Primary Matters

Primary Matters – September 2005

extracted from Board Bulletin, volume 14, number 5

Contents

Key developments on K-6 Curriculum

The Board of Studies has now agreed on broad directions for making the K–6 Curriculum more manageable for Primary school teachers. The decision affirms the professional judgement of the large numbers of NSW Primary school principals, teachers and key education groups who responded to the Board’s statewide consultation process around improving manageability of the K–6 curriculum.

In order to assist Primary teachers to better manage curriculum demands, the central focus of programming, assessing and reporting will be shifted away from the 316 syllabus outcomes and on to six broad statements of essential learning – one statement for each key learning area (KLA). The new statements – drawn from the original stage statements – will encompass at a level broader than syllabus outcomes the key knowledge, skills and understanding in the K–6 curriculum and so describe the standards of student achievement in each stage of learning. Student achievement can be assessed and reported in terms of the new statements of learning and Primary teachers will not need to formally assess, record or report on individual syllabus outcomes.

There will be greater certainty and assurance about the essential knowledge and skills to be developed, but teachers will have the flexibility to select the syllabus outcomes most suited to the needs of their students. Primary teachers will now have the certainty they have been asking for in relation to the questions ‘What do I teach?’ and ‘How do I balance the different subjects?’ Schools will also be provided with suggested weekly time allocations for each KLA, giving teachers broad guidance about what is a reasonable balance of time to allocate across the curriculum.

Schools will receive comprehensive information during Term 4. For more information please contact Margaret Malone, Inspector, Primary Education on (02) 9367 8199.