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The Standard | Term 4 2024
On this page
- Message from the Chief Executive
- More students receive recognition credits for their Aboriginal cultural knowledge and learning
- Activating Identities and Futures (AIF) offered to all South Australian schools in 2025
- Capabilities & Learner Profile progresses into pilot 4
- Subject Renewal delivers first round of subject improvements
- Engine Room
- SACE International updates
Message from the Chief Executive
Term 4 at the SACE Board sees a flurry of activity as we gear up to the end of the year, with results release on 16 December giving us the opportunity to recognise and celebrate the accomplishments of SACE students.
The achievements of our students, and the quality assurance activities at the SACE Board, would not be possible without the dedication, contribution and expertise of educators across the sectors. I would like to thank you for not only your efforts with the final submission of student work, marking, and moderation, but also your commitment to your students’ learning and wellbeing throughout the year.
As we look ahead to 2025, we are excited about the continued collaboration and partnership between the SACE Board and our schools to deliver a modern, flexible and robust curriculum and qualification for young people which enables them to thrive both during and beyond their SACE journey.
Through the Recognition of Aboriginal Cultural Knowledge and Learning project, the SACE Board has worked with schools and communities across SA and the NT to develop a respectful and consistent standard of recognising students’ Aboriginal cultural knowledge and learning in the SACE. In this program, the only one of its kind in Australia, I am proud to say that 36 students in pilot 2 alone have received recognition credits for their Aboriginal cultural knowledge and learning. We are excited to continue to work together with pilot schools, students, Aboriginal communities, and our Aboriginal Allyship as we progress towards implementation across South Australia and the Northern Territory in 2025.
Activating Identities and Futures (AIF), our new flagship subject, will be offered to all South Australian schools in 2025 in readiness for 2026 when AIF will become compulsory, and replace Research Project which can be delivered and resulted for the final time in 2025. To support teachers to have a successful start to AIF in 2025, we have added additional support materials to the AIF section of our website. AIF teachers will also benefit from the newly introduced PLATO Connect which will provide a platform for engagement, advice and resources.
We are also looking forward to continuing our pioneering work in the recognition of student learning, skills and capabilities that go beyond academic achievement. The Capabilities & Learner Profile project, which seeks to provide a more holistic view of what young people know and can do through the development and formal recognition of capabilities, will progress into its fourth pilot in 2025. A Learning Event on 3 December provided us with rich insights from teachers, school leaders, and tertiary institution and industry representatives about pilot 3, and we look forward to sharing our learnings with you in the new year.
Subject Renewal is a comprehensive program to review and enhance SACE subjects to ensure that the design and content of the subjects enable deeper, real-world learning for students while developing disciplinary knowledge and embedding capabilities. The roadmap for this project, which kicked off in September with 450 educators across 57 Subject Renewal Groups (SRG), was shared with schools earlier this week. As we work with teachers to revitalise SACE subjects, we have already implemented operational subject improvements for 79 subjects, informed by 122 curriculum forums attended by 2,000 teachers. Explore more about subject improvements.
There are also exciting developments in SACE International, with the program being expanded into two additional campuses of Gateway College, Sri Lanka, and new partnerships in Cambodia with the Australian Cambodia Education Academy.
These projects and initiatives support the key objectives of our 2024-2027 strategy, Passport to Thrive, as we look to harness the power of our partnerships to co-design a qualification for a changing world. I am excited to share further updates with you on each of these, and more, in 2025.
For now, I wish you and your school community all the best for the end of the 2024 school year, and a well-deserved and restful summer holiday.
Warm regards,
Michaela Bensley
Chief Executive
SACE Board of South Australia
More students receive recognition credits for their Aboriginal cultural knowledge and learning
The SACE Board’s work to formally recognise Aboriginal students’ cultural knowledge and learning to contribute to their senior secondary qualification has continued in 2024 in an extension of pilot 2.
The Recognition of Aboriginal Cultural Knowledge and Learning project, which helps ensure that the SACE is a culturally responsive qualification, offers students the opportunity to earn SACE credits by immersing themselves in a broad range of learning activities that deepen their cultural knowledge. These activities include learning about land management techniques, participating in spiritual and ceremonial practices, and investigating the complex social structures and kinship systems integral to Aboriginal culture.
36 students from 10 schools across South Australia and the Northern Territory received recognition credits for their Aboriginal cultural knowledge and learning in pilot 2.
This year, we have continued to improve and refine our systems and processes for this important work. Over the last 6 months, we have been working with communities, schools and educators to:
- Develop policy solutions to recognise co-delivered community and school programs
- Provide training and resources for students, schools and communities
- Co-develop resources that support school leadership to understand their readiness to introduce the recognition pathways in their schools
- Refine and strengthen quality assurance processes to support shared understanding of the recognition pathways
The Recognition of Aboriginal Cultural Knowledge program is set to be implemented across South Australia and the Northern Territory in 2025, positioning us at the forefront of a wider national movement aimed at broadening the definition of learning and recognising the full range of capabilities that all students demonstrate.
Learn more
Activating Identities and Futures (AIF) offered to all South Australian schools in 2025
Activating Identities and Futures (AIF), our new flagship subject, will be offered to all South Australian schools in 2025. AIF builds on the skills and capabilities that students develop in Stage 1 Exploring Identities and Futures (EIF) and will become compulsory for all schools in 2026. Designed following the feedback received from schools and the community in response to the 2018 SACE Stage 2 Review, AIF replaces Research Project, which will be delivered and resulted for the last time in 2025.
The SACE Board worked with teachers and students to co-design this subject, helping to ensure that it includes the things that are important to young people. It allows students to focus on developing agency as a learner; developing awareness of their thinking and learning; reflecting; and seeking and responding to feedback. A two-year AIF pilot allowed schools and teachers to build capability, and strengthen partnerships and shared responsibilities, to ensure that students receive the best possible learning experience. The pilot encompassed 68 schools in metro and regional South Australia.
Throughout 2024, the SACE Board has supported schools with information sessions and teacher workshops to ensure that they are supported to deliver AIF. This includes 26 professional learning workshops which were held between June and September, which were attended by more than 300 school leaders and 650 teachers.
We are repeating the 2024 workshops for teachers recently appointed to teach AIF in early 2025:
- 22 January – AIF Teacher implementation workshop – 9 am - 12 pm, Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Star Room
- 29 January – AIF Teacher implementation workshop – 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm (online)
- 5 February – AIF Modified Teacher implementation workshop - 3:30 pm - 5:30pm (online)
In addition to this, we have also launched a new feature in PLATO for AIF teachers. PLATO Connect will enable teachers to connect with each other, seek advice, and engage in discussions, while sharing resources and tips.
Other resources to support teachers with delivering AIF in 2025 include FAQs, and student and teacher case studies.
Explore resources
Capabilities & Learner Profile progresses into pilot 4
In 2024, in partnership with pilot schools, we continued our pioneering work to formally recognise young people’s varied and dynamic skills and capabilities.
The SACE Board’s Capabilities & Learner Profile project is designed to introduce the development and recognition of capabilities alongside academic achievement to more holistically showcase what young people know and can do.
2024 saw us continue into pilot 3 of the project in which:
- 24 schools evidenced student capabilities
- 11 schools focused on Stage 1 only, 8 schools on Stage 2 only, and 5 schools on both Stages 1 and 2
- 1,046 students will receive a prototype Learner Profile alongside their academic results
- 402 students received results for all 5 capabilities
A key aspect of this work is providing a framework that streamlines how teachers observe and evidence student capabilities, and allows students to demonstrate their capability development in robust yet flexible ways. Feedback from pilot teachers and students underscores how the Capabilities & Learner Profile project supports student learning and wellbeing, with one teacher saying “For students, it has increased their awareness of their own strengths and challenges as learners and as human beings. It has helped them understand concepts like resilience and social awareness, and to own their strengths and challenges. This has been a significant shift from the traditional focus on content and curriculum.”
On 3 December, we held a Learning Event which brought together teachers, school leaders, tertiary education and industry representatives, and SACE Board staff. We asked attendees to consider feedback and data gathered during pilot 3 in the context of some key evaluation questions to help inform our way forward. These were:
- To what extent do students understand and/or value the development and recognition of capabilities?
- To what extent did students demonstrate agency in their capability assessments?
- To what extent is reporting students' capabilities data (learner profile) alongside their subject results and other recognition a balanced measure of success?
- What role have the capabilities played in informing student pathway selection and success?
- To what extent, and how, are schools promoting and publicly showcasing their students’ SACE capability development?
- What are we learning about how capabilities can be integrated with school/SACE structures through learning design?
- What are we learning about communicating the value of capabilities alongside subject disciplinary knowledge?
As the project team reviews our learnings and findings, we look forward to sharing further updates with you in 2025 as we continue to make progress toward a qualification that reflects the full range of students' knowledge, skills, and capabilities.
Learn more
Subject Renewal delivers first round of subject improvements
A key pillar of the SACE Board’s 2024-2027 strategy, Passport to Thrive, Subject Renewal is a comprehensive program to review and enhance SACE subjects which:
- provide more room for deep authentic learning
- are designed for greater student agency
- provide greater opportunities for students to intentionally develop capabilities
- ensure all subjects renewed to better align to global directions
- ensure subjects are more sustainable and meet the needs of students’ diverse backgrounds and future pathways
Already, in 2024, we have implemented subject improvements for 79 subject outlines, ready for teaching in 2025. These improvements have been informed by approximately 2,000 teachers across South Australia and the Northern Territory who attended 122 curriculum forums during term 2. Subject improvements for each subject have been summarised in a change log that has been introduced into subject outlines. The change log will record any year-to-year changes to subject outlines moving forward.
Subject Renewal is underpinned by our co-design approach which seeks to use a diversity of different experiences and perspectives to drive meaningful change for both students and teachers. The work will be driven by 57 Subject Renewal Groups (SRGs), each focusing on a specific subject area. In September, we brought together 450 educators who make up the SRGs at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre as the SACE Board, sectors, and schools kicked off the Subject Renewal program. We are working together to revitalise SACE subjects, to ensure that our curriculum remains relevant, engaging and effective as it prepares students to thrive in a changing world.
Earlier this week, we shared the Subject Renewal roadmap which detailed the volume, pace and scale of the subject renewal journey for each subject.
Learn more
Engine Room
End-of-year results release
As we near the end of 2024, preparations and processes are nearing completion for the release of end-of-year results at 8:30am on Monday, 16 December.
Since October, over 12,000 SACE students have completed examinations across 71 examined subjects in oral, electronic and paper format, as well as more than 58,000 investigations. This marks the culmination of a 13-year educational journey for SACE students and gives them the opportunity to demonstrate their learning.
End-of-year results release is a significant milestone in the SACE Board calendar and would not be possible without the contribution and collaboration of Lead Practitioners, oral examiners, markers, and moderators. From marking exams and investigations, to moderating school assessment tasks, our supervisors, markers and moderators ensure that our rigorous quality assurance standards are consistently applied across SACE assessment tasks.
We would like to thank all teachers and school staff for the very important work you do to support students’ learning and wellbeing throughout the year, as well as your significant contribution to end-of-year resulting activities.
Phone system transition
The SACE Board has transitioned to a new phone number – 1300 322 920 – for askSACE. This transition contributes to our ambition to enhance our customer service capabilities by ensuring that all enquiries are directed to the appropriate SACE staff for prompt resolution.
SACE International updates
SACE International expands in Sri Lanka with Gateway Colleges
Gateway College Colombo, Sri Lanka has been an accredited SACE school since January 2022 with the first cohort of SACE students graduating in November 2023. The Gateway Group is now expanding the program to two additional campuses: Gateway College Kandy and Gateway College Negombo.
This marks an exciting new chapter for Gateway and the SACE program in this market. From January 2025, students at the Kandy and Negombo campuses will commence their SACE journey, starting with Stage 1. Teacher professional development, a key element of Gateway’s success, continues to be centrally coordinated from Colombo, ensuring that all educators within the Gateway network are equipped to deliver high-quality learning experiences.
This expansion strengthens SACE International’s presence in Sri Lanka and reflects the growing demand for internationally recognised qualifications. We are excited to continue our partnership with Gateway Group as it opens up new opportunities for students across the country.
Learn more about Gateway Colleges on the SACE International website.
New school partnership in Cambodia
SACE International has established a new partnership with the Australian Cambodia Education Academy (AusCam Academy) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. This is an exciting opportunity for SACE International to expand into this new market, supporting students as they prepare for universities in Australia and beyond.
AusCam is committed to providing the very best education for students from early years to Year 12 and is considering including the SACE curriculum in its senior secondary program. As interest in Australian education grows in Cambodia, SACE international is well-positioned to provide students with the skills and pathways they need to thrive.
This new partnership would be SACE International’s first school in Cambodia, broadening the SACE International school network.