What SACE Board does

The SACE Board of South Australia is a statutory authority of the South Australian Government responsible for administering the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE), the senior secondary qualification for students in Years 10-12. Students complete the SACE by earning 200 credits across Stage 1 (Year 11) and Stage 2 (Year 12) subjects, with recognition available for VET qualifications, community learning, and other prior learning pathways. The Board is headquartered in Adelaide and also delivers services to schools in the Northern Territory and through SACE International, which licenses the SACE curriculum to accredited schools across Asia.

The Board's product portfolio centers on three core digital platforms: Students Online (a student portal for results and credential management), Schools Online (an administrative portal for schools to submit assessments, manage enrolments, and access data reports), and PLATO (a professional learning platform for teachers). Supporting products include a VET Recognition Register connecting vocational qualifications to SACE credits, electronic examination (e-exams) infrastructure, a Grade Calculator tool, and SACE Calendar systems covering South Australian, Northern Territory, and international hemispheres. The Board also coordinates nationally assessed language subjects through the CCAFL framework in partnership with other Australian state authorities.

The Board's business model combines South Australian Government appropriations (the primary revenue stream for domestic operations) with international licensing revenue generated through SACE International. There is no commercial pricing for the SACE qualification itself; the credential is delivered through government-funded and accredited schools. The organization's current strategic agenda, defined by the 'Passport to Thrive' Strategic Plan 2024-2027, emphasizes connected qualifications across secondary, VET, and tertiary pathways.

Name

SACE Board

Legal name

SACE Board of South Australia

Website

https://sace.sa.edu.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The SACE Board of South Australia is a government statutory authority that administers the South Australian Certificate of Education, a senior secondary credential, delivering it to students through accredited schools in South Australia, the Northern Territory, and internationally via SACE International partner schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Secondary Education Certification

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

National/State Examination Boards & Testing Agencies (EDADAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Education Professionals (Teacher/Administrator CE, CPD) (EDAAALAE)

Keywords

• Senior secondary certification
• Education assessment services
• Vocational education training
• Teacher professional development
• Curriculum accreditation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Adelaide

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: SACE Board is a South Australian Government statutory authority funded through government appropriations to deliver senior secondary education certification services.
2. International Program Revenue: SACE International generates revenue through licensing and support services for international schools delivering the SACE curriculum outside Australia.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SACE Board delivers the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE), a senior secondary qualification awarded to students who complete 200 credits across Stage 1 (Year 11) and Stage 2 (Year 12) subjects, VET, and recognised learning. The Board supports delivery through digital portals (Students Online, Schools Online), a teacher professional development platform (PLATO), electronic assessments, and extends the credential internationally through SACE International partner schools across Asia.

Product overview

The SACE Board offers the South Australian Certificate of Education as its primary credential, a senior secondary school qualification earned through 200 credits from Stage 1 (Year 11) and Stage 2 (Year 12) subjects. The product portfolio includes student-facing portals (Students Online), school administration systems (Schools Online), teacher professional development platform (PLATO), and a VET Recognition Register for vocational education pathways. The organisation delivers over 100 subjects across humanities, sciences, languages, arts, and vocational areas, with electronic assessment options (e-exams) and calendar management tools. SACE International extends the credential internationally through accredited schools across Asia, while national language continuers are delivered under the CCAFL framework with NESA and VCLA. The ecosystem is completed by assessment tools such as the Grade Calculator and online submission systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) The main senior secondary school credential awarded to students in South Australia who complete required studies. Students earn 200 credits through Stage 1 (Year 11) and Stage 2 (Year 12) subjects, VET, and recognised learning to achieve the certificate.
• Schools Online A web portal for school coordinators and administrators to manage enrolments, submit results, access moderation materials, and complete administrative tasks related to SACE assessment and resulting.
• Students Online A web portal for students to access their results, set up accounts, check grades, and manage their SACE progress and certification records.
• PLATO (Professional Learning and Training Online) Professional Learning and Training Online - a platform for teachers and educators to access professional development, workshops, assessment panels, and educational resources for SACE teaching.
• VET Recognition Register A register to help students plan career pathways and find connections between VET qualifications, traineeships, and apprenticeships. Part of the strategic vision to develop a connected qualification.
• SACE International The international department of the SACE Board responsible for developing and maintaining SACE educational products and services outside Australia. Delivers the SACE through a network of accredited schools across Asia.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Collaborative Curriculum and Assessment Framework for Languages (CCAFL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCAFL is a collaboration between all Australian states and territories for small enrolment language subjects. All states and territories share a common curriculum and assessment framework for nationally assessed languages at continuers level, including the SACE Board's supported languages.
• New South Wales Education Standards Authority (NESA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNESA hosts oral examinations for some nationally assessed languages at continuers level. Students studying languages hosted by NESA undertake their oral exam in accordance with NESA syllabus and specifications.
• Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVCAA hosts oral examinations for some nationally assessed languages at continuers level. Students studying languages hosted by VCAA undertake their oral exam in accordance with Victorian syllabus and specifications.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Western Australian School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA): Administers the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE). Direct peer as another Australian state-level senior secondary certification authority.
• ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies (BSSS): Administers the ACT Year 12 Certificate. Direct peer as another Australian state/territory senior secondary certification authority with a comparable curriculum-and-assessment mandate.
• NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA): Administers the Higher School Certificate (HSC) in New South Wales and hosts oral examinations for nationally assessed languages as part of CCAFL. Direct peer as another Australian state senior secondary certification authority and explicit SACE partner.
• Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and Certification (TASC): Administers the Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE). Direct peer as another smaller-jurisdiction Australian state-level senior secondary certification authority.
• Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA): Administers the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) and senior schooling assessment. Direct peer as another Australian state-level certification body with a comparable mandate and operating model.
• Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA): Victorian equivalent of the SACE Board; administers the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) and Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL). Direct peer as another Australian state-level senior secondary certification authority, also part of the CCAFL collaboration.

Broad incumbents

• International Baccalaureate Organization (IB): Global non-profit offering the IB Diploma Programme, explicitly recognised by SACE as an alternative senior secondary pathway. Closest large-scale competitor in international credentialing, particularly relevant to SACE International's Asian school network.
• Cambridge Assessment International Education: Global provider of Cambridge IGCSE and A-Level qualifications, with a particularly strong international presence across Asia. Major competitor in the international credentialing market where SACE International operates.

Regional players

• Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA): UK national body awarding Scottish qualifications including the Scottish Qualifications Certificate. Comparable national/state-level certification authority in a different geography with a similar credential-and-assessment mandate.
• New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA): New Zealand government body responsible for the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) and quality assurance. Comparable national/state-level certification authority in a different geography with a similar mandate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sace-board

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about SACE Board