Our school criteria

All schools planning to offer the SACE must demonstrate their eligibility to do so as part of the accreditation process. 

We know that SACE schools come in many forms.  What our schools all share is a commitment to delivering the best possible education for their students. In becoming an accredited SACE school, we see whether you align and meet our quality standards in five key areas. You can find out more about what we look for below. 

The school's mission and educational values 

We require that: 

1. The school has a clear mission statement that makes reference to its educational values. 
2. The culture of the school is learner-centred and supports students and teachers to become confident, responsible, reflective, innovative and engaged. 
3. International awareness and global perspectives are promoted through the curriculum and other activities. 
4. Relationships between staff and students are positive, demonstrate mutual respect, and the school has established and consistent expectations of behaviour. 

School management and leadership

We require that: 

1. The school principal is suitably qualified and experienced in educational leadership. 
2. The senior management team demonstrate clear goals for the successful introduction of the SACE and can demonstrate planning to support effective implementation. 
3. The school has a robust marketing and recruitment strategy to attract SACE students. 
4. Senior staff are committed to setting targets for school improvement and staff development, supported by well-designed performance reviews and self-evaluation. 
5. There is effective and transparent management of school budgets. 
6. A complaints procedure is in place that effectively manages complaints for parents and other stakeholders. 

Quality of teaching and learning

We require that: 

1. The school is appropriately resourced with sufficient staff employed in management, teaching and support roles. 
2. The school curriculum is clearly expressed and accessible to teachers, students and their parents. 
3. Assessment outcomes are monitored and evaluated with clear feedback on teaching and learning strategies. 
4. Teachers have appropriate qualifications to deliver the SACE successfully. 
   • Teachers should also have at least three years' experience teaching at either high school, senior secondary or university level.  
   • They should hold a bachelor’s degree, postgraduate diploma or higher qualification in their teaching subject.  
   • They should hold a teaching qualification at a bachelor’s degree or postgraduate diploma level or higher.  
   • Qualifications should be from an English-speaking university program; otherwise, the teacher should hold an English language teaching qualification, e.g., TESOL.  
5. Teaching takes account of students' diverse learning styles and individual needs. 
6. The school has a well-designed approach to the professional development of teachers and other staff. 
7. The school has a clear policy to address the language needs of learners.