Welcome to the Western Cape Education Department’s Curriculum Development web page that deals with examinations and assessment.

The purpose of this site is to give a brief overview of the educational system in the Western Cape, as well as to indicate in the simplest of terms, the conditions required for progression from one grade to another at the end of the academic year.

The South African educational system is divided into 12 years of formal schooling – Grade 1 through to Grade 12.  The grades are grouped into three-year phases – the Foundation Phase, the Intermediate Phase, the Senior Phase, and finally the Senior Certificate Phase.

Public exit level assessment takes place at the end of Grades 9 and 12, with the Grade 12 examination being known as the Senior Certificate examination. From 2008, the grade 12 examination will be examined nationally and the qualification on offer will be the National Senior Certificate.

Continuous Assessment (CASS) is an integral part of evaluation, with it being the only factor affecting progression from one grade to the next in the Foundation Phase to it constituting 25% of the marks for the Senior Certificate examination.

This page last updated July 2007