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NSW Government
NSW Curriculum
NSW Education Standards Authority
ACE Rules

NESA has published clarified ACE Rules on the NSW Curriculum website. Stay up to date with the clarified ACE Rules by visiting this website. 

The clarified rules come into effect from 14 October 2024. Schools must not implement the clarified rules before this date. Schools must use the current ACE Rules on Loading... until 14 October 2024.

To learn more about how NESA has clarified the ACE Rules, refer to the information sheets.

Curriculum requirements

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

Sections 12, 95 and 95A of the Education Act 1990 (NSW) set out the curriculum requirements and eligibility requirements for the award of the HSC.

Meeting mandatory curriculum requirements

  1. NESA develops or endorses all courses that contribute towards the RoSA or HSC.
  2. NESA develops and makes available syllabuses across all years of schooling:
    1. Loading... (Early Stage 1 – Stage 5), and
    2. Loading... (Stage 6).
  3. NESA syllabuses indicate the number of hours of study that students typically need to achieve the outcomes of the course.
  4. Years 7–10 courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content and Stage 6 Life Skills courses provide a curriculum pathway to the RoSA and/or HSC for students with intellectual disability.
  5. Schools must:
    1. teach the current NSW syllabus for each course, and
    2. ensure that the outcomes of all the courses are programmed, and
    3. timetable each course for at least the indicative number of hours.

Categories

K–10Life SkillsRoSA

Meeting mandatory curriculum requirements for Year 10

  1. To meet mandatory curriculum requirements for students by the end of Year 10, schools must timetable:
    1. 400 hours of English to be studied substantially throughout each of Years 7–10, and
    2. 400 hours of Mathematics to be studied substantially throughout each of Years 7–10, and
    3. 400 hours of Science to be studied substantially throughout each of Years 7–10, and
    4. 400 hours of HSIE:
      1. 100 hours of mandatory History throughout Years 7–8, and Years 9–10
      2. 100 hours of mandatory Geography throughout Years 7–8, and Years 9–10, and
    5. 300 hours of PDHPE to be studied substantially throughout each of Years 7–10, and
    6. 200 hours of Technology in Years 7–8, and
    7. 100 hours of Visual Arts in Years 7–8 to be taught as coherent units of study and not split over a number of years, and
    8. 100 hours of Music in Years 7–8 to be taught as coherent units of study and not split over a number of years, and
    9. 100 hours of a Language other than English over one continuous 12-month period between Years 7–10, preferably in Year 7 or Year 8. Stage 4 outcomes and content must be covered1.
  2. Students must satisfactorily complete each of these mandatory curriculum courses to be eligible for the award of the RoSA.
  3. Schools must:
    1. teach the current NSW Loading... for each course, and
    2. ensure that the outcomes of all the courses are programmed, and
    3. timetable each course for at least the indicative number of hours.

Languages

  1. Students may study more than one Aboriginal Language for the mandatory language study.
  2. Schools may deliver the mandatory language study over 2 years if the study is substantially in excess of 100 hours. Schools must apply to NESA by email at curriculum@nesa.nsw.edu.au to obtain approval for this flexible delivery model.
  3. Schools must be aware of eligibility criteria for Loading... courses.

Combining courses of study – integrated study

  1. Schools may combine courses of study to meet the mandatory curriculum requirements in Years 7–10 if:
    1. the outcomes of all the courses are programmed, and
    2. the indicative hours of each course are met.

Online resources

Related ACE Rules

For further information

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

Footnotes

  1. Students in Stage 4 may study a Languages course with an outside tutor to meet the mandatory curriculum requirements.

Categories

K–10Life SkillsRoSA

Meeting mandatory curriculum requirements for the RoSA

  1. The RoSA is available to eligible students who leave school before completing the HSC.
  2. For students to satisfactorily complete mandatory curriculum requirements to be eligible for the award of the RoSA, schools must provide courses of study for each student in each of the 8 key learning areas (KLAs) for secondary education: English, Mathematics, Science, HSIE, Technological and Applied Studies, Languages other than English, Creative Arts, and PDHPE.
  3. Schools must:
    1. provide courses of study for English, Mathematics, Science, HSIE and PDHPE in each year of Years 7 to 10, and
    2. teach each course of study in accordance with the current Loading..., and
    3. ensure that the outcomes of all the courses are programmed, and
    4. timetable the mandatory curriculum for at least the indicative hours specified in the syllabus.

Online resources

Related ACE Rules

For further information

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

Categories

K–10Life SkillsRoSAVET

Elective 7–10 curriculum

  1. NESA does not require schools to provide elective courses. Elective courses cannot replace mandatory curriculum.
  2. However, schools may choose to offer and/or deliver 7–10 elective courses1 which may be studied in any year.
  3. Elective courses in Years 9 and 10 contribute towards the RoSA if:
    1. the student is entered in the course in Loading..., and
    2. the course is taught as specified in the Loading... or VET course description, and associated indicative-hour requirements, and
    3. the student has satisfactorily completed the course.
  4. Students may study History Elective and Geography Elective in addition to the mandatory History and Geography courses.
  5. Students must complete the mandatory Visual Arts and Music courses (Stage 4 outcomes and content) before starting Visual Arts or Visual Design 7–10 or Photographic and Digital Media 7–10 or Music elective courses.
  6. Elective courses are listed on the RoSA with a grade, with the exception of students undertaking Life Skills outcomes and VET BECs which are reported without a grade and with the notation ‘Refer to Profile of Student Achievement’ and ‘Refer to Vocational documentation’ respectively.

Online resources

Related ACE Rules

For further information

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

Footnotes

  1. Electives may include additional syllabuses developed by NESA; VET BECs (as specified in the VET course description); or SDBEC for braille.

Categories

HSC (assessment)HSC credentialHSC (curriculum)Life SkillsPreliminaryVET

Meeting mandatory curriculum requirements for the HSC

  1. NESA has requirements for the award of the HSC.
  2. For students to meet HSC curriculum requirements, schools must:
    1. ensure students meet pattern of study requirements, and
    2. teach and assess each course of study in accordance with the current Loading... and/or Board Endorsed course, and
    3. ensure that the outcomes of all the courses are programmed, and
    4. timetable the indicative hours specified in the Loading... and/or Board Endorsed course.
  3. Students must satisfactorily complete these curriculum requirements to be eligible for the award of the HSC.

Online resources

Related ACE Rules

For further information

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