Leaving School in Australia - Year 12 State by State

A guide to Year 12 Certificates and Tertiary Entrance Requirements in Australia
Published by the Board of Studies NSW for the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Certification Authorities (ACACA)


Section 1: South Australia

Index


 

 


What award does the certifying body issue to students on successful completion of study in Years 11 and 12?

Students are awarded the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) certifying satisfactory completion of the required program of study for senior secondary students. (Click on the image to view full screen version):


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What must students do to be awarded the leaving credential?

To qualify for the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) from 2001, a student must

  • undertake at least 22 units, including:

    - required units at Stage 1 and Stage 2 (see below);

    - three 2-unit sequences at Stage 2;

    - up to 8 free choice units at Stage 1 and/or Stage 2

  • reach ‘satisfactory achievement’ in at least 16 of the 22 units, including three 2-unit sequences at Stage 2, and reach at least ‘recorded achievement’ in the remaining 6 units;

  • satisfy the writing-based literacy assessment.

The required units at Stage 1 and Stage 2 are as follows:

At Stage 1

At Stage 2

English or English as a Second Language 2 units

Australian Studies 1 unit

Mathematics 1 unit

Group 1: Arts/humanities/social and cultural studies 2 units

Group 2: Mathematics/science/technology 2 units

Group 1: Arts/humanities/social and cultural studies 2 units

Group 2: Mathematics/science/technology 2 units


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Which document(s) lists the subjects/courses studied in Year 11 and/or Year 12?

1. The Record of Achievement is a record of results that can be counted towards completion of the requirements for the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE). It is issued in December to students who have gained ‘recorded achievement’ in at least one Stage 2 subject, or on request when students leave school.

(Click on the image to view full screen version):

2. The Statement of Results is a progressive record of all studies undertaken and results achieved in SACE studies. An individual student’s Statement of Results is provided at times determined by the Board and regularly brought up to date.

(Click on the image to view full screen version):


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What advice is given relating to tertiary selection?

A tertiary entrance statement is printed on the back of the Record of Achievement. This shows information relevant to university and TAFE entrance, including:

  • tertiary entrance points, which are calculated for all Stage 2 subjects using a scaling procedure;

  • the university aggregate, which is calculated by totalling the tertiary entrance points for the student’s best four full-year Stage 2 subjects and adding half the tertiary entrance points for the fifth best subject;

  • the tertiary entrance rank (TER), which is derived from the university aggregate and reported as a number between 0 and 99.95;

  • the TAFE selection score, which is calculated by totalling the tertiary entrance points for the student’s best three full-year Stage 2 subjects.

The tertiary entrance statement has the imprimatur of all three South Australian universities and TAFE, and carries their logos.

(Click on the image to view full screen version):


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Who issues this?

The information reported on the tertiary entrance statement is issued by the Senior Secondary Assessment Board of South Australia (SSABSA) at the request of the South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre (SATAC).


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