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NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA)

Accessing Stage 6 Life Skills courses

ACE 7002

Last Updated: 4 December 2017

All students are entitled to participate in and progress through the curriculum. Life Skills courses provide course options for students with disability in Years 11–12 who cannot access the regular course outcomes, particularly students with an intellectual disability.

Before deciding that the student should access a Life Skills course, consideration should be given to other ways of helping the student to engage with regular course outcomes. This may include a range of adjustments to teaching, learning and assessment activities. If the adjustments do not provide a student with sufficient access to some or all outcomes in Years 11-12, one or more Life Skills courses might be appropriate.

Life Skills courses are not an appropriate option for students:

  • performing below their cohort
  • who could be helped with appropriate adjustments and support.

All decisions about curriculum options for students with disability should be made through the collaborative curriculum planning process.

A student studying any Stage 6 Life Skills course will usually have completed one or more courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content in Years 7–10.

In special circumstances a student who has not undertaken one or more courses based on Life Skills outcomes and content in Years 7-10 may wish to enrol in Life Skills courses for Stage 6. These special circumstances might include situations where:

  • a student has attempted regular courses in Years 7-10 but has experienced significant difficulty
  • a student transfers from interstate or overseas
  • a student has a deteriorating condition.

Schools are not required to seek permission for students to access Life Skills courses or submit planning documentation to NESA.

Students undertaking only Stage 6 Life Skills courses are not required to complete the HSC: All My Own Work program or its equivalent. 

Students undertaking Stage 6 Life Skills courses in Year 12 may be exempt from the HSC minimum standard of literacy and numeracy. 

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