Australian Capital Territory Australian Curriculum trial schools

Tuesday, 02 March 2010 12:54

The Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, and the ACT Minister for Education and Training, Andrew Barr, today announced that 10 ACT schools will trial the new Australian Curriculum.

Ms Gillard made the announcement during a visit to Telopea Park School which will trial the year 8 history curriculum.

The draft Australian Curriculum was released yesterday in the areas of English, maths, science and history and is now open for public comment until May 23.

This public comment period follows extensive consultation with education experts and teachers including national curriculum forums and the publication of framing papers in early 2009 from which more than 900 submissions were received.

In June and July last year more than 1000 educators participated in briefing sessions and in September eight development workshops in each area were held across Australia.

The new Australian Curriculum will feature a “basics plus” approach with a return to core skills of grammar and reading but also allowing students to extend themselves at school. History and Science will be taught in every year level.

The online curriculum will be dynamic and easily updated, in contrast with the current static, hard-copy format. It will be among the world’s first curriculum delivered online.

ACT Minister for Education and Training, Andrew Barr, said a particular benefit for the ACT with its large defence force population is that students who move interstate each year won’t have to get to know a whole new curriculum at the same time as getting to know a new school.

Mr Barr said the ACT is delighted to be trialling the new Australian Curriculum at these 10 schools and encouraged ACT residents to have their say on the www.australiancurriculum.edu.au website.

The new Australian Curriculum will be implemented by state and territory education authorities from 2011.

A draft English, mathematics, science and history curriculum for Years 11-12 will be released for consultation later this year. The second phase of the Australian Curriculum will include languages, geography and the arts.

The ACT schools who will participate over the next three months include: