Our ambition is for the SACE to continue to be an innovative qualification which equips students with the knowledge, skills, and capabilities to thrive in a rapidly changing world. 

The SACE Board’s work to develop and recognise students' capabilities alongside their subject skills and knowledge has been piloted between 2022 and 2025 with over 50 schools, more than 4,000 students, and 626 teachers. 

It focuses on five key capabilities: personal enterprise, quality thinking, self-motivated learning, principled action, and collective engagement.

Capabilities can be developed in various contexts—such as the classroom, school-based extracurricular activities, personal experiences, or programs outside of school—reflecting the richness of the learning experiences that contribute to students' growth and development.  

These capabilities are a combination of personal and social skills, knowledge, and attributes that empower students to apply what they have learned in meaningful and effective ways. 

Over four pilots, the schools we have collaborated with have shown that: 

• students deeply value the ability to demonstrate their capabilities 
• teachers are able to make valid and reliable judgements of student capabilities 
• school leaders, and the industry and tertiary sectors value student capability development 

Building on the learnings so far, the program is moving on to the next phase – Capabilities within the SACE – Feasibility Program (2026-27).

This phase is designed to expand the program to additional, targeted schools to help ensure that it is feasible across a diverse representation of schools and cohorts. 

As we progress, there will be opportunities for the wider education community, beyond the participating schools, to learn more about the program and engage with aspects of it.