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ACE Rules

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.

Achieving the RoSA

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Section 94 of the Education Act 1990 (NSW) sets out the eligibility requirements for the award of the Record of School Achievement (RoSA).

About the RoSA

  1. The RoSA provides information on a student’s performance throughout Stage 5 and Stage 6, up to a student’s completion of HSC requirements.
  2. Mandatory curriculum requirements are listed on the RoSA under a separate heading with the notation ‘Completed’.
  3. Students studying courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content in Stage 5 and/or Stage 6 may be eligible to receive a Loading... at the time of leaving school with the RoSA or Transcript of Study, as applicable.
  4. Schools must nominate school-leavers for the RoSA by the due date outlined in the Loading....
  5. Students who leave school before the completion of Year 10 are not eligible for the RoSA or Transcript of Study.
  6. From the end of Year 10, students can access their cumulative results and the courses they are enrolled in by downloading their eRecord in Students Online. The Student eRecord is an interim report, not a formal credential.

Categories

K–10Life SkillsRoSA

Eligibility requirements

  1. To be eligible for the RoSA, a student who leaves school at or after the completion of Year 10, but before completing the HSC, must have:
    1. attended a government school, an accredited non-government school, a school outside NSW recognised by NESA or a TAFE NSW institute, and
    2. participated in, and satisfactorily completed the mandatory curriculum requirements for Years 7–10, and
    3. complied with any other regulations or requirements mandated by the Minister or NESA.

Eligibility for the RoSA while undertaking Stage 6 courses

  1. Principals may determine a student, who was ineligible for the RoSA at the end of Year 101, to be retrospectively eligible for the RoSA in Year 11 or Year 12 if the student has satisfactorily completed the outstanding requirements for its award.
  2. Students completing outstanding requirements for the award of the RoSA may accumulate courses while undertaking Stage 6 courses or until the date they leave school.
  3. Principals must:
    1. inform Student Records if a student becomes eligible for the RoSA while undertaking Stage 6 courses by emailing records@nesa.nsw.edu.au, and
    2. provide all outstanding data to NESA.2

Students not eligible for the RoSA

  1. Schools may nominate students leaving school after Year 10 who are ineligible for the award of the RoSA, for a Transcript of Study.
  2. Nominated students may download a Transcript of Study in Students Online from the end of Year 10. 
  3. The Transcript of Study outlines a student’s:
    1. completed 7–10 mandatory curriculum requirements
    2. results for completed Stage 5 and/or Stage 6 courses, and
    3. current enrolments in courses not yet completed.

Eligibility requirements for a Transcript of Study

  1. To be eligible for a Transcript of Study, a student must:
    1. have completed a minimum of one course of study, and
    2. be nominated as a school leaver after Year 10.

NSW students on overseas exchange

  1. Students on overseas exchange3 should not be penalised in terms of eligibility for the completion of Year 10 by undertaking educational experiences in another country.
  2. Students who are absent due to participation in an exchange program during Year 10 may be eligible for the RoSA if they decide to leave school and meet all requirements for the completion of Year 10.

Students returning to school from an overseas exchange program before the last day of Year 10

  1. Principals must:
    1. ensure the student meets all 7–10 mandatory curriculum requirements
    2. ensure the student attends school until the final day of Year 10, and
    3. award grades that represent the student’s achievement in all satisfactorily completed Stage 5 courses.

Students returning to school from an overseas exchange program after the last day of Year 10

  1. Schools with students returning to NSW from an overseas exchange program after the last day of Year 10 may retrospectively apply for satisfaction of eligibility requirements for the completion of Year 10 based on their studies while overseas.
  2. Students must provide the details of the content of courses studied overseas to their principal upon returning to NSW.
  3. Principals must:
    1. obtain certification from the overseas school that the student has satisfactorily studied the equivalent Year 10 courses during the period of absence from NSW, and
    2. inform Student Records that the student has retrospectively satisfied eligibility requirements for Year 10 by emailing records@nesa.nsw.edu.au.
  4. NESA will consider applications for retrospective satisfaction of eligibility requirements for the completion of Year 10 based on:
    1. the comparability of the courses studied overseas to those studied for the mandatory 7–10 curriculum requirements
    2. whether the details of the content of courses studied overseas are made available to the principal, and
    3. the evidence from the overseas school that the student has satisfactorily studied the equivalent Year 10 courses during the period of absence from NSW.

Restrictions on reporting student achievement

  1. Schools must not:
    1. disclose submitted Stage 5 (Year 10) course grades or Life Skills outcomes achieved to students until NESA releases final grades to schools on the Year 10 Results Release date outlined in the Loading..., and
    2. issue reports or other documents that have the title ‘Record of School Achievement’.

Online resources

Related ACE Rules

For further information

For enquiries about retrospective satisfaction of eligibility requirements for Year 10 or the RoSA, please contact Student Records on (02) 9367 8001 or by email at records@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

For enquiries about appealing NESA’s decision to withhold the RoSA, please contact Student Support on (02) 9367 8117 or by email at studentsupport@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

Footnotes

  1. For example, not studying NSW curriculum in Year 10; or an ‘N’ determination for one or more courses.

  2. This typically includes the courses studied by the student, grades and/or Life Skills outcomes.

  3. An overseas exchange includes school-approved student exchange programs and endorsed exchange programs.

Categories

RoSA

Appealing NESA’s decision to withhold the RoSA

  1. Students wishing to appeal against NESA’s decision to withhold the RoSA should email Student Support at studentsupport@nesa.nsw.edu.au.
  2. NESA’s decision regarding any appeal is final.

For further information

For enquiries about appealing NESA’s decision to withhold the RoSA, please contact Student Support on (02) 9367 8117 or by email at studentsupport@nesa.nsw.edu.au.