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NESA provides the curriculum for Kindergarten to Year 12 in accordance with the NSW Education Act 1990.

Curriculum structure

The NSW Curriculum is structured in Primary and Secondary. Students move through the following stages of learning:

Primary stages

  • Early Stage 1: Kindergarten
  • Stage 1: Year 1 and Year 2
  • Stage 2: Year 3 and Year 4
  • Stage 3: Year 5 and Year 6

Secondary stages

  • Stage 4: Year 7 and Year 8
  • Stage 5: Year 9 and Year 10
  • Stage 6: Year 11 and Year 12

Key Learning Areas

Key Learning Areas (KLAs) describe broad areas of learning. In NSW syllabuses are developed within the following KLAs:

Primary (K–6)

Secondary (7–12)

  • English
  • Mathematics
  • Science and Technology
  • Human Society and its Environment (HSIE)
    • History
    • Geography
  • Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE)
  • Creative Arts
  • Languages
  • English
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Technologies
  • Human Society and its Environment (HSIE)
  • Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE)
  • Creative Arts
  • Languages
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)

Curriculum requirements and credentials

Primary

School educational programs must show scope and sequences of learning that relate to the content and outcomes of NESA syllabuses.

Find out more about the Primary (K–6) curriculum requirements.

Secondary

There are two credentials that may be attained in Years 7–12:

Find out more about:

Syllabuses

Schools and teachers use syllabuses to develop educational programs for students.

A syllabus is available for each course developed by NESA. NESA Syllabuses describe the:

  • knowledge
  • understanding
  • skills
  • values and
  • attitudes

that students are expected to develop at each stage of learning as well as:

  • an aim and rationale for the learning
  • outcomes and content
  • cross-curriculum priorities
  • general capabilities
  • specific requirements for delivery and
  • Australian Curriculum content inclusions.

All K–10 syllabuses and Years 11 and 12 syllabuses are available on the NESA website.

For general curriculum enquiries contact [email protected].

Types of courses

NESA supports student interest and need with a variety of courses in diverse learning areas.

There are two broad categories of courses:

  • Board Developed Courses and
  • Board Endorsed Courses.

Board Developed Courses

The majority of courses in NSW, including Life Skills courses and VET Industry Curriculum Frameworks, are Board Developed Courses. Life Skills outcomes and content are included in the syllabuses for all Board Developed Courses with Years 7–10 outcomes and content.

Schools must use the current syllabus for any Board Developed Preliminary (Year 11) or HSC (Year 12) course they teach.

Content Endorsed Courses

Content Endorsed Courses cater to the learning needs of students in specific areas of need not served by Board Developed Courses. These NESA developed courses are delivered by schools in Years 7–12.

School Developed Board Endorsed Courses (SBDEC)

Schools submit SDBECs for endorsement in:

  • Stage 5 for RoSA or
  • Stage 6 as Year 11 or Year 12 units.

SDBECs are not developed by NESA.

Find out more about School Developed Board Endorsed Courses (SBDEC).

VET Board Endorsed Courses

VET Board Endorsed Courses must be delivered by a Registered Training Organisations (RTO). There is provision for the endorsement of VET Board Endorsed Courses for Stage 5 and Stage 6 in:

  • industry areas and/or
  • qualifications

that are not already available in the HSC curriculum.

Find out more about:

University Developed Board Endorsed Courses (UDBEC)

UDBECs allow universities to partner with schools to develop customised courses for students. UDBECs extend the HSC curriculum into areas not covered by Board Developed Courses or other types of Board Endorsed Courses.

Find out more about University Developed Board Endorsed Courses (UDBEC).

Equivalent and Alternative Courses of Study

For most students the most appropriate study pathway is to remain at school to complete Year 10. A very small number of students need a more flexible option due to exceptional circumstances.

Find out more about Equivalent and Alternative Courses of Study.

 

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