South Australian Certificate of Education
Encyclopedia
The South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) is awarded to students who have successfully completed their senior secondary schooling in the state of South Australia.
The SACE Board of South Australia (formerly known as the Senior Secondary Assessment Board of South Australia, or SSABSA) administers the certificate. The SACE Board of South Australia is an independent statutory authority of the South Australian Government accredited under ISO 9001:2008.
The SACE curriculum is also taught in Northern Territory secondary schools, where it is known as the Northern Territory Certificate of Education and Training (NTCET). The South Australian Matriculation (SAM) certificate is a qualification based on the SACE curriculum which is administered by the SACE Board of South Australia and taught in some schools in Malaysia and China.
To gain the SACE, students complete the equivalent of two years of full-time study which most students spread over two years. There are two stages: Stage 1, which most students do in Year 11, and Stage 2, which most students do in Year 12.
The new SACE includes some important changes, such as revised assessment and performance standards and new compulsory subjects.
The Personal Learning Plan is a new compulsory SACE subject which is designed to be undertaken in Year 10 before the student begins their other SACE studies. This subject will assist students to plan their SACE studies and begin to think about training and further study choices to help them map out their future career. The Personal Learning Plan is also designed to help students to review their strengths and areas that need attention — including literacy, numeracy, and information and communication technology skills – to plan the help they need to improve these skills before undertaking the rest of the SACE.
The SACE will continue to be the main way for students to meet university and TAFE entry requirements, but the new certificate also provides many options for students who want to follow a different path into the workforce, such as undertaking apprenticeships while still at school.
The transition to the new SACE commenced in 2009 with the introduction of the new compulsory subject, the Personal Learning Plan, for Year 10 students. Students undertaking Year 11 in 2010 will study the new SACE curriculum and will be the first to complete the new certificate in 2011.
Students undertaking Year 12 in 2009 and 2010 will complete their SACE under the current system, as outlined in the ‘SACE Operations Manual, 2009’. The final issue of the current SACE certificate will occur in 2010.
During the transition towards the new certificate any subject or course successfully completed as part of the current SACE can count towards the new SACE.
Every subject or course successfully completed earns ‘credits’ towards the SACE. There are with a minimum of 200 credits required for students to gain the certificate. Ten credits equates to a semester, or half a year of study.
Students will receive a grade – from A to E – for each subject. For compulsory subjects, they will need to achieve a C grade or better.
The compulsory subjects are:
The remaining 90 credits can be gained through additional Stage 1 or Stage 2 subjects or courses of a student’s choice. Each school decides which subjects they will offer to their students.
The SACE offers many flexible options for students who can:
The new SACE recognises learning in and beyond the classroom, including: TAFE and other Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses; university studies; courses from interstate and overseas; courses undertaken online or through other distance education technologies; and community learning, such as Country Fire Service training or the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, work experience and other roles such as being a caregiver or participating in a community service organisation.
Full details of South Australian university and TAFE entry requirements for 2012 onwards are provided in ‘Tertiary Entrance Booklet 2010, 2011, 2012’, published by the South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre, the South Australian Government authority which processes applications for tertiary courses in South Australia and the Northern Territory.
The SACE Board of South Australia (formerly known as the Senior Secondary Assessment Board of South Australia, or SSABSA) administers the certificate. The SACE Board of South Australia is an independent statutory authority of the South Australian Government accredited under ISO 9001:2008.
The SACE curriculum is also taught in Northern Territory secondary schools, where it is known as the Northern Territory Certificate of Education and Training (NTCET). The South Australian Matriculation (SAM) certificate is a qualification based on the SACE curriculum which is administered by the SACE Board of South Australia and taught in some schools in Malaysia and China.
To gain the SACE, students complete the equivalent of two years of full-time study which most students spread over two years. There are two stages: Stage 1, which most students do in Year 11, and Stage 2, which most students do in Year 12.
Importance
Completion of the SACE is generally a requirement for admission to universities and colleges of technical and further education (TAFE colleges) in South Australia, nationally and internationally.Organisation
The South Australian Certificate of Education has undergone its first major review since 1992 and a new certificate is being introduced progressively from 2009. Year 12 students in 2011 will be the first to graduate with the new SACE.The new SACE includes some important changes, such as revised assessment and performance standards and new compulsory subjects.
The Personal Learning Plan is a new compulsory SACE subject which is designed to be undertaken in Year 10 before the student begins their other SACE studies. This subject will assist students to plan their SACE studies and begin to think about training and further study choices to help them map out their future career. The Personal Learning Plan is also designed to help students to review their strengths and areas that need attention — including literacy, numeracy, and information and communication technology skills – to plan the help they need to improve these skills before undertaking the rest of the SACE.
The SACE will continue to be the main way for students to meet university and TAFE entry requirements, but the new certificate also provides many options for students who want to follow a different path into the workforce, such as undertaking apprenticeships while still at school.
The transition to the new SACE commenced in 2009 with the introduction of the new compulsory subject, the Personal Learning Plan, for Year 10 students. Students undertaking Year 11 in 2010 will study the new SACE curriculum and will be the first to complete the new certificate in 2011.
Students undertaking Year 12 in 2009 and 2010 will complete their SACE under the current system, as outlined in the ‘SACE Operations Manual, 2009’. The final issue of the current SACE certificate will occur in 2010.
During the transition towards the new certificate any subject or course successfully completed as part of the current SACE can count towards the new SACE.
Organisation of the SACE from 2010
The SACE study program is composed of two stages: Stage 1, which most students do in Year 11, and Stage 2, which most students do in Year 12.Every subject or course successfully completed earns ‘credits’ towards the SACE. There are with a minimum of 200 credits required for students to gain the certificate. Ten credits equates to a semester, or half a year of study.
Students will receive a grade – from A to E – for each subject. For compulsory subjects, they will need to achieve a C grade or better.
The compulsory subjects are:
- Personal Learning Plan (10 credits at Stage 1)
- Literacy – at least 20 credits from a range of English subjects or courses (Stage 1)
- Numeracy – at least 10 credits from a range of mathematics subjects or courses (Stage 1)
- Research Project – an in-depth major project (10 credits at Stage 2)
- Other Stage 2 subjects totalling at last 60 credits.
The remaining 90 credits can be gained through additional Stage 1 or Stage 2 subjects or courses of a student’s choice. Each school decides which subjects they will offer to their students.
The SACE offers many flexible options for students who can:
- study a full-time program at school after completing Year 10
- mix part-time work and part-time study at school or TAFE (Technical and Further Education) college
- complete a full-time apprenticeship
- find a full-time job with an employer who arranges training that meets the requirements of the SACE.
The new SACE recognises learning in and beyond the classroom, including: TAFE and other Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses; university studies; courses from interstate and overseas; courses undertaken online or through other distance education technologies; and community learning, such as Country Fire Service training or the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, work experience and other roles such as being a caregiver or participating in a community service organisation.
SACE and tertiary studies
SACE results are used to calculate a Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER) which universities and colleges of further education (TAFE) within Australia use to select students who will be offered places in particular courses.Full details of South Australian university and TAFE entry requirements for 2012 onwards are provided in ‘Tertiary Entrance Booklet 2010, 2011, 2012’, published by the South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre, the South Australian Government authority which processes applications for tertiary courses in South Australia and the Northern Territory.
Awards
SACE results are announced in December each year. Merits are awarded to students who receive a score of 20 out of 20 in individual subjects in their Stage 2 SACE results. Prizes are awarded to the top student in certain subjects, including Music (Don Maynard Music Prize) Physics (The Bronze Bragg Medal), Chemistry (The Way College Prize), Biology (The Hardwicke College Prize) and English Studies (The Tennyson Medal).See also
- University admission
- Australian Qualifications FrameworkAustralian Qualifications FrameworkThe Australian Qualifications Framework provides the hierarchy of educational qualifications in Australia. It is administered nationally by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. Few qualifications outside the system are accepted by employers or for...
- Education in AustraliaEducation in AustraliaEducation in Australia is primarily the responsibility of the states and territories. Each state or territory government provides funding and regulates the public and private schools within its governing area. The federal government helps fund the public universities, but is not involved in setting...
External links
- SACE Board of South Australia — administers the SACE.
- SATAC South Australian Tertiary Adminissions Centre — processes applications for university and TAFE.
- Northern Territory Department of Education and Training — administers the Northern Territory Certificate of Education and Training