Australian Curriculum
Information for parents
Background
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and
Reporting Authority (ACARA)
• 2008 National Curriculum Board (NCB).
• 2009 ACARA became responsible for national
curriculum, assessment and reporting.
ACARA website
Why an Australian Curriculum?
• A COAG decision.
• Provides skills, knowledge and capabilities for
young Australians.
• The combined efforts of states and territories
focused on improving student learning.
• Offers greater consistency for the mobile student
and teacher population.
Melbourne Declaration (2009)
Learning areas
English
Mathematics
Science (inc. physics, chemistry and biology)
Humanities and Social Sciences (inc. history, geography, economics, business,
civics and citizenship)
Languages (focus on Asian languages)
The Arts (performing and visual)
Health and Physical Education
Information and Communication Technologies
Design and Technology
Australian Curriculum — Learning areas
Australian Curriculum Learning Areas
Phase 1
Year K(P)–10
11 & 12
English
4 courses
History
4 courses
Science
4 courses
Mathematics
2 courses
Phase 2
Arts
Geography
Languages
Phase 3
Health and Physical Education K(P)–10
Others may be announced
Developing
Australian
Curriculum
Australian Curriculum development
Stage
Activity
Curriculum framing
Confirmation of directions for writing curriculum
Curriculum
development
Two-step process for development of curriculum documents:
• Step 1 – broad outline; scope and sequence
• Step 2 – completion of “detail” of curriculum
Consultation
National consultation and trialing
Publication
Digital publication
Timelines
Phase 1
English, mathematics,
science and history
Phase 2
Geography,
languages
and the arts
Phase 3
‘The whole
curriculum”
TBA
2010
Development stage
K(P)–10
Years 11–12
K(P)–12
Curriculum framing
April 2009
April 2009
June 2010
Curriculum
development
May –
Dec 2009
June 2009 –
Feb 2010
Begin late
2010
1 March –
23 May 2010
April –
June 2010
Early 2011
September
2010
September/
October
2010
Mid-2011
National consultation
and trial
Digital publication
Advice is being
sought regarding
ACARA’s
approach to the
development of
the whole
curriculum and
those learning
areas not
currently being
developed by
ACARA
Australian Curriculum structure
• Rationale
• Aims
• Organisation of the learning area
– strands
– content descriptions
– content elaborations
• Achievement standards
– samples of student work
Content descriptions and elaborations
• Content descriptions are
explicit statements
about what all students
should be taught.
• Content elaborations
are designed to support
teachers’ understanding
of the content
descriptions.
General capabilities
Literacy
Self-management
Numeracy
ICT
Thinking skills
Creativity
Teamwork
Intercultural understanding
Ethical behaviour
Social competence
Cross-curricular dimensions
Indigenous history and culture
Sustainability
Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia
What will the Australian Curriculum look like?
Years K(P)–10
K(P)–10 Strands
Learning area
Strands
English
Language
Literature
Literacy
History
Historical knowledge and understanding
Historical skills
Science
Science inquiry skills
Science as a human endeavour
Science understanding
Mathematics
Number and algebra
Statistics and probability
Measurement and geometry
K(P)–10 Achievement standards
• The quality of learning expected of students
who are taught the content.
• Specified for each learning area by year of
schooling.
• Students who have reached the standard are
well able to progress to the next level.
Years 11 and 12
Years 11 and 12
Learning area
Senior courses
English
English
Literature
English for life and the workplace
English as an additional language or dialect (EALD)
History
Ancient history
Modern history
Science
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Earth and environmental science
Mathematics
Essential mathematics
General mathematics
Mathematical methods
Specialist mathematics
English: four courses
English for life and the workplace
Focus on further students’ literacy and language skills for effective
participation in work, training and community, social and civic life.
English as an additional language or dialect (EAL/D)
Focuses on students for whom English is an additional language.
English
Focuses on extending students use of language and literature and meeting
the demands for further study, work and community, social and civic life.
Literature
A two-year course focusing on the study of literature.
Science: four courses
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Earth and environmental science
History: two courses
Modern history
Ancient history
Mathematics: four courses
Essential mathematics
Focuses on applied mathematics for everyday life.
General mathematics
Focuses on mathematics suitable for preparation for further study with
a moderate demand in mathematics.
Mathematical methods
Focuses on substantial development of mathematical knowledge and
higher level mathematics.
Specialist mathematics
Focuses on mathematics for further study in mathematics or engineering
and students with a strong interest in mathematics.
Assessment — processes and certification will
remain a state/school responsibility
• States and territories will be responsible for:
− assessment
− certification
− quality assurance
− tertiary entrance.
• Where there is a nationally developed course
states/territories will cease to offer any comparable
existing course.
• The number of courses may grow over time.
Providing
feedback
Providing feedback
Queensland’s alignment with the national
approach
Excellence and equity through:
• clarity about content
• clarity about standards
• valuing teacher professionalism.
Keep in touch
Australian Curriculum contacts
General enquiries
australiancurriculum@qsa.qld.edu.au
Subscribe to ACARA Update
http://www.acara.edu.au
Sign up for QSA’s
Australian Curriculum Latest e-newsletter
http://www.qsa.qld.edu.au