Nurturing wonder and igniting passion, designs for a future school curriculum: NSW Curriculum Review interim report

In May 2018, the NSW Government announced a comprehensive review of the New South Wales (NSW) school curriculum from Kindergarten to Year 12 to 'ensure that the NSW education system is properly preparing students for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century'. The announced Review was described as the first major review of the entire school curriculum since 1989 and would 'take into account and expand on' the findings of the 2018 Gonski 'Review to Achieve Educational Excellence in Australian Schools' [available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 132.314].

This report is an interim report of the Review. It has been produced as a progress report and a basis for consultation on the broad directions it identifies. Following these consultations a final report will be prepared, including recommendations, and delivered to the Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning in the first half of 2020. The Review of the New South Wales (NSW) school curriculum has concluded that change is required. The changes proposed by the Review are significant. They relate to the amount and nature of syllabus content, the overall structure of the curriculum, and the focus of learning in the senior years of school. Given the depth of the proposed changes, detailed planning, trialling, testing and implementation will be required over an extended period of time – possibly a decade – although work on some changes should begin immediately. The long-term vision is for a future school curriculum that supports teachers to nurture wonder, ignite passion and provide every young person with knowledge, skills and attributes that will help prepare them for a lifetime of learning, meaningful adult employment and effective future citizenship.

Edited excerpts from publication. Show less