NESA has published clarified ACE Rules on the NSW Curriculum website. Stay up to date with the clarified ACE Rules by visiting this website.
The clarified rules come into effect from 14 October 2024. Schools must not implement the clarified rules before this date. Schools must use the current ACE Rules on Loading... until 14 October 2024.
To learn more about how NESA has clarified the ACE Rules, refer to the information sheets.
About
Welcome to Assessment Certification Examination (ACE)
ACE provides current information to principals, teachers, parents, and students about NESA’s curriculum, assessment and credentialling requirements.
The clarified ACE Rules will be mandated on 14 October 2024.
To learn more about how NESA has clarified the ACE Rules, refer to the information sheets for:
- ACE Rules: Overview
- Achieving the RoSA/HSC
- Assessment, results, and appeals
- Course commencement, entries and eligibility
- Curriculum requirements
- Disability provisions and appeals
- HSC exam operations
- HSC minimum standard
- Illness/Misadventure and appeals
- Integrity of HSC school-based assessment and exams
- Life Skills
- Pattern of study
- Students with atypical circumstances
- VET
The following support materials have been developed to help schools notify staff of upcoming changes to the ACE Rules:
NESA and the ACE Rules
The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) sets the educational standards for all NSW schools.
To uphold the fairness, integrity and credibility of the HSC and RoSA, NESA has rules that govern the curriculum, assessment and credentialling requirements across schools. These rules and requirements are collectively known as the Assessment Certification Examination (ACE) Rules.
NESA is empowered to make and enforce these rules to carry out its functions across curriculum, assessment and credentialling, under the:
- Education Act 1990 (NSW)
- Education Regulation 2017
- Education Standards Authority Act 2013 (NSW)
- Education Standards Authority Regulation 2019
The ACE Rules should be read with relevant Acts and Regulations, NESA syllabuses, Official Notices and the following school registration and accreditation Manuals:
- Registration Process for the NSW Government Schooling System Manual
- Registered and Accredited Individual Non-government Schools (NSW) Manual
- Registration Systems and Member Non-government Schools (NSW) Manual
- Manual for the recognition of schools outside NSW to present students for the NSW Record of School Achievement and/or Higher School Certificate
Schools and their students working to achieve and be awarded the RoSA or the HSC must comply with the ACE Rules, as well as any other requirements covered by a combination of the Acts, the Regulations, and policies mandated by the Minister or NESA.
About the HSC
The HSC is a credential awarded to eligible students who meet the mandatory curriculum, assessment and credentialling requirements. It is a secondary certificate of education recognised within the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). The HSC provides information on a student’s performance in all Preliminary and HSC courses satisfactorily completed.
About the RoSA
The RoSA is awarded to eligible students who leave school after the completion of Year 10, having met the mandatory curriculum requirements. The RoSA contains a student’s record of achievement, which includes:
- completed mandatory curriculum requirements
- grades for satisfactorily completed Year 10 courses
- grades for any satisfactorily completed Preliminary and HSC courses.
Key dates and events
All important dates and events that require action by NESA and individual schools in relation to ACE Rules are listed in the Loading....