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.
Conducting HSC minimum standard tests
NESA is authorised under sections 20A(2) and 95(1)(f) of the Education Act 1990 (NSW) to grant the HSC to students who have complied with any requirements imposed by the Minister or Authority.
8.3.1 Sitting and supervising the HSC minimum standard tests
Categories
Sitting the tests
- During a minimum standard test, students and post-school leavers must not:
- leave the test window, nor
- view any other websites, nor
- access notes or unauthorised materials.
Supervising the tests
- Students must be supervised under test conditions while attempting the minimum standard tests. Students are not permitted to attempt the tests from home.
- Principals must nominate a test coordinator to administer the tests.
- Test coordinators must:
- work with principals and other teaching staff to arrange appropriate supervision of students, and
- ensure all arrangements for the administration of the test are made as per the Minimum Standard Test Administration Handbook.
Post-school leavers
- Post-school leavers must be supervised while attempting the minimum standard tests. NESA will make arrangements directly with the post-school leaver.
Online resources
Related ACE Rules
For further information
For Minimum Standard enquiries including HSC minimum standard illness/misadventure, email LNsupport@nesa.nsw.edu.au or phone 1800 200 955.
8.3.2 Malpractice and breaches of HSC minimum standard test rules
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Malpractice and breaches of test rules
- All work in a minimum standard test must be the student or post-school leaver’s own work.
- Students and post-school leavers must not engage in malpractice, as defined in the NESA Malpractice Policy.
- Principals must notify NESA of any instance of suspected malpractice or breach of test rules, as soon as possible after a student has completed a minimum standard test.
- Principals must:
- complete the HSC Minimum Standard Literacy and Numeracy Tests: Suspected Breach of Test Rules or Malpractice form, which can be found in Loading...
- email the form to studentsupport@nesa.nsw.edu.au.
Possible penalties
- Where NESA determines a student or post-school leaver has engaged in malpractice, breached test rules, or written an offensive response:
- the result of the test attempt will not be used to demonstrate achievement of the HSC minimum standard
- penalties may be extended to other HSC exam results.
Online resources
Related ACE Rules
For further information
For enquiries about malpractice or disability provisions, email studentsupport@nesa.nsw.edu.au.
8.3.3 Illness or misadventure before, or during an HSC minimum standard test
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Students
- Students may re-attempt a minimum standard test at another time if they are prevented from a reasonable attempt at a test due to school-verified illness or misadventure.
- Principals must:
- verify illness or misadventure that prevents a student from reasonably attempting a minimum standard test, and
- organise for that student to re-attempt the test.
- NESA makes no provision for school-based assessment or estimated marks to be substituted for minimum standard test results.
Post-school leavers
- Post-school leavers may re-attempt a minimum standard test at another time if they are prevented from attending a test or making a reasonable attempt due to verified illness or misadventure.
- Post-school leavers must notify NESA at LNsupport@nesa.nsw.edu.au if an incident occurs before or during a minimum standard test, and may request NESA to cancel the test and arrange another test time.1
- NESA may arrange for post-school leavers to re-attempt the test.
Online resources
Related ACE Rules
For further information
For Minimum Standard enquiries including HSC minimum standard illness/misadventure, email LNsupport@nesa.nsw.edu.au or phone 1800 200 955.
Footnotes
The cancelled test will not count as a test attempt.
8.3.4 Requesting an inquiry into a minimum standard test result
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Requesting an inquiry into a minimum standard test result
- Principals may request an inquiry into a student’s minimum standard test result where the performance of that student is below expectations.
- Principal inquiry requests must:
- be supported by the principal’s reason for expecting a different result
- include a student’s name and NESA student number, and
- be emailed to msr@nesa.nsw.edu.au
- A principal is the only person who can request an inquiry.
- NESA’s decision about a principal inquiry is final.
Online resources
For further information
Principals requesting an inquiry into a minimum standard test result must email msr@nesa.nsw.edu.au in accordance with the rules.