Categories: News

NSW curriculum “overhaul” powers into 2021

The first stage of the NSW curriculum reform will see a reduction of more than 80 courses developed by schools classified as unnecessary.

<p>NSW Curriculum Reform is powering on with the first stage of decluttering that will see a reduction of more than 80 courses developed by schools classified as unnecessary&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>As part of the NSW Curriculum Reform&comma; new criteria have been developed to ensure elective courses developed by schools provide students with strong foundations for future learning and life beyond school&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the NSW Government had exceeded its target to reduce the number of elective courses developed by high schools by at least 20 per cent&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;We need our schools to be focussed on the core learning areas&comma;” Ms Berejiklian said&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Removing unnecessary courses allows schools and teachers the time and resources to deliver the essentials for students&period;”<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell said that she wanted to ensure schools are delivering high quality syllabuses to set students for success after school&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;New criteria will ensure that courses are only approved where the course provides a high quality elective option for students&comma; and does not duplicate or overlap with existing opportunities within the syllabus&comma;” Ms Mitchell said&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;While courses will be cut&comma; students will still have opportunities to explore their interests&period; For example&comma; courses like print-making would no longer be standalone courses&comma; but they could still be options as part of a core course like Art&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Removing these courses is the first step in our curriculum reform with the development of the new&comma; streamlined K-2 English and Maths syllabuses also on track to be released for consultation in March this year&period;”<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>With the exception of languages&comma; Auslan and Braille&comma; all Year 9 and 10 elective courses developed by schools will be phased out by 2022&period; Year 9 and 10 students will have the opportunity to select elective subjects that will be developed by the NSW Education Standards Authority and will be available state-wide&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>EDITOR&&num;8217&semi;S NOTE&colon; This <&sol;p>&NewLine;

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NSW Department of Education

This story was written by the NSW Department of Education. School News shares it with permission.

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