Primary Matters

Primary Matters

From Board Bulletin, Vol 5, No. 6. August 1996

K-6 projects in progress at the Board of Studies

The Primary Curriculum Package

The Board is undertaking an approach to K-6 curriculum development that will equip teachers with a comprehensive set of curriculum documents known as The Primary Curriculum Package. The approach is aimed at providing primary teachers with a coherent set of syllabuses and support documents based on a common syllabus framework. The first document that will be available in this package, The Primary Booklet, is planned for release in late 1997. The Primary Booklet will contain general information about the primary curriculum, a description of the common elements that will be found in K-6 syllabuses and support documents, and general advice about such matters as the nature and diversity of learners, and approaches to the assessment of students and the evaluation of teaching plans. The first syllabus that will be based on the common framework will be the revised English K-6 syllabus, due for release in the first half of 1998. The package will have a number of components including The Primary Booklet, syllabuses for each of the six key learning areas, support documents for the six syllabuses, and cross-curriculum support materials.

Special Education Curriculum Pilot Project

The Special Education Curriculum Pilot Project at the Board has focused on the development of support documents to cater for students with special education needs in English K-6. Two draft documents, the Support Document for Students Experiencing Difficulties in Learning and the Support Document for Students Experiencing Significant Difficulties in Communication were distributed for consultation to the Board's Special Education Consultative Network earlier this year after trialling in selected schools. The responses from the Network were very constructive. Changes have been made to the documents as a result of these responses. The Board will be considering these documents at its August meeting. The project team has also been developing draft materials for the Personal Development, Health and Physical Education Key Learning Area. The focus in this area is on the development of material to support students with special needs in both integrated and segregated settings based on the content of the Draft K-6 Personal Development, Health and Physical Education Syllabus.

Consultation with Key K-6 Organisations

Members of the executive of the NSW Primary Principals' Association (NSWPPA) met recently with the President and officers of the Board to discuss the Association's position on particular curriculum issues. The discussion proved to be very fruitful for all involved. The NSWPPA has a representative on each K-6 Syllabus Advisory Committee and is also repre-sented on both the K-6 Curriculum and Assessment Committee and the Board through its nominated member. The President also met recently with members from the executive of a newly formed organisation for K-6 executive staff, the Primary Executive Council. Discussion at this meeting focused on the aims and interests of the Council, particularly in relation to K-6 curriculum development. The Primary Executive Council has now been included on the Board's Primary Consultative Network. Organisations listed on the Primary Consultative Network receive copies of K-6 syllabus writing briefs, draft syllabuses and relevant position papers for comment. The Board values the contribution that these and other organisations make as part of its overall approach to consultation on K-6 curriculum documents.

Assessment and Reporting Document

The Board is currently developing a K-10 Assessment and Reporting Support Document for schools that will provide some general information and advice regarding approaches to assessment and reporting using staged outcomes. Gavin Patterson, Principal at Eastlakes Public School, has been deployed from his position at Eastlakes to coordinate the development of this document at the Board. The K-10 Assessment and Reporting Support Document, which will include some options for reporting using staged outcomes, will be distributed to schools for comment at the end of Term 3. Many schools have found great value in concentrating their efforts, at this early stage, on evaluating their current approach to the assessment of student progress before establishing new reporting practices. The first set of outcomes based on the recommendations of the Eltis Review will be in Mathematics K-6. These outcomes will be distributed in draft form for trialling and consultation in Term 3 this year.

If you would like further information regarding these items or K-6 curriculum matters in general, contact Margaret Malone, Inspector, Primary Education (ph (02) 9927 8199 or fax (02) 9954 9218).