To be eligible for a RoSA, students must have:

• completed the mandatory curriculum requirements for a course of study in Years 7-10
• attended a government school, an accredited non-government school or a recognised school outside NSW.
• completed courses of study that satisfy NESA curriculum and assessment requirements for the RoSA.
• complied with the requirements of the Education Act 1990.

Refer to ACE 1.1, 4.1, 5.1.

The RoSA includes an A to E grade for Stage 5 and Preliminary (ACE 2.2) NESA developed and endorsed courses of study that the student has satisfactorily completed. Grades are:

• based on student achievement in their assessment work
• due for submission to NESA in Term 4
• monitored by NESA for fairness and consistency.

Schools must have policies and procedures for determining grades that will be submitted to NESA. The policies and procedures must include:

• an assessment plan for every 100-hour or 200-hour graded Stage 5 course (except for courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content, or Stage 5 VET courses, and
• procedures for determining grades (ACE 2.3), and
• procedures for retaining student work samples (ACE 2.4).

Schools can check patterns of grades awarded in recent years by referring to their historical allocation of grades for Stage 5 and Preliminary Courses at Schools Online.

Department of Education approved elective courses are reported on internally by schools and will not be listed on the RoSA.

VET courses may count towards the award of the RoSA if:

• the course was developed or endorsed by NESA (ACE 14.1.1)
• the course was taught in line with the syllabus or course description, and indicative hour requirements
• the student has satisfactorily completed the course (ACE 4.1), including any mandatory work placement requirements.

Refer to ACE 14.

The Disability Standards for Education 2005 outline the legislative requirements for schools to support students with disability to equitably access and participate in education. Life Skills outcomes and content provide options for students with an intellectual disability or an imputed intellectual disability in Years 7–10 who cannot access stage or prior stage outcomes and content. To impute a disability, the school must have reasonable evidence that a student’s learning is impacted by disability. A student whose learning is affected by other factors, such as school attendance, proficiency with the English language, or disrupted schooling, would not be classified as having a disability.

Life Skills outcomes and content can be accessed in all Years 7–10 syllabuses.

Decisions about accessing Life Skills outcomes and content are made collaboratively:

• based on the needs of the individual student, and
• via collaborative curriculum planning, and
• involving the individual student (where appropriate), their parents/carers, and their teachers.

Life Skills outcomes and content in Years 7–10 syllabuses are not appropriate options for students:

• who do not have an intellectual disability or an imputed intellectual disability
• experiencing significant unexpected and/or chronic health issues
• performing below their cohort
• who could be helped with appropriate adjustments and support
• with emotional and/or behavioural needs.

A student accessing Life Skills outcomes and content cannot return to studying stage or prior stage outcomes and content in a course once a decision to access Life Skills has been made. Students accessing Life Skills outcomes and content must continue studying Life Skills outcomes and content in current and subsequent stages of schooling.

Schools submit information in Schools Online regarding outcomes that have been achieved, either independently or with support, for all students enrolled in courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content (ACE 11.1.2).

Students who satisfactorily complete a Stage 5 course based on Life Skills outcomes and content and leave school before completing their HSC will have the course reported on the RoSA (ACE 1.1.1) with the notation Refer to Profile of Student Achievement.

Students who leave school prior to gaining the RoSA can access a Transcript of Study in Students Online. If the student has satisfactorily completed one or more Stage 5 courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content, a Profile of Student Achievement can be accessed. Refer to ACE 11.1.

Outcomes achieved in School Developed Board Endorsed courses (ACE 5.2) will not be reported on the Profile of Student Achievement.

Students who leave school before finishing Year 10 are not eligible for a RoSA. If students leave after Year 10 and still do not meet RoSA requirements, they will be issued with a Transcript of Study.

The Transcript of Study is a record of courses satisfactorily completed.

Students who transfer from overseas or interstate to a NSW school during Stages 5 and 6 may still be eligible for a RoSA. Refer to ACE 3.2.

Schools must request a RoSA credential or Transcript of Study before a student leaves school via Schools Online. Schools should enter all relevant data before applying.

Schools request a RoSA or Transcript of Study through the enrolments section in Schools Online. NESA will send a PDF of the RoSA or Transcript of Study to the Students Online account of the individual student, usually within 48 hours of the request.

Students cannot directly request a RoSA or Transcript of Study themselves.

It is good practice to:

• provide some information to students in hard copy about leaving school, the RoSA, the optional literacy and numeracy tests and the NESA Up2now website.
• hold information sessions for students and their parents to ensure they understand the eligibility requirements and optional opportunities listed below (access to interpreting and translations services is available if required)
• complete collaborative personalised post-school transition planning for students, including those with disability.

Many employers and places of further education are interested in more than just academic results. Up2now is an online tool for NSW high school students to record, organise and share their extracurricular activities.

The up2now tool allows students to create an online portfolio, where they can present their broader learning, awards and achievements, community service and volunteering experience, showcase their artwork, and create resumes. Students can create multiple portfolios and export to PDF or share a portfolio online with prospective employers or use it to access other education and training pathways.

Careers advisers and class teachers employed in schools can use up2now to work with students intending to leave school prior to the HSC.

Only schools can register to access up2now. Once registered, schools receive further details about how to enrol students.

Principals must ensure that:

• courses of study offered by the school for RoSA candidates are being taught and assessed in accordance with the requirements of NSW syllabuses and related documents
• school procedures are in place to ensure that all students at the school who may be eligible for the RoSA
  • are entered into the correct courses in Schools Online
  • sign their Confirmation of Entry form
  • have satisfactorily completed the All My Own Work (or its equivalent) if entered for at least one Year 11 course
  • activate their Students Online account
• school procedures are in place to ensure compliance with requirements for
  • student entries into Schools Online
  • student arrivals, leavers, transfers, and exchange students (ACE 3.3.3, 13.8.1)
  • study with an outside tutor or external provider (ACE 13.7.2)
  • accelerated progression and accumulation of courses (ACE 13.1.2)
  • satisfactory completion and non-completion of courses (ACE 4.1.1, 4.2.1)
  • submission of grades (ACE 2.3.1)
• schools may choose to offer and/or deliver Years 7-10 elective courses which may be studied in any year. However, elective courses cannot replace the mandatory RoSA curriculum as set out in the ACE rules. Elective courses in Year 9 and 10 contribute towards the RoSA if:
  • the student is entered in the course (ACE 3.3.1) in Schools Online, and
  • the course is taught as specified in the syllabus or VET course description (ACE 14.1.1), and associated indicative-hour requirements, and
  • the student has satisfactorily completed (ACE 4.1.1) the course
• where a student in Years 9-12 undertakes a VET course delivered by the school, the school has procedures in place to ensure
  • the VET course is delivered in accordance with the Public Schools NSW RTOs Training and Assessment Strategy
  • the student’s Unique Student Identifier (USI) is verified and uploaded to Schools Online
  • course and competency entries and reporting of outcomes are completed in accordance with NESA timelines and procedures (including for students who withdraw)
  • relevant Course Information Guide checklists are completed and submitted to the Registered Training Organisation (RTO) by the end of Term 1
  • any work placement is carried out in accordance with the department’s Workplace Learning policy and procedures
• where a student in Years 9-12 undertakes a VET course that is not delivered by the school, the school has procedures in place to ensure they fulfil the school’s responsibilities detailed in the document ‘VET User Guide for Schools Online’ which can be found in the ‘Memos and Documents’ section in Schools Online.