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NSW Government
NSW Curriculum
NSW Education Standards Authority
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.

Transferring, withdrawing, and entering students

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NESA is authorised under sections 20A, 94 and 95 of the Education Act 1990 (NSW) to:

  • determine whether candidates for the award of the RoSA have participated in, and satisfactorily completed courses of study developed or endorsed by the Board
  • prepare and distribute to schools information relating to other forms of assessment for the RoSA
  • prepare and distribute to schools information relating to HSC eligibility and courses of study for candidates for the HSC.

About transferring, withdrawing, and entering students

  1. NSW schools may accept students transferring into their school during Years 7–12. Transferring students may be from another NSW school, home schooling, interstate or overseas.
  2. Students in Years 7–10 may transfer at any time.
  3. Students studying Preliminary courses may transfer at any time.
  4. HSC students transferring schools and changing courses must enter new courses before 30 June in the year that they wish to sit the HSC exam.1
  5. Schools with outgoing transfers are responsible (where applicable) for:
    1. providing to the student’s new school, the outgoing student’s grades for any Stage 5 courses satisfactorily completed
    2. providing to the student’s new school, and/or submitting the outgoing student’s Preliminary grades in Loading...
    3. providing to the student’s new school, and/or submitting the outgoing student’s HSC school-based assessment data in Schools Online
    4. providing to the student’s new school, and/or submitting the outgoing student’s Life Skills course outcomes achieved
    5. finalising the outgoing student’s VET course competency outcomes in Schools Online.

Footnotes

  1. For enquiries about atypical circumstances, please contact Manager, Liaison Unit on (02) 9367 8387 or by email at liaisonteam@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

Categories

HSC credentialHSC (curriculum)K–10Life SkillsPreliminaryRoSASchools Online

Entering and withdrawing students in Schools Online

  1. Students with Year 10, Preliminary, and/or HSC course entries who are transferring from one NSW school to another retain their NESA student number. If students do not have a record of their student number, schools must contact the student’s previous school.1
  2. Schools must:
    1. enter students who transfer in from another school using their existing NESA student number in Schools Online as soon as the student commences at the school; or
    2. enter new students who do not have a NESA student number in Schools Online as soon as the student commences at the school; and
    3. withdraw students who leave the school in Schools Online as soon as the student ceases at the school.

Confirming Year 10 entries

  1. Schools with an incoming Year 10 student transferring from a NSW school must, in Loading...:
    1. confirm the incoming student’s NESA student number
    2. transfer the incoming student’s entry for Year 10
    3. confirm the incoming student’s program of study undertaken at their previous school
    4. produce a new Confirmation of Entry for an amended student entry, and
    5. retain a student’s correct, signed2 Confirmation of Entry for 24 months.

Confirming Stage 6 entries

  1. Schools with an incoming student studying Preliminary or HSC courses transferring from a NSW school must, in Loading...:
    1. confirm the incoming student’s NESA student number
    2. transfer the student’s school enrolment
    3. confirm the student’s Preliminary or HSC pattern of study
    4. produce a new Confirmation of Entry for an amended student entry, and
    5. retain a student’s correct, signed3 Confirmation of Entry for 24 months.

Related ACE Rules

For further information

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.

Footnotes

  1. If the previous school is unable to provide a NESA student number, contact Student Records on (02) 9367 8001 or at records@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

  2. For students with disability that prevents them from signing, schools must ‘record’ the student’s acknowledgment of the Confirmation of Entry. Students with disability may have a parent/carer sign on their behalf.

  3. For students with disability that prevents them from signing, schools must ‘record’ the student’s acknowledgment of the Confirmation of Entry. Students with disability may have a parent/carer sign on their behalf.

Categories

K–10Life SkillsRoSASchools Online

Outgoing transfers

  1. Schools1 must provide a grade(s) or Life Skills course outcome(s) achieved by the outgoing student to take to the new school for any 100 hours of study satisfactorily completed by the outgoing student. This includes grades or course outcomes in any Board Developed or Board Endorsed course.2

Incoming transfers

  1. Transferring students may:
    1. continue completing courses previously studied at the new school
    2. enter new courses at the new school.
  2. As far as possible, schools must provide courses to meet the mandatory curriculum requirements for students transferring into the school during Years 7–10.
  3. Principals of NSW government schools, accredited NSW non-government schools and recognised schools outside of NSW may deem that an incoming student has met the mandatory curriculum requirements. This may only occur in appropriate circumstances and depends on when the transfer occurs in Stage 5.3 Further, this must only occur:
    1. for the mandatory Stage 5 courses in the Key Learning Areas of English, Mathematics, Science, PDHPE, HSIE – mandatory Geography and mandatory History; and
    2. up to the syllabus content that has been completed in the new school.
  4. Incoming students deemed to have completed the syllabus content that the new school's students have already completed, in each of the mandatory Stage 5 courses, must be entered in and continue to study these courses at their new school.
  5. Principals are expected to identify any gaps in specific learning outcomes that have not been achieved by the incoming student, and develop a plan to address these gaps.

Allocating grades for completed Stage 5 courses

  1. Teachers must make a valid judgement and determine a grade based on the available evidence of student achievement at the completion of a 100-hour or 200-hour course.
  2. A student who satisfactorily completes any 100-hour or 200-hour course is eligible to have the course credentialled, regardless of whether the course was completed at the student’s previous school or new school.
  3. If the incoming student is unable to meet the 7–10 mandatory curriculum requirements in all key learning areas due to the curriculum organisation of the school, principals have discretion to deem that the outstanding mandatory requirements have been met.

Providing data in Schools Online for transferring students in Year 10

Transfers that occur before the end of Term 2, Year 10

  1. Schools with incoming transfers that occur before the end of Term 2 are responsible for the following actions in Loading..., where applicable:
    1. submitting the incoming student’s grades4 
    2. reporting on Stage 5 Life Skills course outcomes achieved5
    3. finalising outcomes for VET course competencies undertaken at the new school.6

Transfers that occur after the end of Term 2, Year 10

  1. Schools with outgoing transfers that occur after the end of Term 2 are responsible for the following actions in Loading..., where applicable:
    1. submitting the outgoing student’s grades
    2. reporting on Stage 5 Life Skills course outcomes achieved
    3. finalising VET course competency outcomes.7
  2. The new school may need to liaise with the previous school to ensure grades and/or Life Skills outcomes and/or VET course competency outcomes are determined and entered in Schools Online.

Related ACE Rules

For further information

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.

For enquiries about home schooling, please contact Home Schooling by email at homeschooling@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

Footnotes

  1. NSW government schools, accredited NSW non-government schools, and recognised schools outside NSW.

  2. 100-hour VET Board Endorsed courses are not graded. Schools must finalise the outgoing student’s VET course competency outcomes in Schools Online.

  3. For enquiries about appropriate circumstances, please contact your region’s NESA Liaison Officer on (02) 9367 8387 or by email at liaisonteam@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

  4. The new school may need to liaise with the previous school about student achievement in relation to the grades.

  5. The new school may need to liaise with the previous school about outcomes achieved.

  6. The VET teacher/trainer needs to confirm the VET outcome for each entered unit of competency. The outcomes are Achieved; Not achieved; Withdrawn; RPL; Credit transfer; Did not start.

  7. The VET teacher/trainer needs to confirm the VET outcome for each entered unit of competency. The outcomes are Achieved; Not achieved; Withdrawn; RPL; Credit transfer; Did not start.

Categories

HSC (assessment)HSC credentialHSC (curriculum)Life SkillsPreliminarySchools OnlineVET

Providing data in Schools Online for transferring students entered into Preliminary courses

Transfers that occur before the end of Term 2, Year 11

  1. Schools with incoming transfers that occur before the end of Term 2, Year 11 are responsible for the following actions in Loading..., where applicable:
    1. submitting the incoming student’s grades1
    2. reporting on Stage 6 Life Skills course outcomes achieved2
    3. finalising outcomes for VET course competencies undertaken at the new school.3

Transfers that occur in Term 3, Year 11

  1. Schools with outgoing transfers that occur in Term 3, Year 11 are responsible for the following actions in Loading..., where applicable:
    1. submitting the outgoing student’s grades
    2. reporting on Stage 6 Life Skills course outcomes achieved
    3. finalising VET course competency outcomes.4
  2. The new school may need to liaise with the previous school to ensure Preliminary grades and/or Life Skills outcomes and/or VET course competency outcomes are determined and entered in Schools Online.

Options available to transferring students entered in Preliminary courses

  1. Transferring students should continue studying courses they were previously studying at the new school, where possible.
  2. In circumstances where previously studied courses are not available to study at the new school, transferring students may:
    1. continue studying courses previously studied with an outside tutor or external provider, and/or
    2. enter new courses at the new school.

Students accelerating into a course or studying courses under a compressed curriculum delivery model

  1. For students accelerated into a Preliminary course or studying under a compressed curriculum model who transfer to another NSW school:
    1. The previous school must provide the new school with documentation that indicates the outgoing student's achievement5 in the course.
    2. The new school must:
      1. liaise with the student’s previous school to make a valid judgment of the student’s grades and/or Life Skills outcomes achieved and/or VET competency outcomes at the end of the course, and
      2. submit grades and/or report on Life Skills outcomes in Schools Online.6

Incoming students

  1. Principals may enter an incoming Year 11 student from an interstate or overseas school into Preliminary courses, if they are satisfied that the student can meet the requirements for the satisfactory completion of Preliminary courses.

Continuing the study of existing Preliminary courses at a new school

  1. For transfers that occur before the end of Term 2, Year 11 (where relevant):
    1. the previous school must provide the new school with the outgoing student’s achievement of the syllabus outcomes assessed and/or Life Skills outcomes achieved and/or VET course competency outcomes;7 and
    2. the new school8 must give students the opportunity to demonstrate their full range of achievement and determine the student’s final achievement of the syllabus outcomes assessed and/or Life Skills outcomes and/or VET course competency outcomes for Preliminary courses. 
  2. For transfers that occur in Term 3, Year 11:
    1. the previous school retains responsibility for submitting grades and/or Life Skills outcomes.
      1. If the previous school is unable to enter the transferring student’s grades and/or Life Skills outcomes in Schools Online, the previous school must liaise with the student’s new school to ensure grades/and or Life Skills outcomes are entered.
    2. the new school must provide the previous school with the student’s achievement9 of the syllabus outcomes assessed and/or Life Skills outcomes achieved while at the new school. and
    3. the new school must finalise outcomes for VET course competencies undertaken at the new school.10

Changing Preliminary courses at a new school

  1. Principals have discretion to make decisions based on the needs of the individual student regarding changes of Preliminary courses, including Life Skills courses. Decisions to change or enter new Life Skills courses must be made via Loading....
  2. In allowing a student to enter a new Preliminary course, the principal of the new school must be satisfied that the incoming student can satisfactorily complete the course in the time available.

Providing school-based assessment data for transfers during the HSC year

HSC students transferring before 30 June in the HSC exam year

  1. HSC students transferring before or on 30 June are considered students of the new school.
  2. Schools with incoming HSC students transferring from another NSW school before or on 30 June in the year of the HSC exam are responsible for submitting school-based assessment data for these students to NESA.11

HSC students transferring after 30 June in the HSC exam year

  1. HSC students transferring after 30 June are considered students of the previous school.
  2. These students are considered to be ‘studying elsewhere’ in Schools Online, and cannot commence studying new HSC courses, with the exception of entering Loading... when discontinuing Loading....
  3. Schools with outgoing HSC students transferring to another NSW school after 30 June in the year of the HSC exam must submit school-based assessment data12 to NESA in Schools Online.13
  4. Schools with incoming transfers after 30 June may need to liaise with the student’s previous school to ensure the school-based assessment data14 is submitted in Schools Online.

Options available to transferring students entered in HSC courses

  1. Transferring students should continue studying courses they were previously studying at their new school, where possible.
  2. In circumstances where previously studied courses are not available to study at the new school, transferring students may:
    1. continue studying courses previously studied with an outside tutor or external provider, and/or
    2.  enter new courses at their new school before 30 June.

Continuing the study of existing HSC courses at a new school

  1. For an HSC student transferring schools before or on 30 June and continuing the study of an existing HSC course at the new school, the:
    1. previous school must provide the new school with documentation that indicates the outgoing student's achievement15 in the course, and
    2. new school must liaise with the student’s previous school to make a valid judgment of the student’s rank placement in the course.16

Changing HSC courses at a new school

  1. Principals have discretion to allow students to change HSC courses during the HSC year.
  2. Principals must:
    1. not enter students in new HSC courses after 30 June in the HSC exam year
    2. be satisfied that the student:
      1. has satisfactorily demonstrated achievement in the Preliminary course outcomes (or equivalent) of the course they wish to enter, and
      2. will be able to complete all HSC course requirements, including assessment requirements17, and
      3. is able to be entered in the course with sufficient time for the new school to provide school-based assessment data, and
    3. advise students of any consequences arising from the change, including eligibility and pattern of study requirements.18

Related ACE Rules

For further information

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.

For enquiries about home schooling, please contact Home Schooling by email at homeschooling@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

Footnotes

  1. The new school may need to liaise with the previous school about student achievement in relation to the grades.

  2. The new school may need to liaise with the previous school about outcomes achieved.

  3. The VET teacher/trainer needs to confirm the VET outcome for each entered unit of competency. The outcomes are Achieved; Not achieved; Continuing; Withdrawn; RPL; Credit transfer; Did not start.

  4. The VET teacher/trainer needs to confirm the VET outcome for each entered unit of competency. The outcomes are Achieved; Not achieved; Withdrawn; RPL; Credit transfer; Did not start.

  5. Evidence of student achievement may include, but is not limited to assessment tasks, copies of assessment programs, marking guidelines and feedback.

  6. Depending on the time of transfer, the previous school may be required to submit grades or report on Life Skills outcomes.

  7. The VET teacher/trainer needs to confirm the VET outcome for each entered unit of competency. The outcomes are Achieved; Not achieved; Continuing; Withdrawn; RPL; Credit transfer; Did not start.

  8. This may include outside tutors or external providers, where applicable.

  9. The previous school may need to liaise with the new school about student achievement in relation to the grades and/or Life Skills outcomes achieved at the end of the course.

  10. The new school/RTO may need to liaise with the previous school/RTO to determine/confirm the VET outcome for each entered unit of competency. The outcomes are Achieved; Not Achieved; Continuing; Withdrawn; RPL; Credit transfer; Did not start.

  11. The new school may need to liaise with the previous school about the student’s achievement of the syllabus outcomes assessed.

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

  13. The previous school may need to liaise the new school to determine the student’s final achievement of the syllabus outcomes.

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

  15. Evidence of student achievement may include, but is not limited to assessment tasks, assessment ranks, copies of assessment programs, marking guidelines and feedback.

  16. For further information, email Quality in Credentialling at qc@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

  17. For enquiries about course changes, please contact Manager, Liaison Unit on (02) 9367 8387 or by email at liaisonteam@nesa.nsw.edu.au. For assessment data enquiries, email Quality in Credentialling at qc@nesa.nsw.edu.au. For curriculum enquiries, email curriculum@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

  18. For advice regarding a student's pattern of study contact Manager, Liaison Unit on (02) 9367 8387 or by email at liaisonteam@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

Categories

K–10RoSASchools Online

School leavers

  1. Students may receive either a RoSA or, if ineligible for the RoSA, a Transcript of Study, if they leave school at or after the completion of Year 10:
    1. before they are eligible for an HSC; and
    2. do not intend to enrol in, or attend, another NSW school, or
    3. leave the NSW system to continue their schooling in another Australian state/territory, or another country.
  2. Students who leave school prior to the completion of Year 10 are not entitled to the RoSA or Transcript of Study from NESA.
  3. Schools must, in Loading...,1 nominate an eligible student for the RoSA if they leave school after Year 10 but before the completion of the HSC, by the due date listed in the Loading.... If a student leaves partway through a calendar year of study, the school must advise NESA of the date the student ceased at the school.

Registered home schooling students and students from non-accredited NSW non-government schools

  1. Students transferring from home schooling or a non-accredited NSW non-government school before Year 10 may be eligible for the RoSA, if they leave school before the completion of the HSC.
  2. Registered home schooling students and students from non-accredited NSW non-government schools entering Year 102 who wish to be eligible for a RoSA, if they leave school before the completion of the HSC, must:
    1. be entered in Year 10 in Loading..., for their completion of Year 10 to be recorded, and
    2. provide evidence to their new school of completing their educational program at their previous school or while undertaking home schooling, including achievement of outcomes from the relevant courses of study.
  3. Principals have discretion when considering whether a registered home schooled student or student from a non-accredited NSW non-government school may be entered into Year 10, based on the available evidence presented by the student.

Related ACE Rules

For further information

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.

For enquiries about home schooling, please contact Home Schooling by email at homeschooling@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

Footnotes

  1. When Schools Online is not available, utilise relevant form.

  2. At a NSW government school, accredited NSW non-government school, or recognised school outside NSW.