Cardijn College offers a broad variety of subjects in the senior years giving all students the opportunity to choose a course of study that caters for their individual interests and talents. We are proud to be a College delivering the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE), an internationally recognised qualification, which acts as a passport to employment or tertiary study.
Our aim in the senior years is to provide a rigorous curriculum that prepares students for employment or tertiary study. We are also proud to provide multiple pathways to students while still at school, making available Vocational and Educational Training opportunities.
The world our students will live in is characterised by rapid change and as such we recognise that the future of our students is not found in our past.
As a community we are committed to learning, understanding and applying, as distinct from simply knowing and reproducing.
Cardijn College strives to develop our students’ capabilities in literacy and numeracy while developing their information and communication technology skills.
Our students are taught to be critical and creative thinkers, have well developed personal and social skills, which are underpinned by an understanding of ethical and intercultural understanding.
Our students have so many opportunities available to them; all of which play a part in their personal development. This Curriculum Guide details the course offerings at Cardijn College for 2024.
For further information please contact:
|
Ashleigh Taylor |
Chris Burrows |
The SACE Defined
The SACE (South Australian Certificate of Education) is a certificate awarded to students who successfully complete their secondary education.
The Requirements of the SACE
To gain the SACE, students complete about two years of full-time study, which most students spread over three years.
There are two stages:
Each subject or course successfully completed earns ‘credits’ towards the SACE, with a minimum of 200 credits required for students to gain the certificate.
Students will receive a grade from A to E for each Stage 1 subject and A+ to E- at Stage 2. For compulsory subjects they will need to achieve a C grade or better.
The compulsory subjects are:
The remaining 90 credits can be gained through additional Stage 1 or Stage 2 subjects or SACE Board of SA recognised courses (such as VET or community learning) of a student’s choice.
| Requirements | Credits |
| Year 10 | |
| Personal Learning Plan # | 10 |
| Year 11 (Stage 1) | |
| Literacy (from a range of English subjects and courses) # | 20 |
| Numeracy (from a range of mathematics subjects and courses)# | 10 |
| Year 11 or 12 (Stages 1 or 2) | |
| Other subjects and courses of the student’s choice * | up to 90 |
| Year 12 (Stage 2) | |
| Research Project ^ | 10 |
| Other Stage 2 subjects and courses ^ | 60 or more |
| Total Credits | 200 |
# Stage 1 compulsory subjects and courses
^ Stage 2 compulsory subjects and courses
* Other subjects and courses
Note: Most students will complete subjects or courses worth more than 90 credits at Stage 1 and 70 credits at Stage 2.
Stage 1
Personal Learning Plan
Stage 1 of the SACE begins with the Personal Learning Plan, which Cardijn College offers as a Year 10 subject. The Personal Learning Plan helps students to plan for their future including:
Students will also examine their strengths and weaknesses and how to build on these.
The Personal Learning Plan is worth 10 credits. As this is a compulsory subject, each student needs to gain a C grade or better to achieve the SACE.
Literacy and Numeracy
The SACE has compulsory literacy and numeracy requirements at Stage 1.
At Stage 1, each student needs to earn 20 credits from a choice of Stage 1 English subjects and achieve a C grade or better.
Likewise, each student must earn 10 credits from a range of Stage 1 Mathematics subjects and achieve a C grade or better.
Stage 1 Assessment
At Stage 1, schools access student performance against SACE approved learning and assessment plans. The SACE Board may moderate the Personal Learning Plan and the compulsory English and Mathematics subjects at the C/D borderline. The Board will also monitor student results to support teacher understanding of the consistent application of performance standards.
Stage 2
The Stage 2 requirements are described below.
Research Project
The Research Project is a compulsory Stage 2 subject, worth 10 credits and students will need to gain a C- grade or better in the Research Project to achieve the SACE.
The Research Project gives students the opportunity to study an area of interest in depth. It allows students to use their creativity and initiative, while developing the research and presentation skills they will need in further study or work.
Other Stage 2 requirements
In addition to the Research Project, students must achieve at least 60 credits in their choice of Stage 2 subjects or courses and achieve a C- grade or better in those courses to achieve the SACE.
To be eligible for an ATAR students must:
(* at least 60 credits of study must be from 20 credit Tertiary Admissions Subjects)
Stage 2 Assessment
At Stage 2, assessment will be 70 percent school-based, with the remaining 30 percent assessed externally. SACE Board Moderation will confirm that school-based assessment levels are consistent with each subject’s performance standards.
Higher Education Selection
Comprehensive information is available from the South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre (SATAC) and is detailed in the booklet, Tertiary Entrance in South Australia and the Northern Territory 2023, 2024, 2025. Information is also available on the SATAC website by visiting www.satac.edu.au/satac-publications.
University Entry
In brief, students applying for university entry in 2022 and beyond must:
• complete the SACE
• complete at least 90 credits of SACE Stage 2 subjects of which at least three 60 credits must be from 20-credit Tertiary Admissions Subjects (TAS) - for details of the remaining 30 credits, see the SATAC Tertiary Entrance booklet
• complete any prerequisite subject requirements for their chosen university course
• obtain an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR)
• avoid precluded subject combinations.
For further information regarding university courses visit their websites:
University of Adelaide: www.adelaide.edu.au
University of South Australia: www.unisa.edu.au
Flinders University: www.flinders.edu.au
Note: Some 10 credit subjects in the same area, when studied in pairs, can substitute for a 20 credit subject. These are called Valid Pairs. Such subjects are identified in the SATAC Guide.
Stage 2 Community Studies A & Stage 2 Community Connections cannot be used to gain University entry
Assumed Knowledge
Many university courses/programs recommend that commencing students have background knowledge in one or more specified Stage 1 or Stage 2 subjects or have an identified skill which will enhance the student’s understanding of the course/program content. This is known as assumed knowledge.
Assumed knowledge is not compulsory and is not used in the selection process for entry to university courses/ programs. Statements of assumed knowledge are intended purely to assist students in understanding course/program content and to allow them to make subject choices which may be of benefit to them in their future tertiary studies.
Prerequisite
A SACE Stage 2 subject or equivalent in which a student must achieve a minimum grade of C- (or equivalent) to be eligible for selection into a course.
Students are required to complete compulsory credits as part of the SACE requirements.
Compulsory Requirements:
Students are free to choose, with the school counselling process, subjects that will support their future pathways.
English Subjects (20 credits required)
Mathematics Subjects (10 credits required)
Religious Education (10 credits required)
Free Choice Subjects (90 credits required)
Religious Education (10 credits required)
^ This subject does not lead to university but will enable students to attain their SACE
* This subject is compulsory at Cardijn
# This subject is compulsory in the SACE and can be taken in Stage 1 or Stage 2
There are a number of factors to consider in making subject choices.
Planning for the future
Students need to consider their future aspirations in broad areas such as:
Preparation for life
A balanced course should not only provide the prerequisites for career paths beyond school, but also prepare students to be better-informed citizens and provide opportunities to follow and build on personal interests.
Making informed decisions
Students should consider their past strengths and weaknesses in:
They should also explore their level of commitment to further study, their past reports and assessment results, and seek support from teachers and family members who can help students in these considerations.
Know the requirements of particular higher education courses or occupations
Students should carefully research pre-requisites or preferred subjects now, to ensure they choose a Stage 1 and Stage 2 course, which will provide the opportunity to meet all requirements.
Link Stage 1 and Stage 2 together
When choosing Stage 1 subjects, have in mind possible choices at Stage 2. Read the preferred background of Stage 2 courses when deciding on Stage 1 subjects. Finally, the course of subjects that students choose should be the one that suits their abilities, interests and aspirations. The senior secondary years should be a positive learning experience in which students can reach their potential and be successful.
SACE unit at another school or institution
Some students may undertake to study a SACE unit at another institution, Open Access College or the SA Secondary School of Languages. The cost involved in this enrolment will need to be
covered by the student.
Selection For Stage 1
As outlined in Section 2.2, students must satisfy the SACE curriculum pattern.
The table below will assist students in identifying their initial subject choices.
Stage 1 Subject Pattern
10 credits Personal Learning Plan
(Year 10) Compulsory
10 credits Religious Education Compulsory at Cardijn
(enrolled over the full year)
20 credits English/ Essential English Compulsory
10 credits Mathematics Compulsory
90 credits Free Choice - Teachers and family members can help students in these considerations.
Note: While it is not compulsory, it is recommended that students undertake a whole year (20 credits) of Mathematics.
Selection For Stage 2
Students must satisfy the SACE curriculum pattern. The following information will assist students in identifying their initial subject choices.
Stage 2 Subject Pattern
• 10 credits Religious Education
• 80 credits Free Choice
• 10 credits Research Project if undertaken in Year 12
Subject Outlines
The subjects offered at Cardijn College are presented in three separate sections, Year 10, Stage 1 and Stage 2.
Each subject is presented in a similar format:
Duration of course
Length of course to be taught, ie semester and/or full year.
Entry point (Stage 1)
Indicates when a student can start their study of a subject.
Recommendations (Stage 2)
Preferred previous study or particular skills or interests which prepare the student for a subject.
Subject Description
The aims or objectives, which guide learning and assessment in the subject.
Content
The topics, themes or types of learning that should occur in the subject.
Evidence of learning
The types or categories of assessment for the subject.
Other information
Any further information that may assist in choosing the subject.
Note: This guide identifies subjects which are initially offered to students. Some subjects may have to be cancelled due to insufficient numbers of students. If subjects are cancelled, students will be counselled in a subsequent selection.
