What is the project?

The SACE Board’s Capabilities & Learner Profile project introduces the development and recognition of capabilities alongside academic achievement (grades) to provide a more holistic view of students achievements. We are making progress to develop, fairly and formally recognise and showcase more of what young people know and can do.

This project is central to the SACE Board’s commitment to enable all students to thrive through provision of a future-focused, and internationally sought-after qualification.

Pilot 1

During 2022, 23 SACE Change Network schools piloted the recognition of students capabilities showcased through a Learner Profile.

Pilot 1 worked with teachers and school leaders to support teachers understanding and conceptualisation of capabilities and how to recognise them.

The pilot also worked with tertiary institutions and industry to explore how capability data could support students to make better decisions about their future pathways.

An evaluation of pilot 1 supported the direction we are taking in developing, recognising and showcasing student capabilities. The pilot highlighted a number of areas to focus on for the future. 

Pilot 2

Our second pilot commenced in term 2 2023, with 42 schools and approximately 1,000 students. The pilot centred on better understanding student perspectives of developing and recognising capabilities, with a focus on:

• the value of recognising capabilities alongside subject achievement
• opportunities to showcase capabilities
• support for students
• student wellbeing

Some of the encouraging responses from the pilot students include:

“It accurately shows who you are as a person compared to what subject you chose”.

“It means that students are not just defined as a number and that learning is able to be appreciated as something beyond the classroom, and not just as a transferring of information”.

“It allows for the work I do out of school to be acknowledged and valued”.

Students also looked for assurance that their efforts in developing capabilities will be valued by universities, industries, and employers. The SACE Board has been developing new relationships outside of education to progress ways to better match students to post-school pathways and explore the utility of a learner profile.

Pilot 2 evaluation uncovered some valuable learnings that have informed the directions and scope of work for pilot 3 in 2024. Updated resources that highlight these learnings, including the evaluation summary and recent Stories from pilot, are available below.

Pilot 3

We are excited to continue our work with schools and pathways partners in 2024 with a third pilot of the Capabilities and Learner Profile. To support the consolidation of learning from the pilots so far, the 2024 pilot will be contained to current pilot schools only.

Pilot 3 will run through terms 2-4 with a focus on learning design and building agency in students and their opportunities to develop and evidence capabilities.

What’s Next

Following pilot 3, learnings and insights will be shared with all schools and inform further development and next steps.