Senior School

What is SACE?

Students who successfully complete their Senior School education 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, ensuring that students gain the skills they need for the future, as citizens and members of the workforce. Each subject or course
successfully completed earns ‘credits’ towards the SACE, with a minimum of 200 credits required for students to gain the Certificate. The Certificate is structured around stages of achievement and includes some compulsory subjects. Students will receive a grade from A to E for each subject completed.

For compulsory subjects, students will need to achieve a C grade or above at Stage 1 and a C–or above at Stage 2.

Requirements For SACE

Students must complete a minimum of 200 credit points across Years 10, 11 and 12 to achieve the SACE.
The credit points can be gained in a range of subjects; however, the following must be achieved within the 200:

• Personal Learning Plan (undertaken in Year 10) – 10 credits
• Research Project (undertaken in Year 11) – 10 credits
• Stage 1 English subjects – 20 credits
• Stage 1 Mathematics subjects – 10 credits
• Stage 2 subjects – 60 credits

Personal Learning Plan

(Undertaken in Year 10 at Investigator College)
The Personal Learning Plan (PLP) is a compulsory SACE subject, worth 10 credits. As it is compulsory, students need to achieve a C grade or above. The PLP is a Stage 1 subject, which is undertaken in Year 10. The course asks students to consider their aspirations and research career, training and further educational requirements for their chosen vocation. Students are required to identify goals and develop an action plan based on creating a Learning Pathway, which includes SACE and tertiary study choices.

Research Project

(Undertaken in Year 11 at Investigator College)
The Research Project is a compulsory SACE subject, worth 10 credits. As it is compulsory, students need to achieve a
C – grade or higher. The Research Project gives students the opportunity to undertake in-depth study in an area of interest. It allows students to use their creativity and initiative, while developing research and presentation skills, which they will need in further study or work.

SACE Glossary

Assumed Knowledge

The knowledge that students are assumed to have from previous study, but which is not a prerequisite for admission to university.

Prerequisite

A formal requirement that needs to be met before proceeding to further study at university.

SATAC

South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre – the body that accepts all applications to
universities or TAFE.

Scaled Score

A Stage 2 Subject Achievement Score adjusted for university entrance purposes.

Semester/Credits

Half-year (one semester) SACE Stage 1 subjects equal 10 credits. A full-year subject equals 20 credits.

SACE Board

The State body, independent of either the Education Department or tertiary institutions, with the specific responsibility for the administration of the assessment and issuing of the SACE.

Stage 1

The first stage of the SACE. Usually completed during Year 11.

Stage 2

The second stage of the SACE. Usually undertaken in Year 12. (Stage 1 and Stage 2 are used rather than Years 11 and 12 because students may complete them over a number of years.)

What is ATAR?

University Entry

Students who complete the SACE are eligible for university entry, provided they meet certain requirements. To obtain a university aggregate and an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) a student must:

• Qualify for the SACE.
• Comply with the rules regarding precluded combinations.
• Comply with the rules regarding counting restrictions.
• Complete at least 90 credits of study in Tertiary Admissions Subjects (TAS – A Tertiary Admissions Subject is a SACE Stage 2 subject which has been approved by the universities and TAFE SA as providing appropriate preparation for tertiary studies) and Recognised Studies at Stage 2 from a maximum of three attempts.
• Within these 90 credits there must be
  – a minimum of 60 credits must be 20 credit (full year) Tertiary Admissions Subjects.
  – a maximum of 20 credits can be Recognised Studies (generally Certificate III or VET courses).
  Universities may also specify required subjects for some of their courses.

TAFE Entry

TAFE 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.
Full details of university and TAFE entry requirements are included in the Tertiary Entrance Booklet, (SATAC Guide), published annually by the South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre. More information is available on the SATAC website at www.satac.edu.au

Vocational Education and Training (VET)

Education and training that gives students skills for work, particularly in the trades and industry. VET courses are often offered by TAFE Colleges and a range of other registered training organisations.

The SACE allows students to study a range of VET courses.

Students can earn up to 150 of the 200 credits required to complete the SACE, through recognised Vocational Education and Training courses. The remaining 50 credits can be completed through subjects with a VET focus. This means the 200 SACE credits (required to complete the SACE) can be gained through VET studies, provided that the Personal Learning Plan, Research Project, and the Stage 1 Literacy and Numeracy requirements are also satisfied.

The inclusion of VET courses in the SACE encourages students to attain the Certificate, while studying vocational subjects.

Further VET information.