for political processes; all in the name of promoting solidarity with neighbours, and the development of cohesive communities. The desire and ability to play an active role in the global and local communities and the application of civic values.”1
Self-regulation (intra-personal)
- Grit: “Passion and perseverance for long-term goals. Resilience in the face of adversity.”1
- Initiative: “The vision to imagine new goals and the drive to attempt to reach them. The willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges. Being proactive and taking the first step without waiting for what others say or do.”1
- Curiosity: “The quality of experiencing wonder, the desire to ask questions, the willingness to experiment, the openness to experiencing and actively exploring and discovering new areas.”1
- Growth mindset: “The belief that [intellectual] ability can be developed; paired with the confidence to attempt a task and risk being wrong; and the humility to accept and learn from one’s mistakes, while not being impaired by an inflated ego. Setbacks are interpreted as “not yet” rather than failure.”1
- Focus: The ability to direct attention and energy towards a specific task or goal, minimizing distractions.
- Conscientiousness: “Diligence, efficiency and organization in accomplishing tasks; also, honesty, ownership, responsibility and accountability with respect to their successful execution.”1
- Adaptability: “The willingness to expose oneself to new situations, and comfort in dealing with uncertainty. Demonstrating sufficient self-reflection to understand when a particular approach is not working, and a willingness to readily change course.”1
Abilities and Skill
Social (inter-personal)
- Empathy and kindness: “The capacity to understand the feelings and points of view of others.”1
- Negotiation: “The ability to find common ground and reconcile differences among disparate points of view, especially without losing sight of one’s own or others’ intentions or goals.”1
- Communication: “Clear communication, in both verbal and written form; involving active speaking and writing, reading and active listening.”1
- Collaboration: “The ability to cooperate with others and to coordinate complex tasks in groups of individuals to ensure that tasks are completed effectively; adjusting one’s actions in relation to others’.”1
- Self-awareness: The ability to understand your own thoughts, emotions, strengths, and weaknesses, which helps you make better decisions.
Cognitive (analytical)
- Make and express meaning (systems analysis): The ability to create and communicate new ideas and understanding.[1]
- Think how and why: The ability to understand the processes and reasons behind ideas and actions.
- Critical reflection: The ability to thoughtfully analyse and question your own experience and assumptions to gain deeper insights and foster continuous improvement. 2
- Build new ideas (creative): The ability to develop innovative concepts and solutions that address complex problems. 2
- Physical
- Strength: The ability to recognise and use their physical strengths to overcome challenges and achieve their goals.
- Balance: The ability to maintain stability and control over your body while performing different activities.
- Positional awareness: The ability to ensure you are aware of your body’s position and movement and the impact on others.
- Coordination: The ability to smoothly and effectively control their body movements to overcome challenges and achieve their goals.
Knowledge
Disciplinary Knowledge
- Subject knowledge: To have a deep understanding of the specific content and concepts within a particular area of study.
- Financial Literacy: To understand how to manage money wisely in order to make informed financial decisions.
- Digital skills: “Skills relating to the creation and use of technology, including digital technologies, the internet and new forms of networked information; especially emphasizing skills in deductive reasoning, algorithm design and abstract concepts relating to data and information.”1
What is Micro-credentialing?
Micro-credentialing of capabilities is a process that allows students to earn recognition for developing specific skills and competencies through targeted, evidence-based reflections. Unlike traditional grading systems, micro-credentials provide a more personalised and detailed record of a student's growth in key areas detailed in the Westminster Capability Compass. This approach is essential for preparing students for an ever-evolving world, as it fosters lifelong learning, increases engagement, and helps learners track their progress in real-time. By validating skills that go beyond academics, micro-credentialing empowers students to take ownership of their learning and equips them with the capabilities needed to thrive in future education and careers.
Reporting on Micro-credentials
The student’s self-assessment, alongside instructions for parents/caregivers to access the students personal micro-credentialing platform, will be reported to parents with the student’s academic grades for their different subject areas.
Transition to Year 3: Our Junior Primary experts are working on the language of the capabilities with our younger learners and will use their professional judgement to ascertain the capabilities demonstrated.
Year 4 to Year 12: Students will self-assess according to the following scale:
- Pathfinder (Emerging: starting to find the path to credential their capabilities at the appropriate level)
- Seeker (Developing: searching and learning the way; becoming accustomed to micro-credentialling)
- Adventurer (Proficiency: confidently exploring new horizons; building up solid evidence of capabilities)
- Trailblazer (Mastery: confidently leading the way).
How does a student Micro-credential?
Transition to Year 3
The key focus of Junior Primary it to develop the language around the capabilities and support our young learners to start identifying where they are demonstrating these capabilities.
Year 4 to Year 12
Using the Westminster bespoke Micro-credentialing platform, students from Year 4 to Year 12 enter their reflections and evidence of the skills they have micro-credentialed. Teachers then validate the evidence, which is then fed into the students individual micro-credentialing platform.