Clarified ACE Rules came into effect on 14 October 2024. These rules apply to students commencing HSC courses from Term 4 2024, for students sitting for HSC exams in 2025, and for students receiving the RoSA from October 2024.
For students sitting for HSC exams in 2024, the previous ACE Online rules continue to apply.
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 came into effect 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
- Course completion, non-completion and appeals
- 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 the clarified ACE Rules, navigate the clarified rules, and implement changes to their policies and procedures to align with the clarified 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 school registration Manuals:
- Government schools – NSW Registration Process for the Government Schooling System Manual
- Individual non-government schools – NSW Registered and Accredited Individual Non-government Schools Manual
- Systemic non-government schools – NSW Registration Systems and Member Non-government Schools Manual
- Recognised schools outside NSW – 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....