Capabilities within the SACE Feasibility Program (2026-27) | FAQ's
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- What is the ‘Capabilities within the SACE Feasibility Program’?
- What are capabilities and why are they important?
- How will students benefit?
- How are schools supporting the development of student capabilities?
- How will students’ capabilities be recognised?
- Is the ‘Capabilities within the SACE Feasibility Program’ being implemented system-wide?
- Are capabilities being included in the renewed SACE subjects?
- Will recognising capabilities replace subject-based assessment?
- Can students fail a subject if they ‘fail’ a capability?
- What are the next steps?
What is the ‘Capabilities within the SACE Feasibility Program’?
The Capabilities within the SACE – Feasibility Program (2026–27) marks a shift from the SACE pilot initiative of capabilities and a learner profile to a formal feasibility study to understand whether the development and recognition of students' capabilities support the broad diversity of SACE students. This work captures a comprehensive view of a student’s achievements, recognising academic grades alongside their capabilities.
Our Capabilities and Learner Profile program, which completed its fourth pilot in 2025, was developed to explore how we can intentionally develop and recognise students’ capabilities. It was driven by our focus on equipping every student to thrive in an ever-changing world.
Building on the expertise and experience of our participating schools, our 2026 program includes a limited number of new schools which brings greater diversity of representation and new perspectives from across the system.
What are capabilities and why are they important?
Capabilities are a mixture of skills and abilities that are continuously developed throughout a person’s life, both inside and outside the classroom. These capabilities go beyond academic knowledge, encompassing qualities like problem-solving, communication, adaptability, creativity, relationship-building and perseverance. A focus on capabilities enables students to apply their learning in real-world contexts and provides a foundation for lifelong learning and growth.
The SACE Board is currently focussing on the development and recognition of the following capabilities:
Collective Engagement
Share success: with communities
By forming connections with people and teams who have different ways of knowing and being.
Personal Enterprise
Open doors: find opportunities
By pursuing ideas and creating new paths, getting things done and setting the pace.
Principled Action
Embrace perspectives: honour difference
By growing awareness of different actions and recognising the impact they may have.
Quality Thinking
Stretch minds: through global curiosity
By knowing more than facts and figures, pausing to think and asking why.
Self-motivated Learning
Strengthen ownership: grasp responsibilities
By identifying strengths and opportunities and embracing failure as a first attempt in learning.
These capabilities complement those outlined in the national Australian Curriculum, which schools use to support students’ development in the early and middle years. They have been identified by schools, industry, employers, and further education providers as essential for young people’s future success in both work and life.
How will students benefit?
The Capabilities within the SACE Feasibility Program is exploring how the SACE qualification can celebrate each student’s individuality, recognising the unique qualities of every learner alongside their subject grades.
Complementing academic achievement, capabilities can be developed in many different contexts — in the classroom, through extracurricular programs, work experience, community involvement, personal experiences, social relationships and more — showcasing the richness of the learning experiences that contribute to a student’s growth. This holistic view provides a fuller picture of a student's strengths and achievements.
By knowing and understanding their capabilities, students may be equipped with the confidence to move forward with a clearer sense of who they are and what they can achieve. Students develop the language to promote their strengths with confidence, articulate their goals and aspirations, and chart a clear path toward success. It’s about helping students realise and embrace their full potential.
How are schools supporting the development of student capabilities?
Schools already support the development of student capabilities through SACE subjects and other activities. Schools participating in the Capabilities within the SACE Feasibility Program are engaging with teachers and students to evidence ways to support the development of student capabilities relevant to their context. Some of these ways include through subject-based learning, extra-curricular activities, special programs such as mentoring, home group, or career programs, or by connecting with members of the local community. Learnings from the program will inform the future direction of this work.
How will students’ capabilities be recognised?
In 2026, participating students will develop and evidence their capabilities in a range of formal, informal, and non-formal contexts. Teachers observe a broad spectrum of evidence to determine the typical demonstration of competence of a student and capture the level of competence of the student through a digital platform.
Is the ‘Capabilities within the SACE Feasibility Program’ being implemented system-wide?
No. This is a complex project that requires the SACE Board, schools, and our partners to work in partnership to navigate the change to ensure maximum benefit for students before any governance decisions.
We are intentionally containing the scope while we determine whether the program is feasible and equitable for the full diversity of students in the SACE. Our 2026 program includes a limited number of additional schools which will bring greater diversity of representation and new perspectives from across the system.
By including a more diverse range of schools and student cohorts in the program, we can explore and make informed decisions about our next steps.
As we progress, there will be opportunities for the wider education community to learn more about the work and engage with aspects of it.
Are capabilities being included in the renewed SACE subjects?
Current SACE subjects already include capabilities, and the learning and assessment programs that teachers design currently provide inherent opportunities for students to demonstrate capabilities.
Yes, the renewed capabilities focus and updated capabilities will be included in renewed subjects. This renewal process will create more opportunities for students to demonstrate capabilities and make them more explicit in the learning and assessment programs that teachers design.
Read more about Subject Renewal
Will recognising capabilities replace subject-based assessment?
Subjects in the SACE contribute to the development of a student’s capabilities, and this is additional information to the subject achievement in the SACE. The Capabilities within the SACE Feasibility Program is exploring evidencing the development of capabilities within existing school structures, programs, and SACE subjects and sit alongside subject achievement.
Can students fail a subject if they ‘fail’ a capability?
No, capabilities are not about passing or failing, and a student cannot fail a capability. A capability is not a score and is different to a subject grade, which is an achievement level in a subject area. Capabilities are recognised against a developmental progression.
What are the next steps?
The Capabilities within the SACE Feasibility Program 2026-27 will gather data from participating schools to test its feasibility across a broad diversity of students in the system. This will include feedback from students, teachers, and education leaders.
A comprehensive program of Subject Renewal is also underway to enable deeper, real-world learning, develop disciplinary knowledge, and embed capabilities in renewed subjects.
In addition, we will continue to work with the tertiary education sector to explore the potential of pathways to university admission that consider student capabilities. There is potential for this approach to enable students to better understand their strengths and be better matched to pathways and courses that align with their skills, interests, and aspirations.
Our continued collaboration with industry groups also helps us ensure that the skills and capabilities that young people develop throughout their SACE journey adequately prepare them for the evolving demands of the world of work.
It’s an exciting time for senior secondary education as we lead the way in innovating our curriculum and approach to ensure every student has the opportunity to thrive.
The development of capabilities of students plays a key role in this transformation, helping students unlock their full potential and succeed in an ever-changing world.