ANNUAL REPORT 31 December 2014 © SACE Board of South Australia ABN 87 604 513 459 ISBN 978 1 74102 789 1 (online version) ISBN 978 1 74102 790 7 (printed version) ISSN 0815–2004 Prepared by the Communications Group SACE Board of South Australia 60 Greenhill Road Wayville South Australia 5034 Telephone: +61 8 8372 7400 Facsimile: +61 8 8372 7590 Email: [email protected] Website Address: www.sace.sa.edu.au South Australian Certificate of Education 60 Greenhill Road Wayville SA 5034 Phone +61 8 8372 7400 Fax +61 8 8372 7590 [email protected] www.sace.sa.edu.au ABN 87 604 513 459 Monday 30 March 2015 To the Honourable Susan Close MP Minister for Education and Child Development Dear Minister I am pleased to submit the 2014 Annual Report of the SACE Board of South Australia, in accordance with the SACE Board of South Australia Act 1983 and the Department of the Premier and Cabinet Circular, PC013 — Annual Reporting Requirements (2014). This report documents the activities and achievements of the SACE Board of South Australia for the period 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2014. Yours sincerely Jane Danvers Presiding Member of the Board SACE Board of South Australia CONTENTS Presiding Member’s Statement 1 Chief Executive’s Statement 4 The SACE Board of South Australia 6 Strategic Plan 2012–16 10 Curriculum, Assessment, and Standards 12 SACE Curriculum 12 Board-recognised Courses 15 Assessment and Standards 16 SACE as a Best Practice Qualification 19 SACE Directions and Actions 19 Providing the SACE to International Communities 20 Continuous Improvement 21 Professional Capacity and Partnerships 23 Assessment Capacity 23 Schools and School Sectors 25 Key Stakeholders 27 Communication 29 Student Outcomes 31 Success Indicators 31 Recognition of Excellence 33 Student Pathways 34 Human Resources Management Reporting 36 Operations Management Reporting 40 Financial Management Reporting 43 Appendix A: Board Profiles 44 Appendix B: Curriculum Leaders Groups 48 Appendix C: Accredited Subjects 54 Appendix D: Prizes and Awards 58 Appendix E: Governor’s Awards and Merit List 59 Appendix F: SACE Board Statistics 72 Appendix G: Financial Statements for the Year Ended 73 31 December 2014 SACE Board Annual Report 2014 v PRESIDING MEMBER’S STATEMENT I have pleasure in submitting the 2014 Annual One of the ways in which the Board is assured Report of the SACE Board of South Australia in that it is fulfilling its legislative role is to consider accordance with section 20 of the SACE Board the qualities that young people develop as a of South Australia Act 1983. The report records result of graduating with the SACE. the activities of the Board for the year ended 31 We know that they are self-directed learners who December 2014. are able to think independently and critically, I would like to acknowledge and thank Dr Neil and who can analyse and evaluate information, McGoran, Chief Executive of the SACE Board, solve problems, and plan and manage a project who commenced in this position in October that achieves an outcome. The reason we know 2013. this is because these are the qualities, skills, and Dr McGoran, formerly Principal of Nazareth attributes that are valued, taught, assessed, and Catholic College, embraced his new role with certified when a young person undertakes the enthusiasm, dedication, and a commitment SACE in South Australia, the Northern Territory, to the principles and values underpinning the Malaysia, or China. work of the SACE Board, and enshrined in the These are the qualities, skills, and attributes that SACE Board of South Australia Act: ‘all young define a successful SACE student, and which people are to be encouraged to obtain a formal in turn are the basis for the Board’s work. The education qualification that helps them to live SACE Board Strategic Plan 2012–2016 has as and participate successfully in the world as it its central vision ‘student success through the constantly changes, after taking into account SACE’, underpinned by its mission to ‘provide their goals and abilities’. a locally and internationally respected SACE This key legislative principle underscores the that gives all students the capabilities to move importance of education in shaping the future successfully into further learning and work as lives of our young people. As a Principal myself, confident and responsible citizens’. I share Dr McGoran’s and my fellow Board In 2014 the SACE Board continued to work members’ commitment to ensuring that all young towards meeting its key strategic goals and people in South Australia are to be encouraged objectives, defined as follows: to achieve the South Australian Certificate of • advocating for students Education (SACE), and that when they do so, this will attest to the fact that they are suitably • strengthening SACE innovation and relevance equipped to live, work, and learn in a constantly • delivering quality outcomes changing world. • building professional capacity. As Presiding Member, I am aware of the SACE I would like to highlight some of the Board’s Board’s responsibility to fulfil the legislative achievements in 2014 with respect to these key principles of the Act through the provision objectives. of a high quality, internationally recognised educational qualification. To this end, it has In August, the inaugural Research Project always been a key objective of the Board to work Student Expo was held, attracting over 4000 in partnership with our key stakeholders and attendees, including students, teachers, those who play a critical role in the delivery of educators, employers, and members of the education to our young people: our schools and public. The expo was an initiative that arose out school communities, the three school sectors, of the SACE Board’s response to the SACE First and the teachers, school leaders, and educators Year Evaluation, and was designed to highlight who are at the front line of education delivery. students’ research projects, with a focus on students currently undertaking, or about to By developing and building upon these undertake, the Research Project. relationships, the Board is in the best position to undertake its work, in the full knowledge of Presentations were given by students, educators how young people learn and the best ways of from the universities, and business leaders. delivering learning to young people to maximise Feedback from participants and attendees was their successful achievement of the SACE. uniformly and overwhelmingly positive, with SACE Board Annual Report 2014 1 many indicating that their preparedness for college that have been accredited by the SACE completing this subject, or indeed for teaching Board to deliver the qualification. it, had been greatly enhanced. As a result the These partnership arrangements not only event will be held again in 2015 and many highlight the worth of the SACE as an schools have already indicated their wish to be internationally valued and recognised senior involved. secondary qualification, but also demonstrate I am highlighting the Research Project Student that the SACE is an educational ‘product’ that Expo because the introduction of the compulsory showcases the best that South Australia has to Research Project subject in the SACE has offer to students worldwide who seek to gain a not been without controversy. I would like to pre-university qualification that will give them the challenge the detractors of this subject by greatest opportunity for their future study and pointing out that one of the greatest educational career success. gifts we can provide to our young people is the In 2014 the SACE Board focused considerable ability to learn how to learn: to be an empowered effort on raising the profile of the SACE learner who can think independently and International program (the offshore delivery critically, and who can learn anything, anywhere, of the SACE) as a high-quality, internationally at any time. The successful completion of the recognised pre-university qualification, and on Research Project enables the SACE Board to sourcing new markets for delivery of the SACE. certify that a young person is, indeed, just such an empowered learner. A young person who Emerging interest from China in flexible delivery successfully completes the Research Project models for the SACE means that the SACE has learnt how to think, not just what to think. Board, and schools, are increasingly considering ways in which students can access the SACE, I would also like to highlight the establishment of both onshore and offshore. This has led to the the Institute of Educational Assessors, which is development of the South Australian Senior another initiative arising out of the SACE Board’s Secondary Education Alliance — an alliance response to the SACE First Year Evaluation. of South Australian schools, together with the The SACE Board’s decision to establish the SACE Board, who have agreed to work together Institute recognises that assessment expertise to build a presence in Asia and develop delivery contributes significantly to successful student models by which students are able to complete learning which, once again, is the core, the SACE. underpinning principle upon which the SACE Such models include combinations of onshore Board’s work rests. and offshore educational delivery of the SACE, I am personally proud of the Board’s support for partnership agreements between South the establishment of the Institute, which is an Australian schools and Chinese schools for Australia-first initiative, and which will provide the delivery of the SACE, and the use of online professional learning to school personnel delivery for some of the SACE. and educators, as well as lead research into These innovations underscore the fact that the assessment practice and pedagogy. SACE is highly valued by parents in China (and The delivery of professional learning by the other parts of Asia more generally) who are in Institute will commence in 2015 and already the market for the best possible qualification and many schools have indicated their support eventual career outcome for their children.