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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.

Granting leave during an HSC course

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Updated 12 Jun 2024

NESA has updated Rule 13.5.1 to delete the footnote “Students granted leave cannot access illness/misadventure for missed assessment tasks while on leave”. 

This change restores discretion to schools to make decisions about students that have missed assessment tasks while on leave as per their school's illness/misadventure policies for HSC school-based assessment. 

View all changes

NESA is authorised under sections 20A and 95 of the Education Act 1990 (NSW) to:

  • prepare and distribute to schools information relating to the course of study for candidates for the HSC, and eligibility to be awarded the HSC
  • delegate to principals the authority to make decisions for students at their own school, whether they have satisfactorily participated in and completed appropriate courses of study for the HSC.

Categories

HSC (assessment)HSC (curriculum)VET

Principals may grant leave to HSC students

  1. Principals have discretion to grant leave to an HSC student in accordance with school and/or sector policies and procedures.
  2. Principals must advise HSC students applying for leave that all course completion, assessment requirements, and exam attendance requirements continue to apply, irrespective of whether their leave request is granted or not.
  3. When determining whether to grant leave to an HSC student, principals must be satisfied that:
    1. the leave request is reasonable
    2. the student can meet the course completion, assessment and exam attendance requirements in the HSC course(s) they are entered into,1 and
    3. the school can provide assessment data2 for the HSC course(s) the student is entered into.
  4. Principals may negotiate the completion of course and assessment requirements with the student in accordance with the school’s policies and procedures for school-based assessment.

Related ACE Rules

For further information

For advice about granting leave to an HSC student, please contact Manager, Liaison Unit on (02) 9367 8387 or by email at liaisonteam@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

Footnotes

  1. Principals may arrange a substitute assessment task(s) for an HSC student with approved leave in line with the policies and procedures for school-based assessment.

  2. Assessment data includes HSC assessment marks; and/or grades; and/or optional exam estimated marks; and/or Life Skills outcomes.

Categories

HSC (assessment)HSC (curriculum)

HSC students must request leave from their principal

  1. An HSC student wishing to take leave during the HSC year must seek approval from their principal, and:
    1. provide a reason for requesting leave
    2. negotiate the completion of any course requirements in the HSC course(s) they are entered into, and
    3. negotiate the completion of any assessment requirements in the HSC course(s) they are entered into.
  2. HSC students are responsible for meeting all course completion, assessment completion, and exam attendance requirements, irrespective of whether their leave request is granted or not.

Related ACE Rules

For further information

For advice about granting leave to an HSC student, please contact Manager, Liaison Unit on (02) 9367 8387 or by email at liaisonteam@nesa.nsw.edu.au.