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Life Skills in Stage 5

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Updated 02 Apr 2025

NESA has made a number of changes across Life Skills in Stage 5.

Rule 11.1.1 Eligibility to study Years 7-10 courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content

Changes clarify eligibility requirements for students studying Years 7-10 courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content, including for:

  • students studying a combination of non-Life Skills courses and courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content. (see paragraphs 5 and 6)
  • students studying a particular Stage 5 course based on Life Skills outcomes and content and wishing to continue the study of that course in Stage 6. (see paragraph 7)

Changes to Rule 11.1.1 also include:

  • a new exceptional circumstances footnote which outlines NESA contact information for principals who are concerned that a previous decision to place a student into Life Skills was not appropriate. (see paragraph 7)
  • a change to the rule title to better reflect the rule focus. (Previously ‘Eligibility to study Stage 5 courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content’)

Rule 11.1.2 Entering students in Stage 5 courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content

Changes clarify the process and timeframe for:

  • submitting courses entries for students studying Life Skills in Stage 5. (see paragraph 10)
  • entering Life Skills outcomes achieved for individual students. (see paragraph 14)

Rule 11.1.4 Requirements for students entered in Stage 5 courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content

Changes include:

  • phrasing changes to paragraph 25 for alignment with corresponding requirements about time allocation of courses in the Stage 6 Life Skills rules.
  • a change to the rule title to better reflect the rule focus. (Previously ‘Requirements for students enrolled in Years 7-10 courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content’)
View all changes

Sections 11 and 94 of the Education Act 1990 (NSW) set out the curriculum requirements and eligibility requirements for the award of the RoSA.

Categories

K–10Life SkillsRoSA

Eligibility to study Years 7–10 courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content

  1. Life Skills outcomes and content provide options for students with an intellectual disability or an imputed intellectual disability in Years 7–10 who cannot access stage outcomes1 or for whom prior stage outcomes are not appropriate. 
  2. Life Skills outcomes and content can be accessed in all Years 7–10 Loading .
  3. Principals must make decisions about accessing Life Skills outcomes and content:
    1. based on the needs of the individual student, for each Years 7–10 course based on Life Skills outcomes and content, and
    2. via Loading  on a course by course basis, and
    3. involving the individual student (where appropriate), their parents/carers, and their teachers.
  4. Life Skills outcomes and content in Years 7–10 syllabuses are not appropriate options for students:
    1. who do not have an intellectual disability or an imputed intellectual disability
    2. experiencing significant unexpected and/or chronic health issues
    3. performing below their cohort
    4. who could access outcomes and content with appropriate adjustments and support
    5. with emotional and/or behavioural needs.
  5. A student may study a combination of:
    1. Years 7–10 courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content ,and 
    2. courses based on Stage 4 or Stage 5 outcomes and content2.
  6. A student studying Life Skills outcomes and content cannot also study Stage 4 or Stage 5 outcomes and content from the same syllabus3.
  7. A student studying a course based on Life Skills outcomes and content cannot return to studying stage4 or prior stage outcomes and content in that same course once a decision to study Life Skills has been made. Should the student continue studying the course in current and subsequent stages of schooling, they must do so through Life Skills outcomes and content only.5

Adjustments for students with disability studying Years 7–10 courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content

  1. It is a requirement under the Loading  for schools to ensure that teaching, learning and assessment is accessible to Loading  by providing reasonable Loading .
  2. Adjustments are actions taken that enable a student with disability to access syllabus outcomes and content on the same basis as their peers, as required under the Loading . Decisions regarding Loading , must be made in the context of Loading . The type of Loading  and support will vary according to the particular needs of the student and the requirements of the activity.

Online resources

For further information

For general curriculum enquiries, please email curriculum@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

Footnotes

  1. This could be selected stage outcomes and content.

  2. Including related prior stage outcomes and content.

  3. Including related prior stage outcomes and content.

  4. This could be selected stage outcomes and content.

  5. In exceptional circumstances where the Principal considers that it may be in the best interest of the student to not continue studying Life Skills outcomes and content in a course, the school must contact Curriculum by emailing curriculum@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

Categories

K–10Life SkillsRoSASchools Online

Entering students in Stage 5 courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content

  1. Schools must, in Loading , by the due date outlined in the Loading :
    1. indicate1 that a student is entered into one or more Stage 5 courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content, and
    2. submit Stage 5 (Year 10) course entries.
      1. Students indicated as studying only courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content are automatically entered in the mandatory curriculum requirements.
      2. Students indicated as studying a combination of Years 7–10 courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content, and courses based on Stage 4 or Stage 5 outcomes and content, must be entered into any applicable mandatory courses. 
  2. Principals entering students into Stage 5 courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content must:
    1. certify that the student is eligible
    2. make sure the decision is the result of Loading , and
    3. ensure the student is not studying stage2 or prior stage outcomes and content alongside Life Skills outcomes and content from the same syllabus.3
  3. Schools must ensure that students entered into Stage 5 courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content continue to meet mandatory curriculum requirements in each key learning area (KLA).
  4. By completing courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content, students are able to meet the mandatory curriculum requirements for the RoSA in individual KLAs.
  5. Schools must enter the Life Skills outcomes achieved for each student entered in a course based on Life Skills outcomes and content in Loading  by the due date published in the Loading . 

Supplementing courses from additional syllabuses

  1. Schools may supplement courses to include selected Life Skills outcomes and content from other syllabuses. Schools must enter students into the course from which the Life Skills outcomes and content are predominantly drawn.

Online resources

Related ACE Rules

For further information

For general curriculum enquiries, please email curriculum@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

Footnotes

  1. This is done by editing the student’s details.

  2. This could be selected stage outcomes and content.

  3. For example, a student may not study both Science Stage 5 outcomes and content and Science Life Skills outcomes and content.

Categories

K–10Life SkillsRoSA

Assessing Life Skills outcomes and content

  1. It is a requirement under the Loading  for schools to ensure that assessment is accessible to students with disability.
  2. Some Loading  will require Loading  to assessment practices to demonstrate what they know and can do in relation to syllabus outcomes and content.
  3. NESA does not require schools to formally assess Life Skills outcomes. Schools are not required to use the Common Grade Scale (A to E) or equivalent to report achievement for students entered into courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content. Loading  can occur in a range of situations or environments such as the school and wider community.
  4. Teachers must:
    1. assess students studying courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content on their achievement of the outcomes selected through Loading , and
    2. provide learning opportunities for students to demonstrate achievement in relation to the selected outcomes.
  5. Students studying courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content may achieve the designated outcomes independently or with support.1
  6. An outcome is considered as ‘achieved independently’ if there is evidence that a student can demonstrate the achievement of an outcome, either:
    1. without adjustments; or
    2. with Loading  that enable the student to access course work and/or demonstrate achievement during assessment opportunities. These adjustments must have been determined through Loading .

Online resources

Related ACE Rules

For further information

For general curriculum enquiries, please email curriculum@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

Footnotes

  1. Examples of additional support include verbal prompts; visual prompts; physical assistance; provision of partial responses.

Categories

K–10Life SkillsMalpracticeRoSA

Requirements for students entered in Stage 5 courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content

  1. Students studying Life Skills outcomes and content can meet the mandatory curriculum requirements by satisfactorily completing courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content.
  2. The appropriate timing of students studying Life Skills outcomes and content is guided by the needs of the student and Loading .

Time allocation for courses

  1. Teachers must ensure all indicative hour requirements are met when programming courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content, so that courses can be credentialled on the Record of School Achievement (RoSA). The indicative hour requirements for courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content in Years 7–10 are the same as the mandatory curriculum requirements.
  2. In some cases, it may be necessary to vary the time allocated by increasing the number of hours of study for a course. When considering whether an increase in time is necessary, schools must ensure that indicative hour requirements across the KLAs are met.

Satisfactory completion of Life Skills outcomes and content

  1. Courses of study that include Life Skills outcomes and content have the same course completion criteria as all Board Developed and Board Endorsed courses.
  2. The number of outcomes addressed and/or achieved will vary for individual students. To satisfactorily complete a course, it is not necessary for students to address or achieve all the Life Skills outcomes in a course.
  3. Principals:
    1. determine that a student is considered to have satisfactorily completed a course if there is sufficient evidence that the student has:
      1. followed the course developed or endorsed by NESA, and
      2. applied themselves with diligence and sustained effort to the set tasks and experiences provided in the course by the school, and
      3. achieved at least one of the course outcomes; and
    2. may determine that, as a result of absence, the above course completion criteria might not be met. NESA does not set a minimum attendance for the satisfactory completion of a course, and
    3. must give students early written warning of the consequences of non-completion of course requirements. The warning must relate the student’s absence to the non-completion of the course requirements.
  4. The number of outcomes addressed and/or achieved will vary for individual students. This decision must be made during Loading . To satisfactorily complete a course, it is not necessary for students to address or achieve all the Life Skills outcomes in a course. 

Related ACE Rules

For further information

For general curriculum enquiries, please email curriculum@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

Categories

K–10RoSALife Skills

Satisfactory completion of Life Skills outcomes and content

  1. Courses of study that include Life Skills outcomes and content have the same course completion criteria as all Board Developed and Board Endorsed courses.
  2. The number of outcomes addressed and/or achieved will vary for individual students. To satisfactorily complete a course, it is not necessary for students to address or achieve all the Life Skills outcomes in a course.
  3. Principals:
    1. determine that a student is considered to have satisfactorily completed a course if there is sufficient evidence that the student has:
      1. followed the course developed or endorsed by NESA, and
      2. applied themselves with diligence and sustained effort to the set tasks and experiences provided in the course by the school, and
      3. achieved at least one of the course outcomes; and
    2. may determine that, as a result of absence, the above course completion criteria might not be met. NESA does not set a minimum attendance for the satisfactory completion of a course, and
    3. must give students early written warning of the consequences of non-completion of course requirements. The warning must relate the student’s absence to the non-completion of the course requirements.
  4. The number of outcomes addressed and/or achieved will vary for individual students. This decision must be made during Loading . To satisfactorily complete a course, it is not necessary for students to address or achieve all the Life Skills outcomes in a course. 

Online resources

Related ACE Rules

For further information

For enquiries about course completion for courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content, please contact Student Support on (02) 9367 8117 or by email at studentsupport@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

For further information, please contact your region’s NESA Liaison Officer on (02) 9367 8387 or by email liaisonteam@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

Categories

K–10Life SkillsRoSASchools Online

Credentialling Life Skills outcomes and content

  1. Schools submit information in Loading  regarding outcomes that have been achieved, either independently or with support, for all students entered into courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content.
  2. Students who satisfactorily complete a Stage 5 course based on Life Skills outcomes and content and leave school before completing their HSC will have the course reported on the RoSA with the annotation Refer to Profile of Student Achievement.
  3. Students who leave school prior to gaining the RoSA can access a Transcript of Study in Students Online. If the student has satisfactorily completed one or more Stage 5 courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content, a Profile of Student Achievement can be accessed.
  4. Outcomes achieved in School Developed Board Endorsed courses (SDBECs) will not be reported on the Profile of Student Achievement.

Related ACE Rules

For further information

For general curriculum enquiries, please email curriculum@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

For enquiries about Schools Online and student entries, please contact Student Records on (02) 9367 8001 or by email at records@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

adjustments

Actions taken to enable a student with disability to access and participate in education on the same basis as other students, in accordance with the Disability Standards for Education 2005.

Board Developed course (BDC)

A course developed by NESA, that includes general education courses, Life Skills courses and VET Industry Curriculum Framework courses.

Board Endorsed course (BEC)

A course that caters to the learning needs of students in specific areas of need not served by Board Developed courses. Before they can be taught in NSW schools, they must be endorsed by NESA. These courses count towards the HSC but do not have an HSC exam and do not contribute towards the calculation of the ATAR. There are four types: Content Endorsed courses (CECs), School Developed Board Endorsed courses (SDBECs), University Developed Board Endorsed courses (UDBECs), and VET Board Endorsed courses (VET BECs).

collaborative curriculum planning

The process to determine the most appropriate curriculum options and adjustments for a student with disability. It should take place within the broader context of personalised planning that includes interventions and other supports to address identified student learning and support needs.

Common Grade Scale

Generic, holistic descriptions of typical performance at each of 5 grade levels that can be used to identify and report student achievement in both primary and junior secondary years in NSW schools.

Profile of Student Achievement

A cumulative record of the student’s achievement of Life Skills outcomes for any course satisfactorily completed in Stage 5, Year 11 or Year 12. It provides the details of the specific Life Skills syllabus outcomes achieved by students undertaking courses.

School Developed Board Endorsed course (SDBEC)

A course designed by school(s) and endorsed by NESA to meet curriculum needs of students that cannot be accommodated by Board Developed courses, or Content Endorsed courses (CECs), or Vocational Education and Training Board Endorsed courses (VET BECs). Once the course proposal is endorsed by NESA, SDBECs count as Board Endorsed unit credit for the HSC but do not contribute towards an ATAR.

Transcript of Study

A list of courses and, where applicable, results for students who completed at least one Stage 5 course, but are not eligible for a RoSA. It lists all mandatory and additional Stage 5 courses and, where applicable, Stage 6 courses completed by the student, along with the grade/mark awarded. It also lists any courses commenced but not completed, and the date of leaving school.