THE SACE (South Australian Certificate of Education) Requirements

Students who successfully complete the requirements are awarded the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE). The SACE is an internationally recognised qualification that paves the way for young people to move from school to work or further training and study. The certificate is based on two stages of achievement: Stage 1 (normally undertaken in Year 11) and Stage 2 (normally undertaken in Year 12).

How do students get the SACE?

Students can gain their SACE in the equivalent of two years of full-time study:

• Stage 1, mostly undertaken in Year 11, except for the Exploring Identities and Futures (EIF) and Workplace Practices, undertaken in Year 10.
• Stage 2, which most students undertake in Year 12.

Each subject/course successfully completed earns ‘credits’ for SACE, with a minimum of 200 credits required for students to gain the certificate. Students will receive a grade from A to E for each subject (A+ to E- at Stage 2).

For compulsory subjects, they will need to achieve a C grade or better. The compulsory subjects are:

• Exploring Identities and Futures (10 credits at Stage 1) – completed in Year 10
• Literacy – 20 credits from a range of English subjects (Stage 1)
• Numeracy – 10 credits from a range of mathematics subjects (Stage 1)
• Activating Identities and Futures – an in-depth major project (10 credits at Stage 2)

At Stage 2 students must achieve a C grade or better totalling at least 60 credits.

90 other credits are gained through completion of Stage 1 or 2 subjects, VET or recognised community learning.

SACE Flexibilities

The SACE has several flexibilities built into the certificate to cater for individual needs and abilities including special provisions, learning and assessment plan addendums, community studies and community connections versions of subjects, integrated learning subjects, recognised community learning and modified SACE.

What is integrated learning?

Integrated Learning subjects are a middle ground between regular SACE subjects and community based subjects where the content is much more negotiable, but the subject also contributes to SACE and ATAR. Students can only count 40 credits at Stage 2 level to their ATAR from Integrated Learning subjects. At Springbank we offer a range of Integrated Learning subjects which cater to student interests allowing students to have greater say and participate in learning they are passionate about.

What is community learning?

Students can earn SACE credits for Community Learning in two ways;

Community-Developed Programs include the Australian Music Examinations Board, the Duke of Edinburgh Award and Country Fire Service. Program details are updated as new information becomes available.

Self-Directed Community Learning is gained through informal community activities such as coaching sports teams, being a primary carer of a family member, or leading an environmental project in the community. Students will need to provide evidence of their learning for assessment so that the SACE Board can recognise this kind of community learning.

What is Modified SACE?

Springbank Secondary College and the SACE Board accommodate adjustments in curriculum and assessment to enable students with barriers to learning to access and participate in SACE programs, and associated assessments, on the same basis as other students.

To meet the learning needs of individual students with significant impairment in intellectual functioning and/or adaptive behaviours associated with their disability, the SACE Board makes available a set of modified subjects. Modified subjects are highly individualised subjects in which curriculum and assessment are designed around development of one or more SACE capabilities and personal learning goals that are appropriate for the student.

What are Special Provisions?

Special provisions and learning and assessment plan addendums are designed to cater to individual needs and differences to address barriers such as physical and mental health issues, completing a different type of assessment to the rest of the class to cater to an individual’s strengths, and adjustments to assessment length or number of assessments to allow students to best demonstrate their learning.

University and TAFE entry

TAFE SA recognises the SACE as meeting the entry requirements for most of its courses. It also considers a variety of other qualifications and experiences in its entry and selection processes.

Students who complete the SACE are eligible for university entry, provided they meet certain requirements. For university entry, students need to achieve 90 credits at Stage 2, including three Stage 2 subjects worth 20 credits each. The final Stage 2 credits can be gained in a variety of ways defined by the universities. Universities also specify required subjects for some courses.

Full details of university and TAFE entry requirements are included in the Tertiary Entrance Booklet published by the South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre. Go to the SATAC website for more information. www.satac.edu.au

Interstate, overseas and adult students

SACE Board will grant status for equivalent learning in recognised areas for interstate, overseas and adult students. For more information about meeting the Stage 1 compulsory requirements, visit: www.sace.sa.edu.au/the-sace/students-families

Students Online

Students Online is a one-stop-shop for information about an individual student’s SACE. It can help students:

• plan their SACE and look at different subject, or
• subject and course, combinations
• check their progress towards completing their SACE
• access their results.

Students can log in to Students Online using their SACE registration number and pin at: www.sace.sa.edu.au/students-online