Northern Territory Certificate of Education
The Northern Territory Certificate of Education (NTCE) is awarded to students who successfully complete their senior secondary education. Students usually complete their NTCE over 2 years, but may take longer.
As an NTCE student you are required to undertake literacy and numeracy studies, as well as a selection of subjects from two subject groups to ensure breadth and depth in your studies.
What does this mean?
The NTCE presents a set of requirements that relate to:
Literacy: In your subjects you will have the opportunity to understand, analyse, critically respond to, and create spoken, written, and visual communications, and use information and communication technologies, in different contexts.
Numeracy: Your NTCE will include some study of Mathematics.
Breadth and depth: Your NTCE will include studies from the arts/humanities/social and cultural studies group of subjects and from the mathematics/science/technology group of subjects at Stage 1 and Stage 2.
Some Definitions
A unit of study is equivalent to 50 to 60 hours of programmed school time. You will need to complete 22 units of study. Some of these studies are determined by the Senior Secondary Assessment Board of South Australia (SSABSA) and your school, and about a third (i.e. up to 9 units) are free choice units that allow you to customise the NTCE so that it opens your chosen pathway, which may be to further study, training, work, or a combination of these.
In choosing these units you can be guided by what you plan to do after you finish your NTCE and by the range of subjects offered by your school.
Standards
It is important that NTCE students complete their studies to required standards. For at least 16 of your 22 units, you will need to reach a level known as satisfactory achievement.
To gain satisfactory achievement in a unit you will have demonstrated evidence of achievement equivalent to a score of 10 or more out of 20. In Community Studies, you must present evidence of having completed all the tasks agreed to in your contract of work.
A recorded achievement in a unit means that you will have demonstrated evidence of achievement that is equivalent to a score of between 3 and 9 out of 20. In Community Studies, you must present evidence of having attempted some of the tasks agreed to in your contract of work.
Requirements of the NTCE
Stage 1 (usually Year 11)
Literacy:
2 units of English, or English as a Second Language subjects, or Communication for the Hearing-impaired. This requirement can be satisfied at Stage 1 and/or Stage 2.
Numeracy:
1 unit of Mathematics.
Breadth:
- 2 units from Group 1 (the arts/humanities/social and cultural studies group of subjects), and
- 2 units from Group 2 (mathematics/science/technology group of subjects).
Stage 2 (usually Year 12)
Breadth:
- 2 units from Group 1 (the arts/humanities/social and cultural studies group of subjects), and
- 2 units from Group 2 (the mathematics/science/technology group of subjects).
Depth:
Three 2-unit sequences. A 2-unit sequence means any 2 units of study that are taken from the same Stage 2 curriculum statement. Some 2-unit sequences may be completed over more than one calendar year.
Free Choice
You can select up to 9 free choice units from the Stage 1 and/or Stage 2 subject offerings. Some community learning can count towards the NTCE (see your NTCE coordinator for more information).
This diagram represents the 22 units that you are required to undertake when you study the NTCE.
Note the following:
* English as a Second Language and Communication for the Hearing-impaired have the same status as English.
Group 1 – The arts/humanities/social and cultural studies group.
Group 2 – The mathematics/science/technology group.
Where can I go for more information?
You should contact your school’s NTCE coordinator, your school counselor or:
Certification Officer
Teaching, Learning and Standards
GPO Box 4821, Darwin, 0801
Telephone 8999 5511
Facsimile 8999 4270