Starting the SACEWhat you need to know

What is the SACE?

• SACE stands for South Australian Certificate of Education

• Qualification for entry into universities and further training

• Internationally recognised

• Gives skills for work, training, and further study

About the SACE

• Recognises learning and skills both in and outside school

• You can combine study and part-time work, a traineeship or a school-based apprenticeship

• You get credit for academic studies, vocational training, skilled work and community learning

About the SACE

There are two ‘stages’ of the SACE:

• Stage 1 is generally started in Year 10 and completed in Year 11

• Stage 2 is generally completed in Year 12.

About the SACE

• All subjects are graded from A to E at Stage 1 and A+ to E- at Stage 2

• The knowledge and skills you learn help build your capabilities for Communication, Citizenship, Learning, Personal Development and Work

• All subject assessments in Stage 1 are assessed by your teacher

About the SACE

• In Stage 2 (Year 12):– 70% of your subject assessments (e.g.

assignments) will be assessed by your teacher and moderated by the SACE Board

– 30% of your subject assessments (e.g. investigations) will be assessed by someone outside the school (a SACE Board assessor)

• School results in Stage 2 subjects are double-checked

About the SACE

You earn credits for completed subjects or courses:• you need 200 credits to get your SACE• you need to get a C grade or higher at Stage 1 for

compulsory subjects and a C- grade or higher at Stage 2 to get your SACE

• most 10-credit subjects are done over a semester• most 20-credit subjects are done over two

semesters.

SACE Requirements

SACE Credits

Stage 1 Requirements

In Stage 1, you must complete this requirement:

• Personal Learning Plan (10 credits).

You must achieve a C grade or higher for this

subject to gain the SACE.

Stage 1 and/or Stage 2 RequirementsYou must also complete the literacy and numeracy

requirements at Stage 1 or Stage 2:• literacy – from a range of English subjects

or courses (20 credits)• numeracy – from a range of mathematics

subjects or courses (10 credits).

You must achieve a C grade or higher for both

requirements.

Stage 2 Requirements

In Stage 2, you must complete these

requirements:

• Research Project (10 credits)

• other Stage 2 subjects and VET courses (60 more credits).

Most students will complete subjects and

courses worth more than 70 credits at Stage 2.

Additional choices

You can choose from a range of Stage 1

or Stage 2 subjects or courses (90 credits).

You must achieve a grade in these

subjects or courses to gain the SACE.

When does SACE start?

• Most students will start their SACE in Year 10

• In Year 10, you begin mapping out your future and looking at how to achieve your goals through a subject calledthe PersonalLearning Plan

What is the Personal Learning Plan?

• A Stage 1 subject

• A compulsory subject, usually done in Year 10

• You need a C grade or higher in the Personal Learning Plan

• Worth 10 credits

What is the Personal Learning Plan?

It helps you:

• set personal and learning goals and work towards them

• monitor your progress and change your plans as needed

• gain skills for future study and employment.

What is the Personal Learning Plan?

It helps you:

• look at different career paths and options

• choose the right SACE subjects for your future plans

• think about courses and activities outside school that help you to achieve your goals.

What is the Research Project?• A compulsory subject for Stage 2 students

• A chance to do in-depth research and study a topic that interests you

• You must achieve a C- grade or higher

• Worth 10 credits

• Research Project B can be included as part of your Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR)

Other subjects and courses

Recognised learning

SACE recognises learning both in and outside

school, for example:

• Vocational Education and Training courses (VET)

• University and TAFE courses

• community learning (such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award or volunteer work).

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

• If you prefer hands-on learning or work outside the classroom, you can earn SACE credits for a wide range of activities

• You can learn on-the-job skills while working towards both the SACE and a VET qualification

• VET options are available at both Stage 1 and Stage 2

Assessment

How are my subjects assessed?• Subjects are graded A to E at Stage 1 and A+

to E- at Stage 2• You need a C grade or higher at Stage 1 and a

C- or higher at Stage 2 in all requirements to earn the SACE

• Standards are set for each subject so you know what you need to achieve to earn a particular grade

How are my subjects assessed?• At Stage 1, all subjects are assessed by your

school• School assessment is moderated (double-

checked) in mathematics, English and the Personal Learning Plan to confirm a minimum C standard

How are my subjects assessed?• At Stage 2, 70% of the assessment of every

subject is marked by your teacher and moderated by the SACE Board

• At Stage 2, 30% of the assessment of every subject (e.g. investigations) is marked by experts outside the school

• The SACE Board makes sure the same standards are applied across all schools

Further study

Applying for university

To apply for university from 2013 onward, you need

to have:• completed the SACE• gained 80 Stage 2 credits, including at least

60 credits from Tertiary Admissions Subjects (TAS), and the other 20 credits from either TAS and/or Recognised Studies

• completed the prerequisites needed for some university courses.

Applying for university

To apply for university from 2013 onward, you need

to have:• gained an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank

(ATAR)• complied with rules regarding subject

combinations and counting restrictions.

Australian universities entered by SACE students

Including:

• Flinders University

• University of Adelaide

• University of South Australia

• Australian National University

• University of Melbourne

• University of Sydney

International universities entered by SACE students

Including:

• New York University

• University of Oxford

• Yale University

• National University of Singapore

• University of Cambridge

• Princeton University

What is the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank? (ATAR)• A measure of how your overall achievement in

the SACE compared with other students• Used by universities to select school leavers for

a place in university courses• Ranges from 0 to 99.95• Was formerly called the Tertiary Entrance Rank

(TER)

What is the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank? (ATAR)

From 2012, the ATAR will be calculated:• using results from three full-year Tertiary

Admissions Subjects (TAS)

Plus,• results from a fourth full-year Tertiary

Admissions Subject or other studies recognised by the SACE Board and universities.

Applying for TAFE

• For Certificate II level courses you must successfully complete the literacy and numeracy requirements of the SACE

• For Certificate III level courses you must achieve the SACE (for higher level courses, you must also obtain a TAFE SA Selection Score)

• TAFE also recognises a range of other qualifications in the entry and selection process

What is the TAFE SA Selection Score?• Used by TAFE SA to select students for entry

into courses• To obtain a TAFE SA Selection Score, you must:

- have completed 60 credits of Stage 2, 40 of which must be from Tertiary Admissions Subjects (TAS) and a maximum of 20 credits from other Recognised Studies

- comply with the rules regarding subject combinations

Want to know more about further study?• Full details on university and TAFE entry

requirements for 2013 onward will be in the Tertiary Entrance 2012, 2013, 2014 booklet

• The booklet is published by the South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre (SATAC), and given to schools every year

Individual circumstances

Students with a disability

• The SACE Board offers modified subjects at Stage 1 and Stage 2 for students with identified intellectual disabilities to demonstrate their learning

• If you are studying a modified subject, you will gain credits towards the SACE but not a grade for the subject; instead your achievement is recorded as ‘Completed’

Students with a disability

• Any modified subjects you have done will be listed on your SACE certificate

• More information about modified subjects can be found on the SACE website under Students and Families > Students with Disabilities

Special Provisions

• Special provisions are available if you are in a situation where an illness, learning difficulty, or unforeseen circumstance has made completing your assessments difficult

• If you are applying for special provisions you need to provide evidence of your illness, learning difficulty, or unforeseen circumstance

• More information can be found under Students and Families > Special Provisions

I’m an interstate/overseas/adult student …• SACE Board will grant status for equivalent

learning in other areas• Information about meeting the requirements for

interstate, adult and overseas students can be found on the SACE website under Students and Families

Further information

In summary …

The SACE:

• provides challenging curriculum – both in and outside school

• helps you achieve your potential

• provides quality assurance – marking by experts outside the school and double-checking of results at Stage 2

• is based on clear and achievable standards.

Achieve magazine

• Copies of the latest edition of the SACE student magazine, ‘Achieve’, have been given to all Year 9, 10 and 11 students

• The magazine contains useful information for students about the SACE

• Parents are encouraged to read the magazine with students to help them consider and discuss their education plans

Want to know more?

• Visit the SACE website at www.sace.sa.edu.au

• You can log in to Students Online with your SACE registration and PIN. It helps you plan your SACE, check your progress and access your results

• Talk to the teachers at your school

• Read a copy of ‘Achieve’ magazine